A Fresh Perspective - May 8, 2009
What Bible stories shape our image of God? The story that forms the framework for the ministry of the prophet Hosea is the story of a patient, compassionate God. Hosea's wife is unfaithful to him, but God instructs him not to divorce her. Hosea's marriage becomes a reflection and symbolic portrayal of God's relationship with God's covenant people.
Just as Hosea remained true to his unfaithful wife, so God remains true to God's unfaithful people. God says through Hosea: Though you persist in going after other gods, I will not forsake you; because I am God, and not a human being.
That's one image of God. But consider the picture of God painted in 1 Chronicles 13. David recaptured the Ark of the Covenant from the Philistines. He gathered the people together to form a grand procession to bring the Ark back to Jerusalem. The Ark was placed on a new ox cart and priests assigned its transportation. No sooner had the procession got under way when the ox cart stumbled. One of the priests reached out to steady the Ark. When he touched the Ark the storywriter says that in a blast of anger God struck him down dead. David responded in both anger and fear. He called the whole thing off and left the Ark right there under the care of Obed - Edom, a Gittite.
Here are two stories, both in the Bible, that present two different images of God. Is there an interpretative grid or framework that can be applied to the Scriptures to help readers discern what is more true to the nature and character of God?
For Christians the criterion is Jesus Christ. The sayings and teachings, the works and deeds, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ constitute the key for a spiritually healthy and transformative reading of the Bible.
When Christians read the Bible they must read with their Jesus glasses on. Jesus, himself, did not regard all the Scriptures as having equal value and authority. His personal experience of the love of God and his immersion in God's compassionate Spirit guided his own interpretation and application of the Scriptures.
Jesus read and applied the Bible with a bias toward love and grace. Followers of Jesus must do the same.
Immanuel Baptist Church is a safe place to explore Christian faith from a non - fundamentalist perspective. All questions are welcome here.