Listening to two voices

Reflections

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Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations

These words were written at a time when the people of the Ancient Middle East believed that there were competing gods. 

For example: Marduk was the god of Babylon: they called him the king of the gods because he was the God of War, and the Babylonians made war better than anyone else. 

Then there was Baal or Moloch, who was the god worshipped in many ancient Middle Eastern communities, because he controlled the fertility of your crops – the weather, the rain, lightning, floods – and the fertility of your marriage. 

This God rewarded you with wealth in exchange for your sacrifices.

The words of Psalm 100 cuts across all of this thinking: Where other nations speak of a god of war and terror (Marduk) or a god of lustful hunger for possessions (Baal/Moloch) – Israel experiences the untiring goodness and love and faithfulness of YHWH, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

God is not a god of warfare and violence and greed – and do not let anyone tell you otherwise. When someone tries to pray a prayer glorifying violence, or speaks of a god who rewards greed, reply to them that they are describing the god of the ancient Babylonians or the early Canaanites. Invite them to read Psalm 100:

Our God “is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”