First,
let me say: I didn’t invent this saying, my Mother-in-Law has never
even entered a Starbucks, nor have I ever seen a drunk gorilla.
Second, I have tried and tried and tried to understand this (I am
fascinated by problems) but I just cannot. Lastly, this comparison is
absurd and a little insulting to women in general, but it does make a
point: She had problems ordering at Starbucks (who wouldn’t, with
all those choices?).
In
this world there are things we all will never fully understand and
those things are different for each individual. Some people have
difficulties with Math or Science, others hate Mechanical things and
would not be able to fix a car if their life depended on it. Still
others, have inter-personal problems; for instance, has there ever
been a man who TRULY understood EVERYTHING about a
woman? And, if any man says that he does- He is lying through his
teeth.
I
wonder, has anyone truly understood everything about God? The Bible
says in the book of Isaiah:
Isaiah
55 ( WEB )
[8] “For
my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,”
says Yahweh.
[9] “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
[9] “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
OK,
God’s thoughts and ways are beyond me. But, what about the essence
of his
being, that is, HIS TRUE LIKENESS? The prophet Ezekiel gives this
“description”...?
Ezekiel
1 ( World
English
Bible
)
[4] I
looked, and behold, a
stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with flashing
lightning, and a brightness around it, and out of its midst as it
were glowing metal, out of the midst of the fire. [5] Out
of its midst came the likeness of four living creatures. This was
their appearance: they had the likeness of a man. [6] Everyone
had four faces, and each one of them had four wings. [7] Their
feet were straight feet; and the sole of their feet was like the sole
of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished brass. [8] They
had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and the
four of them had their faces and their wings thus: [9] their
wings were joined one to another; they didn’t turn when they went;
each one went straight forward. [10] As
for the likeness of their faces, they had the face of a man; and the
four of them had the face of a lion on the right side; and the four
of them had the face of an ox on the left side; the four of them also
had the face of an eagle. [11] Such
were their faces. Their wings were spread out above. Two wings of
each one touched another, and two covered their bodies. [12] Each
one went straight forward: where the spirit was to go, they went;
they didn’t turn when they went. [13] As
for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like
burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches: the fire went
up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and
lightning went out of the fire. [14] The
living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of
lightning. [15] Now
as I saw the living creatures, behold, one wheel on the earth beside
the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it. [16] The
appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl: and the
four of them had one likeness; and their appearance and their work
was as it were a wheel within a wheel. [17] When
they went, they went in their four directions: they didn’t turn
when they went. [18] As
for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had
their rims full of eyes all around. [19] When
the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the
living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were
lifted up. [20] Wherever
the spirit was to go, they went; there was the spirit to go: and the
wheels were lifted up beside them; for the spirit of the living
creature was in the wheels. [21] When
those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when
those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside
them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the
wheels. [22] Over
the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse,
like the awesome crystal to look on, stretched out over their heads
above. [23] Under
the expanse were their wings straight, the one toward the other: each
one had two which covered on this side, and every one had two which
covered on that side, their bodies. [24] When
they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great
waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the
noise of an army: when they stood, they let down their
wings. [25] There
was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads: when they
stood, they let down their wings. [26] Above
the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne,
as the appearance of a sapphire stone;
and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of
a man on it above. [27] I
saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all
around, from the appearance of his waist and upward; and from the
appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance
of fire, and there was brightness around him. [28] As
the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud in the day of
rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was
the appearance of the likeness of Yahweh’s glory. When
I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.
Confused
yet? You should be! Only that emboldened verse really makes sense
(well, sort of). Question: How do you describe one who has the power
to create everything, to know everything and be everywhere? The
answer is that you can only describe it in terms that can be
understood by the hearer (in this case, you and me). Well,
how
do you describe the incomprehensible? With
visions and figures of speech that convey a very general meaning,
that’s how. Having said this, we can really only hope to understand
what God really wants us to know (for our own good). Moses says (in
the book of Deuteronomy)..
Deuteronomy
29 ( WEB
)
[29]
The secret things belong to Yahweh our God; but the things that are
revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all
the words of this law.
And Jeremiah says…
Jeremiah
29 ( WEB )
[31] Behold,
the days come, says Yahweh, that I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: [32] not
according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day
that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt;
which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, says
Yahweh. [33] But
this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, says Yahweh: I will put my law in their inward parts, and
in their heart will I write it; and I will be their God, and they
shall be my people: [34] and
they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his
brother, saying, Know Yahweh; for they shall all know me, from their
least to their greatest, says Yahweh: for I will forgive their
iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more.
Jeremiah is referring to the NEW Covenant given through Jesus’
sacrifice for our sins, but the question remains: How do we know God?
The apostle John says…
John
1 ( WEB )
[10]
He
was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world
didn’t recognize him. [11] He
came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive
him. [12] But
as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s
children, to those who believe in his name: [13] who
were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will
of man, but of God. [14] The
Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory
as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and
truth. [15] John
testified about him. He cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I
said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me, for he was before
me.’” [16] From
his fullness we all received grace upon grace. [17] For
the law was given through Moses. Grace and truth were realized
through Jesus Christ. [18] No
one has seen God at any time.
The
one and only Son, who
is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.
Want
to know God- look to Jesus; listen to him and live. Matt. 7:21-27,
Matt. 17:1-5. Not interested; well, there is always that mental image
of a drunk Gorilla try to start a car with a French Fry….
