Better Safe Than Sorry
“And in the fourth generation they shall come here again; for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.” Genesis 15:16
Not Yet Full – Are you full? If you’re thinking in Hebrew, that question has nothing to do the capacity of your stomach. You see, the word translated “full” in this verse is shalem. In Hebrew, the word shalem has a lot of homophones. That means there are many words constructed from the same consonants but with different meanings. Shalem can mean to be safe or to be completed (verb), to complete or to finish (Aramaic verb), peace (noun), thanksgiving offering (noun) or full, complete, safe, whole or peaceful (adjective). Did you notice that the adjective encompasses all of the verbal meanings? You will also notice that this is the root behind the greeting shalom; a greeting that means all of these great things – peace, completeness, safety, fullness and wholeness. So, are you full? Is shalem an apt description of your present state?
You might consider this imagery when you think about Yeshua’s statement, “I have not come to abolish the Torah but to fulfill it.” In other words, Yeshua’s objective was to fill up the teachings of Torah, to complete the actions only partially seen before His arrival by giving us a completely full representation of what it means to live according to God’s Word. Before He came, we knew some of what it meant to express the Father’s heart. But once He arrived, we got the full picture. This is considerably different than the popular Christian interpretation that “fulfill” means complete, that is, make no longer applicable. But in Hebrew such an interpretation is quite impossible.
Of course, being full isn’t restricted to just the good things in life. I can be full of anger, jealousy or deceit. I can be filled to the brim with hatred or evil. In this regard, the Hebrew view of man is more a pipe than an cup. I am what pours through me. I am the transporting mechanism of the actions that passed from my heart to my hands. When the Lord speaks to Abraham about the Amorites, He uses the word in this sense. The complete measure of their wickedness had not yet come to pass.
What does this expression, lo-shalem (not yet full), imply? First it suggests that there is a day when men are no longer able to respond to the grace of God. At some point in life, their indulgence in evil overtakes them completely. They stop being able to hear God’s appeal to repent. When that happens, their iniquity is full. Their disintegration into animal-existence is complete. They are no longer human – and they are not animal either since they were never designed to respond to God by instinct alone. They become something that has no place in the created order, and God gives them up to destruction. When they are filled with iniquity, they have no home here.
That day is a terrible day. It is terrible not only because it brings God’s wrath, a cleansing obliteration of what no longer belongs, but it is also terrible because it is the waste of life, the tragic consequences of refusing to hear the Creator and the end of what was intended for joyous and passionate delight. It is a terrible day because it stands as a stark reminder of the need for perseverance. No man starts life full. Filling up happens as the actions accompanying my choices become conduits through me. None of us is full – yet. You are what you pour.
Topical Index: fill, shalem, Genesis 15:16
‘You are what you pour” – I will have to remember that one – instead of you are what you eat… 🙂
Of course, that which is in a man/woman (heart) comes out of his/her mouth – pours out (imagine that)!!!
jano
Hi Jan,
Speaking of eating, one of my favorite metaphors to describe the fullness of life, and readiness for death, is from Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, King Lear:
“Ripeness is all”
As I look back over my life time, there are many moments for which I feel shame and remorse for what came out of my mouth. It is such relief to know that God is not finished with me and is continuing His effort to bring me to full so that what flows through me is good and enabling to others. Not that in this life time the process will be totally finished. Oh how I long for the perfection which is set in front of me through Jesus Christ. I trust that each day I get closer. Or do I really want to know how I am doing?
Dear Brother Roy,
I hear the sweetening of the Lord’s Word producing fruit in your heart. The ripening of the fruit of the Spirit, a work accomplished through living out His Word and being sanctified through the truth. This is most precious to Him and what a privilege we have to watch the Master Potter at work! Bless you.
“As I look back over my life time, there are many moments for which I feel shame and remorse for what came out of my mouth.”
“Oh how I long for the perfection…”
Hi Roy,
Although I have done both of the things you mention above many many times, and felt terrible in the process, at this point (old age) I prefer to focus on the “here and now,” let go of all the bad thoughts and deeds in my past, and remember what Jesus said:
“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Este estudio me da esperanza. Esperanza de que un día ya no seré el mismo de hoy. ¡Gracias! Dr. Moen por esa sabiduría que el Señor le ha dado para enseñarnos. Ahora entiendo a Pablo cuando dijo: Pero gracias doy por Jesucristo… Si no fuera por Él yo nunca estaría lleno de Su Presencia. Como dijo Roy: Él aún sigue trabajando en mi. Bendito sea Él. Saludos.
Thankyou, Skip – that is so topical to a discussion that I’ve been having on another blog over the last few days. Do you mind if I quote it elsewhere?
Everything I write is available for use elsewhere. Just let them know where they can find the original.
First things first (before I burst!)- Hallelujah for the cross!- (thanx, I needed that!). Brother Skip.. the pieces and parts are starting to add up and it’s a beautiful thing. It just let’s us know- what we have is the “real deal.” (Blessed be the name!).
It is just flat our amazing the impact one word can have. Especially one word from the Word. Yeshua said in John 10.10- ‘I am come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.” Well, ok.. “that’s nice”. Until (thank you Skip!) we discover “abundantly” means “to the top and overflowing” (perisson) as in “my cup runneth over” found (lo, and behold!) back yonder in the (forgotten?) O.T. (Psalm 23). Way cool stuff A-A-Awesome.
So let’s talk a little bit about “the cup.” A “vessel” if you will. A container. A temple. We (together) are habitation of G-d through the spirit. (Ephesians 2.22) But just as we would not pour our morning coffee into a cup with an ugly dead roach in it, neither will G-d fill a cup that is “dirty.” One other thing about this “cup.” It is impossible to fill a cup that is already full. It has to be empty and available in order to be filled.
The old country preacher once said, “what’s down in the well is gonna come up in the bucket.” The saying also goes, “sometimes you don’t know what’s in the cup until it is spilled out.”
And one last thing about this ‘vessel’. Which carries more weight?- the container or the contents inside? The traveling tabernacle of YHWH was covered with badger skins. Nothing much to look at from the outside. But move on in to the center of the structure and deep in the core, it was a place of exquisite beauty. Hmm.. let me think a moment.. “man looks on the outside, but the LORD looks upon the heart.” (1 Samuel 16.7)
I sure do see some ‘beautiful hearts’ here on this website. Glimpses of glory! Praise G-d, we have the ‘real thing’, but I also believe our faith in unseen things above is going to deepen and strengthen as we travel together this road toward home. We have His word on it!
You seem to be saying there is a point at which man is beyond redemption. It would infer that the Gospel’s power to save a man from himself is limited. What hope then is there for men caught by the seduction of what the world has to offer? How would you know a man is full? Men have resisted the Gospel for years and be known to turn.
I don’t reject your interpretation at all…just curious as to where it leads us.
Is it also possible for one who was a follower of Yeshua to turn from him and be shalem of the trappings of the world again? If so is repentance not possible?
Love your work…makes me think!!
It seems to me that the biblical text places emphasis on two crucial points – at the same time. One, we are accountable, responsible and subject to the consequences of our choices. In other words, life is risky. Don’t mess up. You could fall off the cliff. BUT two, God is full of grace and mercy and not willing to let any perish (if He can help it.) So, He does all that is possible to turn us from our destructive ways. But He can’t MAKE us repent, although He can certainly bring a lot of pressure to bear. Thus, the Bible stands on both sides of the equation at the same time. This is typically Hebrew – tension without a nice, tidy resolution. We have a hand in our destiny – God is sovereign over all. Don’t ask me how it works.
Is it possible for a man to walk out on God? Yes. Is God’s grace limited? No. Who decides when it is too much. NOT ME! and that the best I can make of it all.
I hope you are enjoying the 30 Day view and that you will decide soon to actually become a living part of the community.
A little bit of salt goes a long way. One small match when lit can light up a room. I was discussing the “free will of man and the “Sovereignty of G-d with a friend and we both agreed, “we are totally free in the choices we make, but we are not free from the consequences of our choices.” It has been said (and I believe rightly so) one of the greatest gifts given unto man is the ability to choose. The will of God (His good pleasure) is what we would choose for ourselves if we only knew what He knew. (Obedience always equals blessing). Considering the “point” beyond redemption, look at Pharoah’s life for an example. Ten times he had an opportunity to “repent.” In the end, it was a hard heart that did him in. He refused to listen to the word of the LORD through Moses the messenger and having refused G-d’s truth ten times his ruin was sealed. Bottom line here is, “sin short-circuits the mind” or as Skip has said, “sin is a form of insanity” There just seems to be a point in person’s life that refuses G-d for so long, it seems like the pit gets deeper and deeper as the days go by. It has been said, “light (that which reveals) refused increases darkness (and conversely ‘light received’ welcomes more light. Above all these things we truly need to listen intently to what G-d has to say in His word. We need to know the Book. It is G-d’s revelation of Himself to us. From beginning to end- He wrote the book. (yes, through men- He tried using an infinite number of monkeys at at infinite number of typewriters but it was taking too long..)
..until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4.13)
“Above all these things we truly need to listen intently to what G-d has to say in His word.”
Yes Bro. Carl… in Mark 12:29 “Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD;
Today I spoke with a young preacher who is currently pastoring in SC and is moving to another “work” closer to my location in NC. We discussed the sad state the little “c” church is currently in. We agree the revival we are seeking will come as we align ourselves with YHWH through His Word. There is no other acceptable manner…YHWH chose to express His Way through the Word made flesh…the Word that lived Torah holiness through obedience. WE also agree that the work God has called His people to will be accomplished through those FULL of the Holy Spirit and POWER. Those FULL of the living water flowing from the Throne of God. No more concern for the world’s methods of measuring successs…not playing the numbers game. Skip displayed his leadership when he made the decision to risk losing the numbers of TW readers for those with fire in their belly! I hear that fire roaring in you and many others in this community. That fire is the LORD calling us out of dead worldly religion, drawing us closer to Him, burning away the dross so the precious elements can SHINE for His glory. Our God is a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:29 Praise God.
I love this new format for “Today’s Word.” (Is that the official name?) lol!- I love to read the colorful comments of those reading these delightful daily meaty morsels from Chef Moen about as much as I do the wonderful words from the Word themselves. It kind of gives a “pulse” on what our Father is doing in our community. I’ll just go ahead a give a short “testimony” of the impact of this website. This is ‘good stuff’ people. When it’s good- you know it! (Praise His name!) As I mentioned to brother Skip about four years or so ago.. this ministry is vital to our survival and spiritual fitness. Here’s another O.T-N.T. connection for consideration. We all, like sheep, have gone astray,(תָּעָה) each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53.6) תָּעָה- to err. Fast forward to Matthew 22.29. “Jesus replied, “You are in error (πλανάω) because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” πλανάω- deceive/to cause to wander, to wander. I sure do hope we are able to see the connection between “not wandering” or walking the straight path and “knowing the Scripture”. It is vital to our victory. Three times in His confrontation with the Deceiver, Yahweh replied, “it is written.” I (currently) don’t wear a “tat”, but if I was to consider it would be something involving these three words. There is such mighty life-giving,life-changing and life-sustaining power in the words of YHWH. Review Isaiah 55 if you are able. Our Bible is G-d’s love letter to His children and is our beloved “blessing book.”