Reflection - Behavior

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/060916.cfm

1 Kings 18:41-46
Matthew 5:20-26

Some people have a serious problem with God. They read the Old Testament and find all kinds of objectionable behavior on God's part. He hardens Pharaoh's heart so he can have an excuse for inflicting ten plagues on Egypt. At his hand, thousands of the Hebrew people, people whom he had just brought out from Egyptian slavery, are cast into the fiery pit just because they made a golden calf. After forty years of leading these hard-nosed people around the desert of Sinai, Moses is denied entrance into the Promised Land because, just one time, he had the temerity to strike a rock twice when he was told to strike it once. And when Joshua leads these people across the Jordan the people are commanded to remove, get rid of, eliminate, all the people already living there. The instructions are plain: kill them if you have to; but one way or another they must go.

The shocking incidents continue. This morning's reading about the prophet Eli'jah declaring an end to the regional drought makes sense only when we know the circumstances which preceded it. Just another example of God-awful behavior. Here's a condensed version of what happened. 

Led by faithless kings, the nation of Israel had steadily wandered further and further from obedience to the Lord. This abandonment of God reached a peak under Ahab, the king mentioned in today's reading. This was the king who sacrificed two sons to the god Ba'al in order to strength the walls and gates of his city. Under Ahab, the true prophets of the Lord had been exiled or killed, prophets of Ba'al had been introduced and supported. Pagan worship flourished. Almost alone, the prophet Eli'jah bore witness to the error of the King and the people. Finally, the Lord had Eli'jah declare a drought upon the land. Neither dew nor rain fell for endless weeks. The effect was devastating. Ultimately, in the Lord's name, Eli'jah issued a challenge: The four hundred and fifty prophets of Ba'al would offer sacrifice to their god. Eli'jah alone would offer sacrifice to Israel's God. Whichever sacrifice was accepted would determine which was the true God.

The God of Israel won the contest and Eli'jah subsequently instructed the witnessing crowd to kill all four hundred and fifty prophets of Ba'al, which they promptly did. Once again God had blood on his hands.

The critics of God's Old Testament behavior often observe that the God of the New Testament is a gentler, kinder, loving God. Among many possible passages, they cite the sermon on the mount, of which this morning's reading is a part, as evidence to support their version of an Old Testament vs New Testament God. It is in the sermon on the mount that Jesus talks about loving one's enemies, praying for those who persecute you and seeking reconciliation with an estranged brother. Jesus not only talks about peace and love, his actions support his words. When a certain Samaritan village proves inhospitable, he rebukes James and John who would call down fire from heaven to consume it. When Peter defends Jesus in the Mount of Olives by cutting off a servant's ear, Jesus tells him to put away his sword. 

In spite of these examples, the picture is not that clear cut. We heard Jesus this morning saying "whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna." Yet, Jesus calls the Pharisees "whited sepulchers". He teaches "whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment," but, at one point, he says to Peter "Get behind me, Satan!" That sounds a bit angry to me. He proclaims that "if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also;" and then proceeds to use a whip on the money changers in the temple.

In the Old Testament also, we find similar contradictory behavior. And the behavior is repeated time after time. First there is the condemnation: "Woe to them! Destruction to them!" (Hosea 7:13) Then there is the remorse and compassion: "How can I give you up, O Ephraim! How can I hand you over, O Israel! My heart recoils within me, my compassion grows warm and tender." (Hosea 11:8)

How am I to understand such radically diverse behaviors?

There are three parts to my own understanding; and the three parts compliment one another. The first part is acceptance of a basic principle which can be easily forgotten or dismissed: namely, God is God and I am not. This truism has several corollaries: among them are an acceptance of the rhetorical Scriptural question 'Who can know the mind of the Lord?' and an acquiescence to the fact that we not only cannot judge the action of God, we especially cannot judge divine action by human standards. 

The second part is summarized in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." Incredibly, history has made it clear that God's love is so intense that He will do whatever is necessary to engage us in a love relationship with himself. He will provide for us. He will protect us. He will even deign to speak to us. Ultimately, God showed  ". . . his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) 

As difficult as it may be to accept, and, as even more difficult as it is to comprehend, this is the truth we most commonly focus on in our relationship. I am loved. I love.

But there is a third part to the mystery of God's behavior which we are quite willing to acknowledge when it is stated and then quite willing to consign to the category of 'out of sight, out of mind.' That third part is given voice in the book of Isaiah: "I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity" (Isaiah 13:11) 

In Scripture 'evil' is whatever would, successfully or unsuccessfully, lead us away from a love relationship with our Heavenly Father. No other definition captures the true meaning of evil. It can exist only where there is consciousness. It can be only when it is chosen. God hates evil! Yet, in a world where love is genuine only when it is freely chosen, it is possible for evil to have a firm and solid foothold.

In so far as it is possible for me to understand the actions of God among us, I find these last two principles of critical importance. God is insanely in love with his creation, with you and with me; and, like all who truly love, he will do absurd things for his beloved. Correspondingly, he will work to eliminate all that stands opposed to the realization of that love. That's why Paul can so easily ask: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" (Romans 8:35) and then, just as easily, deny that anything can effect such a separation. 

In the end, I find my thoughts on this subject prompting two questions.

     How much do I love my God who so fully embraces me?

     How much do I detest all within myself that would keep me from him?