It Would Have Been Enough

It Would Have Been Enough

Recently, I watched Season 5 of the popular series The Chosen. I realize people have different ideas about the show, but I have enjoyed it and find the interpretation interesting. Episode 4 really got my attention, though–the portion of the Last Supper that is called, in Hebrew tradition, Dayenu.

The Traditional Dayenu

(as recited in The Chosen Season 5 Episode 4)

If He had brought us out of Egypt and not made judgments against our adversaries, 

(it would have been enough).

If He had made judgments against our adversaries and had not destroyed their idols, 

(it would have been enough).

If He had destroyed their idols and had not given us their wealth, 

(it would have been enough).

If He had given us their wealth and had not split the Sea for us,

(it would have been enough).

If He had split the Sea for us and had not taken us through it on dry land, 

(it would have been enough).

If He had taken us through it on dry land and not drowned our enemies, 

(it would have been enough).

If He had drowned our enemies and had not supplied our needs in the desert for forty years, 

(it would have been enough).

If He had supplied our needs in the desert and had not given us the Torah,

(it would have been enough).

If He had given us the Torah and had not brought us into the land of Israel,

(it would have been enough).

If He had brought us into the land of Israel and had not built us the Temple,

(it would have been enough).

The word Dayenu (דַּיֵּנו) is a Hebrew word which means “It would have been enough” or “it would have been sufficient.” It is a traditional part of the Passover Seder that recalls the miracles of the Exodus and expresses gratitude for each step. The point is that with each blessing, if God had never done any more, it would have sufficed for His people to honor and worship Him–He owed them nothing, definitely no more than He had already done.

Meaning & Pronunciation

• Pronunciation: “Die-yenu”.
• Etymology: Day (enough) + -enu (to us).

The Song in the Seder

• Context: Sung during the Passover Seder after the Exodus story in the Haggadah.
• Structure: A list of God’s blessings (e.g., taking us out of Egypt, splitting the sea, giving manna) followed by the declaration, “Dayenu!”
• Purpose: To express profound gratitude for the journey from slavery to freedom, recognizing that even one single act would have been a blessing.

• God Owes Us Nothing

I often pray, “Lord, You have blessed me so much that even if you never did another thing, You have given me far more than I deserve.” My point is that God has been extremely generous to me, and to each one of us. He has provided far more than our needs, and He didn’t have to do it. Too often we consider God our cosmic Santa Claus. We snap our fingers; He’s there to provide. Right? What egos we have!

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are some of my favorite heroes. Although It is highly unlikely that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego ever knew “Dayenu” (they were captives in Babylon in the 6th or 7th century BC, and the earliest full text of the Dayneu appears in a 9th-century Haggadah), they were familiar with the sentiment.

from Daniel 3

“King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, sixty cubits high and six cubits wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. Then the herald loudly proclaimed, ‘Nations and peoples of every language, this is what you are commanded to do: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.’

“At this time some astrologers came forward and denounced the Jews. They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, ‘May the king live forever! Your Majesty has issued a decree … But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon—Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego—who pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They neither serve your gods nor worship the image of gold you have set up.’

“Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, ‘is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?  Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipe and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?’

“Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.  But even if He does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.’”

“EVEN IF!”

Apparently, even if God chose not to deliver them from Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath, He had done enough–enough to gain their trust, their confidence, and their uncompromised faith.

MercyMe has a song about that:

MercyMe – Even If (Official Lyric Video)

EVEN IF.

Check your heart. He gave you Christ. Even if He never does another thing for you, has He done enough?

God bless you!