Friedman's Commentary on the Torah gives a great explanation concerning the concept of Trusting ADONAI in the Biblical context. The context is Exodus 14:30-31 just after the Israelites are delivered from the Egyptians by the miraculous hand of ADONAI parting the Red Sea.
That day ADONAI saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. And when the Israelites saw the great power the ADONAI displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the ADONAI and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.
trusted. This word is also translated often as "believed" (Hebrew wayya'aminu). It does not have the meaning here that it has in later religious concepts. That is, it does not function in the sense of believing that a G-d exists. This notion of belief in does not occur in Biblical Hebrew (nor in other ancient Near Eastern languages)! In pagan religion the gods, being observable forces in nature (e.g., the sun, the sky, the storm wind), are not a matter of belief but of knowledge. So in the conception of ADONAI in Exodus, G-D becomes known; ADONAI's existence and power are a matter of knowledge, not belief. When one has seen ten plagues and a sea split and has a column of cloud and fire visible at all times, one does not ask, "Do you believe in G-D?" As the term is used in the Hebrew Bible, it means not belief in, but belief that; that is, it means that if ADONAI says He will do something one can trust that He will do it.
We can trust that ADONAI will redeem us just as He redeemed His people from Egypt and that He is returning in a similar column of cloud that was seen by the Israelites in the wilderness. May it be soon and in our days. Maran Etha! (Our Master is coming!).
amen! That'll preach, brah!
ReplyDeleteSo good! The thing that struck me was the fear of the L-rd. It seems when you understand, or truely have the knowledge of who G-d is and what He is capable of then the fear of the L-rd comes. When there is fear of the L-rd, there is trust. You stand in awe of Him and His power and trust seems inevitable. I love your thoughts Tom. Thanks for provoking us to more.
ReplyDeletegreat point it makes me think about the verse that says even the demons believe... therefore the point real is to trust not just believe.
ReplyDeleteI was recently talking with someone who is now reading the CJB and we talked about this issue (at least I am thinking it is the same issue,) how faith is actually trust in the CJB which totally changes things.
ReplyDeleteShield of trust... different implications.