The Chapter 30 Diner (4)

 

“Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son’s name? Surely you know!” Proverbs 30:4.

 

Five questions. The first question presents four possibilities to us, with two images. Was Agur thinking of Psalm 68, or was he thinking of Deuteronomy 30, or was he thinking of something else? Perhaps he was thinking of both Psalm 68 and Deuteronomy?

 

In Psalm 68:18 we have, “You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives; You have received gifts among men, even among the rebellious also, that the LORD God may dwell there.”

 

Paul quotes this passage in Ephesians 4:7 – 8, “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, ‘When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men.’”

 

Then we have Deuteronomy 30:11 – 14:

 

“For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us, to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.” (See also Paul’s use of this passage in Romans 10:6 – 10).

 

There is yet a third passage of which we should be aware, though it is not a passage that Agur would have known, for Agur lived before the Incarnation. “No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man” (John 3:13).

 

If Agur has an image of Psalm 68 behind his question, then his image is of God ascending, after first descending to Mount Sinai. This was a precursor to Jesus Christ also ascending from “the lower parts of the earth” (Eph. 4:9) “far above all the heavens” (Eph. 4:10). That is, we have an image of God descending and ascending, an image that we see throughout Scripture in various settings, anchored by Yahweh at Sinai and then in the birth, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Of the two events Agur, of course, would only have been thinking of God at Sinai as portrayed in Psalm 68, if he was thinking of that passage, which we don’t really know.

 

However, the Old Testament contains instances of Yahweh appearing to men and women throughout history; Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Manoah and his wife; this is especially woven into the Exodus narrative – a narrative that God’s people, including Agur, would have had embedded in their hearts and minds (at least we hope so). And let us remember  the holy feasts throughout the year pointing back to the Exodus, from Passover to Tabernacles – it would be difficult, one would think, not to have an image of God descending and ascending.

 

I am reminded of how radical this image of God was, and probably still is if we rightly consider it. My Hebrew professor, Gary Pratico, spoke of his time at Harvard working with ANE antiquities. “For years my hands handled religious artifacts that spoke of man attempting to reach up to God, with the exception of the Hebrews; for with the Hebrews God reached down to man.”

 

Do we take this image for granted? Do we fail to recognize this motif throughout the Biblical record? Yahweh sought out Adam and Eve in the Garden, they were hiding from Him while He was looking for them. God well knew what had occurred, He knew they were hiding, we don’t hide unless we are afraid – God knew they were afraid, and God sought them.

 

Can we hear the words of Gabriel to Mary, “Fear not.” Can we hear those words spoken to shepherds? Can we hear Jesus saying, “Peace be with you” on the Day He rose from the dead? Can we see the Good Shepherd seeking the one lost sheep?

 

The God of the Bible pursues men and women and young people with a passion of love, He is the God who has descended to save us, the One who has tasted “death for everyone” (Heb. 2:9), the One who did not cling to His Divine position, but somehow “emptied Himself” and “humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:5 – 11).

 

Consider that before the Incarnation that every time God descended that He ascended without us; but that when Jesus Christ came to us that He not only took us with Him in His ascension (Eph. 2:6), but that God remained with us (Matt. 28:20; Jn. 14:15 – 23). Yes, this is a radically new Way of Life, but then in Christ we have been made radically new creations (2 Cor. 5:14 – 21).

 

Do we realize the depth of God’s love for us?

 

Do I realize it?

 

Do you?