Chapter – 35 ‘Yosef camps in Israel’
Yosef had just arranged to have five other young married couples, who attended services at the CENTER, spend a Friday evening camping near Beersheba. They would take small 2-man tents for each of them; for the one evening.
A week later they were sitting in an open desert plain, under the night skies. The Chaplin had just started a small fire. It was bright enough so he could read the words from his Hebrew, study version bible, which he was holding in his hand. As Yosef looked up, it was a clear night; the sky was filled with brilliant shinning stars. He spoke, “Tonight I will share a message that my Rabbi shared with me several years ago.” Yosef spoke a short prayer.
“What you see,” said the Chaplin as he pointed his finger up, “is the created universe; in Hebrew the word would be OLAM… everything you see out here in the desert at night as you look up is the universe; it was created by God.” As he lifted up his copy of the scripture he commented, “This is my bible, the scriptures, the Word. In short we have the world and the word or you might say it in reverse. The Word and the world.” Then he asked, “Which would seem greater to you, this Word or the great Universe we are looking at?”
One young wife replied, “It would seem that the Universe is much greater, which is what we can visually see.” … The Chaplin responded, “Yes, it seems so much bigger visually. Now, answer this, which seems more tangible and firm?”…Leah, Yosef’s wife replied this time, “The world looks so powerful and awesome.” … Yosef looked up smiled toward her, then responded, “Yes Leah, it would seem so, but it’s not.” Then he held the scripture to the light and began to translate the words. “It is written in the Psalms: for HE spoke, and it came into existence. HE commanded and it was established. Then in Hebrews, it is written, that the universe was formed at Gods command; so which came first, the world or the Word?”
Yosef smiled before replying, “The Word came first and then the world.” He asked again, “Then which is greater, the world or the Word?” The shortest of the men exclaimed, “The Word would be greater!” The Chaplin quickly asked, “Then which is more tangible or firm?” The fellows’ response was a question back to Yosef, “Isn’t the Word supposed to be our firm foundation?” … “Yes,” said Yosef. “The Word came first; then the World came second. The Word was spoken and then the world followed. So, the Word doesn’t follow the world; the world follows the Word. So, what does that mean in our lives?”
Each of them looked into Yosef’s penetrating eyes and then responded in unison, “We must not be led by the secular world views, but by the Word.” “Yes,” he said. “It means you are never to be led by circumstances and events of your life. The gospel of John reads that in the beginning was the Word and that the Word was God.” Yosef paused a moment and then spoke again, “Think about it, Jesus who is the Christ, is also God; the gospel reads the Word was God. Therefore be led by the Word, even when it seems you are in the minority, which by the way we Christians are. ‘One day the last shall become the first. Why, because the Word says so’.”
Choose the Word over the World;
Scripture reference
Hebrews 11:3 – (NASB)
3 By faith we understand that the worlds [the universe] were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. [A MIRACLE took place.]
Matthew 24:29 – (NASB)
And immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Revelation 21:1 – (NASB)
Then I saw a new Heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and earth passed away… [Note-The entire Universe as we know it will be destroyed and God will start over with the redeemed; which are the followers of Christ.]
Psalm 33:6-9 – (NASB)
6 By the WORD of the Lord the heavens were made, AND by the breath of His mouth all their host. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. 9 For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast. [Awesome power]
John 1:1-4 – (NASB)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. [Jesus = the Word]
Genesis 1:3 – God spoke and said, “Let there be light….” .then in verse 26 spoke again and said, “Let us make man in our image….” .there are two plurals; us and our. Who was there? God, the Father & Son were at creation together
DG