The big news this week has been the continued onslaught by Israel against Gaza and throughout the Middle East. They mistakenly killed journalists while attacking a hospital in Gaza. The famine in Gaza continues to take the lives of men, women, and even children.
Despite the current cease-fire, Israel has launched attacks against Houthi rebels in Yemen this week. Israel’s thirst for revenge and power has caused it to turn from the ways and teachings of God:
- Love thy neighbor
- Forgive
- Put others first
- Be compassionate
These teachings are the basic truths of the Jewish faith (Leviticus 19:18; 33-34, Deuteronomy 32:35, Jeremiah 31:34). Most Jewish children have the Torah memorized by age 10; God’s people have and know the truths of the faith in their heads.
However, over the centuries, God’s people have notoriously turned from the truths of God’s Word (Judges 2:11-13, 1 Kings 11:6-11, Jeremiah 2:13).
What Is Truth
Since we live in a fallen world, truth is often misunderstood, even by God’s people. Truth is defined as “Fidelity to an original standard; actuality.” People tend to only accept truth in accordance with their desires or standards, because we want it to be relative.
Unfortunately, we are all flawed beings with a sinful nature that distorts the truth. That is why in disagreements, there is always more than one side to an argument.
Growing up as an Army brat, I was taught that half-truths are our whole lies. When we fail to tell or accept the entire truth, we deceive ourselves and others.
That is why the Bible has a lot to say about truth because it is much more than just a moral idea, it is a spiritual concept and principle (John 14:6, James 1:18, 1 John 5:20). Since we live in a fallen world, God’s people are to walk in and be in the truth, that is part of what separates us from this fallen world (Romans 1:18; 24-25, 1 Corinthians 4:4, Philippians 4:8, Ephesians 4:25). The Apostle Paul remembered his Jewish education about truth, Who it is and where it comes from.
‘Ěmeṯ
The Torah begins with the truth of God and His creating being set in motion by His Word (Genesis 1:1-30) Satan twisted God’s truth to deceive Eve in the first Adam (Genesis 3:2-8). The first Adam didn’t believe God and wanted more than the truth.
The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for truth is ‘ĕmeṯ, and it can also mean, “True, right, faithfully, assured, or establishment,” depending on the context it is used in. Israel was meant to be God’s holy people and to lead the world back to his cap that divine truth (Leviticus 19:2, Deuteronomy 7:6, Psalm 25:5; 34:13, Proverbs 12:22, Zachariah 8:16).
That is why truth is one of the divine attributes of God in Judaism:
- True
- Oneness
- Eternal
- Omnipresent
- Omnipotent
- Omniscient
When Jesus began His earthly ministry, He reminded His followers of God’s divine truth and their call to be different from this world (Matthew 22:16, John 1:1-5; 8:32; 14:6). The Second Adam is and was the answer to Satan and the deception of the first Adam.
Our Lord reminded His followers about the basic teachings of the Jewish faith that separate God’s people from this corrupt world (Matthew 5:13-16, John 1:5; 3:19; 12:46). Jesus taught His followers to become like new children if they wanted to follow Him (Matthew 18:3, Mark 10:13-16).
Minnesota Shooting
In other tragic news this week, there was another senseless school shooting in America. A citizen legally purchased multiple firearms and returned to their former Catholic school, killing two children and wounding 17 others.
This is the 44th school shooting this year, already more than half of all the shootings last year. To make matters worse, the Christian community has lashed out at the mayor of Minneapolis for stating we need more than prayer to stop these senseless shootings.
Again, I find it ironic that the so-called “pro-life” community is offended that people are calling for more action to be taken to protect our children and innocent lives from being cut short by needless gun violence. The supposed God loving people are more concerned about earthly power and greatness than protecting the lives of children:
- Selfish
- Deceptive
- Unloving
Have God’s people forgotten we are to be the people of change and action, not just words and prayer (Matthew 5: 12-16; 6:10, 7:21-23, Luke 6:46, John 14:15). Have God’s people forgotten that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26).
We all know that we live in a fallen world, and it is absolutely broken. We are called to bring change, not just pray and be comfortable. This year where I live, a new elementary school opened that has two safe rooms for children to use in case of emergencies.
The state of South Carolina has also approved more security officers in its schools for this school year. However, no one is willing to call for any gun reform despite these senseless tragedies in America. If we cannot love and protect little children, then how can we call ourselves God’s people? We all know there is something wrong with this world today, God’s people are to be part of the solution, and that is the gospel ‘ĕmet!
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