March 23, 2017
Lenten Devotions – Robert Koldewey

“Jehoiachin king of Judah was •held [exiled] in Babylon for thirty-seven years. In the thirty-seventh year Evil-Merodach became king of Babylon, and he let Jehoiachin out of prison on •the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth month [C April 2]. Evil-Merodach spoke kindly to Jehoiachin and gave him a seat of honor above the seats of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. So Jehoiachin put •away [aside] his prison clothes. For •the rest of his life, he ate •at [in] the king’s •table [presence]. Every day, for as long as Jehoiachin lived, the king gave him an allowance.” 2 Kings 25:27-30

“On this date, March 23, 1899, Robert Koldewey began excavation in earnest on the east side of the mound of Kasr. Throughout 1898 and the early part of 1899 he reconnoitered the ancient city of Babylon. A brilliant architect and archaeologist, he knew he was to be appointed to head the digging. The German Oriental Society was picking up the tab and outfitting the expedition in full. The real work began after he received the expected authorization. Digging with 200 workers, Koldewey soon was writing excitedly of great finds. A relief he estimated at 960 feet long came to light. He uncovered the enormous walls of Babylon, so wide four span of horses could drive abreast. Babylon had been enormous, larger than any other citadel known to history. Not only this, but it was built of fired brick, not crumbly sun-baked clay. The bricks were stamped with Nebuchadnezzar’s name.

Wherever Koldewey turned his spade, he turned up verification of things the Bible had to say about the great kings and empires that once existed in the Mideast. Josephus, too, was verified. He had mentioned the hanging gardens of Babylon. The stone arches that supported these were also unearthed by the hardworking German. The archaeological team shipped the Gate of Ishtar from Processional way of Marduk to Germany and reassembled it to be marveled at by visitors. This was from Babylon’s defensive entrance street. On either side of this sunken road, walls rose up forty feet and were lined by 120 stone reliefs with bas reliefs of yellow lions against blue tile. Koldeway shipped many other objects to Germany, among them a basket full of 300 cuneiform tablets.
These were administrative tablets taken from an outbuilding some distance from the Ishtar gate. Nothing much of interest there, it seemed. Not until after 1933 did anyone trouble to fully decipher these bureaucratic texts. But then E. F. Weidener announced an electrifying record corroborating Scripture. According to Scripture, King Jehoiachin of Judah had been taken into captivity around 600 B.C. Jeremiah says that after a period of suffering the Babylonian King lifted him up and “…Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table. Day by day the king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived, till the day of his death.” Here, on cuneiform was verification of the Biblical text, listing the supplies given king Jehoiachin of Judah. It was a welcome find as critics had long scoffed at the Bible as unhistorical. Koldewey had dug up more than Babylon. He had dug up priceless data that would help us better understand God’s word.”  (Koldeway’s Verified the Bible from Babylon, Dan Graves, Christianity.com)

As Lutherans we do not treat the bible as a history book, but that does not mean that the bible does not contain accurate historical information. Looking at archaeological efforts like those of Robert Koldewey, there is evidence that some historical records have corroborated certain parts of the bible – especially the parts of the Old Testament during the reign of Josiah. There obviously has been heavy redaction (editing) to the manuscripts that exist, and since we do not have original documents, and all of the biblical accounts were passed along in oral traditions, it is difficult to make definitive statements about the historical accuracy – except for those parts where archaeology supports the biblical account.

But that does not diminish the power of the written Word. For you see, whether the events are entirely accurate, heavily edited, or completely fictional, the people and their stories still speak to us as the Word of G-d, spoken through the power of the Holy Spirit, and given to us for edification, teaching, and guidance in a difficult world.

This week, I want you to collect a roll of toilet paper each day to donate to Trinity’s Table. Bring in your six rolls of TP to church on Sunday, March 26.

Pastor Dave

March 22, 2017
Lenten Devotions – Obey Responsibly

Many people do not like the word obey. For many people, to obey hearkens back to the idea of slavery, of women as property, and to the G-d of the Old Testament. But when we listen to and obey the Word of G-d, we can understand our obedience as the faithful proclamation and discipleship within God’s word. We acknowledge our faith and live out our faith in the gospel for the glory of God and for the building up of the body of Christ. This kind of obedience takes courage. It involves our lifelong obedience, including the ways we treat our families, others, and ourselves.

“The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore.” Genesis 22:15-17a

Stewardship is growing, developing, advancing, and building the gifts with which God has blessed us. God supplies resources sufficient to the mission. Therefore… live in the confidence that:
– The love of God is renewing
– The power of God is astonishing
– The grace of God is amazing
– The purpose of God is moving
– The hope of God overcomes all.

God invites us to be a good steward of the gift of generosity. A good steward returns all to the master. As you return all to God, you are freed from thinking you own what you have been given. God invites you to be a steward of the gift of God’s mission. As stewards of God’s mission, it is never quite clear who is helping whom. God gives us first the mission, and then God gives us the congregation – the outpost, the mission team – with which to be in mission with the un-churched. When you are a good steward of the congregation with which God has blessed you, you help that congregation toward wellness, to grow beyond a sense of powerlessness, a sense of compulsiveness for perfectionism, a sense of low self-esteem, a sense of depression or dependency, a sense of codependency. You advance the congregation toward healing and wellness. As you do so, you act as a good steward of God’s mission.” (Lenten Devotional Stewardship Principles, We walk together as stewards in God’s church, ELCA, 2012, March 6)

The obedience of faith – it is a conundrum. We struggle to be independent and self-sufficient people. And yet G-d asks us to be obedient in our faith, which requires giving up our independence and our agendas. But when we finally agree that G-d is the captain of our cruise ship of faith, then we may take some time to determine what gifts we have to share with the other people in the congregation and community that is our cruise ship. When we allow G-d to captain our ship of faith, all we can do is seek to be good stewards and obedient believers.

This week, I want you to collect a roll of toilet paper each day to donate to Trinity’s Table. Bring in your six rolls of TP to church on Sunday, March 26.

Pastor Dave