Sour Grapes and Sitting on the Dock of the Bay

First, we need to begin with the understanding that the Bible comes from the people of the ancient near east. Inspired by the Divine, of course, but real people writing in a language that made sense to them and their original audience.

Why begin here? Because the ancient Hebrew language is rich in imagery, more visual than it is about bullet point definitions. Numbers in the text are often symbols and clues to something else, rather than mathematics. The writers were often painting pictures with their words, and if we hold tight to only using a linear, literal reading, we can miss a significant depth that is underneath and beyond the text.

There is always more going on, of course. So let’s visit a more familiar text for those who have some familiarity with the Bible. A look into one of the Ten Commandments.

“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.”

What was stated “in the beginning,” will also be explained how the people are to function themselves as image bearers, people made “in image of God.” A kingdom of priests who are set apart to show the world what this God is like. So you don’t need to make something to give this God a body. You will be my body. This is about community, a body of people that will be a body for the Divine.

Stunning.

For these people, it was never just about you… the individual. This is a communal people, so whatever you say and do is also tied to aunt Lucy, grandpa Fred, and great grandpa Earl.

Which leads us to the highlighted word “punishing.” It’s actually more of a picture, and the pliability of the word sure helps with the picture. The Hebrew word here is, pāqaḏ, and it most often means visiting, attending to. Which is much different than punishing.

The picture is of the Divine as parent, visiting their kids to sit and talk about their ancestry, the patterns and common misgivings as a warning for how these kids should live going forward.

It’s the picture of a dad sitting on the dock with his son, and they are talking about how grandpa used take him to this same dock and sit and talk… and how great grandpa used to take grandpa here as well… and all the meaningful ways of the world would get passed along. And all the warnings of the family’s hang ups and hiccups as well.

So we have a picture of the Divine sitting with the kids and talking about the ills, addictions, and sideways living of those that came before them, and saying choose My way, because it is the better way. And at this time, people believed that they held the stain, so the guilt, of those before them.

Which we can understand, having both certain talents in the bloodlines, say a certain artistry, as well as understanding addictions being in the bloodline.

But there is also a growth in consciousness, an understanding that we have choice, and if we know we have a tendency toward addiction, then we can make choices that steer us away from that history.

Because I am of my grandpa, but I am not my grandpa.

The later Hebrew prophets, Jeremiah and Ezekiel will highlight the growth in this way of thinking.

“In those days people will no longer say, ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.” (Jeremiah 31:29-30, NIV)

The word of the LORD came to me: “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: “‘The parents eat sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.” (Ezekiel 18:1-3, NIV)

Can you see the move? This is stepping towards more individuality, which offers gifts and challenges. Those of us in the very individualistic USA, know both of these all too well.

But the point is, you will be held responsible for your actions, while also being educated in the ways of the past, as a lesson in growing up.

This is a longer writing, and maybe more hefty, but I think it’s really crucial in how we engage with the Biblical landscape, and how we experience the Divine. Let’s wrap up with the numbering.

The whole piece about, third and fourth generations being held next to a thousand generations, is a really big deal. It’s a picture of a scale, and the love of the Divine far outweighs the sideways living. It’s not even a fair comparison, the scale can’t even hold the love of the Divine. It just keeps growing and going, expanding and enveloping… everyone and everything.

Sitting on the dock, getting a lesson in love. Talking about the past, and our messy family, yet being called to a fresh future with our forever Father.

That’s quite a picture.