Black caps part 2

       In my Black Caps entry, I quoted from Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

       Leviticus 23:22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

       Deuteronomy 24:19 When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. 20 When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 21 When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

 22 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.

       Clearly, the LORD commanded to not be greedy about harvest, to give the opportunity for the unfortunate to eat.

       My liberal friends might jump to their feet to shout “Hallelujah!” That’s ok, but this is only one facet of the LORD’s code of conduct regarding harvest. Please read what we find in Deuteronomy 23.

       Deuteronomy 23:24 When thou comest into thy neighbour’s vineyard, then thou mayest eat grapes thy fill at thine own pleasure; but thou shalt not put any in thy vessel. 25 When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn.

       The concept of ownership and rights is deeply endorsed by scripture. Certainly greed is sin. It is sin in the wealthy and in the poor. Being poor is no more virtuous than being wealthy. It’s what you do with what you’re given. It’s what you do in your heart about it.

Black Caps!

The Backyard Naturalist Strikes Again:

Black Caps!

       Ah, black caps: the thorny weed with sweet and sour black gems of pitty fruit. The outdoor baby sitter. The source of pennies from Mom. The dye for making pretend blood for play-acting.

        It’s black cap season again, and by my calculation, it’s a week or two early. Usually they are at peak just before my birthday. This time, they’re at peak for Dad’s.

       To me, picking black caps has been a favorite part of summer for as long as I can remember. The pleasure of the prizes is almost always worth the pain of acquiring them.

        Black caps are protected by an astringent white powder on the stems and thorns. The thorns vary from large enough to draw blood to nearly microscopic enough to drive one to itchy exasperation. When pricked by the thorns, the powder seems to create an extra irritant to one’s skin. Additionally, it is rare to find a stand of black caps that are mosquito-free.

       Through the years, this backyard naturalist has noticed something about the black caps. Perhaps you have, too. Daddy longlegs seem to frequent the black caps. One hot summer day, I watched a daddy longlegs on one of the juicy black berries.

       “What are you doing?” I may have whispered.

       Then I saw it. The daddy longlegs had its fangs in the fruit. It was drinking the juices out of it, its tiny fangs poking into the fruit and then slipping them into its mouth and then back into the fruit again. I delightedly reported it to Mom and Dad, who gave me more than just parental interest. Dad made his “I’m impressed!” face. He raises his eyebrows slightly, draws his chin and lower lip upward and sometimes tips his head. That expression is one of those things I live for, as my father is a brilliant man. Impressing him makes my whole year. I’m definitely, as they say, my mother’s daughter and my father’s daughter.

       Today, at the end of a walk with my sweetie, I was struck by the immensity of this year’s black cap harvest all around the edge of our development. No one had touched them, although they’ve been ripening en masse for several days. The plants seemed to be begging to be relieved of their load of juicy black fruit.

       I went inside and changed to a long sleeved shirt (even though it’s 80+º out there). In about 20 minutes, I had picked a quart.

       When it comes to harvesting “weeds,” I remind myself to not be greedy. My biblical precedent is found in Leviticus.

         Leviticus 19: 9 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. 10 And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus 23:22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.

       And, in Deuteronomy:

       Deuteronomy 24: 19 When thou cuttest down thine harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go again to fetch it: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow: that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thine hands. 20 When thou beatest thine olive tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 21 When thou gatherest the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it afterward: it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow.

 22 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt: therefore I command thee to do this thing.

       Even with my quart of berries, there’s at least another quart out there ready for the picking. After that, maybe another wave of ones that are still pink. 

       I’ve picked enough manna for one day.

Nu 23: no curse but a plan

      Balaam’s understanding about God progresses through the course of the Numbers account. In 22:13, after God speaks to Balaam, Balaam refers to God as “the LORD,” or hwhy Y@hovah. In 22:18, after his second meeting with God, he now calls him “the LORD my God,” or hwhy Y@hovah Myhla 'elohiym.

       In 22:34, Balaam acknowledges he has sinned.

       34 And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.

       He offers to turn around at this point, but in verse 34, the angel of the LORD tells him to go with the men.

       In chapters 22 and 23, a pattern ensues of Balak bringing Balaam to various sites, their offering of sacrifices, God giving Balaam a word and Balaam blessing and prophesying over Israel.

       In church circles, we quote some of these verses, such as 23:19.

            19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

       In 24, there is a particularly beautiful Messianic prophesy. In the Manasquan High School symphonic choir, we sang part of this verse in an arrangement by Felix Mendelssohn.

       17 a I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel....

       In chapter 24, Balaam continues to understand God a little more.

       24:1 And when Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he went not, as at other times, to seek [harq qir'ah] for enchantments [vxn nachash], but he set his face toward the wilderness. 2 And Balaam lifted up his eyes, and he saw Israel abiding in his tents according to their tribes; and the spirit of God came upon him.

       Balaam usually divined to get his information. In 24, however, he realizes that it pleases God to bless Israel. He looks over Israel and experiences the supernatural in a different way. Instead of seeking after enchantments, the spirit of God comes upon him. He blesses and prophesies once more.

       Balak’s ‘aph is kindled against Balaam. He is so angry that the Bible notes his physical action. He tells Balaam he’d better flee (run for his life?).

       Here’s one place where I need a Hebrew scholar. In response, Balaam says,

       24:14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

       Throughout the Old Testament, there is the phrase that someone “was gathered unto his people.” It means someone died. Verse 14, however, uses a different verb. At first I thought it meant Balaam was resigned to die at Balak’s hand, so he was going to continue prophesying anyway. But maybe he was simply saying, “Well, before I go, just one last thing.”

       Whether Balaam thought he was about to be killed should make no difference to one’s theology. It does, to me, though. I’m not excusing Balaam’s sin. I am, however, looking for real people with real motivation and real growth.

       We live in a very real world where very real people hate and want to annihilate Israel. If I, a professing Christian, had to stand in front of a furious king, would I continue to bless Israel? Food for thought.

       Balaam then prophesies over the neighboring peoples. Then he goes home.

       That’s it? That’s all?

       Something happens between 24:24 and 24:25. Instead of fleeing [xrb barach], Balak just goes [Kly yalak]. Why, after all the blessing and prophesying against Israel’s enemies, does Balak simply let Balaam go?

       Our answer is in Revelation 2.

       12 And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; 13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

          14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

       Revelation 2:14 tells why Balak let Balaam go. Balaam gave Balak a way to cause the Israelites to curse themselves! He taught him to throw [ballw ballo] a stumblingblock [skandalon skandalon]. (The skandalon initially was a trigger for a trap. It also came to mean something to cause stumbling or falling.)

       Putting this information into the Balaam account:

         25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.

 25:1 And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

       Just when I was hoping Balaam really understood God and his ways, Balaam uses that understanding to set up Israel’s downfall.

       Enter Phineas.