By your words I can see where I’m going;
they throw a beam of light on my dark path.
I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back
from living by your righteous order.
Everything’s falling apart on me, GOD;
put me together again with your Word.
Adorn me with your finest sayings, GOD;
teach me your holy rules.
My life is as close as my own hands,
but I don’t forget what you have revealed.
The wicked do their best to throw me off track,
but I don’t swerve an inch from your course.
I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever—
what a gift! And how happy it makes me!
I concentrate on doing exactly what you say—
I always have and always will. Psalm 119:104-112 (The Message)
Verse 105 is more famously translated, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. However, the rest of this translation best describes how we are all on a journey through life, and for Believers, it is God’s Word which lights our way, and keeps us on the right path, even when others try to knock us off. Amy Grant’s and Michael W. Smith’s song, Thy Word is a great song that celebrates Psalm 119 – Nun.
Knowing that it is God’s Word that brings us joy in this world if we choose to submit to Him and follow His purpose for our life, is a well-known concept in a mature Christian’s life. What’s fascinating is how two of the meanings of the Hebrew letter Nun, though seemingly unrelated, actually lead to understanding of God’s guidance in our lives, and of His ultimate plan of salvation for His people.
Two of the meanings of nun are deceit and kingship. Taken at face value, they seem like opposites. Or, one could be a cynic and say they go hand-in-hand. However, when following the logic of Jewish insight into Torah, we see how nun can have both meanings.
According to Rabbi Raskin (2003), nun’s meaning of deceit comes into play when we look at nature. We even personify nature as a woman – Mother Nature. She is powerful and it looks as if she controls the world. After all, when a city is left vacant, it doesn’t take long for the weeds to grow and crack the cement, and the vines to use the buildings as a trellis. However, believing that Mother Nature controls this world is actually a false belief. In reality, it is God that is in control. It is God that created this earth and all that is in it. Therefore, He is in control. He put into motion all that is nature, He is the Creator. We need to remember this, even when our “picnic gets rained on.”
How do we know God still controls nature, and hasn’t just spun it like a top and then is sitting back and “letting nature take her course?” Let’s take a look at the prophet Elijah in I Kings 17. God told him to go to King Ahab, and tell him, as the Lord, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely, “there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word (I Kings 17: 1b).” For three years, it didn’t rain, nor was there dew in Israel, because Ahab turned away from God and worshipped Baal. He built altars for Baal and Asherim Poles for the Israelites to worship this false god. God then punished Ahab by bringing a draught that lasted three years. In other words, God controls the weather and all of Mother Nature, herself.
The meaning of the letter nun as kingship, relates specifically to the kingship of the Messiah. The characteristics of the Messiah’s reign are consistent in both Jewish and Christian beliefs. The difference lies in the person of Jesus Christ as Messiah. The Jews believe the Messiah has not come to earth yet, and Christians believe the Messiah has already come and will return a second time at which time, He will reign on earth.
I am not going to debate this huge sticking point between Christianity and the Jewish faith in this blog. Rather, I am just going to discuss how the Messiah’s reign on earth is characterized. Rabbi Raskin (2003) says that the Messiah will exhibit ultimate humbleness in that He will teach all, no matter what their status in life. The Rabbi’s statement can be seen as well in the Bible as spoken by the prophet Isaiah.
All your sons will be taught by the Lord; and the well-being of your sons will be great. Isaiah 54:13
Rabbi Raskin (2003) also states, that when the Messiah rules on earth, He will bring law and order, grace, peace and harmony. In other scriptures in the Bible where the Millennium, that is the thousand year reign of Christ on earth, is discussed, these same characteristics of Christ’s reign are also mentioned. One of my favorite scriptures concerning the Millennium is found in Micah because he paints such a beautiful picture of law and order, grace, peace and harmony.
In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established
as the highest of the mountains;
it will be exalted above the hills,
and peoples will stream to it.
Many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between many peoples
and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.
Everyone will sit under their own vine
and under their own fig tree,
and no one will make them afraid,
for the Lord Almighty has spoken.
Micah 4:1-4 (NIV)
Psalm 119 – Nun tells us that God’s ways light the path our lives are to take. When we follow God, our lives are stable because God’s Word shows us how to live. We not only live for today, but we have God’s hope for the future because we know His Son has beaten death and will return to rule. When He does, there will finally be true justice and peace on earth.
*I’m sure that I will have made some of my readers very angry. Christians will be angry because I will not debate Jesus Christ as the Messiah. Jews will be angry because I do believe the Messiah is in the person of Jesus Christ. The only solution to this debate is God’s love. We are to show God’s love to all, whether a person believes the same as us or not. It is up to each person to follow God, and allow Him, and only Him, to reach inside that person’s heart and teach Truth. I will rely solely on God and His love for each of His creations to become the center of a person’s being. In the meantime, I can try to love all mankind as God does, no matter differences in beliefs.
Resources:
Raskin, A. 2003: Letters of Light. (audio book). Sichos Publishers.
Photo Credit: Image by FotoRieth from Pixabay
Nun picture: https://cjccf.org/aleph-bet-mem-nun-samekh/
