In the Old Testament we may observe four dimensions of God as the covenant-maker who gives his people the strength and joy of life in covenant.
“Now You Are God's People”
The Exodus, the focal event in Israel's faith, is the announcement that the Lord is actively engaged for his people. In answer to their cries for help he asserts:
I have heard the affliction of my people . . .
and heard their cry . . .
I know their sufferings . . .
I have come down to deliver them . . . (Exodus 3:7-8)
That is who he is. This is where biblical faith begins. The fourfold statement builds. The first two suggest only that he observes the trouble. The third affirms that he takes it seriously. But the fourth is decisive. He is actively engaged for the slaves. He inserts himself into the crisis on behalf of the helpless ones. His powerful intervention for Israel is not for the sake of anybody honorable or worthy or impressive (Deuteronomy 7:6-8, 9:6) it was an ignoble lot (“rabble”, Exodus 12:38, Numbers 11:4) to whom he makes his commitment. The Lord's covenant-making activity not only adds to the well-being of his people as though he enhanced what already exited. It also creates a people who did not exist and gives them well-being when they had none.
Once you were no people but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy but now you have received mercy (1 Peter 2:10).
His faithful being with and being for calls Israel into existence when it did not exit. (Romans 4:17). It is no wonder that at the end of the Exodus story in the great celebrative poem Israel asserts the rhetorical question:
Who is like thee, O Lord, among the God's
Who is like thee, majestic in holiness,
terrible in glorious deeds, doing wonders? (Exodus 15:11).
And the obvious answer is: nobody. His majesty involves a surprising commitment to the nobodies with whom he choose to be. Thus he is praised as the supreme God:
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God . . .
But the doxology continues:
He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing (Deuteronomy 10:17-18)
[17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. 18 He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.] RSVC
I think it might be in the terrible hatred of "illegal aliens*" Latinos, Black People, LGBT people among Republicans and their allies that their being an expression of the Anti-Christ is most clearly expressed. In the tax bill they are expected to pass in the next few days, before taking their "Christmas" break they will execute injustice for the fatherless and widow. They certainly will prove that they take bribes and are partial to the billionaires who give them and who told them to pass a tax cut for them or they would stop giving them bribes.
* You have to wonder at so many conservatives who rail about The Bible, the Law, being so hepped up over aliens - who the law commanded be treated as equals - as being "illegal". Including those brought here as children who had no choice in it. Only you don't need to wonder if you consider their "christianity" is, in fact anti-Christianity.
[17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. 18 He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing.] RSVC
I think it might be in the terrible hatred of "illegal aliens*" Latinos, Black People, LGBT people among Republicans and their allies that their being an expression of the Anti-Christ is most clearly expressed. In the tax bill they are expected to pass in the next few days, before taking their "Christmas" break they will execute injustice for the fatherless and widow. They certainly will prove that they take bribes and are partial to the billionaires who give them and who told them to pass a tax cut for them or they would stop giving them bribes.
* You have to wonder at so many conservatives who rail about The Bible, the Law, being so hepped up over aliens - who the law commanded be treated as equals - as being "illegal". Including those brought here as children who had no choice in it. Only you don't need to wonder if you consider their "christianity" is, in fact anti-Christianity.
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