Caught-Up
No, this title is
not associated with the rapture. It actually points to the opposite. In this case "caught-up" is meant
to convey something more like a situation when a criminal is caught up with
and arrested by the police.
In Jewish tradition,
the book of Jonah is read on Yom Kippur. (Oops, haven't we just completed
celebrating Succot? 😊) Yeshua refers to an
episode in this prophet's life that foreshadows His act of redemption, by comparing
the former's circumstances to His own three days and nights of internment
in the grave (ref. Matthew 12:39-41). Moreover, the story of Jonah's flight
from his divine calling and assignment may also cast light on the corporate
entity of Israel, especially the redeemed ones.
YHVH calls Himself
the Elohim of Israel, the Elohim of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In the "last days" the Spirit of
the prophets of old, especially Elijah, will be (and is) turning the hearts of
the progeny of those forefathers back to their true identity, as a witness and
testimony of His faithfulness in keeping the covenant with the progenitors. YHVH's
faithfulness forms one aspect of this destiny, while the other one is the role
that His chosen people are called to fulfill in the latter days.
YHVH’s people (Israel
and Judah) have a responsibility, a task in this world not unlike Jonah’s. But when the called-out ones, from Judah and
Ephraim/Israel, try to dodge their mission YHVH brings on tribulations so that
the nations find themselves crying out to their gods for help and are looking
for the cause or culprit. The ship's Captain may just have to cry out, “Awake
oh Israel, and put off your slumber, come up on deck and raise your voice to
your Elohim!” Like Jonah, Israel cannot escape, or remain asleep at the bottom
of the ship, but will have to face all those on deck being tossed to and fro by
the storms of distress and fear. The
Elohim of Israel will make it evident who is the cause of this frightful
situation. Among the unredeemed, there may be those who will try to spare us,
as they row and even discard all their precious cargo overboard, but to no
avail. Just as was the case with the sailors in the Jonah narrative, so will
they be faced with a great dilemma once they find out that there are people on
board whose Elohim is the Creator of heaven, the seas, and earth.
When YHVH's
people realize that they are the culprits, responsible for the dangerous life-threatening
storm, they will be forced to decide what to do about the situation. Let’s follow the Jonah narrative: “Then
they said to him [Jonah], 'Please tell us! For whose cause is this
trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is
your country? And of what people are you?' So he said to them, 'I am a Hebrew;
and I fear YHVH, the Elohim of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.' Then
the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, 'Why have you done this?'"
(Jonah 1:8-10a). The end-time tribulation is (at least in part) the consequence
and catalyst that falls on the nations, including Israel and Judah, because Israel
refuses to respond to their identity and the calling that goes along with it (see
Malachi 4:5-6).
"For the
men knew that he fled from the presence of YHVH, because he had told them. Then they said to him, 'What shall we do to
you that the sea may be calm for us?' -- for the sea was growing more
tempestuous. And he said to them, 'Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then
the sea will become calm for you. for I know that this great tempest is because
of me'" (Jonah 1:10b-12).
Under
comparable circumstances, we too will be forced into confessing our true
identity, the reason for the storm, and the impending ruin of the ship. But
this is not the end of our lesson. The world, by necessity, must throw us
overboard, cut us off from their way of life (maybe we will not even be able to
buy or sell). If they do not get rid of
us, the seas will become even more turbulent. Since we will not cast ourselves
into the depths of the sea, having no other choice, even those well-meaning
from among them who would prefer not to stain their hands with innocent blood,
will end up throwing us overboard.
When Jonah is
thrust into the fathomless depths, he finds himself swallowed by an enormous
fish. While there "… Jonah prayed to YHVH his Elohim (Jonah 2:1).
Notice that Jonah did not pray on
the deck of the ship. “And he said: 'I
cried out to YHVH because of my affliction, and He answered me. Out of the
belly of Sheol. I cried, and You heard my voice” (2:2). Jonah, recognizing
his low estate brought on by his own actions, admits to YHVH: "Yet You have brought up my life from
the pit, O YHVH, my Elohim" (2:6).
Observation:
This morning while standing in our 'saferoom' (bomb shelter), listening to the
siren of an incoming rocket, I opened an email that had a YouTube attachment of
Trump speaking at a Christian rally. Along with it was a clip of Kamala telling
Christians that they were not welcome at her meeting. A week or so ago the polls showed that Trump was ahead
in all areas of American issues of concern and that if the Democrats were to win
this election, they would have to pull a rabbit out of the magician's hat. Religion, including humanism, is very much at
the forefront of American politics. Thus,
in the last four years, especially from January 6, 2020, what has been labeled “radical
Christianity” has been demonized and is being used now as Kamala’s trump card
to win over many who have been worried about the Christian right-wing. In
response, Trump showed his hand at a Christian rally where he seemed to no
longer be on the fence but confessed to being a 'believer' and lauded the
brave missionaries, pastors, rabbis, etc. who have laid the foundation of
morality in America.
I thought it
interesting that this communication came before concluding my thoughts on the
above, “Caught-Up”, letter. Additionally,
I read this morning the episode portraying Ahab's unrequited desire for Naboth’s
vineyard and Jezebel's solution, when she had Naboth falsely accused of cursing
Elohim which then led to his execution by stoning (1st Kings 21). False
accusations are also being hurled at Christians and Jews for undermining
American rights to freedom and liberty or liberality.
As believers in
Messiah Yeshua, we may be at the point of being brought up to the deck to face
our Elohim-given destiny.
