Whether for the purest of reasons, or narcissistic, the ability to step-in-and-out of time is a concept that has fascinated man since the beginning of... well... time.
Last week, we talked about how the Past and the Future are both thieves. Today, we're gonna start talking about something a lot more fun. In my intense geekification, I will reveal to you how to change the past, and cement the future. (fanfares of trumpets, oohs and aahs of the crowd). I will uncover the Secrets of Time Travel, and I will use the examples given in scripture to prove my point.
So, set aside your head-shaking, nay-saying doubts. We may learn something together. We may learn how to free ourselves from the bonds of time, and alter a world that has been altogether untouchable.
"And the geek shall inherit the earth..." (slightly modified quote from a famous book)
Now, in all honesty, I'm not taking you on an H.G. Wells-ian journey on the Time Machine, but hang with me here. We have some fun stuff to think through. In order to really understand the present... in order to hope to affect the future... you've got to understand the past.
*Disclaimer* Now, I know that last week we talked about how the past is a thief, but today we're gonna play the Parent-Card and call this a 'Do As I Say And Not As I Do' situation. You know what I'm talking about, when a commercial shows someone driving like a maniac, and then the words "Do Not Attempt This at Home" flash on the screen. Well, in order to accomplish what we need to get done here, we've got to look at the past, the WAY past. So, hold on, because this Gentile student is about to go all Hebrew on you.
The Jews, The Month of Nisan (not the car), and Water
The more things change, the more they stay the same
I recently moved to the Denver area from sunny tropical North Eastern Ohio. In process of the move, we purged a lot of stuff. A LOT of stuff. But, in our packing, I came across a bunch of old photographs. In some of those photos, I saw this dude. He kinda looked like me. But, then again, he kinda didn't look like me too. It was me, but it wasn't me, all at the same time. I was the same, but different. Fatter, thinner, harrier, balder, mustache, beard, clean shaven... each pic was a different man, but all of them were me. In fact, the summer after my junior year, I had to have my Senior Pictures retaken. In my rebellious first set, I had grown a nasty pseudo-mustache and my hair was long in a Joe-Dirt-sanctified mullet, which was too much for my High School to handle. So they had me retake them. The next set must be of a different dude. It's not just that the hair is shorter, that there is nary a wisp of facial hair visible, and that I had sprouted large pancake-sized glasses. But, the two sets of pics look like two entirely different people. When my wife first saw the one pic, she asked my Mother who it was in the picture.
Now, my wife is a completely different story. You can look at her 2 day old baby pictures, her 2nd grade picture, her 2nd year of college picture, or the picture of her holding our 2nd child and have no stinking doubt that it's her. She's different, but somehow she always looks the same. Same facial expression, same eyes, same orneriness. Same Stacy. She just gets better and better. I hate that about her... I do feel bad for her though. 20 years from now, I'll still be married to that young hottie, and she'll be stuck with old bald cantankerous me.
Thou changest not...
God is kinda like the perfect compromise between my wife and I in this. He's always consistent, but never boring. You can count on him to always come through like He always has, but to do it in new and inventive ways each time.
Which brings me to this week's Hebrew History Lesson...
The month of Nisan
The historic month of Nisan is a seriously action packed time of the Jewish calendar. Among others, you've got the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Firstfruits. It was a month-long party.
That's something modern Christians have just never wrapped our heads around. The Jews were all about dancing their clothes off and partying till the early dawn. We're much too proper. During the Feast of the Passover, everyone had to have at least 4 glasses of wine. If you were too poor to buy your 4 glasses of wine, the money came out of the coffers for the poor. But, I digress...
Now, let me warn you again. If you're all for the politically correct, do-no-harm camp, you may want to stop here. Some of what scripture reveals is not pretty.
Still here? Ok, here we go... let's look at what scripture says...
The 1st part of our story
The Cliff-Notes-Version... The Jews have been slaves for hundreds of years. Pharaoh's been building an empire on their backs. In order to keep the Jews week, Pharaoh orders all the 1st born males to be killed. Moses' mommy puts him in a basket in the water where he is plucked up by Pharaoh's daughter. Mo's mom offers to be his maid, and Israel's hero grows up in Pharaoh's house. Fast forward a while, the Jews are continuing to pray for salvation, not realizing that God's already got the plan in motion. Moses peeps out an Egyptian beating a Jew, to his own surprise, Moses flips out, kills the egyptian, and takes off to hide in the desert. (Yes, God uses murderers). (Shameless promotion of a great flick...)
Fast forward some more. Moses has been wandering around in the desert for a lot of years, found himself a fine black woman, and while walking with his sheep, stumbles upon a bush that is on fire, though not consumed, and is speaking to him. (Not that this story would be bought by any respectable church these days).
So, as commanded, Moses heads back to Egypt, to get Pharaoh to let his people go. Pharaoh refuses, lots of locusts, bloody water, plague, plague, plague. Pharaoh, says, "Yeah, go ahead and go... WAIT, I changed my mind!"
Our story pics up as God is done messing around with Pharaoh. We start in the 12th Chapter of Exodus.
"1 Now the LORD gave the following instructions to Moses and Aaron while they were still in the land of Egypt: 2 "From now on, this month will be the first month of the year for you. 3 Announce to the whole community that on the tenth day of this month each family must choose a lamb or a young goat for a sacrifice." - Exd 12:1-3 NLT
Alrighty, we're starting with the Passover and the Passover Lamb. By the way, only God is big enough to say, "This thing I'm about to do is so big, that your old calendar doesn't even matter. Today is the 1st day of the 1st month of a new year for you" I wouldn't think it wise to argue.
So, as instructed, each Jewish family chooses a 1-year old lamb or goat to sacrifice. Smaller families got together to share the sacrifice, depending on the size, and how much they could eat.
"6 Take special care of these lambs until the evening of the fourteenth day of this first month. Then each family in the community must slaughter its lamb. 7 They are to take some of the lamb's blood and smear it on the top and sides of the doorframe of the house where the lamb will be eaten. 8 That evening everyone must eat roast lamb with bitter herbs and bread made without yeast. 9 The meat must never be eaten raw or boiled; roast it all, including the head, legs, and internal organs. 10 Do not leave any of it until the next day. Whatever is not eaten that night must be burned before morning. 11 "Wear your traveling clothes as you eat this meal, as though prepared for a long journey. Wear your sandals, and carry your walking sticks in your hands. Eat the food quickly, for this is the LORD's Passover." - Exd 12:3, 6-11 NLT
They take the lamb into their homes, the kids play with it. Everybody loves the little lamb. But, on the night of the 14th, things get bloody. With all the kids standing around. Dad grabs the lamb, and quickly slits it's throat. Mary doesn't have a little lamb anymore. They war-paint their doorframes with it's blood, roast it all, and pig out. (Is it appropriate to say "pig out" when you're talking about a lamb?)
But, they can't do this in their feetie-jammies. No, they're dressed and ready to go. Eat it fast. Burn anything left over.
It gets uglier.
"12 On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and kill all the firstborn sons and firstborn male animals in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the LORD! 13 The blood you have smeared on your doorposts will serve as a sign. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt." - Exd 12:12-13 NLT
Yeah, this is not politically correct polite stuff here. So very many reasons for so many people to get offended. It's genocide. It's sexist. It's ageist. And, He's killing the 1st born male animals too. I mean, come on! What did Fido do wrong? But, He is God. I wouldn't think it wise to argue.
A less bloody momentary diversion
On May 7th, 1989, in the 5th and final game of the 1st round of the 1989 NBA playoffs, the Cleveland Cavaliers were battling the Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan, had just hit a jumper with 6 seconds left to give the Bulls their 1st lead of the game at 99-98. The Cavs had dominated the Bulls the entire season, beating them 6 times including a 6-point win in their last game of the regular season while the Cavs rested their 4 best players.
Once the playoffs start, the regular season just doesn't matter.
Cleveland takes a timeout. Craig Ehlo inbounds, gets a return pass, and scores on a layup, putting the Cavs on top 100-99.
What happened next is infamy.
Go back and watch the films. Jordan is being double teamed by Craig Ehlo and the gargantuan-shouldered Larry Nance. In the films you will see Jordan talking to Ehlo. Pointing at a spot on the floor.
"Right there." It's like he's taunting him.
"Right there. I'm going to get the inbound pass, and I'm going to shoot it from right there."
"See if you can stop me."
He could not.
And, "The Shot" was recorded forever is Cleveland's misery. Along with The Catch, The Drive, The Fumble, and The Decision.
Now, it's one thing to beat an opponent. but to first tell exactly HOW you're going to beat them, and then to follow through and do EXACTLY what you said you were going to do... that's the stuff of legends.
Back to our story
"28 So the people of Israel did just as the LORD had commanded through Moses and Aaron. 29 And at midnight the LORD killed all the firstborn sons in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn son of the captive in the dungeon. Even the firstborn of their livestock were killed. 30 Pharaoh and his officials and all the people of Egypt woke up during the night, and loud wailing was heard throughout the land of Egypt. There was not a single house where someone had not died." - Exd 12:28-30 NLT
Yeah, that's some ugly stuff. I'd normally make some stupid joke here to break the tension, but... I've got nothing.
Here's where it get's weird.
"31 Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron during the night. "Leave us!" he cried. "Go away, all of you! Go and serve the LORD as you have requested. 32 Take your flocks and herds, and be gone. Go, but give me a blessing as you leave."" - Exd 12:31-32 NLT
Ummm? "But give me a blessing as you leave."???? What? Okay, so God really scared Pharaoh (understandable considering the mass death of only the first-born males Egyptians, but including all first-born male animals). That's something even Dr. House would say only God could do. And, now Pharaoh's scared of Moses. I guess I can understand.
And weirder yet.
"35 And the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed and asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold. 36 The LORD caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So, like a victorious army, they plundered the Egyptians!" - Exd 12:35-36 NLT
This is tough for me. I know the Jews have been in slavery for exactly 430 years. In fact 430 years to the day. But this just seems like adding insult to injury. All their 1st born die, then Pharaoh asks for a blessing, finally, the Egyptians PAY them to leave!!!!
And so, 600,000 men (not including the women and children) walk out of Egypt with all of Egypt's plunder.
"18 So God led them along a route through the wilderness toward the Red Sea, and the Israelites left Egypt like a marching army." - Exd 13:18 NLT
Okay, I'm no student of war. But, victorious marching armies do not leave a land and head towards a sea with no boats there to jump into. Pharaoh's smart enough to figure this out, and God knew that.
"1 Then the LORD gave these instructions to Moses: 2 "Tell the people to march toward Pi-hahiroth between Migdol and the sea. Camp there along the shore, opposite Baal-zephon. 3 Then Pharaoh will think, `Those Israelites are confused. They are trapped between the wilderness and the sea!' 4 And once again I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this so I will receive great glory at the expense of Pharaoh and his armies. After this, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD!" So the Israelites camped there as they were told. 5 When word reached the king of Egypt that the Israelites were not planning to return to Egypt after three days, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds. "What have we done, letting all these slaves get away?" they asked. 6 So Pharaoh called out his troops and led the chase in his chariot. 7 He took with him six hundred of Egypt's best chariots, along with the rest of the chariots of Egypt, each with a commander. 8 The LORD continued to strengthen Pharaoh's resolve, and he chased after the people of Israel who had escaped so defiantly. 9 All the forces in Pharaoh's army--all his horses, chariots, and charioteers--were used in the chase. The Egyptians caught up with the people of Israel as they were camped beside the shore near Pi-hahiroth, across from Baal-zephon." - Exd 14:1-9 NLT
I know that hind-sight is 20/20. But, I almost feel bad for Pharaoh. The Jews, however, are still slaves at heart...
"10 As Pharaoh and his army approached, the people of Israel could see them in the distance, marching toward them. The people began to panic, and they cried out to the LORD for help. 11 Then they turned against Moses and complained, "Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren't there enough graves for us in Egypt? Why did you make us leave? 12 Didn't we tell you to leave us alone while we were still in Egypt? Our Egyptian slavery was far better than dying out here in the wilderness!"" - Exd 14:10-12 NLT
Now, I know that at this part of the story, I'm supposed to talk about how cowardly and unappreciative the Jews are. How little faith they have. But, I've got to be real here.
If I put myself in their shoes, this is looking pretty surreal to me. We've been in slavery for a hundred generations. Now all of the sudden, Moses shows up, ask Pharaoh to let us go worship for a couple of days, and when Ramses refuses, plagues start breaking all over the place.
Here's the thing though, they're affecting the Egyptians, but not the Jews. Frogs, rivers of blood, petulance. But, we're all untouched.
Then, Moses tells us to kill the lamb, slather on the blood, and put on your walking shoes.
The next day, all Egypt is crying, handing us their gold, and we go walking out... not towards the land of Canaan, but towards the Red Sea.
Now Pharaoh figured out that our 3-day field trip is being extended indefinitely, he's got us trapped against the sea, and he's coming charging.
I'd be soiling my shorts.
If you've been a slave for a hundred generations, a couple of weeks of having incredible favor and watching your masters suffer is not enough to break the cycle.
Have you heard the phrase, you can take the boy out of the south, but you can't take the south out of the boy? Well, you can take the Israelites out of slavery, but you can't take the slavery out of the Israelites.
I'd be freaking out, so would you.
Time for some comic relief in the story. Watch what Moses says.
"13 But Moses told the people, "Don't be afraid. Just stand where you are and watch the LORD rescue you. The Egyptians that you see today will never be seen again. 14 The LORD himself will fight for you. You won't have to lift a finger in your defense!"" - Exd 14:13-14 NLT
Now, there are times when, as a leader, you nail it. And other times you really stink, and you miss it. The moment of crisis. All eyes are on Moses. "What do we do? What do we do?", the people ask. Moses replies, "Just stand where you are and watch the LORD rescue you."
God's response...
"15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!" - Exd 14:15 NLT
Classic moment. Like something from a Mel Brooks movie.
"16 Use your shepherd's staff--hold it out over the water, and a path will open up before you through the sea. Then all the people of Israel will walk through on dry ground. 17 Yet I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will follow the Israelites into the sea. Then I will receive great glory at the expense of Pharaoh and his armies, chariots, and charioteers. 18 When I am finished with Pharaoh and his army, all Egypt will know that I am the LORD!" 19 Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to a position behind them, and the pillar of cloud also moved around behind them. 20 The cloud settled between the Israelite and Egyptian camps. As night came, the pillar of cloud turned into a pillar of fire, lighting the Israelite camp. But the cloud became darkness to the Egyptians, and they couldn't find the Israelites. 21 Then Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the LORD opened up a path through the water with a strong east wind. The wind blew all that night, turning the seabed into dry land. 22 So the people of Israel walked through the sea on dry ground, with walls of water on each side! 23 Then the Egyptians--all of Pharaoh's horses, chariots, and charioteers--followed them across the bottom of the sea. 24 But early in the morning, the LORD looked down on the Egyptian army from the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw them into confusion. 25 Their chariot wheels began to come off, making their chariots impossible to drive. "Let's get out of here!" the Egyptians shouted. "The LORD is fighting for Israel against us!" 26 When all the Israelites were on the other side, the LORD said to Moses, "Raise your hand over the sea again. Then the waters will rush back over the Egyptian chariots and charioteers." 27 So as the sun began to rise, Moses raised his hand over the sea. The water roared back into its usual place, and the LORD swept the terrified Egyptians into the surging currents. 28 The waters covered all the chariots and charioteers--the entire army of Pharaoh. Of all the Egyptians who had chased the Israelites into the sea, not a single one survived. 29 The people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry land, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides." - Exd 14:16-29 NLT
And exactly how does this relate?
GREAT Story. But, what in the name of corn on the cob does it have to do with time-travel, the past, and the future
Well, in order to understand, we've got to fast forward 40 years so we can start to see a pattern starting to develop. In much the same way that you can look at my wife Stacy's baby picture and see the pattern of the smoking hot thing she would become.
40 years later, the 2nd part of our story
It's the Month of Nisan again. Moses is now dead, and all the people are looking to Joshua for answers. Joshua has sent a couple spies across the Jordan river to scope out Jericho. They're hiding in Rahab the Prostitutes roof (try getting your wife to believe THAT!). Rahab tells them that she is positive that God will give them the land because everybody is scared to death of them. Even though they've been wandering around in the desert for 40 years, the story of how they left Egypt, the blood on the door posts, and how they crossed the Red Sea is fresh in the Jerichoians minds. She begs for their mercy, and the spies promise that if she hangs a scarlet-red cord from the window and stays in her house, her family will be spared. (kinda like the blood on the door posts thing 40 years earlier). So, once again, the Jews are camped beside a body of water. We'll pick it up in scripture and we'll see if our pattern continues developing.
"9 So Joshua told the Israelites, "Come and listen to what the LORD your God says. 10 Today you will know that the living God is among you. He will surely drive out the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. 11 Think of it! The Ark of the Covenant, which belongs to the Lord of the whole earth, will lead you across the Jordan River! 12 Now choose twelve men, one from each tribe. 13 The priests will be carrying the Ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth. When their feet touch the water, the flow of water will be cut off upstream, and the river will pile up there in one heap." 14 When the people set out to cross the Jordan, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the Covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now it was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river's edge, 16 the water began piling up at a town upstream called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the city of Jericho. 17 Meanwhile, the priests who were carrying the Ark of the LORD's covenant stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed as the people passed by them. They waited there until everyone had crossed the Jordan on dry ground." - Jos 3:9-17 NLT
I don't know about you. But, to me... that's crazy. Same month, same nation of people. Water parting. Walking on dry ground. Some things are different, but the similarities are too big to ignore.
Let's take a closer look at the story, and see if we can figure out what God's doing here. Because, to do it once, is something incredible. To do it again...
Last time, they were running scared. They were free men that did yet know that they were free. So, when Pharaoh's army came charging, they freaked out and begged to be slaves again. God, however knew better (as He always does), and Moses stretched out his staff, and the waters parted.
This time, it's a different story. There's nothing like 40 years of wandering in the desert with clothes that never wear out and food miraculously appearing each and every morning to make you believe that God's looking out for you. The Israelite's aren't so scared this time. They're coming in to conquer.
Over the last 40 years, they became a real nation. The handing down of the Law. They took all the Eqyptian gold and silver, and made a portable temple to worship God in. It's not been perfect, and they've screwed plenty of stuff up, but all in all, they're in a good groove, and it's a different people that are approaching the water this time.
Now, the Jordan river is a MESS at this time of the year. It's like an angry hornet when you just ran over his nest with your lawn-mower. It's wide, it's dirty, and it is something to be afraid of. There's no stretching out the staff, instead, this time, the priests step down into the water, carrying the ark of the covenant, and the water doesn't just part. Let's look again at what it says,
"15 Now it was the harvest season, and the Jordan was overflowing its banks. But as soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water at the river's edge, 16 the water began piling up at a town upstream called Adam, which is near Zarethan. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea until the riverbed was dry. Then all the people crossed over near the city of Jericho." - Jos 3:15-16 NLT
"The water began piling up at a town upstream called Adam." Hmmm. Adam. Where have I heard that name before.
Let's get metaphysical. Metaphysical. I wanna get metaphysical.
(A very poor Olivia Newton John reference in case you weren't sure).
Did you know that when a baby is being formed in the womb, the optic nerve start to grow from the eye towards the brain, and from the brain towards the eye at the same time. At some point, the two part meet in the middle, 1.2 million nerve fibers reach out to their precise 1.2 million counterparts, and sight becomes possible.
The point is, God knows what He's doing, and He's so stinking good at what He does that His excellence bleeds over into every part of it.
So, if you were God, and trying to make a point. If you were trying to tell a story that was bigger than the story you were presently in, and you wanted people to figure it out, wouldn't you leave some clues around?
The River of Time
Steve Miller sang that "Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking, into the future."
It never stops. I was brushing my teeth this morning and saw these 3 big deep ugly wrinkles on my forehead. I'm old. Time is ticking.
But, you've got to understand, that God created time, and thus, He is not contained by it.
To us, time flows like a river. Always in one direction. Unstoppable.
But God is not us. He's not held to our limitations. He is the beginning and the end at the same time.
So, when God instruct Joshua to have the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant (we'll get to the Ark in more detail later on... VERY COOL!), and step down into the water, the miraculous happens.
Verse 16 says that the water began to pile up at a town upstream called Adam. And the water below that point flowed on to the Dead Sea till the river bed was dry.
What the HECK?
If time is a river. Do we have any reference points upstream called Adam?
More importantly, what the HECK was up with an Ark that was powerful enough to make time roll back to Adam, and dry it up all the way off into the Dead Sea?
THAT, my friends is a poop load of fun, and I'm saving it for Part 3. See you next time!!!
