Stuff Michael Meeks is doing

Up early; off to NCC - did the creche with Ros, back for lunch. Walked with H. to the post-box in the snow. Slugged about.

Gordon sermon on Exodus 20 - "The most important thing".

A new series on the 10 Commandments. A portion that is so precious, decisive & foundational. Struck by titles in Borders incorporating the word 'Bible' Ed Smith's: The vegtable gardeners Bible - cover jacket & blurb on the book: this is a book that is comprehensive: all you need to know when it comes to vegetable gardening - practical, accessible for the beginner as well as the expert. Why trust it ? the authoritative author Ed Smith - faculty of college in Vermont, teaches courses on it, a renowned, prize-winning gardener: speaks with authority etc. Typical of all the 'Bibles' that are there, the Excel 2003 Bible, the Official E-Bay Bible, the Backyard Bird Feeders Bible - same thing, etc. New Shellers' Men's Health Home Workout Bible etc. etc.
All a back-handed complement to the Bible itself, it's all these things: comprehensive, practical, authoritative, the must-read with regard to life. We know why the Macingtosh Bible is called 'the Bible' - an attempt to approximate in a narrow field the Bible - but where did the Israelites get the idea of a Bible ?
None of the ancient civilisations of the ANE, Egypt, Cannan etc. had a Bible in this sense. Some had religious poetry - similar to the Sutras of Buddhism, none were purporting to be a direct revelation from God, in the way the Bible purports to be.
Where did they get the idea for a Bible ? the notion that all future generations should treasure and take careful note of it. Two answers: one for the beginner and a more advanced one. Something for everyone.
At the beginners level - the obvious answer: what was the very first part of the Bible to be written ? Not Genesis' account of creation, and we know this from the internal testimony & implication of the text itself. The very 1st part was this text. The beginning of written revalation that would be normative for his people - these words spoken by God himself, and then afterwards written by him in stone.
God provided a pattern, followed since even by vegetable gardeners. Comprehensive - if you just live this text - get very far in your relationship with God.
Jesus' comment on the greatest commandments: Love the Lord your God with your whole heart & mind & soul & strength, & the 2nd is like it - to love your neighbour as yourself.
This is the underlying structure of the 10 commandments. Why go into so much detail ? we're not bright enough to tease out all the implications & meanings.
Secondly - practical - Mark Twain - It's not what I don't understand about the bible that bothers me - it's what I do understand. You read it it's accessible, no need to be an academic - reminds us of our failings, and our debt of gratitude to Christ for forgiving us for such repulsive sin.
Finally - authoritative - could not be more so - the definative authority of the author to take account of; God wrote them himself & spoke them in the hearing of all the people.
The 10 commandments - not the '10 suggestions' - that remain normative & mandatory for believers, not meritorious, but mandatory If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Contrast Barnes and Noble eg. Harry Dent's The next great bubble boom - how to profit from the greatest boom in history 2005-2009: the Publishers page says: This book is sold with the understanding that neither the author nor the publisher is engaged in rendering legal, tax, investment, insurance, financial, accounting or other professional advice or service [ why buy a book on investment when they guy isn't trying to advise you about investment ] no warrenty is made with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained herein, and both the author and the publisher specifically disclaim any responsibility or any liability for any loss or risk personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly from the use and application of any of the contents of this book - in other words: we're just kidding: only USD 26. The same applies to Dan Brown's "Da Vinci Code" - sub-titled 'a novel' - in case you didn't get it - etc. many other examples.
As practical as you get, the most practical book of all is the Bible; open the publishers page - is there any disclaimer whatsoever ? the title page doesn't even have an address for improvements & corrections. Jesus said: sanctify them by the truth, your word is truth. No garentee in the Bible of a trouble-free life of health and wealth - no need for fine print: all in bold print, eg. Jesus crucified for meticulously following the law of God. But if you keep the precepts here, you will live the life that God created your for, for which when it ends, you will feel no regret.
Israel couldn't bear to hear God speak directly to them - instead they asked to have Moses speak to them in his stead, and committed to obey it. Hence the authority of scripture - God's very word written, by a less terrifying process.

You can tell God wrote these words - by the content just not what we would write. Were we to start our own modern committee to write some 10 comandments, perhaps instead:

Scripture	(post-)modern man
And God spoke all these words:	"listen to your inner voice - discover the truth that's in you."
You shall have no other Gods before me	one religion is as good as another - it's just sincerity that counts
you shall not kill	the only thing they'll understand is force - don't be a wuss, don't let anyone push you around.
you shall not commit adultry	how can it be wrong when it feels so right ?
you shall not steal	get serious, we're talking Business ethics, not ethics

The more advanced idea: how did Israel get the idea of a bible not from the religions - but from the Kingdoms of the ancient world; that had not bibles but covenant documents. God confronting not just the false Gods of the age, but particularly the blasphemous pretention of Pharoe; opposing his claim to the undivided loyalty of his people let my people go, that they might serve me Ex 19: although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a Kingdom. The 10 commandments - all about making his people a Kingdom.
If Kingdoms use covenant documents - the new management also has a document: written by God himself. We know from many examples, ~57 extant covenant documents, the structure of these Bibles - most intriguing, from 1 millenium BC - in the later period: rules / regulations & a big stick.
At the time of Moses 2nd millenium BC, the covenant documents didn't just have a big stick, also a juicy carrot. Not just threats, but wonderful promises. Typically start with a 2 part structure: cf. Mercilli (King of Hittites (modern day Turkey), Tubitesha (King of part of Israel).
Self identification; 'the LORD' - all the ancient Gods had a name focusing on their area of domain - Re, or Amon - the great Sun God, the deified Nile river, forces of nature etc. The true God: JHYH - The one who is - vs. the one who isn't ? he will visit plagues on Israel. The God who actually does something, instead of being just a figment.
2nd part - reminds the vassel King - of what he owes him, "you are sick little runt - you'd never be King unless I'd put you on the throne." - reminded to instill gratitude. Similarly - why put down that who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. ie. he saved them out of Egypt though they were no better than their neighbours. The only thing that protected them: the blood of the lamb painted on the doors of their homes. The OT. starts with grace, written into the 10 commandments, so they would not forget - before they obeyed any of his commandments he set them free.
Having set them free - the 10 commandments: God's perscription for staying free. In obediance to the life that he has called you to. The parallels with the ANE help make this point. God had up until now related to his people with personal revelation.
Now he wants a Kingdom where not only do I know what God wants me to do, but I know what God wants you to do & vv. to be accountable & helpful to one another.

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In case it's not painfully obvious: the reflections reflected here are my own; mine, all mine ! and don't reflect the views of Collabora, SUSE, Novell, The Document Foundation, Spaghetti Hurlers (International), or anyone else. It's also important to realise that I'm not in on the Swedish Conspiracy. Occasionally people ask for formal photos for conferences or fun.

Stuff Michael Meeks is doing

2005-02-27: Sunday