tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904699714122807842024-02-20T22:11:29.611-08:00A Plodding PilgrimagePhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.comBlogger78125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-35136061808202746482017-09-18T18:05:00.001-07:002017-09-18T18:05:19.686-07:00An Amateur Analysis (What We Discovered)<div class="MsoNormal">
So I am home from Israel, but I wanted to post one last time
to explain what we found. Of course, the
full analysis of the discoveries will take months to assemble and require
professional input that I am incapable of.
But here is an amateur’s analysis.
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I am grateful that I spent my whole two weeks on the dig
working in the same area. Each day we
exposed more and more of a room in a bathhouse that included a nice archway and
a second doorway that was originally another archway. We weren’t actually exposing the whole
room. Our boundaries were three walls,
but the fourth side was just a jumble of densely packed fallen limestone blocks
from an earthquake that destroyed the city.
The whole room would have been a longer corridor. </div>
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We were able to take it down to bedrock, which was about
twelve feet beneath the upper edges of the extant walls (which would have been
a bit higher before the earthquake).
Along the way, questions were raised.
The first was related to the arch itself. The left hand side was neatly assembled with
basalt ashlars, a dark and heavy volcanic rock.
But on the right hand side, the neatly arranged dark basalt stones
disappeared as the archway straightened out. The lower section was full of a jumble of dirt and soft limestone blocks.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCr1_JXlPZguIdBYzv-8bh3LzzyGfKdJ6kqdeYcgb9x19OECuIVZ2mHAjddN_WbyMAS34gfU_dQLK_ULffR7P6czO4WTnlNj4KUORXcycKR5W5Fh26okiS38ahah20P6vmBGvQ3nmQjQk/s1600/IMG_0388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCr1_JXlPZguIdBYzv-8bh3LzzyGfKdJ6kqdeYcgb9x19OECuIVZ2mHAjddN_WbyMAS34gfU_dQLK_ULffR7P6czO4WTnlNj4KUORXcycKR5W5Fh26okiS38ahah20P6vmBGvQ3nmQjQk/s320/IMG_0388.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the difference between the structurally sound right hand side and the questionable left hand side where the basalt rocks end after the archway.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFVYW2ShFwJFB87YYsLjo5A_sJ2qjEzSzM8iOVpsXoBp62ThMMfIDdpnv7nFP64EVr3XwpxqZKelC7L3DStgAkACWGfB5lHoAaawTnAXDySQR6mk-v-k_nvZhZ8B6IbD5BGGYtF99suQ/s1600/IMG_0320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFVYW2ShFwJFB87YYsLjo5A_sJ2qjEzSzM8iOVpsXoBp62ThMMfIDdpnv7nFP64EVr3XwpxqZKelC7L3DStgAkACWGfB5lHoAaawTnAXDySQR6mk-v-k_nvZhZ8B6IbD5BGGYtF99suQ/s320/IMG_0320.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Closer look at the left hand side where the basalt stones disappear. Instead, it is just fill similar to what is filling in the middle of the arch (and what we were digging our way through to expose the room. Where have the basalt stones disappeared to?</td></tr>
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As we got deeper into the hole, we reached a level where the basalt stones of the arch were not quite as tidy. It was only after we stepped back and looked at the fill in the arch that we noticed a line of white that was a few inches thick. This would have been a floor level of plaster that was not very distinct as we were digging but noticeable in the stratigraphy. This was likely the floor level of the room when it was used as a bath house. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoANwFKBv9LPR1duDkEDnGYg7bhVURul5n9A1cg0b4nl7AFLR1HHHX3nsNyzO1w5Xh-lBrIZ54njgHQQD2Fko8L7CBtfN1BRXX1ILXMHvrf5GmHxkOHnLumteAM3iIdFUbx7_ELr4H1w/s1600/IMG_0389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHoANwFKBv9LPR1duDkEDnGYg7bhVURul5n9A1cg0b4nl7AFLR1HHHX3nsNyzO1w5Xh-lBrIZ54njgHQQD2Fko8L7CBtfN1BRXX1ILXMHvrf5GmHxkOHnLumteAM3iIdFUbx7_ELr4H1w/s400/IMG_0389.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Notice the white horizontal stripe in the fill a few feet up from the bottom. You can see that the three levels of basalt ashlars above this line are very neatly arranged, while the ones below are not as carefully flush.</td></tr>
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We continued to dig deeper until we hit a stone and plaster floor a few feet below the plaster floor line in the fill. This was more distinctly a floor, but it was only in half the room. The other half of the room continued down as a dirt layer. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XA_PkgqrSkhX3FhJ2Zc4j_sHy2a9TrQyZ9so2p-o3Ccx17k-rA3UhdQM4d1SeIY28rLFN67g0-BxV25JICzLJPq2PFPyOoeaGABwAhCfFATcqUidF8MMx7g8kG3SLalY7RF3hWE-nm0/s1600/IMG_0335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-XA_PkgqrSkhX3FhJ2Zc4j_sHy2a9TrQyZ9so2p-o3Ccx17k-rA3UhdQM4d1SeIY28rLFN67g0-BxV25JICzLJPq2PFPyOoeaGABwAhCfFATcqUidF8MMx7g8kG3SLalY7RF3hWE-nm0/s320/IMG_0335.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A chunk of plaster from the flooring</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBv1NpTD998eIrx7v514AqmlubwAO5DAb3FrNFvq-MPhQlKSDG3pjgja-ehERWqt_Nttg142qsLpjLT53dzbz0b7h-0EG_0PTbp5M6Sto4McAAOKtGaJlrIOfb7mZUa3yfu62WeJK6ZE/s1600/IMG_0342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBv1NpTD998eIrx7v514AqmlubwAO5DAb3FrNFvq-MPhQlKSDG3pjgja-ehERWqt_Nttg142qsLpjLT53dzbz0b7h-0EG_0PTbp5M6Sto4McAAOKtGaJlrIOfb7mZUa3yfu62WeJK6ZE/s320/IMG_0342.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stone/plaster floor level in the upper portion of the picture. The lower portion of the picture has no floor. The dirt continues and we dig a bit deeper.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqqwmf5jSGWycFhb5lhg1Ar_kLoBIrhyphenhyphentpzrfiDwZNHOqlowLchzISVCMdZuAPlnO64EQS7ELGwa_Np4hm2F4K6axrfgwaCnePxp0BMSvYXoLD4cDiybD_22qffjeH5IaAmLuRzK4IKs/s1600/IMG_0390.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUqqwmf5jSGWycFhb5lhg1Ar_kLoBIrhyphenhyphentpzrfiDwZNHOqlowLchzISVCMdZuAPlnO64EQS7ELGwa_Np4hm2F4K6axrfgwaCnePxp0BMSvYXoLD4cDiybD_22qffjeH5IaAmLuRzK4IKs/s320/IMG_0390.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floor on the left side, no floor on the right side. Why?</td></tr>
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As we continued to dig deep on the left side where the floor was absent, we hit an opening under the wall that took us by surprise. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRe8GMGtxkTWxB8UDAZ6xYnJTRbjwljrY1JwC5vd7gGK5Z1pEsHgeh7n2mNwEd1EbmcojNPiVCHTSnqIG1aQfZIQ0mfAvvXwV71Ry8SJTaLZ3VNG_mT4mIS5LunmHs8lZbf2YFxa4gRDc/s1600/IMG_0341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRe8GMGtxkTWxB8UDAZ6xYnJTRbjwljrY1JwC5vd7gGK5Z1pEsHgeh7n2mNwEd1EbmcojNPiVCHTSnqIG1aQfZIQ0mfAvvXwV71Ry8SJTaLZ3VNG_mT4mIS5LunmHs8lZbf2YFxa4gRDc/s320/IMG_0341.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The opening as it was first exposed. </td></tr>
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When we shone a flashlight into the hole, we discovered that it stretched back at least 10 feet and got deeper further back. As we continued to dig a bit more, we discovered that the hole stretched around from the one wall around the corner to the the wall with the arch. The whole corner of the room was built over a deep hole. This was a large cavity in the corner of this room. This helped explain the absent basalt stone from the archway. The missing blocks were right above this opening. the foundation of the arch was undermined and at some point, these basalt rocks fell into that hole, probably due to the earthquake. <br />
The suggestion was made that this was possibly a Hellenistic cistern, used before the bathhouse was built over it. The open flooring provided access to this cistern. So that this floor level may have been from the time period before the bathhouse.<br />
Because we were nearing the end of our dig season, and because our area supervisor was concerned about safety and the integrity of the structure as we exposed more of the cistern, we decided not to expose any more this season. Instead, we covered over the hole and reinforced that corner as best we could with sand bags. <br />
So we reached the bottom, sort of. And we found answers, sort of. There is always more to explore. Each answer opens up two new questions. This is just one room in the bathhouse (probably a service room, incidentally, for the furnace in the next room over), a complex of many rooms, each with their own surprises to be uncovered and explained.<br />
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PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-1158944903281813382017-09-14T11:24:00.003-07:002017-09-14T11:24:35.524-07:00Ending With A Whimper<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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After nine days of hard digging, hauling dirt, washing pottery, exposing walls, hitting bedrock, and sweating buckets, the dig ended today with a whimper. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzpRwiSZwX-cEAL4Syhl3iRo-BsFV893qon-YX00VCAUs0fId2JUq8XEBxD4lNVcL_WX6zpDHBN9w5NJ29aSU0589-NSqhO5J4ASmtPTvRrW88N4sk73EqZKHoMyt59hx83I4WaJreqI/s1600/IMG_0356%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTzpRwiSZwX-cEAL4Syhl3iRo-BsFV893qon-YX00VCAUs0fId2JUq8XEBxD4lNVcL_WX6zpDHBN9w5NJ29aSU0589-NSqhO5J4ASmtPTvRrW88N4sk73EqZKHoMyt59hx83I4WaJreqI/s320/IMG_0356%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Tools of the trade. Pick ax and hoe, hand pick ax, trowel, brush and bucket</td></tr>
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No pick axes or hoes, the main implements of digging through layers. And no hand picks or trowels, the tools of finer processing of exploring a level. Today we used brushes. Our task was to clean up the site as much as possible to prepare for detailed photos and overhead drone pictures. We brushed off dust and debris that had accumulated on every surface. We brushes off dirt, so that they could see layers of changed soil colors. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPn-ThW4-_wG5_c_8UweeE0L3vpHNn2aYQzr46-H6kGOGZz5wycksYQ25hP9sKlpb45j-xkoZ6lHqpYY5c9HARgBuhKSvKXwlrOqKZz0SIKQdU5LjGSMASvX9KLMjRDnReegMpZFBoj7I/s1600/IMG_0385%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPn-ThW4-_wG5_c_8UweeE0L3vpHNn2aYQzr46-H6kGOGZz5wycksYQ25hP9sKlpb45j-xkoZ6lHqpYY5c9HARgBuhKSvKXwlrOqKZz0SIKQdU5LjGSMASvX9KLMjRDnReegMpZFBoj7I/s320/IMG_0385%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Brushing off a wall</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivI2WPya2ORBbjl2bv7f1xnJxb49cXP8BS4hD6s_Iju4JJkiKbbsncB7lp73Rw9g5EWrrxLIGVNSyf-WtZUtXQJhpluB2YAs2L8UAr8wmlg77aZhVYpSvPYi-YyP-9WCugYzEvL7gnTEA/s1600/IMG_0386%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivI2WPya2ORBbjl2bv7f1xnJxb49cXP8BS4hD6s_Iju4JJkiKbbsncB7lp73Rw9g5EWrrxLIGVNSyf-WtZUtXQJhpluB2YAs2L8UAr8wmlg77aZhVYpSvPYi-YyP-9WCugYzEvL7gnTEA/s320/IMG_0386%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">More wall brushing</td></tr>
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And then we weeded. Pulled up every scrub brush or thorny weed (and almost all of them are thorny) that had grown up over the last year in cracks and crevices. And we exposed a whole hillside that was covered with weeds so that fallen rocks and vaguely defined walls could be seen clearly from the overhead drone pictures. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9PN-5H8nsF-Rg-cB0kh6e9uU-3Dc708GWsBqc0rIoCVosnPHWfIQZdIiJLi9PnQZ5jT9Eevq0mCSwKH2IwU8EoVP_IhBaqmo_XrIkYKCDr3siMMOPBHBeDFMnSQPfLuQ5N4lgaUg6vw/s1600/IMG_0394%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9PN-5H8nsF-Rg-cB0kh6e9uU-3Dc708GWsBqc0rIoCVosnPHWfIQZdIiJLi9PnQZ5jT9Eevq0mCSwKH2IwU8EoVP_IhBaqmo_XrIkYKCDr3siMMOPBHBeDFMnSQPfLuQ5N4lgaUg6vw/s320/IMG_0394%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Weeding a hillside</td></tr>
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I know it was important work, but it felt anticlimactic. There were no finds today - no pottery, or bones, or glass, or coins. Just weeds and gravel being expunged from the site. I think we were all feeling a bit sluggish with the bittersweet end in sight, tired from two hard weeks of work, hot because the sun shade we had built to shield us was being removed for the final pictures. And then we were done. All tools put away, all areas secured, all work finished. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDShPaUWe-sCL3on6pBBqIamCzgaMRBfG7dbh_dbKMfyrVP5okDbHHVNQOHMggLdTbFshI_89z4Ldm4aWm8S6pvWBeFvwPKrUFHedxnry7dK9PWj2JOcocO7UcU9J3TxJiFPRHn_SJy4/s1600/IMG_0400%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyDShPaUWe-sCL3on6pBBqIamCzgaMRBfG7dbh_dbKMfyrVP5okDbHHVNQOHMggLdTbFshI_89z4Ldm4aWm8S6pvWBeFvwPKrUFHedxnry7dK9PWj2JOcocO7UcU9J3TxJiFPRHn_SJy4/s640/IMG_0400%255B1%255D.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">The bathhouse, cleaned up and ready for pictures</td></tr>
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We ended with a tour of the sites we had been working on and an explanation of what we had discovered over the last two weeks. the bus was waiting on us and we slipped into the air conditioned coach and headed back to the kibbutz for lunch. Goodbye Hippos Sussita, until next time.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7qMhmUsmwB3lekz0RL5XvJBvR68w6XUCf-oDv0hSuXfOOhkGq1bKjkvAHSNWyyLCk0PyhUyFDL8i8MsWkQhY05F5o9fbxKzU6CH6nNVCNJTKwVKr1gqsuuzRObVL_BqumqQLvyFozXc/s1600/IMG_0412%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7qMhmUsmwB3lekz0RL5XvJBvR68w6XUCf-oDv0hSuXfOOhkGq1bKjkvAHSNWyyLCk0PyhUyFDL8i8MsWkQhY05F5o9fbxKzU6CH6nNVCNJTKwVKr1gqsuuzRObVL_BqumqQLvyFozXc/s320/IMG_0412%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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PS - I will write about some of the things we discovered in my section next time and wrap it up with one last post on my second short weekend of touring the Dead Sea area. </div>
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PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-71157062507189689892017-09-12T06:35:00.000-07:002017-09-12T06:44:47.244-07:00Ground Floor<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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Over the last week and a half I have been excavating a small
room in a bathhouse (maybe 5 feet by 8 feet).
At the start of the dig the very top of an arch was visible. Since then we have been exposing the arch bit
by bit, making our way deeper and deeper into the room. And deeper and deeper. And deeper. Our two man team of myself and Stefano, an
older Italian workhorse, just kept digging.
Every time we thought we might be close to floor level, we were disappointed,
as the walls kept stretching deeper and deeper into the soil. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh165_e5wUv_POPOLfB3bypoIZgMhngPv0Cyq3zxJuNM2fs820UMmDTMb7FlutH7QMS_kytAGnA8lNlIDJy-P4llP7tZh5vvObOF4E7LAh_GbEYV_eT5AWha0tJJ65qI40P4uQ3h_42oK4/s1600/IMG_0326.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh165_e5wUv_POPOLfB3bypoIZgMhngPv0Cyq3zxJuNM2fs820UMmDTMb7FlutH7QMS_kytAGnA8lNlIDJy-P4llP7tZh5vvObOF4E7LAh_GbEYV_eT5AWha0tJJ65qI40P4uQ3h_42oK4/s320/IMG_0326.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Stefano and I measuring the depth of our hole</td></tr>
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All the way through we have encountered evidence of
destruction, large limestone blocks that have fallen into the room from above,
presumably during the major earthquake that destroyed much of the region in 749
AD. Filling buckets or dirt, hauling out
awkward stones – this was back breaking work.
It got even worse as we got deeper and deeper into the hole and had to find
creative ways to get out, building up stairs of sand bags and then moving them
to excavate under them. The last couple
days we have been required to wear hard hats, due to the depth. </div>
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After all that, I’m glad to report that we have hit floor
level. The level of the room goes down
over ten feet from top to bottom. Considering
that the upper portion of the room is not intact (currently the top ends at the
keystone of the arch, but surely there were a couple courses higher) the full
depth must have been 12 to 13 feet or more.
This is a very deep room.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzus5R7C0MprzTyejIfkGhDrEN3YjxJMO7Vu9-6ipiD9F20jz9cjrX3OhZpimf74ByHu50gM6AEYGcAgH7F3mpthXgNw1b8C0fAemju2FHfpwx70LLctbbeZOHnr7ouor0tgX5FwYxZY/s1600/IMG_0329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzus5R7C0MprzTyejIfkGhDrEN3YjxJMO7Vu9-6ipiD9F20jz9cjrX3OhZpimf74ByHu50gM6AEYGcAgH7F3mpthXgNw1b8C0fAemju2FHfpwx70LLctbbeZOHnr7ouor0tgX5FwYxZY/s320/IMG_0329.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">It's hard to give a sense of sale with one picture, but notice where my head is compared to the top of the arch. And I am standing on a large block that raises me up 18 inches.</td></tr>
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Floor level is the best level for finds, since this is where
things that fell into crack and crevices during daily use would have lodged. As
you approach floor level you use hand trowels rather than pick axes and go
through a couple centimeters at a time. As
we got close to floor level we found a burn layer and many animal bones,
suggesting some cooking taking place in the room. My partner also found a nice glass base for a
goblet. The dig director brought the
metal detector and found a coin and two pieces of copper. And there were lots of pottery pieces. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcvR04v1e9UUUWfDScGGo6gAqOfdUFysTlYvaJRDgeIvvEV2i0YufNpCUzXj29pwyfT2bcEouA_y6EZOJxv-JE1UaOPTRmEgau0rjomk31urhqYX6brjv6v96UzUtFkVM_lhiLtAG0uo/s1600/IMG_0327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLcvR04v1e9UUUWfDScGGo6gAqOfdUFysTlYvaJRDgeIvvEV2i0YufNpCUzXj29pwyfT2bcEouA_y6EZOJxv-JE1UaOPTRmEgau0rjomk31urhqYX6brjv6v96UzUtFkVM_lhiLtAG0uo/s320/IMG_0327.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">A coin and a piece of bronze found by the dig director with a metal detector</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdi-JGI1h83FCdweYN5xAGVEBKc5mYr8g_RPkUdG7av2Q3Ik0ZEQNn3ONJ-kEoc4TqzIKAsgVoBjhJ8YygpYvQf6tVmQxxFtrdjd8AUHxJGoXPkX-YLNo1SYZvXnXemWpXytbLSgnswHI/s1600/IMG_0332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdi-JGI1h83FCdweYN5xAGVEBKc5mYr8g_RPkUdG7av2Q3Ik0ZEQNn3ONJ-kEoc4TqzIKAsgVoBjhJ8YygpYvQf6tVmQxxFtrdjd8AUHxJGoXPkX-YLNo1SYZvXnXemWpXytbLSgnswHI/s320/IMG_0332.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Both bins are pieces of pottery found in our square yesterday - lots of pieces</td></tr>
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But the highlight (for me), came when I discovered a coin myself,
which is pretty surprising without a metal detactor, since this coin is about
the size of a corn kernel and mixed with a bunch of dirt it’s hard to distinguish.
I just thought it looked a little too round to be dirt and when I picked
it up it felt heavy. It’s impossible to
tell what kind of coin it is, but it is amazing to hold it in your hand. I also found a metal implement not much
bigger than a large needle. Someone suggested
it may have been a cosmetic instrument. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Io61-YB37U_LJ2nTIuODWZtO41M_jiblKRFrZ8fehiK4_1lQBkRVB2PBgFpuVj8OCt2nR7t1P5Ih03rEvESesfZk-MqBZHQoL71gWaU7l823SDNFCvsVcbhbLF24KzDGumgLkxuWCz0/s1600/IMG_0337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Io61-YB37U_LJ2nTIuODWZtO41M_jiblKRFrZ8fehiK4_1lQBkRVB2PBgFpuVj8OCt2nR7t1P5Ih03rEvESesfZk-MqBZHQoL71gWaU7l823SDNFCvsVcbhbLF24KzDGumgLkxuWCz0/s320/IMG_0337.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">The coin I found. I know it doesn't look like much, but it is pretty amazing</td></tr>
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That’s the good news. We reached the floor and found cool
stuff. The bad news is that there are
more questions than answers. We think
this may have been a service room for the bathhouse, near the furnace that
would have heated the hot rooms of the bath.
But that is a guess based on location and size more than findings. </div>
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The arch is perplexing.
The upper portion of the arch is built solidly of basalt stone (a dark,
heavy volcanic rock), but as we got deeper the tidy structure gets sloppier. Confusingly, some stones are missing, or
replaced with soft limestone blocks (we may dig into this a bit more in the
next couple days to see if we can figure out more). The abutting wall also gets really sloppy at
the lower level, no longer neatly flush, some stones are inset. And the soil changes color about four feet
from the floor, as if the lower portion was filled in before the upper portion
and the shortened room (still 7+ feet high) was used secondarily, after the
bathhouse was no longer in use, possibly as a residential space (explaining the
animal bones we found mixed into this middle layer). </div>
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There are also springers (the first stones just starting to
form an arch) for another arch (that is not intact) at the other entryway of
the room. But these two archs are offset
from each other. This doesn’t seem to
fit with the Romans interest in symmetry.
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There is stone flooring on about half the floor but the
other half is just more soil. So why is
part paved and part not? At the end of
the day a giant hole was exposed under a wall at floor level that led into a
cavity that opens up and goes back 10-15 feet.
After all these layers of fill it’s odd to have this open space. The dig directors wonders if this is an
earlier (Hellenistic) cistern for holding water. It’s not clear whether this is manmade or
natural, so we may look into this in the next couple days. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijWgB0vWN-NRr2mHhbLqdKar61AMEZU6oGM9wCDImkvPcXYl-1Mu0ZyD9Cf6vGUOR13lbrdQr1fqOehUYHfloBqGGtT2kumvSJngrRZ8UAkh_4DySNzGh-rojVMLsDkn_CyzS7WZc37Lo/s1600/IMG_0342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijWgB0vWN-NRr2mHhbLqdKar61AMEZU6oGM9wCDImkvPcXYl-1Mu0ZyD9Cf6vGUOR13lbrdQr1fqOehUYHfloBqGGtT2kumvSJngrRZ8UAkh_4DySNzGh-rojVMLsDkn_CyzS7WZc37Lo/s320/IMG_0342.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">The upper portion of the photo is the stone flooring. The lower portion of the photo is where the flooring just turns to dirt. We're not sure why.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EgZfso8R3LNXJtbweARWOmY6z_vRp-zNvi_JLUmdOYqjOMe0WWYUbJ8jGS461DOAV36LE_O2j0ONKEG2iLXAXE4E-L0xZbOuRuUU9LbUR4sxP1BkULL6Q0KCj0tFj0VDssVn_YGWeSo/s1600/IMG_0341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-EgZfso8R3LNXJtbweARWOmY6z_vRp-zNvi_JLUmdOYqjOMe0WWYUbJ8jGS461DOAV36LE_O2j0ONKEG2iLXAXE4E-L0xZbOuRuUU9LbUR4sxP1BkULL6Q0KCj0tFj0VDssVn_YGWeSo/s320/IMG_0341.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">A hole that was exposed under one of the walls that opens into a large cavity. Maybe a Hellenistic cistern.</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">So we hit the floor level, but we still have a lot of
questions about this space. We’re
running out of time to find answers, but we’ll see what the next couple days
reveal. Regardless, it has been an
exciting process to be involved in firsthand.
I can’t believe how many pictures I have taken of this one room.</span></div>
</div>
PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-13973348715976612712017-09-11T11:29:00.004-07:002017-09-11T11:29:52.404-07:00Weekends are for touring<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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With Friday and Saturday off from the dig, I decided to rent
a car (a whole ordeal that I won’t get into on the blog, but ask me sometime)
and explore some of the sites in and around Galilee. I had determined not to rush through these
sites, like they do when you are in a tour group, but to linger and take my
time exploring. I love a site where I can walk through the ruins slowly and try to make sense of them. </div>
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So Friday was gobbled up by two stops. The first was Bet Shean, one of the sister
cities of Hippos, another city of the Decapolis. This one larger and more developed, both as
an ancient city and as a modern day site.
The site has been thoroughly excavated and prepared for visitors with
partial reconstructions and interpretive signage, which was extremely
helpful. It was extraordinary to walk
upon ancient mosaics and alongside colonnaded streets. Massive architectural remains allow for imagining
these buildings in their full glory. Plus, the site has two bathhouses, one of
them the largest that has been found in Israel.
Excavating a bathhouse in Hippos gave me a deeper appreciation of these
incredible complexes and I was encouraged by my ability to recognize different components of the structures.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQOnAtWOZQr8OR-oRa3z7dDHk_9jhvnzRKIZkNn4ITbgRk0QzKhvjmM3SAbHPCzmG1pB-_jlgoC7GghsbjXneWndMwyAr_TVU3b3MjK8223VesK12AbdzgKtvgg91X7vobBpMQVxwVaE/s1600/IMG_0219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQOnAtWOZQr8OR-oRa3z7dDHk_9jhvnzRKIZkNn4ITbgRk0QzKhvjmM3SAbHPCzmG1pB-_jlgoC7GghsbjXneWndMwyAr_TVU3b3MjK8223VesK12AbdzgKtvgg91X7vobBpMQVxwVaE/s320/IMG_0219.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Bet Shean from the hillside above. Giving a sense of the scope of the ruins. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bzlTq8abLS8h7tgeGZl17Ig57WVKuHTIo6yc3UEhTI49GS3Z6_HKmakBjN0ibdobqn-9bQYOx3HnmsEuvmqYweKqf4hTC7GcHN9eBtpmRrYqC8TOL9It3FkHSumaXXu3bZPBsLP67hs/s1600/IMG_0215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bzlTq8abLS8h7tgeGZl17Ig57WVKuHTIo6yc3UEhTI49GS3Z6_HKmakBjN0ibdobqn-9bQYOx3HnmsEuvmqYweKqf4hTC7GcHN9eBtpmRrYqC8TOL9It3FkHSumaXXu3bZPBsLP67hs/s320/IMG_0215.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">A busy street corner in the city of Bet Shean. The colonnaded street is impressive </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi205q9g8CRcSVerKEnBm_Ny8oCn4BolwCvmSbNMeyHizJLuZGElpOghI6AFW1wl7ym-pgT7CXaHRJz6pJKFyimS8kPZMvzAG-w7guEatLMzImZSgHaCyyw5UkE4h0CSPgkPiu8J-HtSUE/s320/IMG_0201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">The 7,000 seat theater in Bet Shean overlooking the city.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi205q9g8CRcSVerKEnBm_Ny8oCn4BolwCvmSbNMeyHizJLuZGElpOghI6AFW1wl7ym-pgT7CXaHRJz6pJKFyimS8kPZMvzAG-w7guEatLMzImZSgHaCyyw5UkE4h0CSPgkPiu8J-HtSUE/s1600/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
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The second site was Megiddo, or maybe more familiarly Armageddon
(which means hill of Megiddo). The plain
beneath this ancient city is the site of the final battle in Revelation. But the ancient city remains are quite impressive
to see. This site is from a much earlier
time period with remains from Canaanite occupation (2000BC – 1250 BC) and early
Israelite (1250 BC – 800 BC). The site
is not as fully developed, but it is still worth seeing, especially the city
gate built by Solomon, the stables for chariot horses, the silo, the water
system, and the massive Canaanite altar.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo19ehc7FrdT84NP46JL_paFOMQ8t0ct9wfTJTR4zo8uDCRRS2JrsWI2rUzJqH252sLkZWSUEcu6HqvNTR-fNJWMRh08Bqnl2_qd_gf3c_Wf5XhAPA4mgL7QWbqRllyl_-i9ApD8l9zQk/s1600/IMG_0251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="548" data-original-width="1600" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo19ehc7FrdT84NP46JL_paFOMQ8t0ct9wfTJTR4zo8uDCRRS2JrsWI2rUzJqH252sLkZWSUEcu6HqvNTR-fNJWMRh08Bqnl2_qd_gf3c_Wf5XhAPA4mgL7QWbqRllyl_-i9ApD8l9zQk/s640/IMG_0251.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">The Jezreel Valley, where the Battle of Armegeddon is to take place</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnIZ0KqnHahM0W8yoHbfx-vqeSE667PBKcDeNeV9bXYCkcss4Ozx3y8ALA7dpVUHyMlCCtmeX_tK9D6LXbwrMhgdh-ORVb79GAf8cwYLvRl-ucR63IhqyK7-SyFmcm3hYrNkQLB5ZP9w/s1600/IMG_0246.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPnIZ0KqnHahM0W8yoHbfx-vqeSE667PBKcDeNeV9bXYCkcss4Ozx3y8ALA7dpVUHyMlCCtmeX_tK9D6LXbwrMhgdh-ORVb79GAf8cwYLvRl-ucR63IhqyK7-SyFmcm3hYrNkQLB5ZP9w/s320/IMG_0246.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">A massive Canaanite altar</td></tr>
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On Saturday I decided to stay closer to the Sea of Galilee. Israel is a combination of rich archaeological
sites that root our faith to real history and highly developed ecclesiastical shamanism,
where pilgrims go for a mystical encounter.
That may be a bit of a harsh description, but I think accurate. I love the former and hate the latter. The latter is reflected in churches that are
built up over “holy sites” where pilgrims go to touch a rock and pray (as if
that rock that Jesus supposedly sweat
drops of blood on will make your prayers more efficacious). There are countless churches, most of them
very liturgical, that are built over sites where Jesus, or one of the disciples,
or Mary, or some other figure from Scripture supposedly d<span style="text-align: right;">id something. The churches are tourist hubs where pilgrims
come to say they saw the very place where Jesus did x,y, or z. The problem is first, that most of these
places have very flimsy claims for authenticity and, second, that the nature of
the site has been destroyed by the shrine that has been built up around
it. </span></div>
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I try to avoid these sites, but I fell into the trap on
Saturday by visiting the Mount of Beatitudes.
I went hoping to get a sense of the context where Jesus preached the Sermon
on the Mount. Instead, all I saw was a
church with gardens around it. Even the
view of the Sea of Galilee is impeded by the gardens that they have planted. It is impossible to imagine crowds gathering
around Jesus to hear him teach at a site like this. This was a waste of time. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbCK98mIw6_hMReNSZgWNb9oX8E5d19-w_gbz3ukNY2Jk8SWPeeqRvSPE4690tD9prGhXGeNjJRgyv1kDvNMV9BESPlipNr9sxYCYTIVY53d2Y0ntVWM30t0W2n2U5MNLNbKkVC0JQ1Q/s1600/IMG_0270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDbCK98mIw6_hMReNSZgWNb9oX8E5d19-w_gbz3ukNY2Jk8SWPeeqRvSPE4690tD9prGhXGeNjJRgyv1kDvNMV9BESPlipNr9sxYCYTIVY53d2Y0ntVWM30t0W2n2U5MNLNbKkVC0JQ1Q/s320/IMG_0270.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church of the Beatitudes. Disappointing.</td></tr>
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Capernaum, which I also visited on Saturday, has a blend of
both. The rich archaeology is seen in
the remains of the synagogue, which is built later than Jesus time, but
probably over the remains of the first century synagogue, where Jesus would
have taught. It gives a good sense of
what a synagogue was like and how it functioned. And it is accessible, so that you can walk
through the remains and explore for yourself.
The residential quarter was also fascinating, but not as freely
available to walk through. The main
attraction is Peter’s house, based on tradition. This tradition actually has ancient roots and
may be credible, but a large church has been built over it so that it is nearly
impossible to see well or appreciate fully. The interpretive signage was helpful,
but it was still very difficult to perceive what they were talking about.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3zfc4_3g46-Pb4kQTbiWMlr8eugIb-m71F8mUVuQc_xydvz5jN6bxMy9AfjuS028IY_mAgtEbX_xG5BDjsw_x9CKKyvcf67uR3uba1IBlpBbylgmDhHKZC7M6ODqiAP9fB-JpT4x5u8/s1600/IMG_0263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3zfc4_3g46-Pb4kQTbiWMlr8eugIb-m71F8mUVuQc_xydvz5jN6bxMy9AfjuS028IY_mAgtEbX_xG5BDjsw_x9CKKyvcf67uR3uba1IBlpBbylgmDhHKZC7M6ODqiAP9fB-JpT4x5u8/s320/IMG_0263.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">The synagogue in Capernaum</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodhQ4OR9Fg5wyjfDHBXcyZFsFjDtbvQ7UFV3Dbbi5vXbNzgcqLTlC_lUPKd2fXXJrbxPGV4zTUJPvkzvIfRgeJy3v0otozCe0oKSWTj7kZX-hDpodzeDemEHErlHDCMsfddyb1HyBTFE/s1600/IMG_0268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodhQ4OR9Fg5wyjfDHBXcyZFsFjDtbvQ7UFV3Dbbi5vXbNzgcqLTlC_lUPKd2fXXJrbxPGV4zTUJPvkzvIfRgeJy3v0otozCe0oKSWTj7kZX-hDpodzeDemEHErlHDCMsfddyb1HyBTFE/s320/IMG_0268.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Remains of a frieze from the synagogue in Capernaum depicting the arc of the covenant on the right.</td></tr>
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I also visited Hazor, which is an very nice
Canaanite/Ancient Israelite site with a large Canannite palace, another city
gate built by Solomon along with section of the
city wall, a four room house (which is a distinctively Israelite house
design) and a pillared house that served as a storeroom. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9GM0e_-h_gQirYFDMvv5X90uTetsOJreiJa6VQdzv21pnivVCKteuBEiWaZ_eeSuIs0FMMz684llJZG_9tW5z9UcS34s0_kq77jpEYTSIkCWUnZ-t5Q5y5vbLXG5IhUcwKjWAsc9gjs/s1600/IMG_0272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9GM0e_-h_gQirYFDMvv5X90uTetsOJreiJa6VQdzv21pnivVCKteuBEiWaZ_eeSuIs0FMMz684llJZG_9tW5z9UcS34s0_kq77jpEYTSIkCWUnZ-t5Q5y5vbLXG5IhUcwKjWAsc9gjs/s320/IMG_0272.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Israelite city walls at Hazor, a double wall filled in with debris.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEissFcwYg0_AnDQWNGt4MYhvcqsofcvE75VO7fRFEMxEjSsBK_cDsDEqb3MmpsfqPPYGFgi4F3f2AVzzpzg8fUeg2vj2q-qr-OLtMoMHdx6GHxgAVx_ACloiDKXwACtGkGgtSUzfD2e2Wg/s1600/IMG_0282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEissFcwYg0_AnDQWNGt4MYhvcqsofcvE75VO7fRFEMxEjSsBK_cDsDEqb3MmpsfqPPYGFgi4F3f2AVzzpzg8fUeg2vj2q-qr-OLtMoMHdx6GHxgAVx_ACloiDKXwACtGkGgtSUzfD2e2Wg/s320/IMG_0282.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Any guesses? It's an olive press. Press the stone down on the basket full of crushed olive, oil gathers in the circular trough and spills out the break into the basin in the floor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I had a little extra time, so I stopped in at Korazim,
famously cursed by Jesus. It was a
smaller site, but worth the visit to see the synagogue remains and to see the
residential area, which was open to walk through, in contrast to Capernaum and
gave me the opportunity to try to imagine floor plans and discern alleyways of
this congested little neighborhood. It
gives a sense of the small dwellings that were common in the first
century. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBn1u0yGJtSTVljMNK7AGrGxAo5nkq59MhIl4oUxsG-fDr32pNuSoyK2F0-C7DBjCEAEkZZAMgHtzhxsD0kUGg_gbvv2zAjE_9QcvT3lmBwj_yxVRF1Lp0i041YPC0NHBO9VBZC12yV0/s1600/IMG_0298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBn1u0yGJtSTVljMNK7AGrGxAo5nkq59MhIl4oUxsG-fDr32pNuSoyK2F0-C7DBjCEAEkZZAMgHtzhxsD0kUGg_gbvv2zAjE_9QcvT3lmBwj_yxVRF1Lp0i041YPC0NHBO9VBZC12yV0/s320/IMG_0298.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Synagogue remains in Korazim</td></tr>
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Finally I stopped to see the Galilee boat, the remains of a
fishing boat dating to the first century found buried in the mud in the Sea of
Galilee. This is the style of boat that
Jesus would have sailed in as he crossed the Sea of Galilee. It was a short visit, since this is all they
have on display, but worthwhile.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqq4frqnddPZUN40Ojt7cAJ-2Pb5NCNIyB_y7G6xHkoPo5z5JPL_hrJceZL8xrDIBTf-wd-vRop9YhX5QmBu4v4-_3uPNAJ9B4WgO9bwCSIG0TjdAI_RWJdyZRVIKXjokgmTFpg73OW3o/s1600/IMG_0286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqq4frqnddPZUN40Ojt7cAJ-2Pb5NCNIyB_y7G6xHkoPo5z5JPL_hrJceZL8xrDIBTf-wd-vRop9YhX5QmBu4v4-_3uPNAJ9B4WgO9bwCSIG0TjdAI_RWJdyZRVIKXjokgmTFpg73OW3o/s320/IMG_0286.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Galilee Boat</td></tr>
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So these were full days.
I have limited time for “site-seeing” so I’m glad I made the most of
these two days. I’ll have one more
chance to see some sites in the south at the end of the dig. I am rooming with a fellow pastor and he has
invited me to join him to go to Masada, Ein Gedi, Qumran (if time allows), and
possibly Beer Sheba. We’ll see what we
can squeeze in.</div>
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PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-66922005787411181472017-09-08T12:18:00.002-07:002017-09-19T13:57:53.971-07:00Dishwashing<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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One of the surprises of this experience is the volume of pottery that is found in these archaeological digs. Hundreds of pieces of pottery are collected each day - thousands over the course of the dig season. We are told to only keep it if a) it is a handle or a rim, b) if it is a piece larger than one inch square, or c) if it is unlike the rest of the pottery in the area. Which means that there are countless pieces that just get tossed into the dump pile. But every day you find a bunch of pieces that meet the criteria, which you put into a "find bucket" that is labeled with a locus number identifying the area and the depth of the square you are digging. Each day I find dozens of pottery pieces that get tossed into my bucket. </div>
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Pottery is so prevalent because once clay is fired in a kiln, it is amazingly durable and will not decompose. It may break into pieces (all the pottery we find are broken pieces), but it won't disintegrate. And because clay vessels were so common and could easily be replaced, they were often disposed of carelessly. </div>
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Pottery is so useful to archaeologist because it is so distinctive. Pottery styles and materials changed over time. The color of the glaze, the makeup of the clay, the designs used, the thickness of the pot, and especially the shape of the lip and handle (which is why these pieces are so valuable) all changed over time. </div>
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So because pottery is so plentiful, we have a large catalog of the different types. And because pottery is so distinctive, we can use it to date the level we are excavating. Our pottery expert was able to look at our bucket of pottery n the first day and tell us right away that it was almost all Byzantine (4th - 8th century). She took the time to explain it to us - pointing out the patterns on the pottery, the color of the clay, and a couple of stylistic features. Some of the pieces she was able to tell us the kind of vessel the fragment came from. </div>
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So what do we do with all this pottery? Each afternoon we have a pottery workshop. At least that's what is says on our schedule. Workshop is a bit of a stretch. Truth is, we wash the dishes. We grab a bucket of shards that has been filled with water and a scrub brush, along with a drying bin for the clean pieeces and we start to scrub. We try to get all the dirt off the pieces so our pottery expert can get a better look at them. She floats from bucket to bucket, looking over what we are cleaning up. This is the workshop aspect, since she is a wonderful teacher and she will take a pile of pottery and make it come to life. She quickly highlights a few things that she notices and points our some features that could easily be overlooked. She has piles of books that she consults and is able to show us pictures of some of the vessels that we just have a little piece of. One night she was looking over the pieces I had cleaned and got excited by a fragment that was the base of a bowl. Right in the middle was a clearly defined fingerprint. she said it's a small thing, but whenever she sees that she is reminded that this pot was made by a real person who stuck their finger in wet clay and left us a record for thousands of years later.</div>
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After cleaning, the pieces are set out to dry. From there is it out of our hands. The pottery specialist will determine which pieces to keep. Each will be labeled, measured, and tentatively identified. If there are pieces that obviously fit together, then she may do some conservation and try gluing them together. The finds get entered into a database and placed in storage. More research will be done to determine how this pots relate to other pottery finds in other excavations in the area. Conclusions will be drawn. Dates for levels will be assigned. All this from broke pieces of pottery.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq5pLJZ1dd7o2hsEkugB5wIpchT59fVADLQiInLpDaOu_GS84nyPkp7WFk1CUuTXXs4_grKqpdFTzwmtVFku26mJ5BkQQgoauS1Iho-YaDihul47mdCo9ERJR17ib3lZfloM78whGzv4/s1600/IMG_0182%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvq5pLJZ1dd7o2hsEkugB5wIpchT59fVADLQiInLpDaOu_GS84nyPkp7WFk1CUuTXXs4_grKqpdFTzwmtVFku26mJ5BkQQgoauS1Iho-YaDihul47mdCo9ERJR17ib3lZfloM78whGzv4/s320/IMG_0182%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">My two roommates and me cleaning pots</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUhFjezSuKX_fgPlaKDuotdPRIeXUvn2AcoGZO2Vfs3CndPeUI97IcrhW8KU0Myhnc7YDDFPt84J-Qos6pp0300zjTOVScDHFkbQ0sD7MbdRzfG8ky0kZJYWEcgCHhR4k_8I3km1oMbg/s1600/IMG_0159%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYUhFjezSuKX_fgPlaKDuotdPRIeXUvn2AcoGZO2Vfs3CndPeUI97IcrhW8KU0Myhnc7YDDFPt84J-Qos6pp0300zjTOVScDHFkbQ0sD7MbdRzfG8ky0kZJYWEcgCHhR4k_8I3km1oMbg/s320/IMG_0159%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Another group working on cleaning their potsherds</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6j_10NX1BLj5Zb6DXRPLk530WM8511RsElvuQVSn7DCHccdbdMhK8378A40i5_kPrp9HJyVw_2tE6taO4CMXnp3MJG6owy11oOYJEwGSg87e3AlzkmOURWfLqdRCIMUq1hvOnPhhtswc/s1600/IMG_0185%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6j_10NX1BLj5Zb6DXRPLk530WM8511RsElvuQVSn7DCHccdbdMhK8378A40i5_kPrp9HJyVw_2tE6taO4CMXnp3MJG6owy11oOYJEwGSg87e3AlzkmOURWfLqdRCIMUq1hvOnPhhtswc/s320/IMG_0185%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12.8px;">When you have some pieces that you know fit together, you put them in that little basket inside the bigger basket (in the center left of the picture). Sometimes we find enough to fully reassemble a pot. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">More pottery drying. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">A large section of an oil lamp.</td></tr>
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PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-17361720653545746162017-09-05T11:50:00.000-07:002017-09-05T11:50:18.776-07:00Exposing a Bathhouse<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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My assignment, at least for the first part of this dig, is on a section of room in a Roman bath house. Roman bath houses are fascinating to me, both because of their creative engineering (plumbing and heating) and because of the cultural centrality during the Roman Empire - this was a key social gathering place and every Roman polis (city) had to have one or more. So I was delighted to discover that this was where I would be working. And the particular section I am working in (with two others) is clearly defined by two walls, the tops of which had been exposed in the previous season. Essentially, we are exposing a room, from top to bottom. When we arrived, the top portion of an arched doorway was just beginning to show. There were also two large blocks sticking out of the ground, a foreshadowing of what was to come. The city was destroyed by a major earthquake in 749 AD, which caused massive destruction. These blocks, and many we found beneath, were all from construction above that toppled into this room. Much of our digging was spent extracting these large blocks and tossing them aside. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">The "Before" picture. Our site as we found it, before we began to dig. Notice two large blocks sticking out from surface. These blocks fell in from construction above during an earthquake.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Second "Before" picture. This The opposite wall of our section. Notice the fill in the opening, another doorway that will be exposed.</td></tr>
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After the first day, we had leveled the surface and begun to slowly work our way down. Mostly, we were learning technique of how to break up the ground, how best to extract the stones, where to dispose of the dirt and stone, and what kinds of things we were looking for. Pottery was evident on this level, but not very helpful. On the surface layers after destruction, there is usually a jumble of late pottery that is in terrible shape because it has not been protected well. It's mostly junk pottery, but we are still looking to lips and handles, because these are most useful in dating the pottery.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">End of day one. Those two large stones removed, the surface of our area mostly leveled, a little more of the arch showing</td></tr>
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The next two days, significant progress was made. We started to work more smoothly and were able to get much deeper into the room. It is still full of destruction and most of the finds are broken pottery pieces that are indistinct. The best finds will be closer to the floor level, so we keep pulling out dirt and making our way down. Large stones continue to be exposed and extracted. The arch and doorway are opening up significantly. Slolwy a room that has been hidden for over a thousand years is being exposed.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Two large stones that need to be pulled out.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Progress at end of day three. Large stone in the archway is one we are leaving because the keystone in the arch is askew from the earthquake and we don't want to destabilize the arch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">The opposite doorway starting to open up.</td></tr>
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So that is where we are at. Continuing to dig and hoping that in the next couple days we will get close to floor level. We have found a handful of decent pottery pieces that were worth keeping. Below are some of the things I found, mostly pot handles</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmap1khYHVXJdLN3cBWW6872i1ia4GT8_hfD3o9Y501ONzdjYq9sodvE_rzuOaqE93v0WP3L_ClLb83WAdaiOh55lmLR_aHwNqi8o1zNrRFB5xHxUQE4axCAFWH0iq-wseMm1wwhM0YI/s1600/IMG_0147%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmap1khYHVXJdLN3cBWW6872i1ia4GT8_hfD3o9Y501ONzdjYq9sodvE_rzuOaqE93v0WP3L_ClLb83WAdaiOh55lmLR_aHwNqi8o1zNrRFB5xHxUQE4axCAFWH0iq-wseMm1wwhM0YI/s320/IMG_0147%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-87338957552041083972017-09-03T11:12:00.001-07:002017-09-03T11:12:57.766-07:00First Day on the Dig<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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Today was our first day on site and my first opportunity to see Hippos in person. Over the previous months I have spent many hours scouring the internet for pictures and videos of the excavations at Hippos, so in many ways the site seems familiar to me. Still, it is altogether different to see this place for oneself in three dimensions. This gives the opportunity for close inspection, finer details, a better appreciation of scale, and a more comprehensive view of the site as a whole rather than just a compilation of images.</div>
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The day begins early, on the bus at 5:15 am, on the trail up the mountain five minutes later, still dark but just enough dawn breaking to allow for navigating up a winding, rocky road with frequent spots of loose gravel. By 5:30 we are gathering tools that will be needed and heading to our assigned work site. I am part of a crew excavating a roman bath house. It is the precise area I was most interested in. I debated requesting this assignment, but decided to leave it in the hands of God to place me where he wanted me, I was delighted to find that this is where I will spend the next two weeks. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswETmJkjk6ywPoEND7lpamaDVjXo09yGGt-abFNBD8er9UsKqyIbLiAuztwgii9hIAFy93arZsTzBEJ8L6-FVq5NJv2EcHyD2zYTkB7MFMkYdVk4Y7zHFr5q2LPu0BEUmbbS7Vt1ZbA4/s1600/IMG_0031%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiswETmJkjk6ywPoEND7lpamaDVjXo09yGGt-abFNBD8er9UsKqyIbLiAuztwgii9hIAFy93arZsTzBEJ8L6-FVq5NJv2EcHyD2zYTkB7MFMkYdVk4Y7zHFr5q2LPu0BEUmbbS7Vt1ZbA4/s320/IMG_0031%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Erecting the shelter - a work in progress</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoZ25fEMPM7MhaJWQco7ZlMZf-lP76ZhN8IMHYxDTNdBpnxEcigQPZdilodU4pZMYcDld4MUpf8nZILSTN_X2Q39VDGBwY6cb2Ifu6_4zV4dSPZByts7F3pCithO924PLV1pybns1_JE/s1600/shade.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyoZ25fEMPM7MhaJWQco7ZlMZf-lP76ZhN8IMHYxDTNdBpnxEcigQPZdilodU4pZMYcDld4MUpf8nZILSTN_X2Q39VDGBwY6cb2Ifu6_4zV4dSPZByts7F3pCithO924PLV1pybns1_JE/s320/shade.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Overview of the site where I am working. The large black tarp is the shade we erected</td></tr>
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My specific assignment is to work on a small section between two walls that are just starting to be revealed. We will dig out the fill between these walls, exposing the contours of this room and looking for evidence of what purpose this room served. It is on the edges of the bath house so there is some question as to whether this is part of the bathhouse or separate. I am working with a woman named Sue who has been on the dig a number of times before. She is a wealth of information about the site. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj93rM5BNTbaLu3bsGGaQ0sCdPhvvTKWXScMKheb1SZEWjTSDSD3Hj5VV9djXU8-qg7PUbiUdiKaPcXl5TUNSAg3SOnEByPhgEp9hW-pQASJJLsj3ImOeTrIBBe0wYbeG8TcK53ad6vJjc/s1600/IMG_0032%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj93rM5BNTbaLu3bsGGaQ0sCdPhvvTKWXScMKheb1SZEWjTSDSD3Hj5VV9djXU8-qg7PUbiUdiKaPcXl5TUNSAg3SOnEByPhgEp9hW-pQASJJLsj3ImOeTrIBBe0wYbeG8TcK53ad6vJjc/s320/IMG_0032%255B1%255D.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">My partner Sue and the top edge of one of the walls we are exposing. You can see the top of a doorway arch that will be exposed in days to come.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">The second wall that we are digging between. We will be exposing the space between this wall and the wall with the arched doorway in the rear of the picture (and in the above picture).</td></tr>
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That is the project. The process is really quite simple. We break up the dirt with a pick axe, then use a hoe to fill buckets. When all the buckets are full we form a bucket line among the whole team and pass the buckets down the line to be disposed of away from the site. In these first few levels we are not really looking for artifacts. Pieces of pottery are found in almost every bucket, but it is of little value to the excavation. This is a destruction layer (from an earthquake) and pottery found here does not have much to tell us about the room. The pieces are small fragments and indistinct - not much help in dating or developing a chronology. So we just toss them away. I kept a few pieces as keepsakes, since they are just garbage. As we get deeper, we will be more concerned with the pieces that are uncovered. Probably starting tomorrow we will begin to collect small finds in a seperate bucket for the area director to determine whether to keep or not.</div>
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That's about it. Over the week I hope to show you the room being exposed little by little each day.</div>
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We also took the first part of a tour of the site and I have a bunch of pictures from that, but that would probably be information overload for this blog.</div>
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PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-63453613055063391072017-09-02T07:27:00.000-07:002017-09-02T07:27:04.106-07:00A Tale of Two Beaches<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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I arrived in Tel Aviv Thursday night and my bus to Ein Gev in Galilee (my true destination) didn't leave until Friday at noon. With Friday morning free, I walked to the beach in Tel Aviv, a glorious stretch along the Mediterranean Sea. I had limited time, So I didn't plan on swimming or spending long there, but I did want to dip my toes in. I preface this by saying that I am not much of a beach person. I prefer hiking in the mountains and forests to laying on a beach. That said, this beach was absolutely stunning. This was no Adirondack beach (which isn't saying much). Nor is it a Jersey Shore beach. The sand is much finer than any I have ever felt - smaller grains, whiter color. The area is highly developed with beach shelters and rows of chairs on the beach, high rise hotels along the beach, and dining and entertainment sites bubbling out from every seam. But it is magnificent and inviting. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8MJaeYDoDnwnDCNKFvIWwP2w_a8oLVdS-1KlRhizyql3YVPsB2T0T2LBKZ-9Om9ZBl2yond2WwBGQYtY1kpIVcE3E3JxsL0igcRB8kXgPBwJGv6Eey3NeKCqoV5K5S7ZnAF0aaq2-9c/s1600/DSC03045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC8MJaeYDoDnwnDCNKFvIWwP2w_a8oLVdS-1KlRhizyql3YVPsB2T0T2LBKZ-9Om9ZBl2yond2WwBGQYtY1kpIVcE3E3JxsL0igcRB8kXgPBwJGv6Eey3NeKCqoV5K5S7ZnAF0aaq2-9c/s320/DSC03045.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Beach, chairs, shelters and high rise hotels</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Fountainat entrance to Bethlehem beach in Tel Aviv</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Paved area for walking, running, biking</td></tr>
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Later that day I took the three hour bus ride to Ein Gev on the Sea of Galilee. I didn't get to dip my toes in until the next day (today). What a difference. The water is equally warm in both places - not the cooling dip you would hope for in this heat. But the beach on Galilee was not the fine sand of Tel Aviv. Here, the shoreline is covered with large smooth stones. The water level has receded significantly due to on-going drought. As a result, the "beach" keeps moving further and further out into what was sea bed - rocky sea bed. There is a patch of sandy area near the breakwall where the beach used to reach, but now a long walkway brings you out into the rocky area, close to the water. There are even a few beach umbrellas and shelters set up for those who wish to lounge among the rocks. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnDNPd5d8WoDW9o4TMP__BcxhzCYVjzXQodYAs5oDe7rqv5N56cGrJjbjX0yg-Fv_TfXWMR1UqX8LbY4fSsOS0dHI9wpHlb54xWagTRINWINWbZaASMKUVpwX4khFeLQyHdvAbKhgwyI/s1600/DSC03050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTnDNPd5d8WoDW9o4TMP__BcxhzCYVjzXQodYAs5oDe7rqv5N56cGrJjbjX0yg-Fv_TfXWMR1UqX8LbY4fSsOS0dHI9wpHlb54xWagTRINWINWbZaASMKUVpwX4khFeLQyHdvAbKhgwyI/s320/DSC03050.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing in the water and looking back up the beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0sJ-pJjlIpZjt5HWnrnxqW-RCvRhyphenhyphen0xNdx_bPqD7gDyXFPaFw0YCixaIOp3F3rnGq6rBVVWuL6RaSZ5p5r5RH6ZP3DFsWLTWw5JK118cr6D-3qak-gh6_HJZqorEbW5_e8uAGKF00eY/s1600/IMG_0026%255B1%255D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0sJ-pJjlIpZjt5HWnrnxqW-RCvRhyphenhyphen0xNdx_bPqD7gDyXFPaFw0YCixaIOp3F3rnGq6rBVVWuL6RaSZ5p5r5RH6ZP3DFsWLTWw5JK118cr6D-3qak-gh6_HJZqorEbW5_e8uAGKF00eY/s320/IMG_0026%255B1%255D.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">A walkway leading from where the beach used to reach (by the breakwall) to it's current location. The area around those trees is a beautiful grassy area I'm sure will be referenced later.</td></tr>
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But no matter. From what I hear, after a morning of digging at the tel, the sweaty and dusty team members come back to the kibbutz and jump in the lake fully clothed to rinse some of the filth off. Digging begins tomorrow at 5 am. More stories to tell.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Selfie at Mediterranean (Tel Aviv)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Selfie at Sea of Galilee (Ein Gev)</td></tr>
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PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-78179200186163007072017-09-01T07:26:00.000-07:002017-09-01T07:26:36.181-07:00Breakfast in Tel Aviv<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZZy6SDN-wEWE7GzBFXIC102cILc2Cy0Gi0-zaH922oWrxzbARkq9owxTz2gNhhyT-CZPu6BodqHFFymi4Yno-Xh99pnUOQlfmYsc8UACHr75mcQgMHN5L1qGz15-8_-3rVKSMyFdfjg/s1600/IMG_0006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSZZy6SDN-wEWE7GzBFXIC102cILc2Cy0Gi0-zaH922oWrxzbARkq9owxTz2gNhhyT-CZPu6BodqHFFymi4Yno-Xh99pnUOQlfmYsc8UACHr75mcQgMHN5L1qGz15-8_-3rVKSMyFdfjg/s320/IMG_0006.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">Blurry breakfast spread at the hostel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREHbq6tvm12WybWii4H_3m6mxvxeI1WgDxHBzF9Eq2doFWktR0UvUX8GCorxLO-kdoyLoQyL73DJdJXnGX34I5P8YuIl8I_FVQPUfOHwnOBFNJpflIizsF_nS421LW1pbcjss60VaIRM/s1600/IMG_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgREHbq6tvm12WybWii4H_3m6mxvxeI1WgDxHBzF9Eq2doFWktR0UvUX8GCorxLO-kdoyLoQyL73DJdJXnGX34I5P8YuIl8I_FVQPUfOHwnOBFNJpflIizsF_nS421LW1pbcjss60VaIRM/s320/IMG_0005.JPG" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="direction: ltr; text-align: center;">My breakfast - cucumber salad, pasta salad, cabbage salad, bread with pesto, and cappucino</td></tr>
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My first meal in country was a complimentary breakfast buffet at the hostel where I stayed. Filling, tasty, and varied. I skipped the olives because (and I say this in hushed tones, here in Israel) I hate olives. Not pictured, but also sampled (in round two) was Greek yogurt with granola and halva, a Jewish confectionery like a sweet bread. It comes in lots of flavors, but the breakfast serving was a simple vanilla.</div>
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PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-64283799248385742762017-09-01T06:50:00.004-07:002017-09-01T07:37:37.275-07:00Resurrection (of a blog)<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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I should note, before I get too far into these blog posts, that I have resurrected this dormant blog to . serve as a travelogue. For the last three years this blog has sat idle. New responsibilities as a bi-vocational pastor made it difficult to find time to write. But now I have an opportunity that many have asked me to keep them updated on, and this venue seems perfect for the task. Many of you know the backstory, but some may not. So here is the thumbnail. </div>
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Months ago, on a whim, I applied for a scholarship from the Biblical Archaeology Society for the opportunity to work on an archaeological dig. I filled out the paperwork, sent it off, and then largely forgot about it, considering it a wildly unrealistic long shot. Months later, long after I would have expected to hear, I received an e-mail informing me that I had received the scholarship. I remember opening that e-mail and not having words to express to Sue what the message said. </div>
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I had selected a dig at <a href="http://hippos.haifa.ac.il/">Hippos Sussita</a>, one of the ten cities in the decapolis, a loose confederation of Roman cities from the height of the Roman Empire. The city sits on a mound overlooking to Sea of Galilee on the eastern shore. It is never mentioned by name in the Bible, but is often identified as the "city on a hill" that Jesus might have been referring to as he taught along the shores of the sea. It was a Gentile city with all the classic marking (an amphitheater and odeum - small theater, a forum, a basilica, bath houses, etc.) as well as a number of churches from later in their history. I chose this sight primarily for two reasons. First, a short two week dig season. Second, a dig season that was not in the height of summer, which is my busiest time for work. Both of these made this particular dig seem feasible.</div>
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The last few months has been spent making arrangements for my travel and taking a deep dive into biblical archaeology. It's a topic I have been interested in casually for a number of years. This has given me opportunity to dig deeper (so to speak).</div>
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So this blog will keep you posted over the next two weeks of my experiences here. I make no promises as to how often I will post. As I have time and interest, I suppose.</div>
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PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-86933845190214250142017-09-01T06:25:00.003-07:002017-09-01T06:25:52.394-07:00"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step"<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-g7V_yP-KQcRfK-EPb-ar-LBB-SvBNZCV1e4c3ZtVLH5QfZq3XwNV-PasXsyq_Phfu7aVP9d1Ph1hka20XyFqLFiTujb2dWirzLWfQotLqu5F8L1QUibHpUepU60BnAuZlsTEOdyXD0/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-g7V_yP-KQcRfK-EPb-ar-LBB-SvBNZCV1e4c3ZtVLH5QfZq3XwNV-PasXsyq_Phfu7aVP9d1Ph1hka20XyFqLFiTujb2dWirzLWfQotLqu5F8L1QUibHpUepU60BnAuZlsTEOdyXD0/s320/IMG_0002.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally in Israel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAyrlDLAkwT9DShYDeNFdzGUG0IA7HY94lOCTa3UTbhiwLv21Ll3ULqnll1NZOyMTqIMhaFSdCJxrxUsjUtDOoCJUSgmOI2Vq4JiOSnyyeojy9gu9oYltsBumIDkY-zt6lDbwEvth_hg/s1600/IMG_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXAyrlDLAkwT9DShYDeNFdzGUG0IA7HY94lOCTa3UTbhiwLv21Ll3ULqnll1NZOyMTqIMhaFSdCJxrxUsjUtDOoCJUSgmOI2Vq4JiOSnyyeojy9gu9oYltsBumIDkY-zt6lDbwEvth_hg/s320/IMG_0001.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weary in Amman, Jordan</td></tr>
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I arrived safely after a long journey. Left at 12:00 noon from Old Forge. Four and a half hours to my brother's house in NJ, half hour to Newark airport where he dropped me, three hours on a shuttle from Newark to JFK. 10:30 pm flight to Amman, Jordan. Arrived at 4:30pm the next afternoon (Jordan time, which is 7 hours ahead, so an 11 hour flight). Four hour layover, 45 minute flight to Tel Aviv, train ride into the city, taxi to my hostel. Arrived at about 12:30 am, a day and a half after I started. But glad to be here. After a bit of restless wandering, checking out Tel Aviv night life (which is still hopping at 2 am), I went to bed for a good night of rest in a bed (which felt luxurious after sleeping on a plane).</div>
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PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-20258705163750755412014-01-22T19:08:00.000-08:002014-01-22T19:08:34.779-08:00The God of the Snowstorm<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<i style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">So here is an adaptation of the second sermon I preached at Inlet Community Church this month in a series on snow. </i></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Job was a wildly successful businessman, prosperous in every way. This from the beginning of the book that
bears his name, “He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned seven
thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, and five
hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people
of the East” (Job 1:2-3). This is said
straight-faced, without any hedging. He
was the greatest, bar none. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And
then he loses it all in a day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">-
The 500 oxen and 500 donkeys are stolen by the vicious Sabeans and the
attending servants are killed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">-
The 7,000 sheep are burned up by fire falling from the sky and the attending
servants are incinerated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">-
Chaldean raiding parties sweep away all the 3,000 camels and the attending
servants and struck down with swords. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In
three waves, all his livestock is wiped away, along with workforce. Material loss is compounded by familial loss. All his sons and daughters are feasting
together at the oldest brother’s house, when a stiff wind causes the house to
collapse and all of them are killed. Stripped bare, he declares, “naked I came
from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.” (Job 1:21). It gets worse.
All that naked flesh is afflicted with boils, pussy and painful skin
lesions. Physical discomfort, emotional
upheaval, material devastation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But
despite all this tragedy, he refuses to reject God. He will curse the day of his birth, with
verbose eloquence (the whole of chapter 3), but he will not curse God. Even at the prodding of his wife to do so. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But
while he won’t reject God, but he will ask why.
Again and again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">- Why did I
not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb (3:11)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">- Why</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> is
light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul (3:20)</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">- Why do you
hide your face and consider me an enemy (13:24)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">- Why do you
not pardon my sins and forgive my sins (7:21)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">- Why do the wicked live on, growing old and
increasing in power? (21:7)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 13.5pt; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">- Why</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
does the Almighty not set times for judgment? Why must those who know him look in vain for such days? (24:1)</span><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He
may not raise his fist in response to this slurry of misery, but he will
scratch his head. He wants to make sense
of all this. For if there is no sense,
then we are left with nonsense. And to
remain loyal to a God of nonsense is just one last heaping teaspoon of nonsense. He longs for an explanation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And
don’t we all. When things don’t work out
the way we expected. When we get
terrible news. When it seems like those
with no regard for God are living carefree lives while we who strive to walk in
obedience are beat down with misfortune.
Why? It doesn’t seem fair. We long for an explanation. Is there sense in this or is it all just a
pile of nonsense? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Because
if I were writing the script, I would never write in “get a flat tire” or “bang
my knee on the corner of the bed” or “bite my lip in the same place for the
fourth time”, or “fix the leaky toilet.”
And if I’m not inclined to include these little “c” crisis into my
script, you can bet I’m not going to write any capital “C” Crises into the storyline
– terminal disease, miscarriage, tragic accident, divorce, financial ruin,
depression, adultery, job termination. If
I were writing the script it would be all green lights and blue skies. And yet I look out the window and the sky is
ashen, dreary gray. Why? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Job
asks why. Finally, God intervenes with
an answer. But it turns out he answers a
different question. Instead of getting
ensnared by the question of why he responds to the question of who. For four chapters (Job 38-41) God lays out a torrent
of questions of his own, forceful in their delivery. The two sections of his response are
introduced with the same knee-knocking formula – “Brace yourself like a man and
I will question you and you shall answer me” (38:3, 40:7). He goes back to his work in creation and touches
on sunrise, constellations, tides, rainfall, the foodchain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In
this midst of this, snow makes an appearance.
Job 38:22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow or seen the
storehouses of the hail?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">All
this snow, vast and powerful, delicate and artfully sculpted, is at his
bidding. He determines when and where
the snow will fall. He has this immense storehouse
of snowflake masterpieces that he grabs by the handful and scatters throughout
the earth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As
it says in Psalm 147:16 “He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost
like ashes.” What can cripple us, shutting down the
interstate, delaying flights, causing power outages and treacherous travel, is
just handful of snow scooped up from his storehouse and flung through the
sky. I labor in the removal, doing the
back breaking work of clearing my driveway.
But there is no labor in the delivery. My labor contrasted with his
ease. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">An
avalanche begins with a failure in the snowpack. The angel of the slope is usually somewhere
around 38 degrees, a point at which accumulation is extremely unstable. Most often, slides begin with additional
snowfall adding weight to the snowpack or the sun causing snowmelt compromising
the stability of the snow. Sometimes
other sources set the avalanche in motion – animals, skiers, seismic activity,
explosions, thunder, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; tab-stops: 121.5pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Whatever
the cause, load exceeds strength and the inert snowpack is set in motion. Up to a million tons of snow, traveling at
speeds of nearly 200 miles an hour with no friction to slow it down. It drives an invisible wave of air before it,
smashing everything in its path. It is
an amazingly powerful display.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But
avalanches in the macro are made up of snowflakes in the micro. And a snowflake is as delicate as an
avalanche is powerful. Each flake is a
tiny six-pointed ice sculpture, a uniquely crafted masterpiece. They can be extremely beautiful, but are
rarely admired. They are too small and
too fragile. They are easily crushed and
quickly melted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And
this is God. He is crafting flakes with
intricate precision and then flinging them with such abandon that they will
never be appreciated for their artistry.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">All
of this is intended to bring Job to this declaration in response, “Surely I
spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.”
(42:2). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We
want to know why. God suggests that a
better question is who. We need to
remember that this is a God of vast power, displayed in creation. He made all this. The fury of the snow squall, the delicacy of
the snow flake, and everything in between. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This
power in harnessed with unfathomable competence. He keeps the universe in motion and juggles
the intricacies of an immense created order without ever getting jumbled up. That same competence not only tunes the dials
of this world, it tunes the dials of my life.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I
used to have this video game as a child, in the days of Atari and
Intellivision. Two biplanes would fight
it out. The controls were quite simple –
up for up, down for down, red button to shoot.
That was it. I was pretty good –
quite a pilot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Be
wouldn’t that be audacious if I took my expertise at this video game as an
indication that I was ready to sit in the cockpit of a real plane with its myriad
of gauges and buttons, levers and switches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Asking
God why is akin to that. As if we with
our video game expertise could begin to understand the true complexity of the
cockpit controls. So when I’m in flight
it’s more important for me to know who’s flying the plane that to know why he
chose a particular cruising altitude. If
the pilot is trustworthy, I can leave the particulars of the flight in his
hands. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
God who unleashes avalanches with his pinky and crafts masterpieces by the
trillions - he’s a God I can trust. And
if that question of who is settled in our minds, then the question of why, even
if left unanswered, is not so pressing. The
pilot knows how to fly this plane better then I do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-49336034361832334472014-01-08T17:53:00.002-08:002014-01-08T17:53:55.490-08:00The Harvest Begins in Winter<i style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">I am preaching at Inlet Community Church for the month of January. <a href="http://inletny.com/">Inlet</a> is a small village in the rustic Adirondacks. This post is an abbreviation of the sermon I preached this last weekend, the first in a series on references to snow. This post is a transitional step between sermon and article. At some point I may tighten it up more and see if I can find a publisher. For now, it finds it's place in the blogosphere.</i><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When you think of things that are quintessentially Adirondack you
may think of an Adirondack chair on the shores of a lake or pond, or maybe a
solitary loon, sunk low in the water, or a handwoven fishing creel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But not in January.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not on the heels of a nor’easter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not after we were blasted with artic
chill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe better, here in winter, an
old pair of wooden snowshoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like it or
not, snow is characteristically Adirondack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of all the seasons, winter seems to have the hardest grip on this place.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In January, we’re not thinking about the harvest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re just trying to dig ourselves out of the
snow banks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the harvest really
begins in winter. Mountain snows act as natural reservoirs in the winter, when
agriculture is largely dormant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, in
the spring, the mountains unleash a steady supply of water as the ice pack
melts just in time for the germination of crops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is a reliable way to hydrate the land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A way that has worked for generation after
generation. For farmers, and forests, and fields, and flowers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t require sprinklers, reservoirs, canals,
or aqueducts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The skies open and unleash
snow in the winter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gravity and warming
temperatures do the rest.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Seeds are typically very dry, which sets them in a state of
dormancy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep them dry and they will
remain in this state of dormancy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is how seeds can be stored for many years in pouches in your cupboard or on a
shelf in your garage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They must be roused, awakened, jump
started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Water is the jumper cables for
seeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Seeds store some food reserve inside them – starch, protein, or oils.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Miniature doomsday preppers who have a
cupboard full of MREs, food reserves that provide nourishment for the infant
seedling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the seeds absorb enough water,
enzymes are activated, breaking down this stored food into useful
chemicals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those MREs are opened with a
pull tab of hydration.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By the time initial the food reserve is used up, the plant has
grown an initial set of roots and leaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Before long the seedling has grown into a plant, a plant with bud and
bloom and blossom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It flourishes, yielding,
in the words of Isaiah “seed for the sower and bread for the eater.” (Isaiah
55:10).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grain for the storehouse, fruit
for the preserves, vegetables for the canning cellar, flowers for the pressing
board, herbs for the drying rack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Call
it what you will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is harvest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harvest that began months prior with a
snowflake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time we reach the
harvest in autumn, we have full stomachs and abundant surplus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is the analogy of Isaiah 55.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“As the rain and snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it
without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed
for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my
mouth:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it”
(Isaiah 55:10-11).</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is a promise, not a hope, not wishful thinking, not an
uncertain variable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God’s word is like
snow in that it is effectual.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Snow does
not evaporate without accomplishing its purpose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so his word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are not empty words, toothless threats,
powerless promises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All that is
predicted by the prophet, now 55 chapters in, will come to pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Every jot, every tittle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every
snowflake of revelation will water the earth, will saturate the plants, will
accomplish its purpose.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This reference to snow comes is in a section where Isaiah is
pleading with Israel not to miss what God has in store for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In verses 1-7 there are 12 imperatives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Command after command after command.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come, buy, eat, listen, delight, seek, call,
turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God, through Isaiah, is imploring
the people to return to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are
words of repentance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s inviting us to
restore what was lost, to repair what was broken, to undo what has been
done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Much of Isaiah has dealt with the inescapability of coming
judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their stubborn rebellion would
result in their living under the heavy hand of judgment. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This judgment is harsh and relentless -
chapter after chapter of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And when they are under this judgment, their tendency would be to
see no further than the surface and lament their physical bondage and
oppression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that is just a bur to
remind them of their deeper bondage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are sinners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This sin is
what holds them in bondage. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not another
nation, not a drought or famine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their
bondage and oppression is from within – they have turned away from God.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He is inviting them to return. To drink deeply to satisfy their
parched souls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To feast on the richest
of fares (verses 1-2), not for their bellies, but for their souls. That their
souls may live (v.3).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br />
And here is what hangs in the balance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The word goes out and will not return void. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is promised. What he intends will be
accomplished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can orient ourselves to
that and plunge into that current, finding blessing and satisfaction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Verse 12, “You will go out with joy and be
lead forth in peace, the mountains and the hills will burst forth in song
before you and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. “ This is
exuberance that will saturate the soil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Blessing – joy, peace, celebration, fruitfulness, abundance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is what the word of God can bring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mountains and hills are singing, trees are
clapping in joyful celebration of this restoration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But beneath the din of this raucous celebration is the
possibility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if all these
imperatives – come, buy, eat, listen, delight, seek, call, turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if these are ignored?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The subtle implication is that even then, his
word does not return empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will not
be powerless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For those who will not
return his word will stand as an accuser, condemning us to the judgment that we
ourselves have chosen - to live with aching thirst and empty belly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In going my own way, I may get pummeled by the
force of this current that I’m resisting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our ways and thoughts are not God’s (Is 55:8).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are bent, a gnarled stick against the
plumb line purity of God’s holiness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
word can straighten us, if we submit. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">God’s word is effective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
does not return empty. It will accomplish his purpose with or without our
cooperation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The snowflake of revelation
will moisten the earth. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will sweep us
up in blessing or sweep us away in judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-66880456125032950332013-10-30T18:54:00.000-07:002013-10-30T18:54:04.082-07:00Guest Blogger<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD4Q9iEz8Y-ewvH5ElHxfCL8mJvgD4BlrIz9Erbh9OQlQfw4RUXCjuaFSR8dRuRuAldjqm7dajXS3WlgZV_jZAWtmWKWE_KeiYkZfBr8PNbndkehQVv2YHQmQ1UfEjtpJld7asoMjAKkg/s1600/stone-path.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD4Q9iEz8Y-ewvH5ElHxfCL8mJvgD4BlrIz9Erbh9OQlQfw4RUXCjuaFSR8dRuRuAldjqm7dajXS3WlgZV_jZAWtmWKWE_KeiYkZfBr8PNbndkehQVv2YHQmQ1UfEjtpJld7asoMjAKkg/s200/stone-path.jpg" width="133" /></a>I'm over <a href="http://weavings.upperroom.org/2013/10/on-death/">here</a> today, guest blogger at Weavings.<br />
<br />
I've been invited to preach at Inlet Community Church for the month of November, so much of my writing time has been devoted to sermon preparation. It's been eight years since I have preached. I had forgotten how deeply I love crafting sermons. It has been a delight. And this even before stepping into the pulpit. If you are so inclined, I would appreciate your prayers<br />
<br />
I have a couple pieces in the works that have grown out of a recent backpacking trip. They are rough hewn for now. I hope to sand them smooth over the next few days and post them soon. Thanks for your patience.<br />
<br />
<br />PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-11559591650391797742013-10-13T17:22:00.002-07:002013-10-13T17:23:27.842-07:00Worshipping Scarecrows<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><i>"Like a scarecrow in a
melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot
walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good” </i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><i>Jeremiah
10:5 NIV.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><b>Impotent Scarecrows</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Try to think of the last
time you saw a scarecrow in a field? Not on a front porch with hay bales and
pumpkins, but in a field, scaring crows. It seems scarecrows have been largely
reassigned as seasonal décor, transferred from the front lines of the crop war
to the front porches of suburban homes. The demotion is a direct result of poor
performance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFIdRJYcwt41Xmanp4gVtFN9D7iVZnWWSJLmlNTEv2ZGcKettU2E41pfzmSd3-X7GyWAxA0FDQjl5rOgEkHnUHX6AeolLns4fwhkBMo1SLvYATwA4wl4WSmSytGPEMH5o5PdNb2F0gy4/s1600/scarecrow_2361807k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlFIdRJYcwt41Xmanp4gVtFN9D7iVZnWWSJLmlNTEv2ZGcKettU2E41pfzmSd3-X7GyWAxA0FDQjl5rOgEkHnUHX6AeolLns4fwhkBMo1SLvYATwA4wl4WSmSytGPEMH5o5PdNb2F0gy4/s320/scarecrow_2361807k.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">A scarecrow is like a
surrogate farmer, erected in a field to guard the crop when the farmer is away.
Deceptively similar in appearance to its flesh and bone counterpart, it is
intended as a deterrent for dim-witted pests. The crows (and other critters)
will be scared away by the protective guardian.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">But crows are highly
intelligent. They can make and use simple tools to get food. They can quickly
adapt to new challenges. They can learn from one another. This innate
intelligence hinders the long-term effectiveness of lifeless scarecrows. They may
work initially, but with time crows will test the scarecrow, gradually coming
closer and closer to assess the danger. This inspection will reveal that the
scarecrow is harmless. Soon they will resume pillaging crops, undeterred by the
impotent protector. Other garden eaters will notice the crow’s brazen disregard
of the humanlike figure and sense the lack of danger. Before long, it becomes a free-for-all. The
stiff outstretched arms become a perch from which to launch their aerial
plundering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">The crow is able to reveal
the true nature of the impotent protector. Its limbs hang lifeless and its
mouth is silent. It is dependent on a pole to keep it erect. Its work amounts
to idle passivity. It is an illusion of substance. In truth it can do no
harm…or good. It can do nothing but hang limp from a stand. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><b>Impotent Idols</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Such are the idols Israel’s
neighbors. Jeremiah warns them not to
mimic these nations. But the rebuke carries across the generations into our own
day. It's a suitable depiction of the contemporary idols that we trust in place
of God. They are surrogates that may, for a time, hold pests at bay. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">You may, for example, place
your confidence in a steady paycheck because it offers a feeling of security,
at least on the surface. You trust in that weekly deposit to meet your needs
for food, clothing, and shelter. But your misplaced confidence is shaken by an
unexpected expense, a down turn in the economy, a round of layoffs at your
company. What you thought to be of substance turns out to be full of hay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Or maybe it is a relational
idol, depending on a marriage, a family, or a friendship to bear the load of
personal worth. Your value is determined by your role as husband, mother, or
friend. All these relationships bear the image of their creator, a relationally
triune God who would sacrifice all to restore relationship with his beloved bride.
But these relationships buckle under the weight. Hay stuffed arms are not
designed to bear this burden. You are demanding too much of these reflections.
Only one relationship can hold up under that weight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Instead of a surrogate, you
are invited to trust the true farmer, whose work is not idle passivity, but mighty
protection. He will feed you like the birds and clothe you like the flowers. He
will cultivate your life toward fruitfulness. Let him reveal the idols of your heart.
Let him help you to renounce them. Allow him to be your true farmer,
cultivating your soul.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i>I recently had an article accepted for publication by Weavings. They've invited me to guest blog and asked if they could use some of my old blog posts on their blog. The first one was posted this past week <a href="http://weavings.upperroom.org/2013/10/words-like-honey/">here</a>.</i></div>
<!--EndFragment-->PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-85971557598608630732013-09-25T08:08:00.001-07:002013-09-25T08:08:43.070-07:00Les Miserables and Les Work Schedule
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I had to work last Sunday.
Working in retail, I don’t get many weekends off, but I do split the
misery with my senior manager - I work Saturdays and she works Sundays. But the staffing chart is currently threadbare. I knew the college students would be returning
to their distant dormitories and labor laws would limit how much I could use
the high school students when school started.
I did not anticipate the simultaneous purging of underachievers from my
staff. We have been reduced to a skeleton crew, a boney bunch stretched to fill
the necessary shifts. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lately as I write the schedule, I stare at the computer
screen, puzzling out how to fill in the gaps in my staffing. Last Sunday’s there
was no other option. I would have to
work on my day off. It’s not my
preference, but I’ll do it when I have to.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Won’t you get in trouble for skipping church?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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I stared back in silent bewilderment. Head cocked and eyes slightly squinted. The thought had never crossed my mind.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My cashier repeated the question with an underlying note of
assertion “Won’t you get in trouble for
skipping church?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
She is not a churchgoer.
But she knows of my faithful attendance.
This was a window into the perspective of an outsider trying to make
sense of why those who attend church faithfully would bother. With a weekend reduced to one day, why would
I waste a chunk of it in church? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Her assumption was that church attendance must be mandatory
for the religious. We go because we
must. It is an obligation, like a
debt. Missing a Sunday is like skipping
a payment. Too lax and the repo man will be pounding on my door. Already, God must be scratching out a first
draft of my eviction even as I post the schedule. Foreclosure is imminent. Won’t I get in
trouble for skipping church?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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To her, Christianity is built on obligation. This was so self evident that it didn’t
require any explanation. The only uncertainty was how I found a loophole to
dodge the sure disapproval and the probable retribution from a divine enforcer?
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcrtbv0RzCnex_YFaooDvculvIyHuv5OCORyEI1-hsVQzaeaewUf-CfvcpCpIXmbVV2qnncEdIA6R7NCKrhj6iqtkY4Fjk_Le_wkCkeBq2zwd4oBr95JDFfU0wGjY4oqJJ9bom2o4t7I/s1600/978-1-58997-394-7.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrcrtbv0RzCnex_YFaooDvculvIyHuv5OCORyEI1-hsVQzaeaewUf-CfvcpCpIXmbVV2qnncEdIA6R7NCKrhj6iqtkY4Fjk_Le_wkCkeBq2zwd4oBr95JDFfU0wGjY4oqJJ9bom2o4t7I/s1600/978-1-58997-394-7.gif" /></a>Recently, I have been listening to an audio drama of Les
Miserables by Focus on the Family Radio Theatre.
A free copy was provided for me by the Tyndale Bloggers network. It is the familiar story of Jean Valjean
first told in Victor Hugo’s epic novel, then adapted for Broadway in the Tony
award winning musical. Most recently, the musical made its way from Broadway to
Hollywood, with a critically acclaimed film adaptation starring Hugh Jackman,
Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway. </div>
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<br /></div>
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This particular three hour audio production is solid. The scoring is fitting, musical interludes
carrying the action from scene to scene and setting the tone within the scene. Sound
effects add to the drama. The voice
acting is strong with the tone matching the character, from the stone-cold
Javert, to the devious Thenardier, to the tender Marius. The limitations of audio drama are on display, everything
having to be explained verbally causing the dialogue to feel stilted and
unnatural at times. In some cases, too much is explained. But the action
progresses at a steady pace and the drama is delightful to listen to. Most importantly, the story of redemption
shines through as law and grace are set in tension.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Valjean is the model of grace. The embittered ex con, having been turned
away for lodging again and again because his passport identifies him as a
convict, is welcomed by a priest. He
warns the priest that his paperwork identifies him as a dangerous man. The priest replies that we are all dangerous
men. The convict and the priest alike,
in need of grace. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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When Valjean is caught stealing the silverware, the priest
covers for him, contending that these were a gift, refusing to press charges,
and insisting that he take the silver candlesticks as well. This undeserved act of kindness is a turning
point for Valjean, a motivation to lead an upright life. Valjean is transformed
into a generous man, risking his life to rescue others, spending his fortune to
help the poor, exposing his identity to spare a falsely accused man, and
charting his life to honor a promise in caring for the daughter of a dying
woman. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Inspector Javert, on the other hand, is rigidly devoted to
the letter of the law. For Javert,
Valjean’s broken parole must be prosecuted, even if this man has become a model
citizen. The law is equivalent to
justice. Repeat offenders, like Valjean,
should be put away for life. He doggedly
pursues Valjean, refusing to believe that a criminal can ever truly change.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Javert is no hypocrite.
When he begins to suspect a wealthy factory owner and town mayor could
be Valjean, he denouncing him without proof.
When he is sure he was mistaken he insists on being fired. He is unworthy of the post and must pay the
price for his own unsavory behavior.
Justice is justice, whether your hand is on the trigger or your frame is
in the scope. When he is captured be the
rebels, he fully expects to be executed, the rightful punishment for a
spy. He is dumbstruck when Valjean, his
executioner, helps him escape. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Which brings me back to the question. Won’t I get in trouble for not going to
church? The question rises out of a view
of Christianity that is Javertian (if I may invent a word). But this is not the
gospel. In the gospel, grace triumphs
over law, salvation is a gift given and not a wage earned. The “ought” of obligation is overtaken by the
“bought” of redemption. This is Valjean,
a man fueled by gratitude, transformed at his core.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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In the end Javert commits suicide. The edifice of his worldview cannot bear the
weight of Valjean’s transformation. He
dies a tormented man. Valjean, on the
other hand, dies in peace, declaring God’s goodness and saying that “to die is
nothing, but it is terrible not to live.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So won’t I get in trouble for skipping church. Of course not. God isn’t busy keeping score, marking
attendance on vast spreadsheets. His
focus is on transformation. He is
molding my character. His goal is not to
make me a church goer. His intent is to
transform me into the image of Christ. “<span style="color: #020f18; mso-fareast-language: JA;">And we all…are being transformed
into his image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV).</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-27614929861259749902013-09-12T18:31:00.001-07:002013-09-12T18:32:59.445-07:00Words Like Honey<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a hobbyist bee keeper, I was recruited by a friend to remove
a hive from the side of a barn this last spring. We were both novices; book smart, but never
having extracted an unwanted hive. We hoped to transfer the colony into a new
hive box. One man’s nuisance is another
man’s resource. If all went well, we
would have another honey producing hive.
We figured it would take us a couple hours and we arranged to meet mid-morning
so we would be done by lunchtime. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5smwVzGE8T8qhnrskSI3gvZp3vi7_3bzaFrKhFhILU_fLCS28FrG61ry9UM2xEvRz6yRalh6ACs7at_SADGJDTyowIQZi9lViPD8YPLxtQlzRGJC-Ic7fy9uYzptLVZRCGuPvCQhBPkk/s1600/P1011270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5smwVzGE8T8qhnrskSI3gvZp3vi7_3bzaFrKhFhILU_fLCS28FrG61ry9UM2xEvRz6yRalh6ACs7at_SADGJDTyowIQZi9lViPD8YPLxtQlzRGJC-Ic7fy9uYzptLVZRCGuPvCQhBPkk/s640/P1011270.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we peeled back a portion of the siding, the hive was
exposed - the core of the hive in the center with the queen and her attendants;
the storehouses on either side, large swathes of wax cells laden with sweet
honey. This was more than we
anticipated. Spring is when hives are
at their weakest, on the rebound from a punishing winter. But this hive was flourishing. Large portions of honeycomb would have to be
removed along with a vast horde of bees.
This would take longer than we had anticipated. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsWOosyoOj0A0wnUW-Q_RtJC0NBfjeSggQZJFGNw0Crhs6mB_A4Cl2oICcwTxbrdElQ78PumrKAuUJNgahu91wvK6E6NS9W8paHMScjJ_SDQiR6oK2w7KM8Va7ZUF-JG2FSY9-C6ZRasc/s1600/P1011278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9T4lgOaFVRX919EPM64HBrz3HGjvhndFuda0f9F_BnCS4KMKT0gZuEAD1_WfEUb-n7R9RFjyuWBJp_m5Xu7sVV55MRHm3KPw6eMSvxpBJ6i5h8ar4X6j67XhEXYnQEG4YzCzXxJ_zXo/s1600/P1011280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9T4lgOaFVRX919EPM64HBrz3HGjvhndFuda0f9F_BnCS4KMKT0gZuEAD1_WfEUb-n7R9RFjyuWBJp_m5Xu7sVV55MRHm3KPw6eMSvxpBJ6i5h8ar4X6j67XhEXYnQEG4YzCzXxJ_zXo/s200/P1011280.JPG" width="200" /></a><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsWOosyoOj0A0wnUW-Q_RtJC0NBfjeSggQZJFGNw0Crhs6mB_A4Cl2oICcwTxbrdElQ78PumrKAuUJNgahu91wvK6E6NS9W8paHMScjJ_SDQiR6oK2w7KM8Va7ZUF-JG2FSY9-C6ZRasc/s320/P1011278.JPG" width="320" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We began the delicate process of cutting the comb from the
walls of this barn. Those with larva we
placed in frames that would become the core of a transplanted hive. Those with honey we piled in bins for later
extracting. The day wore on and the
lunch hour passed. We were hungry in the
heat and tired from the work. Early in
the afternoon we took a break in the shade and munched on the snack at hand –
abundant, fresh honeycomb. Almost
immediately, we were re-energized.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNENxVlRuqETlxqixFGwvUafjv0qINPt9jzcxesWAGqXQ7IBdHweyZAwq64dGzDcm_CvmOpucrZNAojuHCJwxallY9OAzsMZXHYpg7beGGF2gt0zTf3odBCGoMy74xOlS-ObV8TXOmdNQ/s1600/P1011276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNENxVlRuqETlxqixFGwvUafjv0qINPt9jzcxesWAGqXQ7IBdHweyZAwq64dGzDcm_CvmOpucrZNAojuHCJwxallY9OAzsMZXHYpg7beGGF2gt0zTf3odBCGoMy74xOlS-ObV8TXOmdNQ/s200/P1011276.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It turns out that honey is like nature’s energy food. Most sweets provide a spike in blood sugar
levels followed by a crash, but honey has been found to provide a steady surge
of energy. Glucose in the honey is absorbed
quickly, easily assimilated into the bloodstream, giving an immediate energy
boost. Fructose in the honey is absorbed more slowly providing sustained
energy. This combination makes honey a well balanced energy booster. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Solomns relies on the well-known healing property of honey to serve as a metaphor for the power of what we utter. “Pleasant
words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Proverbs
16:24). They are a sweet elixir of
healing, a punch of vigor for the downhearted.
They have the power to encourage, inspire, and motivate. A kind word lingers long in the memory,
becoming a source of sustenance and energy.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Surely you have experienced this. A kind word that has lifted your spirit. A commendation that has motivated you to
press on, an encouragement that has given you hope. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had plans for yesterday.
I called my wife on my break to fill her in. Stillness on the phone betrayed
reluctance. Slowly she explained her
hesitancy. She was uncomfortable with my
plan. Together we came up with a
solution that was more agreeable. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was working late and arrived home to the stillness of
sleep. In the quiet, I saw a scrap of yellow paper on
the table by my seat. “Phil – I love you.
Thank you so much for changing your plans. That speaks volumes.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The volumes spoken by my accommodation matched by the
volumes spoken in a quick scribble. A taste of honey
on my tongue. Appreciation for my sensitivity. Affirmation for my flexibility. A small inconvenience more than compensated for by my wife's gratitude. The power of words, like healing honey. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And to think, your words could unleash that same power. Today.</div>
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<!--EndFragment-->PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-43785354978435509622013-09-04T17:35:00.002-07:002013-09-04T17:35:27.805-07:00Back to the Blog
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The kids are back in school and I am back at my writing
desk; the unstructured rhythm of summer giving way to the order of fall. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Here, in Central New York, we experience all four seasons,
but not in balance. The scale is
calibrated in favor of winter. The snow
begins somewhere around Thanksgiving and doesn’t let up until late March or
early April. I love winter and still
delight in snowfall and sweaters, hearty soup and hot tea, heavy blankets and
blazing hearths. But five months of this
presses me to my limit. In a region
known for its snowfall, the warmer months of summer are a gift; the reward for
having persevered through the cold, dark months of winter. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In May I unwrapped the gift, feeling the tug outdoors. There was much that demanded my attention. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There were chores to attend to. I rebuilt the front stoop, re-laid part of
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moss growth off the roof, and sealed the driveway. One by one I scratched items off my to-do
list. <o:p></o:p></div>
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for portions of the summer I had four.
Some friends and I received some valuable experience extracting two
hives from a barn. One of the hives
survived, while the other died. We
learned more from what we did wrong than what we did right. We’ll get third chance next spring. Another hive has taken up residence in the
same barn. But for now it looks like
there will be no honey harvest this season.
Both hives are still building up their honey stores for the winter. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There were trails to be run.
I cut back on my running regimen from previous summers, choosing to
forgo any marathon or half marathon training.
I ran for fun, 3-4 miles, 2-3 times a week. Mostly I ran the trails that wiggle their way
through our neighborhood, but I also forayed into the Wildlife management area
about a half-mile from my house and discovered some new trails. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There was plenty of relaxing. I lounged in sunny poolside chairs and in a shaded
backyard hammock. I read books, though
often reading gave way to resting, the warmth of the sun or the cool of the
shade lulling me to sleep.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And there were kids.
Four of them at home for the duration.
No school to break up the monotony.
Stunted creativity leading to boredom.
The quite house that cultivates my writing was replaced with a noisy
brood, sometimes joyful, sometimes angry, sometimes whiny, sometimes
goofy. But most always noisy. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So I haven’t written much in the last few months and the
blog has been neglected. That season is
over and I am anxious to see what God will teach me. When I am writing, I am
more attentive. My eyes are open, my
ears are tuned to see and hear what God is up to. Writing begins with having something to say. That
will depend on having first heard something from God. So I listen more carefully. In hindsight, I regret that I have let that
wane over the summer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I hope to write weekly.
That may stretch to bi-weekly. Mostly
this will still be the greenhouse, where ideas can germinate and grow into
seedlings. Some will pruned and nurtured
and eventually grow into published articles. Others will wither and die, never
strong enough to survive outside the climate-controlled environment of this
conservatory. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So the school year begins and I am back at my writing
desk. But not for long. Not today.
Summer is lingering into September and today is a glorious day. I should be outside.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-57978881688327172402013-04-17T18:36:00.000-07:002013-04-17T18:38:13.703-07:00Marketing the Messiah<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i>I haven't been writing for the blog much lately. I'll get back to it soon. But I have been writing. This piece was accepted by Standard Publishing for their Adult Sunday School Quarterly, "Seek," and will appear in December this year. </i></div>
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We live in a marketing saturated culture. According to Consumer Reports, the average
American is exposed to 247 commercial messages a day. From the sixty second spots that interrupt
our favorite television shows to the receipts that print out at the grocery
store with coupons on the back. From
vehicle wraps that turn buses into billboards to sponsored phone lines radio
call in shows. Products are placed,
logos are designed, jingles are sung, taglines are repeated - all with the
intent of prodding us to purchase, or donate, or register. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I’m not being cynical.
I’m part of the system. I work as
a retail manager, constantly thinking about how to generate revenue, increase
loyalty, and improve profit margins. I
place products to maximize sales. I
train my employees to suggestively offer products and services. I study sales figures to keep adequate stock
levels and minimize spoilage. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So when I hear, in John 3, that John the Baptist is losing
market share in his signature service, I think marketing. His disciples come to him with concern over a
competitor siphoning off the stream of baptismal customers. “Rabbi,
he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the
same baptizeth, and all men come to him” (John 3:26). This is a problem easily addressed. Fresh strategies will breathe new life into John’s
start-up and propel him back on top. With
some simple changes, he can set the standard in the baptismal marketplace. As an innovator, his name will be forever
linked to baptizing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So here is my proposal.
Build a new viewing area with comfortable seating for family and
friends. If possible, include a pavilion
to provide shade from the midday sun or shelter from passing rain showers.
Comfortable locker rooms would be an attractive addition, as would regulated
water temperatures. As candidates exit
the water they should be met by one of John’s disciples with a warmed terry
cloth towel to wrap around them. Photography
service with a free 8x10 and numerous package options available would be an
easy addition, as many photographers would jump at the chance to capitalize on
such a memorable moment. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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New lighting would allow for evening baptisms and a café
could offer refreshments. Over time they
might consider offering special “dinner and a baptism” deals, though I might
recommend they outsource the catering, since food service is a whole mess of
regulations. These special events would be
a perfect opportunity for an advertising blitz whether through direct mailing
or media spots.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Some of this may demand a bit too much overhead, so they
might want to put some feelers out for investors. I’m sure they could convince people this is a
worthwhile investment with a well-developed presentation for venture
capitalists.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And this is just for starters, ideas that flow off the top
of my head. There is much more they can
do to turn this around. But just as I’m
getting excited by the possibility, John douses my enthusiasm with his
response. <o:p></o:p></div>
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“John answered and
said, ‘A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye
yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am
sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of
the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of
the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase,
but I must decrease’” (John 3:27-30).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The disciples come
with a concern. Smaller crowds. I’m thinking of a solution. Drum up more interest. This seems justifiable. You can make a case for large crowds in
ministry as much as the marketplace. If the ministry is worthwhile, then why
wouldn’t we want more people exposed to it. More people means more
influence. Larger services, more
visitors, better production, higher offerings become measuring sticks of
ministry success, like profit and loss spreadsheets in the retail world. Churches are measured by how effectively they
fill the seats. But this is short-sighted.<i><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<br /></div>
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John says this shrinkage
is according to plan. His decrease means
Jesus’ increase. As he fades, Christ is
exalted. He is not the groom in this
wedding, the focal point of the festivity.
He is the groomsman, who is making sure that attention goes to the
bridal couple. Before the wedding starts, he may be the most noticeable one,
scurrying around making last minute preparations. But when the bridal march begins and the
groom enters from the side door, the groomsman is happy to stand off to the
side, largely unnoticed. His whole
intent is to focus attention on the groom. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And so we see that
John is more concerned about attention than attendance. He will do all he can to direct people’s
attention to Christ. This is the measure
of ministry. How effectively does the
church draw people’s attention to Christ?
John would prefer and handful of Christ-absorbed people over an
auditorium full of John-absorbed people.
He recognizes that his time has come to fade into the background and
turn the spotlight on Jesus.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And the corporate
application wiggles its way down to the individual. How effectively do you turn the attention of
people you interact with to Christ? Does
your life point them to The Life? Are
you willing to say, with John, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” He doesn’t need better marketing. He needs you pointing those in your family,
in your neighborhood, and in your workplace to Christ.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-50660925783499622152013-03-27T11:46:00.001-07:002013-03-27T11:46:12.048-07:00The Marks of True Repentance<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><i>More often than not, blog posts are the basis of articles I write. Some of the ideas that start on the blog get tweaked a bit and turned into something I submit for publication. Occasionally, it works the other way around and I post something that has already been published or accepted for publication. This is one of those instances. I write regularly for a Ch</i></span><i style="font-size: 11pt;">ristian newspaper called <a href="http://goodnewsfl.org/">Good News Florida</a>. This past month my article was the cover story. I reprint it here for you.</i><br />
<i style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) have once again been
thrust into the spotlight. After a period of relative calm, the headlines have
come with a flurry. In mid-January, Lance Armstrong finally admitted to doping
his way to Tour de France dominance. In the lead up to the Superbowl, Ray Lewis
of the Baltimore Ravens was accused of using deer antler spray, a banned
substance, to aid his recovery from a torn tricep early in the season. Almost
concurrently came a story involving Alex Rodriguez, Melky Cabrera, and a
handful of other baseball players appearing on a list from an anti-aging clinic
in association with distributing PEDs. Rodriguez promptly denied all
involvement, but had previously admitted to using PEDs earlier in his career in
a “tell-all” interview with Katie Couric. Three scandals in various states of
exposure. When it rains it pours.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><b>Repentance or Saving Face?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;">In the lead up to Lance Armstrong's interview with
Oprah Winfrey, there was a syndicated radio show discussing the familiar
refrain of "Is he truly sorry or is he just sorry he got
caught?" Most callers thought it was the latter. The pattern of
public repentance following exposure is all too familiar. It may be delayed as
long as possible, but when excuses have been exhausted and the truth is
unavoidable, the accused will come, tail between their legs, and apologize for
their misdeeds. In our skepticism, we
discount the sincerity of any sorrow that follows unraveling scandal. If
sincere, we speculate, it would have come earlier, before the truth was dragged
into the light by dogged investigation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><b>The Marks of Genuine Repentance</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;">But is it possible that exposure could be the gateway
to true repentance, a needed wake-up call that stirs the accused from their
moral stupor? Could not God use this to prompt true repentance? This demands
discernment. When someone's hand is caught
in the cookie jar, how can we distinguish between repentance from the heart and
a display merely intended to save face? For this we should look for at least
three characteristics as marks of genuine repentance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><b>1. Transparency</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;">When scandal is revealed it is almost always the tip
of the iceberg that has been pushed above the surface. A dense mass remains hidden
by the surrounding water. The worst may be exposed, but there is much that
remains concealed. Merely addressing what has been uncovered is a warning sign
of insincerity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Being exposed is passive, something done to the
individual. It is outside of their control.
They did not choose to reveal this. But with much remaining concealed,
there is the opportunity to be active in the exposure, revealing information
without it being dragged out. Scandal breaks when an individual is exposed by
another. Repentance begins when the individual moves beyond the passive to the
active and exposes oneself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Sin loses its potency when exposed to the light. True
repentance will reveal the bulk beneath the surface because the risk of shame
is worth the hope of recovery. Admit the illness and energy isn’t wasted on projecting
an image of health. Focus can be given fully to the cure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>2. Responsibility </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">In true repentance, there is
a willingness to accept the consequences of one’s choices. True, divine pardon is freely available
through Christ. But while the stain of sin can be wiped away immediately, the
consequences of sin linger on. Wounds are not healed in a moment. Trust is not
restored overnight. After a great fall it is no easy task to put Humpty Dumpty
back together again. Sin creates a tangled mess. Unraveling the snarled ball
will take time and effort.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">In taking responsibility,
true repentance does not resort to excuses or minimization. The gravity of
one’s offense is acknowledged and the consequences are accepted. The slow path
of restoration will be embraced and shortcuts will be avoided. Depending on the
circumstances, these consequences may involve financial obligation, legal
punishment, job loss, anger from victims, widespread distrust, family division,
damaged reputation, and broken friendships, among others. None of these are appealing, but they are
deserved. True repentance will be reflected in a willingness to lie in the bed
one has made. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><b>3. Accountability</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">While scandal is exposed in a
moment, splashed across the front pages of tabloids and whispered about in
hushed voice at the grocery store, true repentance is something that is
evidenced over time. By the time scandal is exposed, it is generally deep in a
destructive spiral. This did not happen overnight and it will not be overcome
overnight. There are well-established patterns that must be broken and
weaknesses that must be protected against. Momentary shame may be enough to
correct behavior for a short time, but long-term change will come only as root
issues are dealt with over time. Exposure will not eliminate vulnerability.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;">True repentance will entail
pursuing full transformation. This may be aided by professional counseling or involvement
in a support group. It will certainly demand involving others in the process to
help protect against set back, overcome rough patches and celebrate progress. Restoration
is a long and wearisome road. Progress is mingled with regress and discouragement
can easily set in. On-going accountability with a trusted group will help
maintain momentum long after the public has wearied of the story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: JA;">The sincerity of repentance will be evidenced over
time. Transparency, responsibility, and
accountability will become obvious in the ensuing days, weeks, and months. But for those who believe in a God of grace,
there is always the hope that exposure may be the first step toward
restoration. While these three stories
represent a thick slice of scandal pie in the realm of sports, there are plenty
of other slices to be served. There will
be more scandals exposed, more tearful news conferences, and more orchestrated
confessions, in sports, in politics, in media, in ministry, and even in
personal life with friends and family.
Being able to discern true repentance will have recurring relevance,
even for those with no interest in sports. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<i>By the way, my wife began a blog this last week entitled "<a href="http://www.ahealthywife.blogspot.com/">A Healthy Wife</a>." It is written to support women in their relationships with their husbands. She has a message worth sharing. She communicates it well. I commend it to you.</i><br />
<br /></div>
<!--EndFragment-->PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-92214674007715590882013-03-22T17:54:00.001-07:002013-03-22T17:54:31.369-07:00Lenten Feasting - The Prophets<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i>This Lent I am feasting instead of fasting. I am feasting on the Word of God. I have chosen to read through the Bible cover to cover. I’m following a reading plan suggested by <a href="http://margaretfeinberg.com/"><span style="color: #852204; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Margaret Feinberg</span> </a>and hope to blog occasionally about what I am learning through the process.</i><br />
<br />
I love the prophets.
It’s probably my favorite genre of Scripture. But 250 chapters of prophecy crammed into a
week and a half was overwhelming. The
relentless accusation of unfaithfulness is met with an infusion of judgment in
almost every chapter. The tone is quite
harsh. But I needed this, maybe more
than any other chuck of reading.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Israelites are spiritual adulterers, betraying their covenant “marriage”
with God. They became prostitutes
working the corner, eager to spread their legs in wanton lust. They are extremely promiscuous. “You gave yourself as a prostitute to every
man who came along (Ez. 16:15).” They
will lift their skirt for just about anyone.
Worse yet, they expect no payment and even bribe their lovers with gifts
(Ez. 16:33-34). The prostitute is paying
the customer. <o:p></o:p></div>
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These images of whoring Israel are repeated over and over
again, especially in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Hosea. The language is profane. Fifty shades in the holy book. Even when the vocabulary of adultery is not
used, the theme of unfaithfulness continues.
They have forsaken God and chosen worthless idols.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is sin. Not just
Israel’s. Mine. I’m the idol worshipper. I’m the adulterer. All this strong language of slutty betrayal
is a reminder of the heinousness of my sin.
I tend to minimize the gravity of my offense. The sins of others are disgusting, repugnant,
offensive, and shocking, but my own sin is justifiable. I can excuse my poor behavior. It doesn’t seem so terrible when it is so
familiar. The prophets remind me of how
grievous my sin is. My heart is blacker
than I care to admit. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But in this there is hope.
The prophets ring loud with judgment but the judgment paves the way for
redemption. I was startled by how often
the phrase is repeated in the book of Ezekiel, “Then they will know that I am
the Lord.” All this judgment is a wake
up call. God’s wrath is rousing his
people from their stupor. He is shaking
them (another repeated theme), as if grabbing them by the shoulders to get their
attention. Judgment is not a vindictive
reaction. It is a loving
discipline. God is drawing us back to
himself, opening our eyes to who he is. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There are assurances of forgiveness (Jer. 50:20), promises
of hope (Jer 29:11), the expectation of a good shepherd (Ez. 34:23), an offer
of a new heart (Ez. 36:26), the return of God's glory, and a city named “the Lord
is There” (Ez 48:35), reflecting God’s longing to live among his people. The prophets are a 250 chapters of variations
on a theme neatly summed up by Paul, “But where sin increased, grace increased
all the more” (Romans 5:20). I needed this reminder of how disgusting my sin is and how extravagant God's grace is in return. <o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-34260914871780322102013-03-03T16:31:00.001-08:002013-03-03T16:31:41.470-08:00Lenten Feasting - Kings and Chronicles
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<i><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-language: JA;">This Lent I am feasting instead
of fasting. I am feasting on the Word of God. I have chosen to read
through the Bible cover to cover. I’m following a reading plan suggested
by <a href="http://margaretfeinberg.com/"><span style="color: #852204; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Margaret Feinberg</span> </a>and
hope to blog occasionally about what I am learning through the process. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">I think that
after I get off this bullet train through the Bible, I’d like to go back and
revisit Kings and Chronicles. It’s a
compelling vista I need more time to explore.
Racing through, I was able to see enough of the landscape to recognize
it’s beauty, but not enough to take it all in.
Even this Seminary grad gets bogged down by the cast of characters. This thick chronology becomes a
blur; a bunch of –iahs that are hard to keep straight. Two lines of kings and their supporting casts
of wives, prophets, commanders, and enemies.
Even the stories that are most familiar are mythologized with vestiges
of flannel graph. This feels like Jack
and the Beanstalk, not the Word of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">And yet,
there is rich theology undergirding this plot line. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">The book of
Kings barters in black and white. Each
king is summarized with a simple assessment.
The king either did what was pleasing in the eyes of the Lord or did
what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">The rebel
Northern Kingdom of Israel is
universally bad. Every king in their
history, without exception, did what was evil.
Over 200 years with nearly 20 different rulers and every one of them is
a dud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">The
“faithful” Southern kingdom of Judah, ruled by the descendants of David, is a
roller coaster of ups and downs. The good kings are outnumbered by the bad
ones, but the length of their reigns overshadows the bad ones, as if God is
blessing their obedience. The Davidic
line is intact, not only in seed, but in blessing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Chronicles
focuses in on this Davidic line and virtually ignores the northern kingdom
(except when their histories cross paths).
But Chronicles offers a more nuanced perspective. Rehoboam, the first king of Judah in the
divided kingdom, begins his reign in foolishness, refusing to show mercy to his
subjects and inciting civil war. As he
establishes his rule, he “wisely gave responsibilities to his other sons…” (2
Chron. 2:23). Once his kingdom is
established, he abandons the law of God (2 Chron. 12:1). But when confronted by the prophet Shemaiah,
Rehoboam humbles himself and the Lord’s anger is turned aside (2 Chron. 12:12). In the end he is
assessed as “an evil king, for he did not seek the Lord with all his heart” (2
Chron. 12:14). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">Foolishness
and wisdom, abandoning God, then humbling himself, but still not seeking God with all his heart. Here the contrast is not between the two
nations, but within the one nation of Judah.
And the roller coaster is not just from one king to the next, but within
the reign of one king in the nation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">This pattern
is common in Chronicles. Some kings
start good and end bad, some start bad and end good. Even Hezekiah, the high water mark of the
divided kingdom, becomes proud after divine healing (2 Chron. 32:25). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-language: JA;">After
repeated warning through the prophets, God’s anger could no longer be
restrained and the nation is overthrown. The book could end there, but it
doesn’t. Instead it ends with a mention
of the edict by king Cyrus allowing the people to return to the land. Even after repeated displays of faithlessness by his people, God is faithful. He can't be anything less. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: JA; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">“<i>Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live
with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he
will also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he
cannot disown himself.” (2 Timothy 2:11-13)</i></span><!--EndFragment-->
PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-5353813057910199072013-02-27T18:26:00.001-08:002013-02-27T18:26:43.899-08:00Lenten Feasting - Judges<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<i style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">This Lent I am feasting instead of fasting. I am feasting on the Word of God. I have chosen to read through the Bible cover to cover. I’m following a reading plan suggested by <a href="http://margaretfeinberg.com/">Margaret Feinberg</a> and hope to blog occasionally about what I am learning through the process. </i><br />
<br />
Some days I fall behind. Other days I get ahead. I'm grateful that the forty days of Lent are counted without including Sundays. Each Sunday is a little pre-Easter appetizer, a weekly foretaste of the full celebration of resurrection. Lenten observation is laid aside for the day. No reading is scheduled for Sunday. I use it as a makeup. Unhurried time in the rocker by the fire with a thermos of tea have enriched my Sabbath, not detracted from it. <br />
<br />
So far I am keeping up with my reading plan. I'm just sputtering through the early chapters of 1 Chronicles (and sputter is about all you can do in this thick soup of genealogies). But I'll back up just a bit for a few thoughts on the book of Judges.<br />
<br />
The book of Judges has a refrain that is repeated four times
in the last five chapter, “In those days Israel had no king. Everyone did as they saw fit in their own
eyes.” It’s a fitting conclusion to a
book that has charted the downward spiral of the nation of Israel under the
leadership of judges. <o:p></o:p></div>
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At the beginning of the book, the danger is compromising with
the pagan people around them. By the end
of the book, a man who goes out of his way to avoid stopping at a city
controlled by these pagans finds that the depravity in an Israelite city is
even worse. The wickedness of foreigners
in Sodom and Gomorrah from the book of Genesis has become national wickedness
in Gibeon as we have this horrid description of gang rape and murder in Judges
19. The wickedness around them has
become the wickedness within them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It highlights the fact that the problem is not that they
don’t have <b>a judge</b> to lead them, but that they don’t have <b>the</b> <b>Judge</b> to lead
them. There are a number of "small j" judges throughout the book who live up to their calling to various degrees of
success. But there is only one "big J" Judge. Right in the middle of the book,
in Judges 11:27, "Let the Lord, the Judge, decide the dispute this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites." <br />
<br />
The book as a whole is a depiction of a nation that has abandoned their God, and chosen to follow their own path. As a result, things spin out of
control. With each judge, things get progressively worse until we reach the bottom of the heap with the judgeship of Samson, probably the most famous judge, but also the worst. Though the Spirit of God exerts occasional control, Samson is largely controlled by his own passions. He exemplifies a man who does what is right in his own eye. His duel passions for women and vengeance are guiding his decisions. For most of his life, he chooses to put himself on the throne. </div>
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<br />
And while there may be some application to the ruling of a nation, there seems to be more direct application to the ruling of my heart. I have a small voice in
who will sit on the throne of the land (or the halls of Congress, as it may be), but I have complete control over who
will sit on the throne of my heart.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment-->PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-2530095368892393452013-02-19T08:43:00.001-08:002013-02-19T08:43:10.062-08:00Lenten Feasting - Exodus & Leviticus
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<span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, 'Palatino Linotype', Palatino, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><i>This Lent I am feasting instead of fasting. I am feasting on the Word of God. I have chosen to read through the Bible cover to cover. I’m following a reading plan suggested by <a href="http://margaretfeinberg.com/">Margaret Feinberg</a> and hope to blog occasionally about what I am learning through the process. </i></span></div>
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I won't do this for all 66 books, I assure you. But these first three have really spoken to me. I knew I would see broad themes. I didn't think they would be so rich. Maybe it's the newness of the exercise. I tend to jump out of the gate a little too fast. Or the chunkiness of the books. There are plenty of chapters for these themes to rise to the surface. Regardless, feel compelled to share what God is revealing. </div>
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<b>Exodus</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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This book of leaving is, surprising, a book of arrival. God’s arrival. His hearing the groans of his people, seeing
their misery and suffering, remembering his covenant, and rescuing them from bondage. He arrives, signs and wonders in tow, proving
that there is no other god like him (9:14)
Pharaoh has trouble hearing and, later, the Israelites have trouble
remembering. But the Lord draws closer, revealing
his awesome glory on a mountaintop, hovering like a devouring fire (24:17). There he reveals his plan to not only visit
his people, but to settle among them, to build a sacred residence where he will
dwell – the tabernacle (25:8). From
there we get bogged down in cubits and shekels, but the book ends with God’s
glorious presence filling this earthen tabernacle (40:34-35).<o:p></o:p></div>
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In all this I am reminded of God’s longing for
intimacy. He will not stand aloof in the pearly halls of paradise. Instead he will enter into my
squalor, a tabernacle in the gritty wilderness of my sordid soul. His awesome
glory will settle in this less than glorious bundle of inches and ounces.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Leviticus </b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Atonement - for skin disease, for contaminated houses, for
bodily discharge, for the altar, for the most holy place. But most often atonement for the people, for
sin, for guilt. Atonement is an
expression of peaceful union – at-one-ment – an unhindered fellowship. True intimacy. The set for this intimacy was constructed in
Exodus with God’s arrival. Leviticus is
God writing the script. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Isrealites are to be different from the people of Egypt and Canaan
(18:2-3), where they came from and where they are going. This distinctness is expressed in terms of
holiness. There is to be a distinction
between what is common and what is set apart, what is pure and what is alloyed,
what is clean and what is unclean. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It is impossible to walk this tightrope. We’re too wobbly. Over and over, I step in a pile of it. I am repeatedly at odds with and need to be
made at one with. So atonement comes,
again and again, through sacrifice.
Sacrifice that is holy (no physical defect, no yeast) and lifted up to the
Lord. God is pleased and we are forgiven,
cleansed, restored, holy, and at one with God. It is but a short step from the sacrafices of Leviticus to the Sacrafice of Calvary. The forty days of Lent are leading us there. Good Friday and Easter are on the horizon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-590469971412280784.post-54197100278731602002013-02-14T19:06:00.000-08:002013-02-14T19:06:20.075-08:00Lenten Feasting - Genesis
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This Lent I am feasting instead of fasting. I am feasting on the Word of God. I have chosen to read through the Bible cover
to cover. I’m following a reading plan
suggested by Margaret Feinberg and hope to blog occasionally about what I am
learning through the process. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The first two days of Lent I have gorged on Genesis. This is fine cuisine to offer for the
appetizer. Forget the slice of cheese on
a Ritz cracker. This is shrimp and
cocktail sauce, calamari, Brie cheese, and smoked salmon. This is rich, savory material. We’re talking epic, and that not an
overstatement. These are the truly epic
stories – Eden, Babel, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joshua. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m not naïve. I know that in a couple days I’ll be
stomaching a large spoonful of Leviticus and Numbers, Scriptural Cream of
Wheat - always bland and often
lumpy. But for now, I’ll enjoying the
zest of Genesis. It’s been a pleasure to
read. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And here is my take away, seeing the forest rather than the
trees. Blessing. Blessing at every turn. God blessing, people blessing. Blessing being offered, blessing being
stolen. It comes up again and again in
almost every chapter, if not explicit, then implicit. I was stunned by its frequency. Over and over and over…blessing. Most often – God blessing people. Most surprising (to me) - Jacob blessing
Pharaoh twice (Gen 47:7,10). Powerful Pharaoh receiving a double blessing from
this meager shepherd. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">All this blessing is in
competition with cursing and fear and childlessness and famine and deceit and
jealousy and unrest and wickedness. The
battle line is drawn. These foes are almost as common as the blessing they seek
to undermine. And yet, blessing comes up
more and more frequently as the book progresses. Blessing seems to be winning out. By the end, blessing is flowing through
Joseph to Egypt and all the surrounding lands.
And blessing settles most heavily on Jacob and his children.</span><!--EndFragment-->
PhilHhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10570940203378117943noreply@blogger.com0