The Life You've Always Wanted: Part 7
March 19, 2023Pastor Patrick presented "Faithfulness" as the next Fruit of the Spirit in our current series, "The Life You've Always Wanted." A video of the message is here. Our Conversation Starter for this week is here.
The Biblical Hebrew word often translated as faithfulness (and truth, firmness, steadfastness, fidelity) is emunah (אֱמוּנָה֙).
This word appears in Deuteronomy 32:4 near the beginning of a "poem" Moses delivers to the Israelites. He has just finished telling them that he is not going into the Promised Land with them, but that God will lead the way, and then Moses describes God in the poem (chapter 32:1-43). At the top of the poem God is described as just and faithful (truth), righteous, and upright. Among other things, Moses is telling the people that faith in God's faithfulness is as important as works.
It's expected that the poem would be sung. Things are remembered more readily if put to music. This is also where "God is our Rock" comes from.
This poem runs from God's greatness to the Jews abandoning God to God's anger over their abandonment. God is trying to initimidate the Jews into sticking with him, i.e. being faithful.
In verse 7 we learn to ask our elders. Sadly, the current generation not only forgets the lessons of the past but also think they know best, e.g. "don't trust anyone over 30." Unwise.
This is also the poem where the "on eagle's wings" imagery comes from (Deuteronomy 32:11).