HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY TO YOU ALL!
[Excitedly]
I HAD THIS GREAT IDEA FOR A MESSAGE TODAY – I WAS GOING TO CALL IT “MOSES, JESUS & ME!” WHAT DO WE HAVE IN COMMON? ALL THREE OF US HAD MOTHERS WHO RAISED TROUBLEMAKERS! SO I SAID TO MY WIFE, “WHAT DO YOU THINK, HON – IS THAT A GREAT IDEA OR WHAT?!” AND YOU KNOW WHAT SHE SAID? YOU KNOW WHAT SHE SAID? SHE SAID…[dejectedly] ”NO!”
OH WELL, BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD… IF YOU’RE GOING TO START OVER, IT’S BEST TO GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING. SO THAT’S WHAT I DID – I WENT BACK TO GENESIS, AND HOW GOD CREATED BOTH MAN AND WOMAN IN HIS IMAGE. BEAR WITH ME HERE, BECAUSE WE HAVE SOME IMPORTANT GROUNDWORK TO LAY.
I’VE SPOKEN BEFORE ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT NAMES WERE IN BIBLICAL CULTURE. REMEMBER, TO THE HEBREWS, A NAME WASN’T JUST A LABEL – IT WAS THE VERY ESSENCE OF A THING OR PERSON. EVEN IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, WHEN WE SPEAK OF “THE WORD OF GOD,” WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE VERY ESSENCE OF GOD. AS JOHN REMINDS US, “IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD.”
BECAUSE A NAME WAS THE TOTAL EMBODIMENT OF A PERSON, THE HEBREWS HAD A LONGSTANDING PROHIBITION AGAINST SAYING THE NAME OF GOD. TO CALL ANYONE BY NAME WAS TO INDICATE FAMILIARITY, EQUALITY, OR EVEN AUTHORITY OVER THAT PERSON. THAT PRACTICE CONTINUES EVEN TODAY WITH “IMPORTANT” PEOPLE – YOU DON’T WALK UP TO THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND AND SAY, “HEY, LIZ, HOW’S IT GOING?” YOU REFER TO THE QUEEN BY HER TITLE. IT’S A MATTER OF COURTESY, OF RESPECT. BUT NOTHING COMPARES WITH THE REVERENCE AND HONOR DUE ALMIGHTY GOD.
SO, BECAUSE THE HEBREWS WERE FORBIDDEN TO SAY THE ACTUAL NAME OF GOD, THEY REFERRED TO GOD BY TITLES. AND THE PRIMARY TITLE USED FOR GOD UP UNTIL THE TIME OF MOSES WAS “ELOHIM.”
AND THAT’S WHERE IT GETS REALLY INTERESTING.
REMEMBER, THE “EL” SYLLABLE IN HEBREW ALWAYS REFERS TO GOD. IN ALL THE BIBLICAL NAMES ENDING IN “EL”, THAT IS ALWAYS A REFERENCE TO GOD. FOR EXAMPLE, THE NAME OF THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL MEANS “WHO IS LIKE GOD?” IT’S A RHETORICAL QUESTION, FOR NO ONE IS LIKE GOD.
SO, WE KNOW “ELOHIM” REFERS TO GOD. THE LAST SYLLABLE, “IM” INDICATES THE MASCULINE PLURAL. FOR EXAMPLE, SERAPHIM MEANS MORE THAN ONE SERAPH, SAME WITH CHERUBIM AND SO ON.
SO NOW WE HAVE A PLURAL TITLE FOR THE ONE TRUE GOD. MAKES PERFECT SENSE WHEN YOU THINK OF THE HOLY TRINITY.
BUT THAT MIDDLE SYLLABLE IS THE ONE THAT UPSETS THE APPLECART. BECAUSE THE FIRST TWO SYLLABLES OF THIS TITLE OF GOD – “ELOH” – A SHORTENED FORM OF “ELOHA” – THAT PART OF GOD’S TITLE IS FEMININE, NOT MASCULINE. IT LITERALLY MEANS “FEMALE GOD – GODDESS.”
IN OTHER WORDS, THE PRIMARY TITLE FOR GOD USED BY THE HEBREWS HAS BOTH MASCULINE AND FEMININE COMPONENTS. IF WE WERE ANCIENT HEBREWS, WE COULD BE JUST AS COMFORTABLE WITH THE CONCEPT OF GOD THE MOTHER AS WE ARE WITH GOD THE FATHER - IT’S IN THE TITLE! ELOHIM!
DON, WHY DID YOU TAKE US DOWN THIS RABBIT HOLE? FOR A VERY IMPORTANT REASON.
THE TRADITIONAL VIEW OF BIBLICAL SOCIETY IS PATRIARCHAL – THE MEN RAN EVERYTHING, RIGHT? THE WOMEN WERE ALL SUPPORTING ROLES, RIGHT? WELL, ANYONE WHO REALLY BELIEVES THAT HAS NEVER BEEN MARRIED…
WE HAVE A TRIVET IN OUR KITCHEN THAT CAME FROM MY WIFE’S GRANDPARENTS’ HOUSE. IT SAYS, “I AM THE BOSS OF THIS HOUSE, AND I HAVE MY WIFE’S PERMISSION TO SAY SO.”
AS A MATTER OF FACT, EVERY CHILD LEARNS AT AN EARLY AGE THE NUMBER ONE RULE FOR SURVIVAL: “IF MAMA AIN’T HAPPY, AIN’T NOBODY HAPPY.”
YOU SEE, HUMAN NATURE DOESN’T CHANGE – IT WAS THE SAME THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO AS IT IS TODAY. WE TEND TO THINK OF BIBLICAL CHARACTERS AS ONE-DIMENSIONAL CARDBOARD CUTOUTS, BUT THEY WERE FLESH AND BLOOD JUST LIKE US, WITH THE SAME EMOTIONS, LONGINGS AND FEARS.
SO, IF THE BIBLE IS SO PATRIARCHAL, WHY ARE THERE SO MANY STORIES ABOUT WOMEN – WOMEN OF FAITH, WOMEN OF COURAGE, WOMEN WHO WERE DEVOTED TO THE LORD?
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO EXPLORE THOSE STORIES ABOUT RUTH, ESTHER, TAMAR, HAGAR, ABIGAIL, RACHEL, ELIZABETH, HANNAH, ANNA, AND MORE MARY’S THAN YOU CAN KEEP TRACK OF. BECAUSE TIME AND TIME AGAIN, IT WAS WOMEN WHO WERE CALLED UPON BY GOD, TO SAVE THEIR PEOPLE.
TODAY I WANT TO FOCUS ON JOCHEBED AND MIRIAM. JOCHEBED – WHOSE NAME MEANS “YAHWEH IS MY GLORY” - WAS THE MOTHER OF MOSES, AND AS THE SCRIPTURE READINGS REMIND US, PHAROAH HAD COMMANDED THAT MALE HEBREW CHILDREN BE KILLED.
SO WHAT DID JOCHEBED DO? SHE HID MOSES AS LONG AS SHE COULD, AND THEN ENTRUSTED HIM TO THE LORD’S CARE.
SHE FASHIONED A WATER-TIGHT BASKET, PLACED HIM IN THE NILE RIVER, AND TOLD HIS SISTER, MIRIAM, TO WATCH OVER HIM TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. BY THE WAY, MIRIAM IS THE OLDEST RECORDED VARIANT OF THE NAME "MARY". SEE, THERE'S EVEN MORE MARY'S THAN WE THOUGHT THERE WERE!
ANYWAY, JOCHEBED, AT CONSIDERABLE RISK TO HERSELF AND HER FAMILY, ACTED OUT OF LOVE FOR HER SON, AND TRUST IN GOD. BUT THE BOLDEST OF ALL WAS MIRIAM. WHEN PHAROAH’S DAUGHTER DISCOVERED MOSES, MIRIAM CAME OUT OF HIDING, AND BOLDLY APPROACHED THE PRINCESS – A HEBREW GIRL DARING TO ADDRESS A ROYAL PRINCESS! AND IT WAS MIRIAM WHO SAID, “HEY, I KNOW SOMEONE WHO CAN NURSE THAT CHILD FOR YOU!” TALK ABOUT UNMITIGATED CHUTZPAH!
AND THAT IS HOW GOD EMPLOYED WOMEN TO SAVE MOSES, THE MOSES WHO WOULD LATER LEAD HIS PEOPLE TO FREEDOM – IT WAS THROUGH THE LOVE, FAITH IN GOD, AND COURAGE OF HIS MOTHER AND SISTER, THAT GOD’S PLAN WAS FULFILLED.
BY THE WAY, THAT’S NOT THE END OF MIRIAM’S STORY. SHE WENT ON TO BECOME A REVERED PROPHET – IT WAS SHE WHO LED THE WOMEN IN SONG AND DANCE, PRAISING GOD AFTER ESCAPING PHAROAH’S ARMY. AND IT IS SAID THAT DURING THE 40 YEARS OF WANDERING IN THE DESERT, A MIRACULOUS WELL FOLLOWED MIRIAM THROUGH THE DESERT, PROVIDING THE ISRAELITES WITH THE WATER THEY NEEDED.
ONCE AGAIN, GOD CHOSE A WOMAN TO SAVE HER PEOPLE.
AS I SAID, THERE ARE NUMEROUS OTHER WOMEN OF THE BIBLE, BOTH PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL MOTHERS, WHOM GOD CALLED UPON TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT MENTION MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS. IT’S INTERESTING THAT THE ANGEL WHO ANNOUNCED GOD’S PLAN TO HER WAS NAMED GABRIEL – THERE’S THAT ‘EL” SYLLABLE AGAIN. GABRIEL’S NAME IN HEBREW IS GAVRIEL – IT MEANS “GOD IS MY STRENGTH.” AND IT WOULD TAKE ALL OF GOD’S STRENGTH FOR MARY TO ENDURE ALL THAT LAY BEFORE HER.
JUST A QUESTION: WOULD THIS BUILDING – AND ALL THE ONES ON CHURCH ROAD HERE – WOULD THEY BE HERE IF MARY HAD HEARD GABRIEL’S ANNOUNCEMENT AND SAID, “MMM, I DON’T THINK SO…”
BUT MARY DIDN’T DO THAT. SHE ACCEPTED GOD’S WILL FOR HER, WHATEVER THE CONSEQUENCES MIGHT BE. THAT IS TRUE COURAGE AND FAITH IN THE LORD.
MY PERSONAL FAVORITE STORY ABOUT MARY IS THE WEDDING AT CANA – IT’S A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW MUCH LIKE US THE PEOPLE WERE BACK THEN…
EVEN MORE THAN NOW, WEDDINGS WERE A REALLY BIG DEAL BACK THEN: IN-LAWS, OUTLAWS, RELATIVES, NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS – EVERYONE WAS THERE. THE FAMILY’S PRESTIGE AND REPUTATION WERE ON THE LINE. AND TO RUN OUT OF WINE AT THE WEDDING FEAST? THAT WOULD BE A CATASTROPHE – THE FAMILY WOULD NEVER LIVE IT DOWN. FROM THAT TIME ON, ANYONE WALKING PAST THEIR HOUSE WOULD SAY, “OH, THAT’S WHERE THEY RAN OUT OF WINE AT THE WEDDING…”
MARY WAS OBSERVING WHAT WAS GOING ON, SHE SAW THE SITUATION. SO SHE SIDLED UP TO JESUS AND WHISPERED IN HIS EAR [conspiratorially]: “THEY HAVE NO MORE WINE…”
WHAT WAS JESUS’ REPLY? HE SAID, “WOMAN, MY TIME HAS NOT YET COME.”
NOW WE CAN PICTURE THE WHEELS TURNING IN MARY’S MIND: TO HER, JESUS WAS NOT THE MESSIAH, THE KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS – HE WAS HER SON! WHOM SHE HAD GIVEN BIRTH TO AND LOOKED AFTER FOR 30 YEARS. AND HE HAD JUST CALLED HER “WOMAN…”
SO WHAT DID MARY DO? SHE DID WHAT ANY STEREOTYPICAL JEWISH MOTHER WOULD HAVE DONE – SHE COMPLETELY IGNORED WHAT HER SON HAD SAID. INSTEAD, SHE TURNED TO THE SERVANTS WHO WERE STANDING BY – BY THE WAY, DO YOU THINK THOSE SERVANTS JUST HAPPENED TO BE STANDING NEARBY? JUST BY ACCIDENT? OR DO YOU THINK MARY SAW THE PROBLEM, APPROACHED THE SERVANTS AND SAID “COME WITH ME.”? JUST MY OPINION, BUT I BELIEVE MARY ORCHESTRATED THIS ENTIRE LITTLE SCENE. ANYWAY, MARY LOOKED AT THE SERVANTS AND SAID MATTER-OF-FACTLY: “DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU.” AND THEN SHE WALKED AWAY…
SO NOW JESUS IS STANDING THERE, WITH THE SERVANTS STARING AT HIM, AWAITING HIS INSTRUCTIONS. AND NOW WE SEE THE WHEELS TURNING IN JESUS’ MIND…
HIS FIRST THOUGHT WAS PROBABLY, [arms upraised to heaven, loudly, pleadingly] “DADDY!... DADDY!!! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!? IT’S NOT TIME YET, BUT THERE IS THE COMMANDMENT TO “HONOR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER” – WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO HERE !?”
THIS HAPPENS SILENTLY, OF COURSE. AND THE SERVANTS ARE STILL STARING AT HIM. WITH A SIGH OF RESIGNATION, JESUS LOOKS AT THE SERVANTS AND SAYS [with a sigh], “BRING ME SOME JARS OF WATER…” [shaking head] YOU SEE, IN THIS PARTICULAR SITUATION, MARY HAD COMPASSION FOR THE WEDDING HOSTS, AND AS HIS MOTHER, SHE EVEN HAD POWER EVEN OVER JESUS… NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A DETERMINED MOTHER.
I HOPE WE ALL WILL USE THIS MOTHER’S DAY TO GAIN A DEEPER APPRECIATION OF THE EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN OF THE BIBLE, AND THE EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN AROUND US TODAY. PETER WAS THE ROCK ON WHICH CHRIST’S CHURCH WAS FOUNDED, BUT THEN AND NOW, IT IS THE WOMEN WHO ARE THE MORTAR THAT HOLDS THE CHURCH TOGETHER. THERE IS NO CHURCH THAT ISN’T SUSTAINED BY THE LOVE AND DEVOTION OF THE WOMEN WHO NURTURE IT.
SO BE THANKFUL FOR THE PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL MOTHERS WE CONTINUE TO BE BLESSED WITH – THEY ARE TRULY MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. AMEN.
