IS40:8 (part 6) - Hanukkah and The Solomon's Prayer

 

TempleMenorah

This December many will celebrate Hanukah as well as Christmas.

Hanukkah means "rededication"

This holiday recalls the Jewish victory over the Greeks more than 2,000 years ago, as summed up in the history video below.

reference: https://youtu.be/-6FBX53ZblU

A miracle happened during the rededication of the temple, where just a day's supply of oil allowed the menorah to remain lit for eight days. Hence, the 8 days and candles.

More information: What Is Hanukkah? – A Season of Miracles and Light

Hanukkah, though, originated between the writings of the Old and New Testament. Its rededication happened after the first temple was destroyed in the exile, rebuilt post-exile, then defiled and restored.

But before this rededication of the second temple, there was the dedication of the first temple built in Jerusalem.  

SolomonDedicatesTemple

King Solomon offered prayer at this dedication, known as The Solomon's Prayer.

And a portion of this prayer is presented in song below.

reference: https://youtu.be/2FK1-_cCg-E

Prayer reference: I Kings 8:56-60

Though there is no mention of Hanukkah in the Old Testament, it's mentioned in the New Testament, specifically the Gospel of John.

And Jesus celebrated Hannukah known as the Festival of Dedication in the winter.

Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. 

It was winter, 

and Jesus was in the temple courts 

walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 

The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, 

“How long will you keep us in suspense? 

If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

John 10:22-23 (NIV)

And Jesus had given the people an answer during those spiritually dark days, such as the story of Hanukkah celebrates where light triumphed over darkness.

“I am the light of the world. 

Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, 

but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12 (NIV)

As we enter the winter of long nights, holidays such as Hanukkah and Christmas anticipate the coming of the Light--spiritual as well as physical.

Blessings and peace this December
and into the New Year
as the days grow longer.

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Isaiah 40:8

The grass withereth,

the flower fadeth:

but the word of our God

shall stand for ever.

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For other posts on this thread, search:

IS40:8

Similar threads (search blog):

Faith

10C - The Ten Commandments

Biblia Files

PPP - Psalms, Proverbs, and Politics

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Photos:

TempleMenorah 

SolomonDedicatesTemple

PPP (part 2) - Psalms, Proverbs, and the Pale Blue Dot

Pale Blue Dot/wikipedia.com

David, the sweet psalmist of Israel, when he looked up at the dark night sky, wrote these words..

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of His hands.
 

Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they reveal knowledge.

Psalm 19:1-2 (NIV)

And David's son, Solomon, also expressed this proverb in his wisdom writings:

By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations,

by understanding He set the heavens in place;

by His knowledge the watery depths were divided,

and the clouds let drop the dew.

Proverbs 3:19-20 (NIV)

In the late 20th century, Carl Sagan brought science and astronomy to the people in his series, Cosmos (1980). Before he slipped the surly bounds of earth, Sagan was moved by the photo of our home (above). Taken almost 4 billion miles away from Earth from Saturn. Known as...

The Pale Blue Dot

As the probe finished its primary mission, Carl Sagan had requested NASA to take one last picture of Earth as it was leaving the Solar System. That became the iconic photograph the Voyager 1 space probe had taken of Earth on February 14, 1990. A pale blue dot, the Earth's apparent size is less than a pixel among bands of sunlight.

 And such inspired his poetic tribute:

(reference: https://youtu.be/wupToqz1e2g )

Definitely awe struck, Sagan's tribute expressed a more humanist philosophy. As well as overwhelmed by our seemingly insignificance  in the vast universe. All the politics of our short lifespans seem petty. Nothing. {reference: Carl Sagan gave us an incredible perspective on our planet }

Again, David has his words of the greatness of the universe and the smallness of humans and life on earth with the Divine perspective in mind.

Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is Your Name in all the earth!

You have set Your glory

in the heavens.

Through the praise of children and infants

You have established a stronghold against Your enemies,

to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens,

the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which You have set in place,

what is mankind that You are mindful of them,

human beings that You care for them?

You have made them a little lower than the angels

and crowned them with glory and honor.

You made them rulers over the works of Your hands;

You put everything under their feet:

all flocks and herds,

and the animals of the wild,

the birds in the sky,

and the fish in the sea,

all that swim the paths of the seas.

Lord, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Psalm 8:1-9 (NIV)

The Pale Blue Dot ... in Psalms and Proverbs.

It makes the Politics of the Earth pale in comparison to the vastness of space....

And beyond, the Greatness of our Creator.

But in His greatness, He cares for all His creatures and put mankind to care for the handiwork of His creation.

And that is awesome.

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Other post in series:

PPP (part 1) - All Men are Liars (2017) 

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Photo:  Pale Blue Dot/wikipedia.com

PPP (part 1) - All Men are Liars

Proverb Scroll/wikipeida.com

Remember this childhood taunt on the playground?

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

Nose as long as a telephone wire.

[ reference: Liar Liar ]

And how many have heard this joke?

How to tell a politician is lying...his lips move. 

[ reference:  How to tell...]

And there is much said about this in Psalms and Proverbs about Politics.

Here we go....

Psalms:

King David once said -

I said in my haste,
All men are liars.
Psalm 116:11 (KJV)

And I've heard it said, after giving it a lot of thought, many of us come to that same conclusion -

Everybody lies

So did House, the surly doctor in the TV series named after his character, House (2004 - 2012).

(reference: https://youtu.be/CZR2k5c_198 )

"It's a basic truth of the human condition
that everybody lies. 

The only variable is about what."

Indeed that's a proverb. And there's many like them.

Proverbs:

King David's son Solomon gave this nugget -

The lip of truth shall be established for ever:
but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

Proverbs 12:19 (KJV)

But what about this moment? The politically expedient.

Politics:

We've seen this play out in the various types of media. Below is a clip that could be the playbook for many a politician from the old movie, A Guide for the Married Man (1967)

It is described as: A man gives his co-worker a series of lessons on how to cheat on one's wife without being caught. 

Like who are going believe, me or your lying eyes as shown in this scene below:

(reference: https://youtu.be/4pmBC_CrQS4 )

Deny, Deny, Deny

In thousands of years, human nature hasn't change.

And as King Solomon once said:

...
and there is no new thing under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 (KJV)

And the words from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah about lying are just as true today.

For your hands are defiled with blood,
and your fingers with iniquity;
your lips have spoken lies,
your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

Isaiah 59:3 (KJV)

The song below contain those words of the prophet as a lament, but also hope as offered in the Gospel:

( reference: https://youtu.be/62p_JWGBRlM    )

Here are the full lyrics from the The Liberated Wailing Wall - I Am Not Ashamed

* The Arm of the Lord

* I Am Not Ashamed

And as our country is so divided and evil seems to be unleashed, a look at Psalms and Proverbs along side Politics can illuminate the Sign of the Times as well offer some hope for troubling days.

So begins the new thread ...

PPP - Psalms, Proverbs and Politics

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Similar posts in this series:

Biblia Files (part 1) - Thru the Bible (2013)

Biblia Files (part 2) - What is the Bible Basically About? (2013)

Biblia Files (part 3) - Gideon - weakness, warts and all (2013) 
   
Biblia Files (part 4) - Holy Hyperlinks (2014)

Biblia Files (part 5) - Waiting .... (2014)
  

Biblia Files (part 6) - Crowns and Frowns (2015)

Biblia Files (part 7) - Follow Me (2017)

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Photo: Proverb Scroll/wikipeida.com

Biblia Files (part 6) - Crowns and Frowns

everystockphoto.com/crown and frown

Hee Haw was my Dad's favorite show, second only to Gunsmoke. I clearly remember the lament from their Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me segment, such as seen below:

(reference: https://youtu.be/lHcEWhbQkEg )

Even 40 years ago, they all were "first world problems." Though this Hee Haw segment is humorous, it expresses a tinge of sadness, dissatisfaction in this life.

Dissatisfaction, unhappiness, and such are maladies throughout the ages.  As King Solomon said -

... there is no new thing under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 (KJV)

Crowns and Frowns

As the wisest man and greatest fools in some estimations, Solomon knew something about this gloom, despair and agony on me.  This king had "everything" in this life from riches; his unfettered search for knowledge, wisdom, and meaning in this life; wanting more and getting more. Yet this king lamented his "first world problems" as so stated below:

14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
 

15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
 

16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
 

17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
 

18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

Ecclesiastes 1 (KJV)

What a Gloomy Gus!

This dissatisfaction is not new for "the man under the sun."

In the clip below unhappiness is seen as a malady of the modern age:

(reference:  https://youtu.be/YzAFCU4RCnM )

What is the cure for this dissatisfaction?

At the end of the day, Solomon comes to terms with his unhappiness:

13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Ecclesiastes 12 (KJV)

But Father knows best  

Solomon's father, David,wrote in the psalm below during his trials in the desert of Judah. For more information on the background, check out: Psalm 63: Longing to Worship the LORD While in the Wilderness

O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
 
2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.
 
3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
 
4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
 
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

Psalm 63 (KJV)

The balm for dissatisfaction and unhappiness is joy and praise. And this song praises David's greater son, Jesus, who blesses us in the heavenlies.

(reference: https://youtu.be/GbnpLFA4CWM )

We are no longer the man under the sun, but ...

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2 (KJV)

And to beat the blues:

... the joy of the Lord is your strength

Nehemiah 8:10 (KJV)

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Recent posts in this series:

Biblia Files (part 1) - Thru the Bible (2013)

Biblia Files (part 2) - What is the Bible Basically About? (2013)

Biblia Files (part 3) - Gideon - weakness, warts and all (2013) 
   
Biblia Files (part 4) - Holy Hyperlinks (2014)

Biblia Files (part 5) - Waiting .... (2014)

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Photo from: everystockphoto.com/crown and frown

There must be an answer

Winston Churchill once said, “It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required.”

For the energy crisis, what is required?

The previous five blogs covered key points from Dr. Bartlett’s “Arithmetic, Population and Energy” speech at the 2009 EntConnect conference.

In summary,

(1) To find the doubling time for any percentage of steady growth, use this simple formula: 70 divided by the percentage (70/%). Hence, 7% steady growth per year equates to a doubling time of 10 years.

(2) We saw with the case of the doubling of grain on a chess board and the splitting bacteria in a jar, steady growth equates to huge escalations over short periods of time.

Simple arithmetic tells us that population growth and/or growth in the rates of consumption of resources cannot be sustained. Understanding the consequences of growth, we can see trouble coming and take proactive action to avert disaster. Most important when acting early, we are more likely to control the factors to sustain living in an ethical and healthy way.

If we ignore the red flags, zero population growth will happen anyway. As we do nothing, factors, out of our control, will suppress life and promote death. The resulting human suffering could be incalcuable.

Space confines detailed solutions. Thoughtful community planning and education are a start. Exploring and developing renewable energy resources are another. And let’s not forget one of the most important factors, people who are willing to think.

Solomon expressed this timely wisdom:

A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge,
but the simple keep going and suffer for it.
Proverbs 22:3
(New International Version)

On that spiritual note, instead of "In Growth We Trust" may we choose "In God We Trust" when we tackle our great challenges.


Related links:

EntConnect website: entconnect.org

Dr. Bartlett links:
albartlett.org
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Bartlett
globalpublicmedia.com/transcripts/645

Sir Winston Churchill link:
en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill

Photos from everystockphoto.com:
Sir Winston Churchill: http://everystockphoto.com/photo.php?imageId=2235250