Bible rubble ∙∙
I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. – Matthew 16:18
Daniel 3:17-28
17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king.
18 “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath . . . giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.
21 Then, these men were tied up in their trousers, coats, caps, and other clothes and cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar, the king, was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Were it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.”
25 He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire.
27 The fire had no effect on the bodies of these men, nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.
28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own god.
In moments of sorrow and turmoil, the Father has a way of making Himself known in profound ways. This was precisely the case in March 2002. Amidst the clearing efforts of the south tower’s last remnants at Ground Zero, a firefighter rummaging through the wreckage stumbled upon an extraordinary find: a Bible melded into a chunk of heart-shaped steel and concrete rubble.
Shocked and in awe, the firefighter immediately took his discovery to Joel Meyerowitz, a photographer and archivist tasked with documenting the Ground Zero aftermath. Meyerowitz reflected on the encounter, saying, “This shredded, burned, and rubble-covered Bible came to me from the loving hands of a fireman.”
How is that even possible? How could the paper pages and cover of the Scriptures remain intact in an infernal hot enough to melt steel and decompose concrete?
This is reminiscent of the three Jewish young men who were thrown into the fiery furnace and came out alive, unscathed. Only the cords that had bound them were burnt up and destroyed.
Perhaps the Father dispatched the same angel of the Lord to preserve His open Bible in the midst of the fiery conflagration at the World Trade Center.
The story has a dual message. The first is that the Father will work miraculously to preserve His word, which He has done through the ages.
REFLECT & PRAY
I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. – Matthew 5:18
Father the tasks You set before us as mere humans often feel difficult, daunting, and contrary to our nature, and seemingly impossible. Forgiveness is probably at the top of the list. Every child of the King is familiar with the words that Lord Jesus Christ uttered on the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Father, I want to be a forgiver with extreme memory loss.
INSIGHT
The second message carries a more personal and intimate significance, one that should resonate deeply with every child of the King.
Meyerowitz was utterly speechless when his eyes fell on the visible Bible verses. The exposed page belonged to the Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel of Matthew. The paragraph header specifically addressed Retaliation. The words of the Lord Jesus Christ in the King James Bible were clearly marked in red letters.
Matthew 5:38-39
38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39 But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
After the 9/11 attacks, most Americans were furious and wanted revenge. It was like Pearl Harbor all over again.
Tragedy and loss on the scale of 9/11 is not the exclusive domain in which anger dwells. Far lesser adversities cause us to want to lash out, fight back, seek revenge, and retaliate. It is only natural.
How should the children of the King respond to injury and offense?
The ancient law governing such matters is the Lex Talionis (law of retaliation). It dates back to at least the era of the Code of Hammurabi.
The Lord Jesus Christ references this law, quoting the well-known principle “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” (cf. Exodus 21:23-25; Leviticus 24:19-20; Deuteronomy 19:21).
Matthew 5:38-39
38 “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’
39 But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.
The Law of Talion served a dual purpose. It affirmed the right of aggrieved individuals to seek compensation or justice and set limits on the scope of retribution proportionate to the offense committed. The concept of seeking redress for wrongdoing was preserved within this framework.
In contrast to this approach, the Lord Jesus Christ counsels his hearers: “Do not resist an evildoer.” The Greek term translated as “resist” is anthistēmi. Anthistēmi means to stand against, resist, oppose, or refuse to yield, whether in deed or word (cf. James 4:7; Galatians 2:11; Acts 6:10).
In this context, it explicitly denotes refraining from retaliating against those who harm or wrong you. Do not adopt the stance of an adversary seeking vengeance. Do not insist on asserting your rights as the offended party (Gardner).
The Father beckons every child of the King to a higher standard. Regrettably, we often refuse to take it. Rather than repay evil with evil, we are to forgive, turn the other cheek, and leave vengeance to Him. He implores us to let go of grudges, forgive, forget, and move forward.
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© Dr. H 2024
Dr H Reflections 