BDE — Before the Digital Era
Here’s the thing, God could have chosen to communicate with His people through any device He wanted to.
He didn’t have to personally write on a physical item with His personal finger the Words He wanted us to live our lives by.
He didn’t have to personally hand-deliver the tables of stone to an actual person, Moses.
He simply could have downloaded into their minds and consciousness all the information He had for them. That way He could have avoided all the future translation issues and confusion that has dogged His people from the get-go. What was He thinking?!
Well, here’s what He was thinking BDE:
“And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.”
Exodus 31:18
Most of us in the Messianic/Hebraic mindset are aware of the designation: BCE - Before the Common Era. It’s another way of stating the period of time Before Christ, BC.
So we are now no longer BDE people. We are DE people. We don’t think analog. We think digital.
With all that stated, here’s my blog …
Due to everything that is swirling around us in relation to the current Coronavirus, the way we do things is in a state of flux. Our movements are being curtailed — all for our own good and the good of others.
Some folks are choosing to limit contact with others by personal decision. And of course, some of the new “social guidelines” are being imposed upon us — for our own good and the good of others. And please remember: it’s 6 feet, not 51/2.
I’m not here to argue the merits of any of this present situation and how it’s all playing out. That’s a whole other discussion. And believe me, I have a lot to say — if you’re interested.
My focus is drawn from Luke’s last message that he preached and posted. I loved and agreed 100% with what he said. We are so attached to the Tar Baby of our devices, our digital world of communication, that we don’t know how to function without staring at a screen — like I’m doing right now!
The facility where we as an assembly gather for worship has decided to keep their doors closed for now. They have temporarily taken their own steps to do their part in keeping their people safe by not congregating.
That has caused us to figure out how we are to move forward in relation to our own gathering. There appears to be some viable options. One is to have online service. Another option is to meet at someone’s home. Another, to stay at home and have individual home worship services.
Granted, this a unique experience for all of us in many ways. It calls upon us to rethink, reexamine, and possibly revise common practices. One of which is:
The validity, or not, of online Shabbat community.
I know that, for the messianic community, in particular, this is a touchy topic — a proverbial hot potato topic. So, for me, the question is:
Does online Shabbat community have merit … Biblically?
It’s a powerfully potent and, potentially divisive, topic. This is the sort of topic I love to jump into and go head-to-head.
Let’s go back in time first:
I grew up in the BDE period of our history. We somehow had to figure out how to survive without the benefit of the Digital Era of instant everything. I know some might say those were simpler days. Yes, to a degree that’s correct.
However, when your car broke down out in the middle of nowhere, you had to already have done some preparation for such a time as that. You couldn’t just pull your handy dandy mobile device out of your pocket or purse and call for help. Imagine … not being connected! How did we survive????
Do you realize that some of the most impactful ministries of bygone days were all accomplished without the benefits of radio, TV, computer, phone (much less a cell phone)? And they impacted the known world, literally. How was that even possible?
Community.
We all lived and breathed our locale, our neighborhood, our city, our community.
How did people start churches back in those days? I mean the days before radio, TV, computer, phone. They did it the old fashioned way: actual face to face, person by person, individual contact. There was no other way.
So, I’ve been asking myself how churches would have handled something like this back in my day 50+ years ago. Would they still meet? Would the government let them? How would anybody even know what and how to do the next step? How could you Google? How could you Hey Siri?
Well if you know anything about those days (and before) in our country, the churches were the heartbeat of most communities. Most folks were tied into a local church of some sort or fashion. I’m talking about me as a kid watching folks walking up the street in lines going to the local church.
Suffice it to say, that’s not our country anymore and …
We are presently suffering the fallout of a nation that has turned its back on God.
No, I’m not talking about the saved folks that go to church. (Although I do have some concerns about that.) But, I’m talking about the fact that a lot of unsaved people, back then, regularly went to churches and synagogues. There was a pervasive God-consciousness that permeated the very core and fabric of our country. We collectively lived the motto: In God We Trust.
Not anymore.
Now, not only do we not go to church like we used to, we don’t even need to go to a physical location and interact with physical people to experience a “worship” service. We can do it from our home (or wherever) on our computer, iPad, cell phone. We can FaceTime, Skype, YouTube.
And all the while be looking at our Bible on our very own “personal” handheld devices.
I mean … I won’t be surprised if in the near future the new translations might even seek to change Hebrews 10:25 to something more up to date and modern.
Here’s what it says now:
”Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
They’ll probably find some new Dead Sea scrolls or ancient greek manuscripts that when translated using numerology and the latest advances in language study will say:
“And let us not be concerned about not assembling ourselves together, as that manner is less popular. Rather let us get together online for worship to exhort one another: and so much the more, as ye see the user-friendly day approaching.”
I have a feeling AntiChrist might really like that version. Keep your eyes peeled for the next updated edition of your favorite version — coming to a Digital Port near you.
And …
Does anybody within the Body of Messiah actually still believe that one day The AntiChrist will appear? We sure don’t act like it.
How so?
Satan is the Prince and Power of The Air. It’s his domain. And his Net, his Internet, is preparing the way for all of us to line up like the dumb sheep that we are and just follow lockstep with the rest of the good citizens of that coming day.
After all, it will all be for our own good and the good of others.
Don’t think so??
Aren’t we already kind of acting like dumb sheep being led around by our noses stuck to our screens right now?
What we’re seeing transpire now, and the way our lives are going to be restructured from here on out, is already being made possible because we are slaves to the post-BDE way of life.
And as Rush Limbaugh likes to say:
Don’t doubt me.