His Plans for His People

How odd
of God
to choose
the Jews.

William Norman Ewer, British journalist

Not odd
of God;
goyim
annoy Him.

Leo Rosten, Jewish-American author

Not so odd
as those who choose
a Jewish God
but spurn the Jews.

Cecil Browne, British journalist

Dearest Rachel –

I sometimes wonder if the Hebrew nation became God’s “peculiar people” because of God singling them out to become so, or if He saw in them (within their ancestor Abraham) a certain ‘peculiarity’ right from the start that would make them singularly ideal to become His vessels to ultimately bring His plan of salvation into the world. It probably doesn’t matter, especially considering that God has known from before creation how everything would play out. He’s known whether the chicken or the egg came first (presumably, He created the first chicken fully grown), so any similar argument along those lines only serves to amuse Him at the picayune things we humans trouble ourselves with.

While I’m on the subject of amusing God (although that may be putting things somewhat lightly), the scripture of last night’s service – commemorating both Kristallnacht 85 years hence and the massacre barely a month ago – centered around Psalm 2, and how “the nations rage so furiously together… against the Lord, and against His Anointed,” which always reminds me of that passage from Handel’s Messiah:

Of course, several passages on, after ‘quoting’ these raging nations as suggesting that they will cast off the ‘bonds’ that have placed upon them by the ‘oppressor’ God, we get His reaction to their plans. What does He think of these ant-like humans who cover a tiny dust speck in the corner of an infinite universe think, and yet they can rise up, oppose and defeat the One who created it all?

But I’m getting ahead of myself. I mean to be telling you about the events of last night, and somehow I’m already halfway into the sermon (and something that didn’t even occur at it, as the Messiah references are purely my own).

I had fully intended to go on my own, as I had concluded that it was ‘the right thing to do.’ Whether Joan – or anyone else – would be there as well was beside the point. And you’re more than welcome to elbow me in the ribs and say something along the lines of “go on, you keep telling yourself that” if you feel the urge – I probably deserve it. I had mapped out the route from the house, and determined how long it would take – and therefore, when I should leave to get there, more or less. Of course, every additional traffic light would add a complication to that calculation, but those are the chances you take. It’s part of why half the trek would take me onto the state highway, and off of surface streets; to eliminate a certain measure of that element of uncertainty (as well as adding a fair amount of speed to the route).

At the same time, Joan was still trying to see if Erin wanted to come with, and was making an effort to reach her in order to get a reply. She also suggested that we carpool, although I returned that my heading out to Des Plaines to pick her up would be a doubling of effort, as she was in the opposite direction as the church where this service was being held. She agreed to drive out to the house, and I could take over the driving from there.

I did talk to Daniel about joining us, but between the night, the rain and the distance, I wasn’t about to insist. In a way, he supports the cause on a more personal level by just being friends with Logan, and if the two of them were going to hang out together, I saw no reason to get in the way of that (I also saw no reason to expect that Logan would be interested in such an event; this may be in memory of a Jewish tragedy, but this was still at a church).

I won’t say it was awkward to hang around the house, waiting for Joan to drop by, but I didn’t necessarily want to be in the middle of watching a video with Daniel when she arrived, either. Fortunately, she arrived within a minute or two of when we had agreed would be best for her to do so, so it wasn’t as if there had been any excessive length of time between finishing up a last video and the knock on the door…

…from Erin. Evidently, Joan had managed to talk her into accompanying us, and the three of us piled into my car for the trip north. Much as this was appreciated, this was in no way expected on my part – and no amount of you rolling your eye while nodding will get me to say otherwise, honey.

Most of the route was familiar until we got past the Deer Park shopping area; then, everything was basically uncharted territory, as far as I was concerned. It even got to the point where, as I was headed up Quentin Road, I asked the others to get their phones out to check their map apps; I was pretty sure I had somehow inadvertently gone past the place. But no sooner had they done so when I was confronted by the sign by the side of the road. So I thanked them for the effort, anyway, as I pulled in.

On the subject of our staff, I may have mentioned this before, but they also don’t all agree on the place that Israel and the Jews have in terms of God’s future plans for humanity. There’s at least some belief that their time has passed, and the mantle of the ‘chosen people’ has been handed over to the Church. Granted, that’s a minority opinion, but it exists nevertheless.

For my part, I don’t see that being the case, but I’m a pretty rock-ribbed dispensationalist, myself. I don’t think God is quite finished with His people yet; if He was, why would they be under such constant attack like they are? You don’t get this kind of flak, as the saying goes, unless you’re over the target. If they weren’t still part of God’s plan, they’d be of no concern to His enemy, and would only have to deal with the same level of earthly hardship as any other ethnicity or race; but they don’t.

If nothing else, there is the reference to the 144 thousand Jewish evangelists in the days of the Apocalypse, 12 thousand from each tribe. And for those who consider this to be metaphorical or allegorical, I ask why it would be necessary to waste ink and parchment on tallying the specifics at that point? No, the Lord has His plans for His people, and we need to see to it that they make it as safely as possible to the point where they can carry out their part in His mission – as well as being brought to full knowledge of that mission and Him who has ordained it for them.

As for the service itself, much of it was a reminder that, at the end of the book, we still win. Those nations who rage against the Lord will get their just deserts, while those of us who pledge loyalty to the Son – with a customary (in David’s society) kiss – will avoid His wrath, which would be much more, ah… effective… than that of the nations that oppose Him.

But for now, we haven’t gotten to the end of the book; there is less sign of victory at the moment, especially with the wall outside the sanctuary showing the hostages taken by Hamas (including some, like Shani Louk, who have since been confirmed dead). We can but stand with them and pray for them for the time being.

And ask you to keep an eye on them, honey, and wish them luck. They need it more than I do.