Today is the last day of the Jewish cycle of Fall Holidays (Holy Days).
Tonight ends the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) in which Jewish people erect small shelters to remember how they lived off of the provisions of God during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
Yesterday, in a modern expression of this holiday, Christians came from all over the world to march in an annual Jerusalem March to show support and solidarity with Israel. It seemed clear that many followers of Christ came from all over the world to express grateful affection for the nation that gave us our Scriptures and our Messiah.
Since arriving I’ve posted some thoughts on the prophet Zechariah who predicted that God would someday make Jerusalem a heavy burden and that anyone who tried to remove the burden would not escape unharmed (Zechariah 12:3-4). I went on to say how moved I was by the way Zechariah went on to describe a nation that would go into deep mourning (as if grieving the death of a first born son) on the day that the Lord gives them a new heart and ability to see “me whom they have pierced.” (Zech 12:10).
Here’s another thought. While here we are also working on a couple of video presentations on “the problem of suffering and evil.” In the process I’ve been reminded that “evil” is not just moral, philosophical, and theoretical in nature. “Evil” has a scope of meaning that includes that which is burdensome, marked by labor, annoyances, hardship and peril.
Who then is evil? Who is creating a heavy burden for themselves and others? Is it only the sociopath who has no conscience? Is it only those who are doing intentional harm, or those who are the most depraved and devoid of reason? Or could it also be said of those who are trying survive—on their own—without depending upon, and aligning with, the wisdom, purposes, and Spirit of God?
Now look back at the prophecy of Zechariah. First God says he will make Jerusalem a heavy burden for the nations of the world. Does this imply that he will do so apart from Israel’s own choices? Or will he use Israel’s own efforts to survive apart from God as a means of making her burdensome for the world, just as he opens Israel’s eyes to its own spiritual waywardness–as a means of finally bringing the nation to its knees?
Am thinking that we should not underestimate the capacity of Israel– like any individual, group, or nation– to make itself troublesome and dangerous to others—as a result of trying to survive apart from dependence upon the Lord.
As I try to personalize this, seems to me that the issue is not just the evil/burdensome capacities of a prodigal (wayward and lost) Israel, US, or the Palestinians. I want to become increasingly aware of my own potential to be burdensome, troublesome, an annoyance, or a“heavy rock” whenever I join anyone in celebrating a “we can do this ourselves” attitude.
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