சுபாவத்தில் மாற்றம் ( Shift in Nature )

சென்ற நூற்றாண்டின் முற்பகுதியில் ,இங்கிலாந்து நாட்டில் உலகப்புகழ் பெற்ற ஒரு தத்துவ ஞானி வாழ்ந்து வந்தார் . அவர் உதிர்த்த தத்துவ மொழிகள் இன்றும் உலகமெங்கும் அநேகரால் எடுத்தாளப்பட்டு பயன் படுத்தப்படுகின்றன . அவரை , ஒருநாள் ஒரு பத்திரிகை நிருபர் இவ்வாறு கேட்டார் , '' அய்யா , நீங்கள் ஒவ்வொரு நாள் காலையிலும் செய்தித்தாளில் முதன் முதலில் விரும்பி படிக்கும் பகுதி எது ? '' என்று . அவர் சொன்னார் , '' நான் விரும்பிப் பார்க்கும் பகுதி Obituary பகுதி தான் ( இறந்து போனவர்கள் விபரங்கள் கொண்டது ). ஏனெனில் , எனக்கு பிடிக்காதவர்கள் , என்னை எதிர்ப்பவர்கள் யாரேனும் இறந்திருந்தால் என் உள்ளம் மகிழும் ..அந்த நாள் முழுவதும் உற்சாகத்தோடு இருப்பேன் '' என்றார் .

அவர் பெரிய கல்விமான் , தத்துவ மேதை மற்றும் ஞானி ....இருப்பினும் அவர் சுபாவம் ( nature ) கேவலமாக இருந்தது .

ஆனால் , பழைய ஏற்பாட்டின் நாட்களில் வாழ்ந்த தாவீது மாறுபட்டவனாக , வித்தியாசமானவனாக வாழ்ந்தான் . எப்படி என்பதை விளக்குவதுதான் இந்த கட்டுரையின் நோக்கம் . சவுல் , தாவீதை 2 1 முறை கொலை செய்ய முயற்சி செய்தான் . தாவீதிற்கு உதவி செய்த 85 ஆசாரியர்களை கூட கொன்று போட்டான் . இருப்பினும் சவுல் இறந்து போனான் என்று கேள்விப்பட்டபோதோ தாவீது துடித்து போய்விட்டான் , வருத்தத்தோடு உபவாசம் இருந்தான் ( 2 சாமு 1 / 1 1 ) .சவுல் இறந்த கில்போவா மலைகளை சபித்தான் ( 2 சாமு 1 /2 1 ) . மரண செய்தியை கொண்டுவந்தவன் ,தாவீது மகிழ்ச்சி அடைவான் என்று எதிர்பார்த்தான் .( 2 சாமு 4/10 ) மாறாக , தாவீது மனம் உடைந்து போனான் . அபிஷேகம் பண்ணப்பட்டவருக்கு இந்த நிலையா என்று புலம்பினான் . இயற்கையாகவே இந்த உணர்வு அவனிடம் இருந்து வெளிப்பட்டது . அவன் வருந்துவது போல நடிக்கவில்லை .

சவுலின் மகன் இஸ்போசேத் கொலை செய்யப்பட்டபோதும் , ஒரு '' நீதிமானை '' இழந்து விட்டேனே என்று அங்கலாய்த்தான் .( 2 சாமு 4/11 ) .

இங்கு தாவீதிடம் , உலகத்தார் மத்தியில் யதார்த்தமாக காணப்படுகிற சுபாவத்தைவிட ( nature ), ஒரு வித்தியாசமான சுபாவத்தை ( shift in nature) காணமுடிகிறது . இந்த சுபாவம் தொடர்ந்து நீடிக்கிறது ( He is consistent..). கர்த்தரோடு உள்ள ஐக்கியம் , அபிஷேகம் , வார்த்தையின் மேல் உள்ள வாஞ்சை , ஆவியானவரின் இடைபடுதல் போன்றவை அவன் சுபாவத்தை தலை கீழாக மாற்றியது . எனவே தான் இயேசு , தாவீதை என் இருதயதிற்கேற்றவன் என்றார் ... ( அப் 1 3 / 2 2 )

எவ்வளவோ ஆண்டுகள் வேதத்தை படித்து தியானம் செய்கிறோம் ...ஊழியம் செய்கிறோம் . இப்பேர்ப்பட்ட மாற்றம் நம்மில் ஏற்பட்டிருக்கிறதா ? Atleast அதற்காக வாஞ்சித்திருக்கிறோமா ? சுபாவ மாற்றமே கிறிஸ்த வாழ்வின் முதல் படி . உலகத்தார் எப்படியும் வாழ்வார்கள் ...நாமோ வித்தியாசமாக வாழ அழைக்கப்பட்டு இருக்கிறோம் . இது போன்ற சுபாவ மாற்றத்திற்காக ஜெபிப்போம் ...

 

ABEL

 

 

          We read very little about Abel, the second son of Adam.  Abel lived a very short time in the beginning of the human race. Yet, he displayed uncommon qualities that could not be found even in an advanced and civilized society. A mere reading of the portions concerning him thrills every reader. In the next few paragraphs, I made an attempt to highlight some of the extra-ordinary qualities of Abel.

          Cain and his brother Abel were born to Adam and Eve after the fall, following the curse. As the older son Cain grew, he chose to follow his Dad's occupation, he became a farmer. Abel became a keeper of the flocks, a shepherd. As adults, these two Young men, brought their offerings to the Lord. Cain brought as his offering, "some of the fruits of the soil". Abel brought "fat  portions from some of the first born of his flock". (Genesis 4/3-4). Lord accepted Abel's offering, but rejected Cain's . Cain became very angry. He was basically a farmer. He could bring only farm products. He could not bring animals as Abel did. That apart, it has not been mentioned anywhere that Cain brought sub-standard and secondary products. Then, what made the Lord to reject his offerings? This is the centre point of this article. Please go through the next paragraph carefully.

          God himself answers. He said to Cain, "If  you do what is right, will you not be accepted?". What does it mean? He tells Cain that if he had done the right thing, He would have certainly accepted his offerings. In other words, if a person does what is right in the eyes of the Lord, his offerings would be accepted. This is the principle / logic behind Lord's argument.  Consequently, what is offered is not a matter at all. The Lord looks at the life of the person who brings the offerings. The writer of Hebrews, while mentioning  about Abel's offering, obviously refers to his faithful and holy life (Hebrew 11/4). (His intention was not to appreciate the quality and content of the offering, Therefore, he included Abel's name in the list of great believers.) Jesus also calls him as, "righteous Abel" (Mathew 23/35). Therefore, the Bible clearly tells that the "Lord accepted Abel and his offerings and rejected Cain and his offerings" (Genesis 4/4-5). The emphasis is very clear. The person who brings the offering should be accepted first. When he is acceptable, his offerings would be accepted. Otherwise, a big No. Abel lived a life that was pleasing to the Lord. It is evident that Cain did not. Over this conflict, Cain killed Abel.  He was only able to remove Abel from the earth. He could not destroy his witness. Therefore, it is clearly written that "Abel still speaks, even though he is dead" (Heb 11/4).

          What is our witness?

 

Joseph Stephen

91-9841019133

Abimelech

          We come across several persons with the name ABIMELECH in the Old Testament.  In this article, I would like to examine some of the extraordinary  qualities found in Abimelech, who ruled Gerar during the days of Abraham. He was a Philistian. Yet, he knew the God of Israel and obeyed him. Though he was a less familiar person and often projected in bad light, a careful study of chapters 20 & 21 of Genesis would make one feel that he is an outstanding person. To substantiate my view, I have given a few points below for your study and meditation.

Point 1:  When "Abimelech sent for Sarah and took her" (Genesis 20/1) under the mistaken impression that she was a single unmarried person, God of Israel intervened. He appeared before Abimelech in a dream and informed him that Sarah was married to Abraham already (Genesis 20/2). In this connection, I wish to draw attention to the opening portion of verse 4 of chapter 20. The Bible clearly says, that the moment Abimelech was informed about Sarah's marital status, "he never went near her". Another translation says," he never touched her". In other words, he never attempted to have any physical relationship with her. That apart, I wish to focus on another important point also. The truth that Sarah was married , was not informed to him when he was awake, but was revealed in a dream. But both Abraham and Sarah said in one voice that they are brothers and sisters. Abimelech rejected their contentions, but believed the voice of God heard in a dream. There are ample reason to reject what he had seen and heard  in the dream. Yet, he showed no urgency, examined the facts carefully and believed obeyed the command of the Lord in the dream.Today, even if we know very clearly what is truth, we do what we like. We don't bother about the consequences. Our desires shape our decisions. Dear reader, what about you?

Point 2:  Now Abimelech pleads to the Lord, not to punish the people of his country for his actions. Please see his prayer at Gen. 20/4. This is a model prayer. When a warning came from the Lord in his dream, he feared that God's anger might turn against the innocent people of his Kingdom. He was particular that they should not suffer any punishment as a result of this. He was not worried about the punishment to be given to him, if any. Therefore, he pleaded with the, "will you destroy an innocent nation?" He declared that his people were innocent and they should be spared. He was not passing the buck.

Point 3:  Then, Abimelech explains the circumstances. He tells the Lord, "Abraham himself said that she was his sister and Sarah said the same thing. I did this with a clear conscience" (Gen 20/4). This statement clearly implies that if he would have known the truth earlier, he would not have done this. Here, the wrong information given by the God's chosen man made a gentile king to commit a sin. Abimelech was a victim of wrong information. Yet, he did not allow the matter to develop into dangerous proportions. He checked the damage at the right time.

Point 4: Now the Lord responds. Firstly, he says that he knew that Abimelech "did this with a clear conscience" (Gen 20/6). God appreciates his stand openly. He stands as a witness to Abimelech's innocence. Secondly, the Lord says, I kept you from sinning against me". The Lord was particular that Abimelech, being misinformed and innocent should not commit sin even inadvertently.  The Lord was impressed with  the way Abimelech obeyed God's word and felt sorry for his actions. Are we willing to heed God's commands like this?

Point 5:  The very next morning, as the Bible put it, (Gen 20/8) Abimelech summoned all his officers and servants and explained to them what had happened previous night. He did not achieve anything to feel proud of. He was involved in an embarrassing affair. Yet, he shared the Lord's meeting with him with his subordinates. He lost no time. It would have been enough if he had simply allowed Sarah to go. Why did he do so? He indirectly cautioned his men, not to resort to such sins. The open and transparent way Abimelech handled the matter, brought a fear on them about the God of Israel (Gen 20/8). They would have understood that Almighty Lord would intervene at any time in human Kingdoms. Do we handle our affairs in an open and transparent way to benefit other?

Point 6:  Abimelech finally awarded some compensation to Abraham and Sarah for the inconveniences they suffered in his country. (Genesis 20/10). Some observers say that the compensation meant for Sarah was to get some clothes to cover her face. But there is no clear indication to this effect is available in the Bible. But one thing is certain. Abimelech's rebuke of the behaviour of Abraham and Sarah and the compensation was to impress upon them not to speak such half truths about their marital status in future. Here, a gentile rebukes God's chosen people for their misdeeds. What an unpleasant situation! We should remember that we will face the same situation of getting rebuked by others including non-believes if we commit mistakes like this. We should not hesitate to tell the truth at any point of time. I think that this is the best lesson we learn from this episode.

          Though Abimelech was an ordinary gentile king, he displayed extra-ordinary qualities.  I am confident that Abimelech's conduct would certainly impact others.

Joseph Stephen

91-9841019133

                                                   

                                    ABRAHAM'S OLDEST SERVANT   

                            

          Chapter 24 of Genesis is significant in two respects. It is one of the longest chapters in the Bible. Secondly, it tells an interesting story about Abraham's oldest servant. Many ignore or overlook the servant's excellent and noble qualities, as their focus is mainly on Issac and Rebecca.  But  a careful study of the chapter would bring to light some of the finest qualities found is him.  Some scholars believe that the servant referred to in this chapter is Eliezer of Damascus (Genesis 15/2). But there is no direct evidence to this. Therefore, I wish to refer him as 'Abhrahm's oldest Servant' in this article. This servant was assigned a difficult task of finding a suitable bride for Issac, son of Abraham. He was asked to go to Northern Mesopotamia, for this purpose, where Abraham's  forefathers lived. The servant accomplished the job perfectly ,step by step ,by seeking God's guidance at every move. This article attempts to highlight the excellent way he followed on each occasion. Hope you will be thrilled to read this.

Step 1: The servant reached the village of  Nahor after a long and tiring travel. There was no one to receive him. Nor did he know any one there. But the job had to be done quickly. He  wanted to pray. But there was no exclusive place for prayer. However,he started praying at the entrance of the village silently in his heart. He prayed, 'O Lord, give me success today." (Genesis 24/12). No one knew that he was praying, but he was talking to God in his heart. This is called as "Arrow Prayer", that is praying silently in heart in the midst of other works, without being noticed by others. He wanted to begin his work with a prayer. His heart was longing for God's leading. Therefore he prayed in the place where he stood unmindful of the surroundings. Do we start our works with a word of prayer or drowned in our busy schedule?  

Step 2:  When he prayed, he pleaded that the matter should be accomplished, "TODAY", viz, the same day. His prayer was that God should help him to complete the job the same day, not even the next day. He prayed with faith, expectation and confidence. He was anxious to complete the work quickly so that he would take the good news to his master as early as possible.

Step 3:  Then, he prayed for the next move. He wanted God to show him the right girl. He imagined a situation in his heart. He desired that one of the girls of the village who was coming to the well where he was waiting, should offer water not only for him, but also for his camels (Genesis 24/13). In that event, he would assume that the particular girl, the one chosen by the God. By this, he would confirm that God had shown kindness to his Master (Genesis 24/14). Here, I wish to point out his attitude. Instead of praying to God to show a wealthy and beautiful girl matching the status of Abraham and Issac, he prayed to God to show a girl with full of compassion and love. This is a model prayer. Do we set such parameters while searching brides / bridegrooms for our children? God was pleased with his prayer. Rebecca appeared there and talked to the servant exactly the way he had planned in his mind. He selected her as the bride for Issac. The entire process of decision making was completed  hassle free. God made his job easy and pleasant. In short, he allowed God to select the right bride.

Step 4:  When the servant was satisfied with Rebacca, he followed her to meet her parents. There, he thanked God saying, "The God of my master Abraham had led me by the right way"(Genesis 24/48) to achieve the object in view. What is meant by the 'right way'? It is nothing but finalizing an alliance as per God's plan. I want to pose before you a pertinent question. How many marriages are fixed and finalized by God's plan nowadays? We force our view and have everything in our own way. Don't forget that God's ways are the best ways.

Step 5: Food was served to the servant in Rebecca's house. But the servant refused to eat saying that he would not eat until the affiance is given an approval. (Genesis 24/33). In India, there is a practice that no one will eat until the marriage proposal is accepted by both the families. Is not the statement of the servant something similar to the practice in India? Did Abraham's servant bring this practice first into the world? Any way, he deserves our appreciation.

Step 6:  The previous evening he came. The marriage proposal had been given a finality the same night. The next day, he started to return to his home town (Genesis 24/55-56). He reached this new place after a long travel. Physically, some rest is essential. Yet, on completion of job, he wanted to return. He did  not want to enjoy the rest and hospitality at Rebecca's house. He was particular of informing his master. He did not want to keep the master in anxiety. Shall we miss when offers for rest and hospitality come together?

          Nabal, who was living in the times of David, once said that "many servants are breaking away from their masters these days"(1 Sam 25/10). He was obviously referring to large number of unfaithful servants in his days. But Abraham's servant proved to the world that he was different. We are also God's servants in this world. God expects us to be "faithful and wise" (Mathew 24/45).

 

Joseph Stephen

91-9841019133

ELKANAH 

            Surprisingly, the book of I Samuel opens not with big names like Saul, David or Jonathan, but with a little known Elkanah and his wife Hannah. Even as between Elkanah and Hannah, many know about Hannah, and not Elkanah. We overlook the good qualities of Elkanah in the midst of Hanna's sacrificial offer and the birth of prophet Samuel. A close scrutiny of the life of Elkanah would show to prove that he was a person of exemplary character and conduct. I wish to share a few thoughts on the life of Elkanah.

Thought 1:    The Lord had ordered the Israelites "to celebrate a festival to Him" at the place appointed by Him three times a year (Exodus 23/14).  Elkanah was regular in visiting Shiloh, the God's appointed place (Joshua 18/1) along with his 2 wives and children. His visit to the appointed place has been mentioned twice in the first chapter itself. You may wonder as to why I am mentioning this here as if, it is a special effort. You may also think that he is after all obeying one of the God's commandments. In this context, I wish to recall his family circumstances mentioned in the opening chapter of I Samuel. Two bitterly jealous wives had a long standing quarrel, Peninnah taunting Hannah because of her infertility. This taunting and provoking continued for several years and Peninnah did not spare Hannah even when they visit the House of the Lord. There was no oneness or peace in the family. Yet, Elkana did not fail to visit the House of the Lord and pay the offerings. He did not allow the difficulties in the family to affect his relationship with God. Whenever, peace in the family is disturbed or oneness receive a beating, these directly tell upon the spiritual growth. We skip going to church, reading scriptures and praying. We are unable to set aside the emotional disturbances caused due to the problems in the families. But Elkanah effectively overcame that. He deserves our appreciation.

Thought 2:    Elkanah's wife, Hannah was childless. Yet, Elkanah continued to love Hannah. Even after so much of cultural and social development, the world today look the childless women with contempt and treat them as untouchables. But Elkanah proved to the world that he was a different person. He loved her so much, despite her deficiencies. For him, she was no way inferior to other women including Penninah. That was why he gave double portion of the sacrifice to Hannah. (1 Sam 1/5). Whenever Peninnah provoked Hanna, Elkana would comfort Hannah by saying "Don't I mean more to you than ten sons?" What does this mean? It means that Elkanah is saying that she need not worry over not bearing a child as he is loving her more than the sons (I Sam 1/8). In other words ,she cannot expect such a degree of love even from her children. Who could say such comforting words? Elkanah is certainly a different person.

Thought 3:    When God blessed Hannah with a child, she wanted to dedicate the child for Lord's work as per her vow. When she asked Elkanah's consent, Elkanah said, "Do what seems best to you" (I Sam 1/23). Elkanah is Samuel's father . He has his own views and wishes. Yet,he honoured Hannah's vow. If Hannah had made this vow without the consent of Elkanah, the principles laid down in book of Numbers (30^th Chapter) empower him to cancel or modify the vow. But Elkanah did not do so. Dedicating Samuel for Lord's work was done with Elkanah's full concurrence. Therefore, whatever credit goes to Hannah in placing Samuel for Lord's work, should go to Elkanah too. This is confirmed in what Eli says in I Sam 2/20. He says, "May the Lord give you other children by this woman to take the place of the one you dedicated to Him". Here the word "you" refers to Elkanah.

2.         As a carry home memory,  I would like to summarise the good qualities found in the life of Elkanah as below;

            a)         He was a faithful follower of God's commandments.

            b)        His family problems did not affect his relationship with God.

            c)         He honoured the vow made by his wife Hannah.

            d)        He was a strong supporter of his wife during her childless days.

3.         Whenever we think of Hannah and Samuel, let us not forget to think Elkanah also.

JOSEPH STEPHEN

91-9841019133

JOSEPH

(Father of Jesus Christ)

            A person sensitive to God’s guidance and willing to obey god’s commandments, will do anything, no matter what the consequences are. Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus Christ, stands as a symbol of obedience and strong belief. We read very little about him in the gospels of Mathew & Luke. The other two writers viz. Mark and John did not mention anything about Joseph. He is a less familiar and little known person in the New Testament compared to big names like John, Peter, Paul, etc. Yet, we learn great lessons from him.

Lesson No.1 Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she found out that she was going, to have a child by the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph was a righteous man, he did not want to expose her to public disgrace. Instead, he made plans to break the engagement privately (Mathew 1/18-19). This must have been a shocking news for Joseph. But, he handled the situation in a polished and dignified way. He had every reason to call off the pledge publicly. In fact, commandments of Moses permit cancellation of the wedding proposals on complaints of adultery and authorise stoning of the accused. But Joseph was sympathetic towards Mary. He did not want to take the extreme step of breaking the alliance openly. He wanted to give a quietus to the proposal. Others would have fled from the scene after making the “pregnancy matter” a big issue. But Joseph behaved gently and differently. Therefore, the Bible calls him as a “righteous person”, a rare honour that has been given only to a select few. Do we have that gentle, dignified and sympathetic attitude?

Lesson No.2 While Joseph was thinking about this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife. For it is by the Holy spirit she has conceived’ (Mathew 1/20). A perusal of following verses clearly reveals that Joseph believed what all the angel told him. In this context, mentioning two points would be relevant and appropriate.

a)     Joseph believed what the angel told him in his dream. The angel did not appear before him in person, but revealed this secret in his dream. Believing would mean, not believing what he had seen and heard about Mary. Yet, he believed. Something unheard of anywhere. For believing, people demand evidence / proof. But Joseph believed that the child was someone very special and obeyed god’s leading. What would be our reaction to a situation like this?

b)     Joseph believed some unbelievable utterances of the angel. A virgin getting pregnant is beyond human logic or reasoning. Becoming pregnant through Holy Spirit is another story not heard of so far in human history. But Joseph believed the sayings of the angel in full. He was believing “things not seen” (Hebrew 11/1). He believed that God could create anything anywhere. He trusted god’s authority over every aspect of human life. Do we have such faith?

Lesson No.3  Joseph was not only a believer, but also a doer. (See James 2/14-17). He married Mary, as the angel of the Lord told him. But he had no union with her before she gave birth to a son. (Mathew 1/24-25). Believing unbelievable things is a difficult exercise. Doing what he heard and believed is yet another difficult exercise. Joseph did what he believed. Even after marrying Mary he kept himself away from her. Therefore, writer Mathew carefully coined verse 16 in Chapter 1 to reflect this correctly. What a noble person?

3)        I wish to close the essay with the following two carry home memories:-

i)         Joseph was Jesus Christ’s earthly father. He was certainly a worthy father to a great son.

ii)        If Joseph had refused to believe Angel’s sayings, what would have happened? People would have mocked at Jesus and refused to accept his teachings saying that he was born to a woman who had no husband. Christianity might not have witnessed any growth at all. Joseph is the person who checked all possible unwanted happenings and facilitated hassle free spread of Jesus’s teachings.

Joseph Stephen

91-9841019133

______ x _

Bazillai

BARZILLAI

          We read very little about Barzillai in the Bible. Yet, the love and care shown by him to King David and his team when they fled from Jerusalem is regarded as one of the most hospitable acts recorded in the Bible. He is being introduced to us as a Senior Citizen of 80 years. The age did not deter him from helping right people even under difficult situations. We read his story in chapters 17 & 19 of II Samuel. He is a little known person. However, we learn great lessons from him.

          When Absalom caused a split among the followers of King David and proclaimed himself as the King of Judea, David and his followers fled from Jerusalem fearing Absaloms’ assault. They ran towards a town called Mahanaim, close to the forests. Absalom followed them and camped in the land of Gilead. At Mahanaim, three persons, viz. Shobi, Machir and Barzillai met David and his team with food items and certain essential things. (II Sam. 17/27-30) Similarly, when David returned from Mahanaim after defeating Absalom a few weeks later, Barzilla met David again (11 Samuel 19/31-39). In short, Barzillai met David on two occasions. Barzillai displayed extraordinary level of hospitality, love and affection towards David, which simply surprises every one. A careful study of the scriptures reveals as to how Barzillai was different from others. I would like to mention a few points.

Point-1:- When David and his men are fleeing from Jerusalem and arrived at Mahanaim, Barzilla and his 2 friends brought food items and essential things. This, they did suo-motto without any request from David or his supporters, but just realizing the need of the hour. The Bible says that they knew “that David and his men would be hungry, thirsty and tired in the wilderness” (11 sam 17/29). The true hospitality / love for others lies in helping the needy even though they do not ask for such help. Normally, we are not inclined to help others without formal requests. Is not Barzillai and his friends different from others?

Point-2:- Barzilla and his friends brought 14 items of essential things for David and his men. These people are fleeing their country fearing their lives. For them, a simple food to sustain them would be sufficient. But they were provided with sumptuous meal. That apart, Barzillai brought “bedding” also for David and his company. (11 Samuel 17/28.29). Provision of such a kind of comfort for fleeing men is unheard of in the history. Every need was taken care of. Not for a day or two. Not for David & VIPs alone, but to everyone who accompanied David and this was made available till they stayed in wilderness. Can we see such a person nowadays?

          The war broke out between David’s men and Absaloms’ army. Absalom was killed. Now David returns to Jerusalem triumphantly. Lot of people met him enroute. Barzillai also came and met him. But his friends did not turn up. A lively conversation takes place between Barzillai and David. (11 Sam 19/33-35) King David requests Barzillai to come with him and spend the rest of his life with him in the palace. This is an excellent offer which no one would like to decline. Barzillai replies to David in a different way that stands as an eloquent proof to his extraordinary qualities.

Point-3:- First, he says that he does not want to be a burden to the King at this late stage of his life.  He was prepared to help the king at the advanced age of 80, but, when the king wanted to repay the goodness, he declines to accept the same. This shows that he helped David without expecting anything in return. His intention was that David should not suffer any inconveniences while trying to repay him.

Point-4:- He helped David and his men in a big way without minding the possible attack from Absalom. He maintained them all the days of their stay in wilderness. Yet, he humbled himself saying he did very little (11 Samuel 19/36). We claim and expect lot of honour on doing trivial helps to others. But Barzillai never bothered about any kind of recognition.

Point-5:- He was content with the existing style of living in his home town with his children (11 Samuel 19/37)

Point-6:- Finally, he offered David to take his son Chimham along with him who would be of much help to him. (11 Samuel 19/37). The scripture portion reads as follows, “Here is my son Chimham, who will serve you, take him with you”. He knows that he would be a burden to the kind at this age. But he feels that his son would be of a great help to the king at Jerusalam. He wanted that serving of the God annoited king should be continued in one way or other. He does not bother about his son's absence from him. Do we have such priorities in our lives?

          Barzillai’s qualities simply thrill every one. A little known old man showed admiring qualities. Do we have such a hospitable nature? Have we shown similar courtesies to others? I close this topic, with these questions.

Joseph Stephen

91-9841019133

ENOCH

         The story of Enoch is very short. Yet, it is a great story. His entire story has been told in just a few verses in the Old Testament and New Testament. Though we read very little about him, he leaves a lasting impression in the minds of the readers. I wish to record 3 extraordinary qualities found in him for the benefit of readers.

Point No.1
    “When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters” (Genesis 5/21-22). Enoch lived 365 years, out of which “he walked with god” for 300 years. What does it mean? It does not mean that the Lord came down from heaven physically and lived with him. Nor did Enoch  go to heaven. Enoch was living in this world in the same surroundings as existed before. He moved with the same persons living around him. Nothing changed after the first 65 years of his life. Yet, he understood God’s laws and obeyed. He lived a life that was pleasing to the God. While others continued to live in the same wicked way, Enoch lived according to God’s commandments. The author meant only this and observed with delight that Enoch walked with God. We live in this world with so much of knowledge and information on God’s teachings, his desires and plans for our lives. But we want to please only our bosses, family members, friends, leaders, etc. We ignore God’s commandments. Enoch was different. He walked with God. That is why, the author of the book of Hebrews wrote like this, “For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased god”. (Heb 11:6). Even before he was taken away from the world, that is, all through his earthly life, he was living a life that was pleasing to Govt. With whom we are walking? Are we living in the manner God expect?
Point No.2
    Apostle Jude of the New Testament age wrote like this about Enoch. “It was Enoch, who long ago prophesies this against them; “The Lord will come with many thousands of his holy angels to bring judgment on all, to condemn them all for the Godless deeds they have performed and for all the terrible words that Godless sinners have spoken against him” (Jude 1/14-15). The whole world expects the second coming of Jesus Christ. But Enoch, as early as in the days of Genesis, prophesised about the coming of Christ.  Till the book of Jude was written, everyone believed that Abraham was the first prophet in the world (Genesis 20/7). But this position stood changed after Jude was written. What is more amazing about Enoch’s prophecy is that he clearly told that our “speeches” also are liable for conviction. The earlier belief that we are liable only for our “deeds” came to an end. What an astonishing turn in the understanding of God’s law! All credit goes to Enoch.
Point No.3
    “Enoch walked with God; he was no more, because God took him away” (Genesis 5/24). Not only he was the first prophet, he was the first person to be taken to heaven skipping the physical death. A privileged person. That is why, many European Churches celebrate Enoch as a saint.
    Among the people living in the pre-deluge period, Enoch was the only person living less number of years . But, out of this limited period, he walked with God almost 80% of his life. Living long life is not a matter at all. With whom we are living? Are we living with the Lord? I close this topic with these questions.

(JOSEPH STEPHEN)
Cell: 9841019133

GIDEON

            Gideon is another small, less familiar and little known character in the Old Testament. We read a brief account of his activities in Chapters 6, 7 and 8 of book "Judges". He redeemed Israelites from the hands of Midianites by adopting an uncommon military strategy. Though he was a reluctant starter in the crusade of saving Israelites, he picked up speed and courage once God confirmed His calling. It gives me great pleasure in unearthing certain "big" qualities in this "small" man. I wish to share with you 6 points that stand as an eloquent proof to his extraordinary behavior.

Point 1

When Medianites attacked and plundered Israelites frequently, Israelites cried out to the Lord for help. God first sent a prophet and comforted them. Then an angel of the Lord met. Gideon and discussed with him the reasons for the suffering. At that stage, Gideon asked the angel as follows, "If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us?" (Judges 6/13). What does it mean? Gideon means that they suffer because their Lord was not with them. If we probe into this statement little deeper, Gideon utters one of the basic truths of the scriptures, viz., if God is not with us, we are bound to suffer. Gideon could have easily thrown the blame on the Medianites and other enemies. But Gideon did not resort to blame game. He rightly said that they were suffering as the Lord left them because of their sins. (The opening portion of chapter six of Judges corroborates this). Whenever we face hard situations like this, we simply blame others. We never bother to check ourselves whether the Lord is with us and we are obeying his commandments. The appropriate interpretation of these events is that, we would never succeed in our life without the Lord.

Point 2

            Then God commands Gideon to lead the Israelites to fight against Medianites so that they are rescued. Gideon replied, "But Lord, how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the tribe of Manasseh and I am the least important member of my family" (Judges 6/15). He declares that no one in his family is competent to occupy the leadership position in Israel. Here, a big position is being offered, but he declines with all humility. Can we ever find a person like this in our times?  People are prepared to do anything to grab authority and power. This is the order of the day. But Gideon stands alone. He is willing to work for the country, but he is not interested in positions. Are you willing to work for the nation without any authority or position?

Point 3

            Before firmly accepting the offer of the to lead the Israelites, he wants the Lord to confirm His calling through some specific signs, more than once:

a)      Firstly, he wants dew to fall only on the wool which he intends to put in the field one night. The surrounding ground should be dry (Judges 6/37).

b)     Secondly, he wants dew to fall on the ground only the next day leaving the wool dry (Judges 6/39).

God allowed these signs to happen as Gideon desired. Many critics feel that Gideon was wrong in checking with God twice. But I have a different view. Here, Gideon was given an important task of fighting a war against the mighty Medianites. The fate of Israelites would be decided in the war. This assignment is to save the people. This is not a personal matter of Gideon's family or household. Therefore, he wanted to ensure that God really called him to fight against the Medianites. In otherwords, Gideon was more concerned about the well being of the people. In this context, Gideon's confirming God's call more than once cannot be termed as "not correct". We know God's calling in several areas of our life very definitely. Yet, we take a view on these matters totally detrimental to the calling to suit our personal needs. We need to appreciate his sincerity in checking his calling before actually setting his foot on the task.

Point 4

            Once God confirmed his mission to be executed through Gideon, the latter never looked back. About 32000 Israelites rallied behind him to fight-against an army of 1, 35,000 Medianites. At this stage, God wanted Gideon to send back 22,000 men of Israel who have a fear in their hearts. Gideon immediately obliged (Judges 7/23). Again, God conducted a test in the river as to how the remaining men drink water. God instructed Gideon to send back another 9700 men, leaving behind just 300 (Judges 7/7). He sent back 9700 men as instructed. No hesitation on Gideon's part. Then God asked Gideon to visit the camp of Medianites in the night along with his servant alone to ascertain the mood of the enemies. Imagine, just 2 men visiting an enemy camp of 1,35,000 men. Gideon showed no sign of fear or reluctance (Judges 7/9-11). Apparently, he was confident that the Lord was with them leading the team of 300 Israelites (Judge 7/18). God reduced the size of the Israel army from 32,000 to 300. Strengthwise, the ratio between Israel army and Medianites is around 1: 400. For any military operation, Israel is not match for the mighty Medianites. Yet, Gideon relied on God and fought against the Medianites. Impressed by this extraordinary level of faith, the author of Book of Hebrews included his name in the list of "Warriors of Faith" in his Book (Heb 11/32).

Point 5

            In the first phase of the war, as many as 1, 20,000 Medianites were killed. The remaining 12000 men escaped crossing the river. Gideon ordered his men, other than Ephraimites, to follow the enemy. This upsets the Ephraimites. They felt that they were sidelined. They entered into an argument with Gideon and criticised him. (Judges 8/1). But Gideon effectively handles the situation. He praises the valiant accomplishment of Ephraimites. He pointed out that their limited role brought great victory compared to the full role of his own family in the war (Judges 8/1-3). Gideon shared the honours of the victory with others instead of retaining all glory with him. It is commonly seen that people who is leading any movement corner the glory of the achievements instead of sharing down the line. But Gideon was different, perhaps distinctively.

Point 6

            The war ends. Enemy was defeated. Israelites wanted Gideon, his son and his son's son should rule the country (Judges 8/22). But Gideon told them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you, The Lord will rule over you" (Judges 8/23)/ People recognized his services. They want Gideon and his family to rule the country. Normally, leaders would gladly accept the offer and avail the opportunity in no time. But Gideon said that God will rule over you. He knew that God is the ultimate ruler and He alone should rule our hearts. He did not care for positions and authority. Power hungry world should learn from Gideon.

            Extraordinary persons are ordinary persons with extraordinary faith, zeal, commitment and determination. They are the winners. Gideon is a winner, winner of our hearts.

S. JOSEPH STEPHEN

91-9841019133

Nehemiah

NEHEMIAH:

            Nehemiah’s story may not be one of the most familiar in the Bible, yet it is great story nonetheless. It is about a man who heartily loved his god and his country, who courageously spoke his mind, who fearlessly stood against opposition and who carried out a most incredible task. He did it without fanfare, all for the purpose of sustaining his beloved nation of Israel and especially the city of Jerusalem. His entire life impresses every reader. However, I wish to mention three incidents in his life through which we learn great lessons.

Lesson No.1 

            Nehemiah, like Ezra, was a child of captivity. He was serving as a cup-bearer in the palace of Babylonian King Artaxerxes. During the period, some people from his home country, Judah, visited him in the month of KISLEV in the twentieth year. (see Nehemiah 1/1-2). Kislev means the month of November in the modern calendar. I wish to draw your specific attention to the month of kislev mentioned here. They said about the horrible living conditions of those who survived the exile and those who were back in the province. They also said that the wall of Jerusalem had been broken at several places and its gates burnt down. This news disturbed the spirit of Nehemiah terribly. He began to pray immediately. He wanted to do something for his people. He wanted to rebuild the wall. He decided to meet the king in the month of NISAN, i.e., April. What does it mean? He was planning in his heart to perform a great job for his nation and his people. It was an uphill task. He required clearance and support from the king. Before asking the king to grant permission etc., he prayed over this for a period of 5 months (Nov – April). He knew that the prayer was the real force that would change situations in his favour. Even while walking in the corridors of the palace, he was praying in his heart. (Neh. 1/11). He had also been praying while talking to the king so that the king was convinced on the plea of Nehemia (Neh. 2/4). Prayers worked wonders. The king readily permitted Nehemiah to proceed to Jerusalem and carryout the repairs. Whenever we start a new project / work like this, we plan lot of things. We hold several round of discussions. We workout the budget. We raise funds. We enlist supporters / sponsors. But we pray very little. But Nehemiah prayed for 5 months. The prayers brought him victory. If we pray less, we have to work more. If we pray more, we have to work less. What do you prefer?

Lesson No.2

            Nehemia and his followers reached Jerusalem and started the work. Now the enemies of Jews who did not like the citadel to come up, started giving trouble. Sanballat and Geshem, some prominent persons in the opposite group sent messages to Nehemiah to come to one of the villages for a discussion over the “Wall” issue. (Neh 6/2). That apart, on several occasions ,the enemies ridiculed their project (Neh.4/3), discouraged their efforts, (Neh. 4/5), raised legal issues concerning the construction (Neh. 4/8), sent letters threatening the jews (Neh.6/19) and set up false prophets to utter wrong prophecies (Neh. 6/12) against the project itself. Their ultimate aim was to divert and distract the attention of Nehemiah and his Team so that the work did not proceed. But Nehemiah rejected their remarks by saying emphatically, “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” (Neh. 6/3). Nehemiah never allowed the project to suffer from these irritating moves of the enemies.  Satan’s very big weapon today is to divert, distract and disturb us from our march towards God over trivial and irrelevant things. Nehemiah teaches us to reject outrightly those forces that tend to divert our attention towards God and his ministries. Be careful that even a trivial / insignificant matter robs our attention and derails our course.

Lesson No.3

            Nehemiah was acting as a governor for over a period of 12 years in Judha. But “he did not claim any allowance”, which he was normally entitled to (Neh. 5/14). Even if he would have accepted the government’s pay and allowances, no one could have found fault with him. He did not compel the people living in the province to pay him. The previous governors and their servants were collecting money from the people (Neh. 5/15). But he spent his personal funds for all these 12 years. This shows he was dependent on God for everything and not the government, or the people. He was a model government / public authority. The present authorities all over the world need to learn from Nehemiah, the way he served the people.

            Lord was pleased with the excellent behaviour of Nehemiah. He blessed his efforts. He completed the construction of the wall of Jerusalem within just 52 days, a record time. Even a house construction takes several months in modern times. When our ways are right with God, he makes our tasks easy. The Lord fights for us. Let us try to emulate Nehemiah’s model and achieve great things for God.

(JOSEPH STEPHEN)

Mobile: 91-98410 19133