12. Preparation - Part 1
“Don’t you see? . . . The American Standard translation orders men to triumph over sin, and you call sin ignorance. The King James translation makes a promise in ‘Thou shalt,’ meaning that men will surely triumph over sin. But the Hebrew word, the word timshel—‘Thou mayest’—that gives a choice. It might be the most important word in the world. That says the way is open.”
This is an excerpt from John Steinbeck’s, East of Eden published in 1952.
“Lee says these words during his discussion of the Cain and Abel story with Samuel and Adam in Chapter 24. He has just revealed to the other men the outcome of the research he did on the meaning of timshel, the word that God utters to Cain when exiling him to the lands east of Eden. According to one translation of the Bible, God orders Cain to triumph over sin, while according to another, God promises Cain that he will defeat sin. Lee’s research, however, has revealed that timshel means “thou mayest,” implying that God tells Cain that he has a choice whether or not to overcome sin. Lee sees this idea of free choice over evil a token of optimism that is central to the human condition. He attempts to convince Adam and Cal of the validity of timshel and ultimately succeeds, as Adam gives Cal his blessing and Cal realizes he himself has the power to overcome his family’s legacy of evil.” - Sparknotes
Why don’t more of we, Christians, annotate our Bibles like we would read works by Steinbeck, Dickinson, Hemingway, or Shakespeare? Sitting in high school and university English class was clearly about engaging literary text in a way involving research, creative thinking, and striving to understand deeper meanings of the words in the context of the time period and culture, providing color, tone, and texture to the reading.
We’ve been taught how to do it and why we should do it but, when it comes to reading our bibles, many of us leave blank margins within our pages. Yes, we tend to highlight and memorize verses but how often do we pause to analyze specific passages within scripture? We often gloss over the words written emphatically which cry out for deeper thinking.
I liken this to viewing art, more specifically oil on canvas works of art from the greats. For example, the Dutch Golden Age painter, Rembrandt van Rijn’s oil on canvas painting in 1633 called “Storm on the Sea of Galilee” is a depiction of Jesus calming the sea on the Sea of Galilee out of the verses found Matthew 8:23-27 and Mark 4:35-41.
35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? - Mark 4:35-41 (KJV)
A layman or amateur who views this painting in a study book may say, “It’s a beautiful painting;” “It’s an incredibly difficult work;” “Only a master painter could bring such an event to life;” or say, “This is a masterpiece!” All responses are agreeable and undoubtedly accurate yet, seeing the painting simply at face value diminishes its depth and does a disservice to the painter.
When we grow in our appreciation for art, we begin to study the painter, their country of origin, historical context from their country, events in their life impacting their emotions or perspective, the political climate at the time of their work, etc. We may also identify their schooling and mentoring, who developed this individual, and how was their artistic expression developed over time?
“Rembrandt’s most striking narrative painting in America, Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, is also his only painted seascape. Dated 1633, it was made shortly after Rembrandt moved to Amsterdam from his native Leiden when he was establishing himself as the city’s leading painter of portraits and historical subjects. The detailed rendering of the scene, the figures’ varied expressions, the relatively polished brushwork, and the bright coloring are characteristic of Rembrandt’s early style. Eighteenth-century critics like Arnold Houbraken often preferred this early period to Rembrandt’s later, broader, and less descriptive manner.
The biblical scene pitches nature against human frailty – both physical and spiritual. The panic-stricken disciples struggle against a sudden storm and fight to regain control of their fishing boat as a huge wave crashes over its bow, ripping the sail and drawing the craft perilously close to the rocks in the left foreground. One of the disciples succumbs to the sea’s violence by vomiting over the side. Amidst this chaos, only Christ, at the right, remains calm, like the eye of the storm. Awakened by the disciples’ desperate pleas for help, he rebukes them: “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” and then rises to calm the fury of wind and waves. Nature’s upheaval is both cause and metaphor for the terror that grips the disciples, magnifying the emotional turbulence and thus the image’s dramatic impact.
The painting showcases the young Rembrandt’s ability not only to represent a sacred history but also to seize our attention and immerse us in an unfolding pictorial drama. For greatest immediacy, he depicted the event as if it were a contemporary scene of a fishing boat menaced by a storm. The spectacle of darkness and light formed by the churning seas and blackening sky immediately attracts our attention. We then become caught up in the disciples’ terrified responses, each meticulously characterized to encourage and sustain prolonged, empathetic looking. Only one figure looks directly out at us as he steadies himself by grasping a rope and holds onto his cap. His face seems familiar from Rembrandt’s self-portraits, and as his gaze fixes on ours we recognize that we have become imaginative participants in the painter’s vivid dramatization of a disaster Christ is about to avert.” - Michael Zell, "Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee," in Eye of the Beholder
We look at their subject matter and determine their political stance, their emotions, who are the persons, places or things in the encounter? The level of research and detail is seemingly endless; in order to, understand who, what, when, where, and why a piece of art is created. The painstaking detail of exploration into the mind and subject matter, are what is most agreeable to bring art to life.
In parallel with this concept of art, what better teacher than our Lord in heaven, who in and of Himself, gave us art. Arguably, anybody who has spent much time in Yosemite National Park, The Great Barrier Reef, watching a sunset, or gazing up at the stars in the night sky could attest, God surrounded us with magnificent masterpieces so we could experience God’s creation of awe and beauty. Just as it says in Genesis,
“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” – Genesis 9:13-16
A Commentary by Matthew Henry; Verses 12-17:
“The Articles of agreement among men are usually sealed, that the covenants may be the more solemn, and the performances of the covenants the more sure, to mutual satisfaction. God, therefore, being willing more abundantly to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his councils, has confirmed his covenant by a seal (Heb. 6:17 ), which makes the foundations we build on stand sure, 2 Tim. 2:19. The seal of this covenant of nature was natural enough; it was the rainbow, which, it is likely, was seen in the clouds before, when second causes concurred but was never a seal of the covenant till now that it was made so by a divine institution. Now, concerning this seal of the covenant, observe, 1. This seal is affixed with repeated assurances of the truth of that promise of which it was designed to be the ratification: I do set my bow in the cloud (v. 23); it shall be seen in the cloud (v. 14), that the eye may affect the heart and confirm the faith; and it shall be the token of the covenant (v. 12, v. 13), and I will remember my covenant, that the waters shall no more become a flood, v. 15. Nay, as if the Eternal Mind needed a memorandum, I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant, v. 16. Thus here is line upon line, that we might have sure and strong consolation who have laid hold of this hope. 2. The rainbow appears when the clouds are most disposed to wet, and returns after the rain; when we have most reason to fear the rain prevailing, then God shows this seal of the promise that it shall not prevail. Thus God obviates our fears with such encouragement as are both suitable and seasonable. 3. The thicker the cloud the brighter the bow in the cloud. Thus, as threatening afflictions abound, encouraging consolations much more abound, 2 Co. 1:5. The rainbow appears when one part of the sky is clear, which intimates mercy remembered in the midst of wrath; and the clouds are hemmed as it were with the rainbow, that they may not overspread the heavens, for the bow, is colored rain or the edges of a cloud gilded. 5. The rainbow is the reflection of the beams of the sun, which intimates that all the glory and significance of the seals of the covenant are derived from Christ the Sun of righteousness, who is also described with a rainbow about his throne (Rev. 4:3 ), and a rainbow upon his head (Rev. 10:1 ), which intimates, not only his majesty but his mediatorship. 6. The rainbow has fiery colors in it, to signify that though God will not again drown the world, yet, when the mystery of God shall be finished, the world shall be consumed by fire. 7. A bow bespeaks terror, but this bow has neither string nor arrow, as the bow ordained against the persecutors has (Ps. 7:12, Ps. 7:13 ), and a bow alone will do little execution. It is a bow, but it is directed upwards, not towards the earth; for the seals of the covenant were intended to comfort, not to terrify. 8. As God looks upon the bow, that he may remember the covenant, so should we, that we also may be ever mindful of the covenant, with faith and thankfulness.”
The iconic stories in the Bible typically preached about are, if you will capture unique paintings of moments in history; i.e. the Woman at the Well, The Last Supper, Moses and the Burning Bush, Abraham becoming the Father of Nations, Jonah, and the Whale, etc. All have been recounted, taught, studied, and preached backward and forwards about the lessons and teachings from God’s word. All applicable without recourse and with no intention of my own to detract from the teaching of those who came before me.
What I aim to show is in our effort to teach the word of God, sadly many of us fall short in teaching God’s word properly. All wisdom and understanding comes from the Lord and it’s by His grace we recall all forms of history: geography, archeology, topography, natural resources, native commodities, economics, geopolitical landscapes, and natural disasters and tragedy in our humanly efforts to teach God’s word with the assistance of the Holy Spirit. I do believe; however, our approach and technique can and should be improved with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
In effect, we should use the similar level of investigation when reading the Bible as we do in analyzing art or for archeological discoveries.
In my attempt to share with you the level of detail at which I believe we should try to investigate the bible. The following is a real story of how an unlikely archaeological discovery provided years of extensive scientific study surrounding who is now being called, “Europe’s Oldest Celebrity.”
Circumstances leading to the find
On 19 September 1991, German holidaymakers Erika und Helmut Simon discovered a human corpse during a mountain hike at 3210 m above sea level near Tisenjoch/Giogo di Tisa in the Schnalstal/Val Senales Valley. Only his upper body was protruding from the ice. The Simons reported the find to the landlord of the Similaun mountain refuge, who contacted the Austrian police as well as the Italian carabinieri, because the site of the find was situated on the border between the two countries. It was assumed that the man was the unfortunate victim of a mountaineering accident. The following day an initial attempt was made to recover the body. But the rescuers were unable to free the dead man from the ice, and the endeavour was abandoned due to bad weather. Only his axe was taken down to the valley.
Attempts at Recovery
The following day, 21 September, a further attempt at recovery failed because no helicopter was available. The same day, the landlord of the Similaun mountain refuge, Markus Pirpamer, visited the site to cover the body with a plastic sheet. The famous South Tyrolean mountaineers Hans Kammerlander and Reinhold Messner also arrived the same day to take a look at the leather clothing and the birch-bark containers. Pirpamer showed them a sketch of the axe, prompting Messner to be the first to suspect that the corpse was very old.
An Archaeologic Sensation
Konrad Spindler, an expert in pre- and early history at Innsbruck University, was finally called in on 24 September. He promptly estimated the mummy’s age to be “at least 4000 years old”. As the corpse had already started to decompose, it was placed in a cold cell that simulated glacier conditions.
Discovery Site
The discovery site was at 3210 m above sea level on Tisenjoch/Giogo di Tisa, below the Finail peak. The corpse lay in a 3-by-7-metre-wide gully and was thus protected from the destructive forces of the moving glacier. The rocky gully was probably free of ice when Ötzi died there. Subsequently, he must have been covered by snow and the glacier ice. When the mummy was found in 1991, the ice had melted considerably due to the warm summer, and this is why his upper body was clearly visible protruding from the melt water. Today, a large stone pyramid stands near the discovery site to commemorate this fortuitous archaeologic find.
Archaeologic Excavations
During the first scientific inspection on 25 September, 1991 the quiver and its contents were recovered. During further excavations in October, string, hide remnants, birch bark and a piece of a grass mat were unearthed. But the area couldn’t be examined systematically until July and August 1992. Archaeologists “delved” into the ice for the first time, removing snow and ice with steam blowers. The well-preserved bearskin cap was found at this point (Archaeology, 2016).
Now before we learn more about this mysterious individual, let’s first do a brief overview of how an archeological dig site is developed and the logistics surrounding a dig.
Typically, when an excavation site is determined, it is surveyed and measured. Essentially framing the area in which to uncover. Once a target area of the landscape is agreed upon the large frame of the dig site is divided up into multiple smaller squares, dividing the entire target area into smaller workable areas for smaller teams assigned to a specific square. One person is assigned as the “square leader” and decides how the square should be excavated.
Proper etiquette of excavating a square includes, keeping the square perfectly level as you're digging and keep the sides of the square completely straight as to keep artifacts intact. This is performed because the agreed upon methodology also says when performing a dig, you are causing catastrophic damage to the identified area regardless of our carefully it is excavated because it was perfectly preserved in the earth and any disruption to the target area by humans is disrupting the preservation. Thus, great care is taken in minimizing the disruption at all causes in a controlled form of destruction. It’s the exact opposite of what Hollywood taught us in Indiana Jones.
Beyond the typical excavation due to advanced forensics and technology in autopsies, scientists and archeologists can gather additional site data in painstaking detail.
Now back to our mysterious discovery. After 25 years scientists are finally getting answers to some of the most hidden mysteries surrounding this discovery. “The brown-eyed, gap-toothed, tattooed man most likely spent his 40-odd years farming and herding and was probably suffering from a painful stomach ache at the time that he died a quick—albeit violent—death in the Öztal Alps” (Romey, 2016).
During the excavation of the site where the mummy, nicknamed, “Ötzi,” was found among the frozen remanence on and around the mummified body, were a hide coat, skin leggings, fur hat, and hay-stuffed shoes. Even though the level of decomposition over the thousands of years is substantial, the ice and permafrost preserved enough evidence of the types of leather researchers have been able to unambiguously identify the specific animal species for the animal skins. This helps scientists determine which animals were chosen during ancient clothing production and if the materials were sourced domesticated or wild, indigenous or imported from foreign lands. Through this forensic science they can gain “unique insights into the human past: Was the clothing worn purely for utility, or did it reflect the social status of the wearer? Were animal skins selected solely due to their availability, or were certain types of leathers and furs prized for specific qualities (Romey, 2016)?
“Researchers were able to capture ancient DNA markers in nine samples of leather and fur from different articles of the Iceman's clothing. According to their study published today in Scientific Reports, Ötzi's attire choices were selective and pragmatic.
They confirmed that Ötzi's leather loincloth and hide coat were "haphazardly" stitched from sheepskin, an identification already made in previous studies. However, the genetic analysis revealed that the sheep species sampled is closer to modern domestic European sheep than to their wild cousins and that the articles were fashioned from the skins of at least four animals. The analysis showed that part of Ötzi's coat was also made from domesticated goat belonging to a mitochondrial haplogroup (a genetic population that shares a common female ancestor) that still roams the hills and valleys of central Europe today…
While Ötzi likely lived a life of farming and herding, he may have also hunted and trapped wild animals in his alpine environment. Genetic analysis shows that his quiver was made from wild roe deer, while his fur hat was fashioned from a genetic lineage of brown bear still seen in the region today” (Romey, 2016).
Additionally, the tissue, bones, organs, DNA, environmental particulates and chemicals found on the body also draw conclusions regarding the state of the mummy’s health and integration with his surroundings. Based on the “osteons” (functional units of bone) in Ötzi’s femur bone, scientists believe he was 45 years old. He was about average height and weight for the population of the time and location. From the few areas where the hair was preserved on the body, they determine he had dark, medium-long hair which he wore loosely. They found a trace amount of arsenic in his hair which leads scientist to believe he was present where heavy metal ores were smelted. Parasites and pathogens were found on the mummy’s body including two human fleas found on his clothing. Scientists found the oldest evidence of Lyme disease (an infectious disease usually carried by ticks) in his DNA results. Also found in his DNA is evidence he was genetically predisposed to cardiovascular disease which came in the form of arteriosclerosis. They say he was very likely lactose intolerant and they even verified his blood type as O+. Scientists also found eggs of whipworm, which is an intestinal parasite, in his digestive tract. Among the incredible discoveries around his body had to do with his teeth, bones and joints, previous injuries, etc. Scientists have concluded the time of year he died based on the analysis of pollen and maple leaves in the mummy’s “birch bark containers” which allow botanists to narrow down the time of his death to early summer.
As we read more about the discovery of Ötzi and the forensic evidence preserved over thousands of years we uncover a wealth of knowledge about incredibly detailed facets of this ancient man’s life. In many ways, we are able to understand his life more intimately through science than he would have known himself.
You may be wondering how do understanding art and the process by which archeology is conducted aid in helping us relate to studying God’s word and preparation?
Well, I believe John Calvin summed it up best in his writings, Institutes of the Christian Religion,when he quoted St. Augustine, “there is no goodwill in man unless it be prepared by the Lord; not but that we ought to will and to run, but because God works in us both the one and the other.”
Preparation by God is the key to the fulfillment of our transition into His calling. Therefore, we must investigate how persons were prepared by the Lord to understand how they performed when God called them to service.
I’m making the assumption; we’ve often heard and heard the story taught of David and Goliath, often repeated approaches are taken while teaching the key facts and core lessons regarding stories like this held with such importance.
What do you think of when you hear David and Goliath mentioned? A young man who was faithful to God? A boy who had no fear? A teenager standing up to unsurmountable odds? A kid ill-prepared but God worked a miracle? All partial to the truth but is it possible we are focusing on the wrong aspects of the story?
As we pull back the layers of one of the most preached about and written stories in scripture, we uncover deeper meaning compared to the typical Sunday-service.
If we only account for the written portion, the brief slice of time written in the Bible as understanding the whole story, I believe we strip God of the full credit He truly deserves. If God were the coach of Super Bowl champion football team, we could overlook the months of practice, four pre-season games, sixteen regular-season games, and three playoff games and simply expect the team wins because of a miracle but it would disenfranchise the blood, sweat, and tears of the practices, drilling, training, film analysis, play calling, and playwriting leading up to the Super Bowl. Why then does the Church, more often than not, gloss over the time and preparation going into these key Christ-followers in the Bible?
Before directly diving into David’s story I’d like to take a moment to talk about the cultural phenomena, “The Moment of Glory” by using a related story from an incredibly exclusive and distinguished group of individuals across the United States.
Since 1863 there have only been 3,505 members of this group to date, of which, only 74 are living as of this writing. More than 700 of the members have been immigrants who distinguished themselves by their actions, granting them access to this group. Who might this group be?
If you said Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, you are correct! According to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, “These figures reflect the total number of Medals of Honor awarded. Nineteen (19) men received a second award; fourteen (14) of these men received two separate Medals for two separate actions; five (5) received both the Navy and the Army Medals of Honor for the same action” (Society, 2019).
You may be asking, what does this have to do with the David and Goliath story? The connection is in the preparation. Preparation which leads to the moment where the Medal of Honor Recipients "[distinguished] themselves by their gallantry in action and other seamanlike qualities during the present war above and beyond the call of duty."
In 2012, Army Captain Florent Groberg was honored at the White House as a recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions while working a security detail in Afghanistan. Captain Groberg jumped on a man wearing a suicide vest to dampen the detonation of the blast, attempting to prevent the death of his team members by sacrificing himself in the line of duty. The attack killed four men in the patrol and wounded many others. Groberg’s left calf was blown away and he also suffered traumatic brain injuries. The following is a statement Captain Groberg made after receiving his medal.
"You know, it's more than the medal, I'm receiving an award for actions that resulted in four men not coming home. And that's the tough part. And I don't believe I deserve the medal because I believe I acted like [any soldier] would act in that situation. I was the closest man to the threat, and I had to react to the threat. That's what we're trained to do, that's what we believe in doing. That's the mentality and our mindset that is necessary to go serve your country in hostile environments.
But in this case, I received the Medal of Honor for actions on my worst day, on the worst day of my life. And so, I didn't want it, but I realize the Medal of Honor doesn't belong to me, absolutely not. It's a symbol and this case it's specifically representing the four men, Commander Sergeant Griffin, Major Gray, Major Kennedy, and Ragaei Abdelfattah and their family. So, I decided in my own head that I would accept this medal with the idea that I would be a courier and I would earn the right to wear it every single day by my actions on [and] in my life. And I just hope that one day I get the opportunity to go meet my friends in heaven and they have a beer waiting for me and they say you did all right” (Dukakis, 2016).
It’s difficult for, us, as a society to comprehend that if you ask many of these recipients, they will probably tell you in a similar fashion what they did wasn’t extraordinary. They were doing exactly what they were trained to do at the very moment they were called into action. They were in the wrong place at the right time and any one of their team members would have done the exact same thing for them if put in their position.
In their book, By Honor Bound: Two Navy SEALs, the Medal of Honor, and a Story of Extraordinary Courage, authors Tom Norris and Mike Thornton share their first-hand accounts of how their stories and others like them found themselves surrounded by darkness, insurmountable challenges yet their training and preparation (and by God’s love and grace) carried them through and out the other side.
“In April of 1972, SEAL Lieutenant Tom Norris risked his life in an unprecedented ground rescue of two American airmen who were shot down behind enemy lines in North Vietnam, a feat for which he would be awarded the Medal of Honor--an award that represents the pinnacle of heroism and courage.
Just six months later, Norris was sent on a dangerous special reconnaissance mission that would take his team deep into enemy territory. On that mission, they engaged a vastly superior force. In the running gun battle that ensued, Lieutenant Norris was severely wounded; a bullet entered his left eye and exited the left side of his head. SEAL Petty Officer Mike Thornton, under heavy fire, fought his way back onto a North Vietnamese beach to rescue his officer. This was the first time Tom and Mike had been on a combat mission together. Mike's act of courage and loyalty marks the only time in modern history that the Medal of Honor has been awarded in a combat action where one recipient received the Medal for saving the life of another.
By Honor Bound is the story of Tom Norris and Mike Thornton, two living American heroes who grew up very differently, entered military service and the Navy SEAL teams for vastly different reasons, and were thrown together for a single combat mission--a mission that would define their lives from that day forward.”
I believe the real story lies in the past - the history, leading up to the moment God calls us into His divine plan. The plan is to look at David’s story and eventually come to the same conclusion: We overlook what God has planned in preparation for his purpose. We miss the true essence of the stories in the Bible because we go straight to the moment of glory.
As we continue in this series on preparation, I believe you will better understand some of these characters in the Bible and how God prepared them for the moment of His call to action. Let the Holy Spirit reveal to you the preparation in your life, all of the moments of struggle, brokenness, and turmoil which helped strengthen you and shape you into the person you are today and ask yourself, have you been preparing for God’s call to action?