This phrase "As surely as the Lord lives" appeared 41 times (NIV translation) only in the Old Testament. It appeared twice in the scripture reading for today. The first appearance carried a promise:
“If you, Israel, will return,
then return to me,”
declares the Lord.
“If you put your detestable idols out of my sight
and no longer go astray,
and if in a truthful, just and righteous way
you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’
then the nations will invoke blessings by him
and in him they will boast.” (Jeremiah 4:1-2)
The second appearance carried a curse:
“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem,
look around and consider,
search through her squares.
If you can find but one person
who deals honestly and seeks the truth,
I will forgive this city.
Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’
still they are swearing falsely.” (Jeremiah 5:1-2)
Our pastor Bruxy Cavey gave a sermon last week (part 2 of the series "Big Buts of the Bible") where he talked about how the New Testament/Covenant has replaced (or substituted/superseded) the Old Testament/Covenant. He summarized it this way:
"The OLD Covenant (way of living) is “old” not like an old person we enjoy being with, or an old sweater we enjoy wearing, or an old car we still enjoy driving, but “old” like old food past its due date, an old law that has since been changed, or an old prime minister, president, or queen that we no longer follow. The Old Covenant is part of our history, not our present. To say it is history is not an insult – we learn from our history, but we don’t try to duplicate it." (Sermon note)
Part of me wants to agree with him but part of me still wants to hold on to every word in the Old Testament. It has been the Word of God for me: the absolute, inerrant, and authoritative truth that has shown me how to live and which has given me strength and promises (Psalms 23 and 103 came to mind). I know there is always a danger of letting the bible becoming the "idol" or a replacement of the true "Word" which is Jesus Incarnate (John 1:1).
When I read through the Old Testament, especially through the difficult passages where God (or the various names used for God - Elohim, El Shaddai, Jehovah-Jireh etc) seemed to have a character quite different from the person of Jesus. God who was harsh, jealous, vindictive and cruel is now replaced by the glorious Jesus, who was full of grace and truth (John 1:14). I have been taught not to pick and choose which part of the bible I should read or ignore. I have even found it useful to adopt the discipline that if the part of the bible is "difficult" then all the more I should study it. Well it has not always been easy but the discipline of reading through the entire bible each year has been very helpful.
So "as surely as the Lord lives" speaks of a life long faith that God exists through time; Jesus showed us what God was like at one point in human history; and the Holy Spirit continues to reveal Jesus and our heavenly Father in our hearts what can not be seen or heard. So learning from the people of faith in the Old Testament, as surely as the Lord lives...
"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for." (Hebrews 11:1-2)
I think that your pastor may have missed the mark slightly...Romans teaches us that we are under grace rather than the law, but every word of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. And every book of the Old Testament points us to Christ in a different way through types, symbolism, analogies, etc.
ReplyDeleteIn response to God seeming harsh, vindictive, and cruel in the OT, Jesus gracious in the NT.
ReplyDeleteIn His own words, “I am The LORD, I change not.”
The understanding of God that we bring to the Bible, serves me very poorly, so often.
In the OT, I am prone to missing the overwhelming grace of God (Ex 34:6-7)
and then cast judgement on God, when my understanding of Him is the real problem. (Is55:8-9)
In the NT we then tend to ignore many passages of The Lord Jesus’s judgement, preferring to focus on the many passages of His grace. (ex 1 Pet4:17, Rev 2&3)
God is much more wonderful in reality, than what our often small and blurry understanding makes Him.
One day we will praise Him for everything He has ever done, including His righteous judgements, (even when they have been against us, His people!)
blessings to you, and thanks for sharing your thoughts.
(Coming from a Christian who trust Jesus alone for eternal life)
Thanks for your comments! Very nicely said. Let's keep encouraging one another as the days are evil (Heb 3:13 and Eph 5:16).
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