God In A Box
Have you been following the "Lost Tomb of Christ" storyline? Evidently, James Cameron, (of Titanic fame) claims that 1982 Jerusalem was the sight of one of the most amazing archaeological finds of all time. Apparently, a family purchased a home and in the renovation/moving in process, stumbled across a tomb, home to ten small, stone caskets. Mr. Cameron is convinced that one of these contain the skeletal remains of our Savior, the others containing family members including His wife, His mother and His son. Obviously, this claim has caused much outrage and debate from both the Christian community and those in the biblical anthropological and archaeological communities. And, rightly so. Noted Biblical Anthropologist, Joe Zias says, "What they've done here is they've simply tried in a very, very dishonest way to try to con the public into believing this is the tomb of Jesus--it has nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus." There are so many scientific arguments to refute Mr. Cameron's claim, a claim which is a direct and abject contradiction of Holy Scripture. If you want read more about this attack on our faith, you will not have any problem finding the information. The "documentary" is airing Sunday evening amid much controversy.
This topic has been under discussion in our household for several days. It is no shock that Mr. Cameron and his cronies are attacking the Christian faith, they have tried before. The idea that science (which is created by God) refutes the Bible story (written by God) about Jesus (sacrificed by God) is preposterous. Satan, tried for hundreds of years to contain God and His message. It is obvious that he has not given up. The very idea that the Creator of the universe could be contained in a "small, limestone box" is inconceivable.
As I have watched this story unfold, I am reminded of a book I read a while back. The book, Your God is Too Small, by J.B. Phillips addresses our limited ideas of God. For years, many Christians have failed to acknowledge the majesty, power and presence of God in their lives. They have pigeon-holed Him and allowed Him (if one can allow God anything) to be Lord over only certain parts, specific areas. All too often, they have made Him nothing more than a "Sunday morning God", bookended by stained glass and heralded by many words and voices lifted in song, only to be set aside when the lights are dimmed, the heat lowered and the door locked until the next "meeting time". Like Mr. Cameron, they try to contain God. Only, the box they keep God in has a sign out front and an ad in the "church section" of the local newspaper. To which the world could comment, these people "have nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus".
Hence the problem, if Jesus is in that stone box, then He is not resurrected. If He can be contained in such a vessel, He cannot be God. If God is there, on television, amidst a pile of two thousand year old dust, then He is not in us. If there was no resurrection for Christ, then there will be no resurrection for me or you. That leaves us without hope and . . . and we are . . . to be pitied more than all men. (I Corinthians 15:19)
Peace,
Neva
This topic has been under discussion in our household for several days. It is no shock that Mr. Cameron and his cronies are attacking the Christian faith, they have tried before. The idea that science (which is created by God) refutes the Bible story (written by God) about Jesus (sacrificed by God) is preposterous. Satan, tried for hundreds of years to contain God and His message. It is obvious that he has not given up. The very idea that the Creator of the universe could be contained in a "small, limestone box" is inconceivable.
As I have watched this story unfold, I am reminded of a book I read a while back. The book, Your God is Too Small, by J.B. Phillips addresses our limited ideas of God. For years, many Christians have failed to acknowledge the majesty, power and presence of God in their lives. They have pigeon-holed Him and allowed Him (if one can allow God anything) to be Lord over only certain parts, specific areas. All too often, they have made Him nothing more than a "Sunday morning God", bookended by stained glass and heralded by many words and voices lifted in song, only to be set aside when the lights are dimmed, the heat lowered and the door locked until the next "meeting time". Like Mr. Cameron, they try to contain God. Only, the box they keep God in has a sign out front and an ad in the "church section" of the local newspaper. To which the world could comment, these people "have nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus".
Hence the problem, if Jesus is in that stone box, then He is not resurrected. If He can be contained in such a vessel, He cannot be God. If God is there, on television, amidst a pile of two thousand year old dust, then He is not in us. If there was no resurrection for Christ, then there will be no resurrection for me or you. That leaves us without hope and . . . and we are . . . to be pitied more than all men. (I Corinthians 15:19)
Peace,
Neva
posted by Neva | 7:37 AM
15 Comments:
Good morning, Neva. :) Enjoyed this post as I do all of them. Satan will keep working on us until the end of our time here. We need to remain strong and faithful.
Wow!
I must have been living in a box. I didn't know this was going on. I appreciate your post, though
Good job
Pat
Neva,
Christ was seen walking around after the tomb and people saw Him go into Heaven. Why would He have left His bones behind? One of the viewers that commented on our news said, "I think I will go dig a hole in my backyard and say my dog's bones belong to Moses."
We are praying for you!
Kathy
When will they ever learn that they are up against the Almighty and their fight will certainly, most certainly end in destruction. Don Neyland has a neat cartoon on his blog that says something to the effect of God already knows when and where James Cameron will be buried. To quote you, Neva, WAY COOL!!
Dan
Satan is always working to bring us down, to make us doubt. Thanks for the post. It gives me renewed vigor for Christ. :)
Love you,
Tammy
PS Praying for you and your family.
Very good. We sometimes forget we are at war unfortunately Satan has not forgotten.
Keep up the great posts.
Rachel
Amen and amen! I love reading something about this that actually makes sense to me as opposed to all the questions that ask, but...what if??
I'm not so sure that even if it could somehow be proved that we had the skeletal remains of Jesus, this would contradict the idea of resurrection.
St. Paul, addressing the Greeks on questions about the after life, speaks of the general resurrectionin in terms of a "spiritual body" not the physical body. Seems to me that accordingly Jesus as "first born of the dead" might have been resurrected the same way. Since Jesus is thought of as both man and God, the idea that there could be physical remains doesn't seem to me like anything to worry about.
I guess the thing it contradicts the most is the idea of the empty tomb, but heck, I never saw a resurrection - maybe the physical body gets sort of blown away or something!
If there were human remains of our risen Savior, why weren't they left in Joseph's tomb? Because He was bodily resurrected.
When the police today find remains what does that imply? Something is dead. our Savior isn't dead, He assended to the right hand of God. so there can't be remains.
As prone as we humans are to worship things and not God, do you not think we would have been worshiping these fragments all along?
The fact the fragments were in a box denies both history and the bible. the Jews wrapped the bodies of the dead (John 19 for Jesus, John 11 for Lazarus)
The train of thought that Jesus stayed and married Mary makes no sense, if you were going to marry one of the women from your congregation it wouldn't be one with a history of demon possession those are a supprise for the second year of marriage
Ned AKA Mr Neva
Mr. Neva,
If you are going to comment on this site, you must make sure it is only postive in reflection to all wives as we may take it in reguards to yours. How about all of those demon positions in the seventh year?
The One Who Loves You
neva-
As I said before, a very neat concept.
I don't want to take up too much space but in this post modern world of -"facts? we don't need no stinking facts"- please allow me to remind us all about the concept of bodily resurrection from just weeks after the actual event and whether or not there were any 'remains' remaining.
"Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, 'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.'" Acts 2.29-35
AW
well said
Neva,
This is a trend in our society today. Dan Brown's book (the DaVinci Code)and James Frey's book (Million Little Pieces) both claimed to be accurate but both were shown to be false. Brown's book had so many inaccuracies that his theories should have been dismissed immediately but instead it was made into a major motion picture. Frey's book was eventually denounced by Oprah and it died a quiet death. Perhaps if Frey had included a discovery about some Christian artifact that would have disproved Christianity he would still be on the best seller list.
Oprah actually (I've forgot that exact quote) declared the spirit of our age before her denunciation of Frey's book when she defended it but claiming that even though it may not be entirely accurate it was emotionally accurate. That's how people will view this tomb. They will ignore the facts and focus on their emotions. Too bad because if they knew our Savior they would rejoice as we rejoice with true emotion.
In cathedrals in Latin America (I'm not sure about other places), a common figure is the dead body of Jesus in a glass box. I always think: "That's not my Lord! He's alive and well."
The hoaxes will never end.
Grace and peace,
Tim
just wanted you to know he's watching you.
Praying for you
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home