BibleForums Christian Message Board
General Category => In General => Topic started by: Cloudwalker on February 19, 2023, 02:52:59 PM
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I put this here because it seemed to fit best here to me. If there is a better place feel free to move it.
Today during church an Idea came to me for a series of meditations or a study. Not sure where to go with it but it sounds interesting. If anyone wants to run with this, or add to it. Go ahead.
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I have some thoughts on the matter.
There is a Midrash (sermon) in which some rabbis are discussing what the one verse in the bible sums up the essence of what is Judaism.
One rabbi suggests Deuteronomy 6:4 " Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one". Which is said in Jewish prayers morning and evening.
Another rabbi suggests Leviticus 19:18 "...love your neighbor as yourself..." Which certainly seem to fit the bill also.
A third rabbi says no, it is Numbers 28:4 "Offer one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight."
This is a very surprising answer. Sacrifice is not usually thought of as fundamental to Judaism, and even if it were, these rabbis lived long after the Temple's destruction and no sacrifices were possible at the time.
So we need to delve a little deeper. What does he really mean?
Let's take a peek at 1 Kings 19-
...behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
God was not in the whirlwind, God was not in the earthquake, God was not in the fire. God was in the still, small voice.
Let's look at a married relationship. A marriage is not the party on the wedding day; a marriage is not when the first child is born; a marriage is not the anniversary; a marriage is not the expensive vacation; a marriage is the small things that a loving couple do for each other every day.
So to Judaism. Judaism is not the exodus from Egypt with all the accompanying miracles; Judaism is not the splitting of the sea; Judaism is not the revelation at Sinai. No, Judaism is the small things that we do every day, the small sacrifice in the morning and the small sacrifice in the evening...
No reason why Christianity can't be viewed in the same way.