Note on the previous entry

I just realized that in the Hebrew of Joel it is all prose, and every other translation of it except the ESV render it either all prose or all poetry. So some of my points are rendered useless.

However, the word "and" in vv. 28 and 30 is the same, and only in those two instances within the whole passage. I will need to look these up.

I will revisit this, edit it and re-post it but I will leave this version up, not to mislead anyone but to show a step towards growth.

And...

I am overwhelmed by the greatness of God. The chorus "you do all things well" is on my lips today. My grandfather was just diagnosed with Alzheimer's. This sucks, but for my modern poetry class I am reading T. S. Eliot's East Coker, which has given me the encouragement I need to face the situation. I have been reading Joel for my bible study, notably comparing the prophetical section with its counterpart in Acts 2 pondering the theories of partial and complete fulfillment. Thankfully the Lord Christ opened my mind to a simple grammatical construct that I had not noticed before:

...

28 "And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

30"And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. 32And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.

...

Notably different from Acts is verses 30 and on in prose and not poetry, which indicates a change of context that must be significant. Also note the use of the word "and" which is a conjunction. The OED defines its use as: "introducing a word, clause, or sentence, which is to be taken side by side with, along with, or in addition to, that which precedes it."

This leads to my interpretation. Before the promise of the pouring of of his Spirit, God tells the Israelites to return to him. When they do he will have pity on them and then he will pour out his Spirit. And then, after that, before the day of the Lord he will do the crazy fire and blood stuff. In other words, the prose passage describes what will happen after the Spirit is poured out, right before the tribulation. Interestingly, poetry is often used in the OT for prophecy, and prose for history. Whether or not this has any literal bearing on interpretation, it's almost as if to say that the end times were already history even before they happened! I won't get dogmatic on that point because my understanding of Hebrew grammar is minimal if not non-existent.

Regardless of that point, the rest of this study proves (at least for me) partial fulfillment in Acts 2, which I guess is undoubted considering the blood and fire stuff clearly didn't happen yet. However, what this does is give me an idea where the partial fulfillment ends, which is the always the big debate. I see it as ending at verse 29, the end of the poetry, which means that modern Christians can prophesy, dream dreams, and see visions; remember that this is "all flesh," all believers, all Christians. Also, realize it says will not just are able to. This means that we should be doing these things. Something to ponder, eh?

Finally, for those of you that have read this far and care, here is the passage from East Coker I was talking about. It's the second half of section II:

… There is, it seems to us,
At best, only a limited value

In the knowledge derived from experience.

The knowledge imposes a pattern, and falsifies,

For the pattern is new in every moment

And every moment is a new and shocking

Valuation of all we have been. We are only undeceived

Of that which, deceiving, could no longer harm.

In the middle, not only in the middle of the way
But all the way, in a dark wood, in a bramble,

On the edge of a grimpen, where is no secure foothold,

And menaced by monsters, fancy lights,

Risking enchantment. Do not let me hear

Of the wisdom of old men, but rather of their folly,

Their fear of fear and frenzy, their fear of possession,

Of belonging to another, or to others, or to God.

The only wisdom we can hope to acquire

Is the wisdom of humility: humility is endless.

The houses are all gone under the sea.

The dancers are all gone under the hill.

AAAHHHHH!!!

The new U2 record comes out today! Someone take me to future shop so I can pick up the deluxe version.... or buy it for me.... or something!

What I'm enjoying lately...

...for those of you who have the slightest interest in what that is:

Listening:

U2, lots of U2, all their albums and some singles; but mostly Pop, The Unforgettable Fire, and Passengers: Original Soundtracks 1. Also some Sunny Day Real Estate and The Cure.

Reading:

Lots of T.S. Eliot, Steve Stockman's Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2, and in the bible, Romans, Joel, and Psalm 51.

...

I've also been spending some quality time with Jerry, Meagh, Rachel, and Haaseltons cafe.

Walk...

So I received my copy of Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 in the mail today (yeah, I know, I'm obsessive...) Well, I must say... I am challenged, humbled... as much as this book is about U2 it is also about living a Christian lifestyle, doing it and not just saying it. It also has given me a deeper appreciation of U2's music.

In other news I still have a girlfriend... that makes me happy... (hugs)

argh

that's a broken heart because I accidentally erased ALL the documents on my computer.......

Part the Millionth

I tso fhinished my sessay! It makes me si haooot!

(I so finished my essay! It makes me so happy!)

quiet

I am often out late... rarely do I see my house before 1am. Perhaps it was 4 months of midnights, but it just ain't so bad. My dogs bark and wake my parents, argh.

However, I've noticed that whenever I am out late serving the purposes of God the dogs do not bark. Sweet!

Wake Up

Listening to: U2-If You Where That Velvet Dress I like U2. A lot. Especially lately. They have good spiritual lyrics. Despite what everyone else thinks, I think that Pop is one of their best albums. This song makes me blush.

Last night when I was done work the lovely Rachel Rose and Veronica came to Timmy's as a surpise, so we went to Riley's and had some beer. It's been a while. I like Guiness.

The infamous Terry Guille (I think I spelled that right) was playing. It goes like this:

Me: Uh, do you know With or Without You by U2
Terry: DO I?! [gestures to give me props] It's done!
Me: Sweet. [gives props]

He hit the high notes really well. Both Veronica and I were impressed (It is both o our favourite U2 song after all) Rachel liked it too.

For some reason the blogger text codes do not appear on my lappy, so I've been learning some basic HTML code. It's rather fun. I have to write a big essay that's due on Tuesday.

Church in the Caf on Sunday in LEC with Carlo Raponi.

Here's some good U2 lyrics for you to ponder:

Wake Up Dead Man

Jesus, Jesus help me
I'm alone in this world
And a f*****-up world it is too.

Tell me, tell me the story
The one about eternity
And the way it's all gonna be.

Wake up, wake up dead man
Wake up, wake up dead man.

Jesus, I'm waiting here, boss
I know you're looking out for us
But maybe your hands aren't free.

Your Father, He made the world in seven
He's in charge of heaven.
Will you put a word in for me?

Wake up, wake up dead man
Wake up, wake up dead man.

Listen to the words they'll tell you what to do
Listen over the rhythm that's confusing you
Listen to the reed in the saxophone
Listen over the hum of the radio
Listen over the sound of blades in rotation
Listen through the traffic and circulation
Listen as hope and peace try to rhyme
Listen over marching bands playing out their time.

Wake up, wake up dead man
Wake up, wake up dead man.

Jesus, were you just around the corner?
Did you think to try and warn her?
Were you working on something new?
If there's an order in all of this disorder
Is it like a tape recorder?
Can we rewind it just once more?

Wake up, wake up dead man
Wake up, wake up dead man.

Pics from Friends

In these pics, top to bottom: Hansen drinking through my earlobe, me drinking Guiness, "nose fries", TCF Winter Retreat '06 group shot, "The Man in Black" with Heather Johnstone

friends

the infamous Jerry Bolton














The Luke Dent avec moi

desiring God

Go to Desiring God. Listen to the MP3 sermons. Listen hard.

It will make you desire God.

sitting at a table for two

Derek Webb- Table for Two

Danny and I spent another late night over pancakes
We talked about soccer and how every man's just the same
And made speculation on the 'who's and the 'when's of our futures
And how everyone's lonely but still we just couldn't complain

And how we just hate being alone
Could I have left my only chance
And now I'm just wasting my time
Looking around

But you know I know better I'm not gonna worry 'bout nothing
'Cause if the birds and the flowers survive then I'll make it okay
If given a chance and a rock see which one breaks a window
And see which one keeps me up all night and into the day

Because I'm so scared of being alone
That I forgot what house I live in
But it's not my job to wait by the phone
For her to call

Well this day's been crazy but everything's happened on schedule
From the rain and the cold to the drink that I spilled on my shirt
'Cause You knew how You'd save me before I fell dead in the garden
And You knew this day long before You made me out of dirt

And You know the plan You have for me
And You can't plan the ends and not plan the means
And so I suppose I just need some peace
To get me to sleep

____________________________________________________________

The first time I heard this song was when I was really frustrated with the whole being single thing... Todd Anderson played me this song.

Later, after Todd's wedding on the way to the reception Paul Lawton (freshly married himself) put this song on his iPod. Don't know if he noticed but it brought me to tears. Seriously, I was really depressed by my singleness... This song was the greatest comfort.

Now that I am actually in a relationship, even though its only been a week and a half, this song resonates with me more now. The difference between being single and being in a relationship is tangible... I realize both are good, both are blessed, both are beneficial.

I hope reading the lyrics for this song bring you comfort and joy, whether you are single or not.