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Before we begin in earnest, I want to acknowledge the fact that last evening (12/10/20) marked the beginning of Chanukah. While this article is intently focused on matters other than this fact, I published a two-part series last year explaining the origins and observance of this festival.
I do recommend reading these articles if you are unfamiliar – the history behind Chanukah is absolutely fascinating. You can view them here:
Chanukah – חנוכה – Part One | Chanukah – חנוכה – Part Two
I stated in a previous article that we would come back to the issue of men within the church in the future. This is that article. Some of what is contained herein may strike you as ‘harsh’, but I want to assure you that this is not something borne of an emotional reaction to present circumstances – it’s a message the Lord has been speaking to me about for four years and He is telling me now that it is time to release this to the larger body of Messiah.
For most of my life, I have noted the violent outcry of radical feminism which clearly sought to vilify anything and everything masculine. It was and is a clear sign of the spirit of Jezebel actively at work within our culture and throughout our nation. I know for a fact that I am far from alone in that observation or analysis.
Four years ago, the Lord spoke to me on this issue and He did so by uttering two simple words:
“Spine Transplants“
Although the message was not particularly verbose, I instantly understood it; both explicitly and implicitly. The connotations borne through this word are profound and far reaching. You see, as the outcry of radical feminism has reached its crescendo, we have seen an equal and opposite reaction, wherein traditional masculinity has receded in the larger culture. This is understandable in that all things masculine have been systematically demonized and dubbed “toxic“.
I want everyone reading this to understand that the single most masculine figure in all of human history is the Messiah Himself… and I say this in full confidence that if He personally pastored a twenty-first century church, many professing Christians would have nothing to do with said Church.
Sound too harsh? Sadly, that’s a soft-ball.
For starters, scripture makes it clear – as does nature itself (being the design of the Creator) – that masculine and feminine are not created to be in opposition, but are in fact, complimentary. Furthermore, even the most casual analysis reveals that either can be taken to the unhealthy extremes that we would rightly deem “toxic”, yet the overarching focus within modern culture rests solely upon the issue of masculinity… while that Jezebel spirit has remained comparatively unchecked. Even within the pulpits of well meaning pastors and teachers, this remains the case. I’ve literally heard it said from the pulpit that “men need to change and women know it.” As if women have somehow escaped the fall of mankind as a whole and no further effort need be plied to their refining and reconciliation?
Of course, that’s a ridiculous assertion, and even those well-meaning teachers looking to lead their flocks know this. They also know that they can teach at length regarding the issue of masculinity without offending their congregations… but on biblical femininity, not so much. Go read what Paul has to say on the matter of women in the church and ask yourself – when was the last time you heard that preached at length? Other than “contextualizing it away”, I have rarely, if ever seen this taken head on.
The fact is, the bible says what it says and it does not apologize for this – nor will I. God made us male and female and He did so for the explicit purpose of bestowing complimentary attributes upon us – attributes He himself possesses. This is evidenced in the very nature of the creation narrative of Genesis 2:
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion for him who corresponds to him.”
Genesis 2:18
Different translations render “companion” differently, but the point remains. He made for Adam, a companion, a help-meet, a partner. Ask yourself – do you need an adversary, a critic or a detractor? Would such enable and help you to be all that you can be in Him? No, you need a partner – one who will speak life into you and hold you up, not keep you down. That goes both ways incidentally.
So, getting back to the point of all this – what does biblical masculinity look like?
I’m glad you asked… it looks like Messiah.
Thing is, the mental image we have concocted regarding the person of Yeshua and the person conveyed in the text are strikingly different in some very foundational ways. I am often reminded of a dinner scene within (the admittedly terrible) film Talledega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. Granted, for those familiar with the film, it’s a pretty hyperbolic example, but it does illustrate my point. Most today have an image of the Messiah that doesn’t line up with what we see in scripture. Worse still, many wrongly interpret some of the interactions that are recorded for a lack of understanding regarding the TaNaKh or, if you prefer, the “Old Testament”.
I’ve written previously regarding the woman at the well, the adulterous woman, the betrothal and wedding celebrations and many other instances within the gospel texts from which the larger Christian Church has been historically deprived of their full Hebraic context. Now, don’t get me wrong, for the better part of two-thousand years, we’ve doe our best with what we’ve had, but as scripture so aptly and repeatedly points out, our best doesn’t cut it… moreover, when the Living God provides revelation and fills in the “missing puzzle pieces”, it is incumbent upon us to listen and learn. If that requires us to change, then we must change – after all, He’s perfect.
Much as we’ve been deprived of the Hebraic context of the scriptures, so too have we become deprived of what scripture reveals regarding the roles of both masculine and feminine within God’s economy. The good news is that He’s about to intervene and change that. Radically.
Let us not think that this was a momentary outburst borne of a passionate, knee-jerk reaction but recognize that this was a right and proper premeditated response to defilement.
He found in the temple courts those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers sitting at tables. So he made a whip of cords and drove them all out of the temple courts, with the sheep and the oxen. He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold the doves he said, “Take these things away from here! Do not make my Father’s house a marketplace!” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will devour me.”
John 2:14 – 17
Now, it may challenge the idea of some regarding the character of the Messiah to think in such terms, but once again we must test our understanding against the scriptures. When we do, we find that what popular culture portrays and what the scriptures reveals is all too often in diametric opposition to one degree or another.
Isaiah describes the coming return of the messiah in the following manner:
Who is this who comes from Edom, dressed in bright red, coming from Bozrah? Who is this one wearing royal attire, who marches confidently because of his great strength?
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“It is I, the one who announces vindication, and who is able to deliver!”
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Why are your clothes red? Why do you look like someone who has stomped on grapes in a vat?
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“I have stomped grapes in the winepress all by myself; no one from the nations joined me. I stomped on them in my anger; I trampled them down in my rage. Their juice splashed on my garments and stained all my clothes. For I looked forward to the day of vengeance, and then payback time arrived. I looked, but there was no one to help; I was shocked because there was no one offering support. So my right arm accomplished deliverance; my raging anger drove me on. I trampled nations in my anger; I made them drunk in my rage; I splashed their blood on the ground.”
Isaiah 63:1 – 6
The image of the Messiah provided here is mirrored in the Apocalypse given through John:
Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to war. His eyes are like a fiery flame and there are many diadem crowns on his head. He has a name written that no one knows except himself. He is dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and he is called the Word of God.
Revelation 19:11 – 13
Folks, feel free to read this passage in context… it isn’t His blood on His clothing.
Further, throughout scripture, we are given example after example of wholly masculine, Godly men who did not shrink form their masculinity and did not hesitate when the situation called for immediate decisive action.
When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he mobilized his 318 trained men who had been born in his household, and he pursued the invaders as far as Dan. Then, during the night, Abram divided his forces against them and defeated them. He chased them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. He retrieved all the stolen property. He also brought back his nephew Lot and his possessions, as well as the women and the rest of the people.
Genesis 14:11 – 16
You understand that “defeated them” means that he killed bad-guys right? My point here is, regardless of what image we may have of Abraham, Abraham was a bad-ass.
So Joshua fought against Amalek just as Moses had instructed him, and Moses and Aaron and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses would raise his hands, then Israel prevailed, but whenever he would rest his hands, then Amalek prevailed. When the hands of Moses became heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side and one on the other, and so his hands were steady until the sun went down. So Joshua destroyed Amalek and his army with the sword.
Exodus 17:10 – 13
Joshua, without reservation, was a bad-ass. He was a bad-ass in his youth and he continued to be a bad-ass throughout his life until his death.
So Moses stood at the entrance of the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” All the Levites gathered around him, and he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has said ‘Each man fasten his sword on his side, and go back and forth from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and each one kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’”
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The Levites did what Moses ordered, and that day about 3,000 men of the people died. Moses said, “You have been consecrated today for the Lord, for each of you was against his son or against his brother, so he has given a blessing to you today.”
Exodus 32:26 – 29
The Levites were Godly, obedient bad-asses.
I could go on, but honestly, the quotations necessary to provide an exhaustive review would be exceedingly long. I think you get the point, but if not I would encourage you to read through the book of Judges. Read through first and second Kings… scripture is overflowing with example after example of men who, while flawed, did not shrink from their masculinity – they did not shrink from their responsibility, they did not shrink from their call and they did not shrink from a fight.
Please understand that I am not calling men to violence – but that I am calling out the warrior spirit that exists in every single man to contend for the faith, to contend for righteousness and justice.
I am calling you to stand firm and refuse to bow to the spirit of the age.
I am calling you to “call a spade a spade and not a ‘garden implement'”.
I am calling you to be men. Godly, strong, masculine men who are unafraid and will lead and fight unabashedly.
I am calling you to be truth-tellers regardless of cost or consequence.
I am calling you to flip tables when they need to be flipped and to refuse to stand idly by while injustice reigns.
I am calling you to be obedient, Godly bad-asses.
I am calling you to be mighty.
I am calling you to be like Messiah…
Until next time,
שלום עליכם – Shalom Aleichem – Peace Be Upon You