The “green pastures” mentioned in Psalm 23 often give us the idea that God takes us to a place of plenty. However, the picture that is visualized by the ancient Eastern world is one of an opposite view.

The Bedouins who live in the Negev desert, which is south of the Dead Sea, are the descendants of the biblical Midianites and Amalekites. These Bedouin shepherds live the same lifestyle as their ancient ancestors, raising their flocks in the desert.

The desert temperatures rise higher than 120 degrees during the hottest times of the day. Overnight, tufts of grass grow from two to four inches behind the small rocks which capture the moisture from the cool west winds of the Mediterranean.

In the morning the Bedouins guide their flocks to these sparse tufts of grass, which give the sheep and goats just enough food for the moment. Later in the afternoon, the shepherd will guide his flocks to their next momentary meal.

The Bedouins, as did their ancient ancestors, refer to these meager desert meals as “the green pastures of the shepherd.”

When God makes us lie down in green pastures, He is taking us to a place where we learn to completely rely on Him with no anxiety for anything beyond the moment. The ancient Hebrews would refer to the desert as the Land of Milk or the place where one develops and strengthens faith. It is in the green pastures that we learn to keep our eyes on the shepherd as we are tested and provided with just enough for right now.

Forever leaning,

Johnny

© 2007 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
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There were many first century holy men who were called “sons of God.”

Miracle workers were considered to be close to God and were often referred to as “sons of God.” A famous Jewish healer of the first century who died in A. D. 65, named Honi the Circle-drawer drew a circle around his self after a long drought and prayed very boldly for God to bring rain or he would not move from the circle. Simeon ben Shatah, the chief Pharisee at the time said to him after his boldness towards God, “Were you not Honi I would excommunicate you. What can I do with you? You ingratiate yourself to God and He does what you ask, as when a son curries favor with his father, who then does what the son wants” (David Flusser, The Sage From Galilee: Rediscovering Jesus’ Genius 98).

The response of the Pharisees to Honi the ”circle drawer,” asking the question, “What can I do with you?” is the exact same response that was made toward Jesus in Luke 6:11, after he healed a man on a Sabbath.   

Jesus also shared a similar practice with another first century Jewish holy man of his time named Hanan “the Hidden.” “Hanan was called on to perform miracles so often that he would hide himself away from the crowds (Honi was also known to hide away from the crowds), so as not to take credit for the real miracle worker–God.

It is recorded in ancient rabbinic sources that the Scribes would send children to Hanan who would ask him to pray for rain. The children would run to him and grab the hem of his cloak and cry, ‘Abba, Abba, give us rain!’ And when he did perform the miracle requested, Hanan would pray, “Ruler of the universe, do this for the sake of those who cannot distinguish between a father (Abba) who can give rain and a father who cannot” (Flusser, 98-99).

Holy men who were known for their ability to perform miracles were often firm in their instructions toward the witnesses that they not share what they have seen.

The ancient historical texts which record these habits of Jewish healing prophets in the first century give us additional understanding that the prophesies about the Messiah are reliable.

“He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2).

Forever learning,
Johnny

© 2007 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
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What good thing must I do to get eternal life?

When a man came to Jesus to find the answer to that question (Matthew 19:16), Jesus response was close to that of Daniel’s understanding of God’s message for Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon who besieged Judah (Daniel 1:1-2). This king thought very highly of his self and took advantage of the people of his kingdom. In chapter four of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream about a tree that is to be cut down, leaving the stump and the roots. Daniel explains that the king will be taken out of power and lose all of his wealth and luxury until he recognizes that God owns all of the kingdoms of the world and gives them to whomever he chooses.

“The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that heaven (God, YHWH) rules. Therefore, O king, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue” (4:26-27 NIV).

Compare this with Jesus’ response to the rich young ruler’s request:

“If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven. Then come follow me” (Matthew 19:21 NIV).

In order to put these together, it is important to have some understanding of the original Hebrew words for “right,” tzedakah, which means righteous and refers to being just and compassionate, offering help to the needy. Daniel 4:27 is an example of a common form of writing found in many Hebrew texts known as a doublet. The advice that Daniel gives is simply two ways of saying the same thing: “Renounce your sins (wickedness) by practicing righteousness (tzedakah). Renounce your wickedness (sin) by being kind to the oppressed (practicing tzedakah).  Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that he was to enter God’s sovereignty (recognize that God has power of all kingdoms and put himself under God’s sovereignty).

Jesus explained to the rich man that if he wanted to be “perfect,” Hebrew, tamim (without blemish and presentable to the Lord, able to enter God’s presence, enter eternal life, live in the Kingdom of God), he must “give to the poor and then he will be provided with treasures from heaven/God (Matthew 19:21). 

For both, Nebuchadnezzar and the rich young ruler, they were neglecting the responsibility to share with those whose crops did not grow during harvest, whose children were sick, whose homes needed repair, or anyone else who was called poor.

The problem with both of these very wealthy, biblical figures is the fact that they used the wealth that God had given them to have power rather than to empower.

In His dust,
Johnny

© 2007 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
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The feeling of being completely dependent upon God is expressed by the phrase, “men began to call on the name of the Lord” (Genesis 5:26b). The act of prayer was developed after the act of giving sacrifices. It is understood by the ancient Hebrews that people had not always understood their true frailty and need for God and all that He provides, hence, prayer began after the birth of Enosh.

As Nahum Sarna teaches in his JPS Commentary on Genesis, the name YHVH means, in its simplest form, ”He Who Causes To Be.” Prayer is recognition of our need for God and the knowledge that without God nothing, including me, would exist.

Jesus told his disciple, Philip, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it” (John 14:13-14).

Using Scripture as a background for Scripture, it is obvious that Jesus is saying, “If you recognize your utter dependence upon God, God will take care of you.” The Jews taught that the non-Jews who accepted and followed the Noachide Covenant, which consisted of seven laws, would share in the Hereafter. But, if they only followed the Noachide commandments because they were part of the “natural law” rather than obeying the commandments because God instituted them, those non-Jews would not have a share in the Hereafter.

John 14:13-14 is often a topic of much discussion and controversy. However, I would suggest that those who are confused about this passage, wondering why they haven’t received “whatever they ask for,” are missing the point. Calling on the name of God means to recognize that we are nothing and can gain nothing without Him.”

Calling on the name of the Lord” is not a magic potion for getting God to be our “do-boy.”

Many blessings,
Johnny

© 2007 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
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Keeping hostages separated is a common practice for terrorists and bank robbers. Congregating gives the hostages an opportunity to unify a plan for escape and/or a take-over.

In Genesis 11, the ”Tower of Babel” is a story about people plotting and planning a take-over. God commanded that people are to multiply and spread out upon the earth (Gen 1:28), but the people of the earth had devised a plan to stick close together.

With the invention of firing bricks and using asphalt, the ability to build solid, multi-leveled dwellings had become common in Mesopotamia. By way of this new technology, the people of the earth had decided that spreading out was not the best idea, and they wanted to live close together without spreading out over the earth.

But God designed human beings to be mobile; to explore and discover. Being centripetal was not to be the way of humanity.

Even among our own families there are those of us who have a difficult time being weaned from the home in which we were raised, even if our moving will be a greater contribution to the world and our own family.  The opposite extreme is to assume a dogmatic centrifugal life-style, where we find nothing of value within our own family, neighborhood, et cetera.

God desires that we live our lives according to the gifts and talents that make each of us unique, while using our uniqueness as an investment into our communities and greater world. The “Tower of Babel” narrative is a message about people who desired to live in such a way that they valued only that which expressed the ideals of the people building the tower. A common language had to do as much with one literal language as it did with having one common way of thinking or one common destiny. God “came down” and forced his children to spread out, just as a wild animal forces its young to protect and feed itself once they are no longer dependent upon their mother for food and protection.

If we were to take a close look at our own likes and views, many of us would recognize our own plans to build a tower in honor of our personal beliefs and comforts, hoping that everyone around us will grab a brick and agree.

Many blessings,
Johnny

© 2007 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved