Is God Magnanimous? - (as opposed to tyrannical)

[Hiddenthings]

@St. SteVen

You asked me about the Lord's Flesh and his Blood did you not?

In the upper room, Christ declared, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). When we gather to remember Christ as the covenant victim at the Lord’s table, we participate in an ordinance that traces back to the time of Abram. The solemnity of this memorial is such that if we are not careful, we may “eat and drink judgment upon ourselves” and fall under the consequences of the covenant’s terms, death.

When Yahweh instructed Abram to take the specified animals and birds and to perform the ritual described in this chapter, He revealed how Abram would inherit the promises: through the solemn, unbreakable covenant that Yahweh would establish by means of the covenant victim He would provide.

Intelligible or not?

 

[St. SteVen]

And yet,it is derived from the Bible.

What does that tell us about our translation of the Bible?
Did we get it right?

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[St. SteVen]

You asked me about the Lord's Flesh and his Blood did you not?

No, not really.

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[Hiddenthings]

No, not really.

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Nice

 

[Hiddenthings]

- Is God known for overlooking insults and not seeking revenge? (revenge is a sin)

Vengeance is His.

Consider AD 70... “the days of vengeance” Luke 21:22 cp. Math. 24:27-28 Mark 13:13-14

Luke 21:22 “For these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.”

What was written?
And Who wrote it?

 

[pandaflower]

What does that tell us about our translation of the Bible?
Did we get it right?

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What did Jesus say? About seeking him out in scriptures?

John 5

 

[pandaflower]

Vengeance is His.

Consider AD 70... “the days of vengeance” Luke 21:22 cp. Math. 24:27-28 Mark 13:13-14

Luke 21:22 “For these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.”

What was written?

Of course vengeance is his.

He utilized the Israelites aplenty in that regard.

 

[Hiddenthings]

Of course vengeance is his.

He utilized the Israelites aplenty in that regard.

Agree.

 

[Wick Stick]

God took His precious time to show up while Abram had to keep the scavenger birds away. - LOL

Vultures, kites, and eagles are more than scavenger birds in the Bronze Age. They're religious symbols, sometimes regarded as minor gods, and usually associated with death.

There seems to have been a (religious?) split at some point in the hoary past where one group practiced sky burial and the other the ground-based burial we know today. In sky burial, corpses are taken to a sacred site built in a high place and left for the birds to (ahem) carry them into the heavens.

Anyhow, those couple verses in Gen 15 may have represented a conflict of deities or ideologies at the time they were written. Abraham is fending off more than birds - he overcomes an attack by foreign gods/demons.

 

[Hiddenthings]

Vultures, kites, and eagles are more than scavenger birds in the Bronze Age. They're religious symbols, sometimes regarded as minor gods, and usually associated with death.

There seems to have been a (religious?) split at some point in the hoary past where one group practiced sky burial and the other the ground-based burial we know today. In sky burial, corpses are taken to a sacred site built in a high place and left for the birds to (ahem) carry them into the heavens.

Anyhow, those couple verses in Gen 15 may have represented a conflict of deities or ideologies at the time they were written. Abraham is fending off more than birds - he overcomes an attack by foreign gods/demons.

I always value the combination of cultural context and careful textual analysis.

 

[Wick Stick]

"And as the sun was setting" marking the end of Abram’s “day.”
"A deep sleep fell upon Abram" a figurative expression for death.
"And behold, a great darkness and terror fell upon him" literally, "a horror, a great darkness," representing the dread and shadow of Sheol, the grave.

That's interesting, and it made me wonder if Abraham was located near one of the locations in Israel that were thought to be entrances to the underworld. Checked to see and... no. But I did find something interesting!

This happens in the "valley of Shaveh, the king's dale." The king in question is Melchizedek, which means Abraham is right outside Jerusalem. He's within seeing distance of the site of the future temple, and potentially standing on the spot where Jesus was crucified.

 

[Hillsage]

Before the people of Antioch became Christians, they were Antichrist, basically everyone like this.

I don't think anyone can even be anti christ until AFTER they came to know something about 'the christ' while they were members IN THE CHURCH setting.

Written 70AD 1JO 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

 

[St. SteVen]

St. SteVen said:
- Is God known for overlooking insults and not seeking revenge? (revenge is a sin)

Vengeance is His.

Consider AD 70... “the days of vengeance” Luke 21:22 cp. Math. 24:27-28 Mark 13:13-14

Luke 21:22 “For these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written.”

Does God operate at a lower standard of morality than He expects from us?
If revenge is a sin for us, why would God engage in it?
Is He above His own law?

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[St. SteVen]

Anyhow, those couple verses in Gen 15 may have represented a conflict of deities or ideologies at the time they were written. Abraham is fending off more than birds - he overcomes an attack by foreign gods/demons.

Good post, thanks.
Is it safe to assume that Abraham didn't worship these gods himself?
The anti-idolatry laws came through Moses. (much later)

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[St. SteVen]

Nice

I used Jesus' teaching to the multitude about eating His flesh and drinking His blood as something unintelligible.
It wasn't a question about it. I had no question.

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[Hiddenthings]

St. SteVen said:
- Is God known for overlooking insults and not seeking revenge? (revenge is a sin)

Does God operate at a lower standard of morality than He expects from us?
If revenge is a sin for us, why would God engage in it?
Is He above His own law?

[

Again, no question, or do the ?'s mean you're asking a question?

 

[Wick Stick]

Is it safe to assume that Abraham didn't worship these gods himself?
The anti-idolatry laws came through Moses. (much later)

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Probably? The Canaanite vulture gods we know about (Hirgab & Samal) aren't the kind of gods anyone would adore. One might offer sacrifices to them out of fear, or to appease their appetite so they would leave your flocks alone. But one wouldn't follow them or believe them.

 

[St. SteVen]

Probably? The Canaanite vulture gods we know about (Hirgab & Samal) aren't the kind of gods anyone would adore. One might offer sacrifices to them out of fear, or to appease their appetite so they would leave your flocks alone. But one wouldn't follow them or believe them.

Thanks.
Interesting that the church today presents us with a god to worship out of fear.
(so he would leave our flocks alone)

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[St. SteVen]

Stumbled upon a word I rarely see used. Magnanimous.
I sought a complete definition. (see below)
When I found it, I realized that it fit my personal view of God.
God is magnanimous.

Defined as:
Highly moral, especially in showing kindness or forgiveness,
as in overlooking insults or not seeking revenge.

Questions:
- Is God known for showing kindness and forgiveness?
- Is God known for overlooking insults and not seeking revenge? (revenge is a sin)
- Is God easily offended? (a hothead)
- Does God repay evil with good? (as we are expected to)

 

[Jack]

Or, to use another New Testament word, "Gracious"?

(You wanna tag Jack and Big Boy so that they can point out all the places where God was less than magnanimous, like Uzziah, Annas and Sapphira, etc.?)

Well, Jesus/God warned us several times about the everlasting Hell Fire, the eternal home for BILLIONS of humans. Does that make Him "magnanimous"?