Angels and Spirits
The Angels beat the Yankees! All is right with the world.How would you like this schedule? Play in New York on Sunday night. Fly to LA and arrive around 5 am. Play that evening. Fly to Chicago. Get in early morning. Play that night.
Meanwhile, my boys beat the Evil Empire despite losing their top two starters to a throat infection and a bum shoulder/back. Ervin Santana, 22 year old rookie who started the year in AA ball, came in in relief and held the Yankees down. Gutsy performance. Resilient team.
I love this game.
In the comments from my previous post, Laymond Meredith asked about a comment I made in LVM's blog regarding God sending "lying spirits." It's been awhile but I'm sure I was referring to the passage in II Chronicles 18: 18-22 where God sent Ahab to his death. It's a fascinating scene, not just for the uncomfortable concept of God sending a spirit on such a mission, but for the idea that God sits on his throne and...consults. The text says that God was sitting on His throne with all the host of heaven on His right and left. One by one they suggested ideas to God until one volunteered to "be a lying spirit in the mouths of [Ahab's] prophets." Striking. And it begs many questions, not the least of which is: is this really how God does business?
I covet opinions. Is this metaphor? If so, where do we draw the line at such speculation? If not, why was God asking others what He should do? And we would he entice Ahab with lies? Surely He is not the God of lies. How does this scene compare to the scene in Job where God and Satan meet and consider God's servant? Just who was it that consented to do the lying? If it was Satan himself, does that put him at God's command?
I have my own ideas, of course. But no good teacher would volunteer his own ideas without hearing what others have to say first. And if you really get into it, hop on over to I Kings 13 and examine the story where the "old prophet" lies to the "man of God." Compare and contrast.
Man, I've been assigning homework waaaaaay too long.
One more thing. Amidst all your studying and conjecturing, have a good thought for the Angels, would you? They're tired and the ChiSox are a good team. We need all the help we can get.
posted by Thurman8er @ 9:06 PM
5 Comments:
We stayed up with you in spirit to see the rise of the Angels and the fall of the minions of the dark lord.
Interested to hear your thoughts on lying spirits and all, I throw these thoughts into the ring.
The question of why God does this may be answered with this premise
"Do not be fooled: You cannot cheat God. People harvest only what they plant." (Galatians 6:7)
Ahab, certainly planted a wicked, evil, lying harvest. He certainly received the fruits of his harvest.
Aligning with Jezebel (the painted viper of Israel) he turned his heart away from God toward Baal. He cowardly followed her plot to remove a prized vineyard from Naboth. Plus, a whole host of other such wickedness:
Here's the summary of his reign:
More than any king before him, Ahab son of Omri did many things the LORD said were wrong. (1 Kings 16:30)
The way I see it God was pleased to take him out with the same measure in which Ahab ruled and reigned. A graphic example of "fight fire with fire."
Sometimes God just does what he wants and that is frankly what might scare us the most.
But, hey, I could be wrong.
The passage is obviously an insertion by a post-exilic J author who was teaching the people under Greek rule that Antiochus Ephiphane IV would, one day, get his come-uppance.
I think. hnzsh.
I'm going to have to brush up on my II Chronicles 18: 18-22. I'll comment later.
I wanted to let you know that both my son and I are rooting for the Angels and I asked forgiveness for my "sin" of predicting a Whitesox victory.
By the way, what a play the Whitesox shortstop made in the first inning with the ball hit in the hole!
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After doing a little brushing up, II Chronicles 18: 18-22 reminded me of Isaiah 55:8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.
In our "American (we're the "good guys") mind set" II Chronicles can be disconcerting. As Greg said, the sovereinty of God can be hard to come to grips over but the bottom line is it doesn't matter if we agree with it or not. Kind of reminds me of the line from the movie "Rudy."
The Catholic Priest tells Rudy in all of his years of study, there are two absolutes that he knows:
1. There is a God.
2. I'm not Him.
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