Saturday, March 29, 2025  

Today's Scripture
Nahum 3:8–13

Are you better than Thebes that sat by the Nile, with water around her, her rampart a sea, water her wall? Ethiopia was her strength, Egypt too, and that without limit; Put and the Libyans were her helpers. Yet she became an exile, she went into captivity; even her infants were dashed in pieces at the head of every street; lots were cast for her nobles, all her dignitaries were bound in fetters. You also will be drunken, you will go into hiding; you will seek a refuge from the enemy. All your fortresses are like fig trees with first-ripe figs — if shaken they fall into the mouth of the eater. Look at your troops: they are women in your midst. The gates of your land are wide open to your foes; fire has devoured the bars of your gates. (NRSV)

Reflection

Recently in a Session meeting, Interim Pastor Tom Are noted that there are two types of pastors. Those who are prophetic preachers and those that are Pentecostal preachers, meaning that those who speak prophetically are those who speak the truth of the times. If that truth differs from the current reality we live in, then yes, it can come across as though they are predicting — and indicting — the future. These are preachers who speak to say, to stand, to share the truth, to speak truth to power.

Those who speak Pentacostally are those who speak with the intention of how one hears them, who speak the good news with the intention of it coming across as good news. They are those who are preaching the love of God, the guarantee of her love and grace.

In this passage, Nahum is very clearly indicting the current audience. This is clearly a prophetic passage. So prophetic that it reverts back to the past of the ills that befell Egypt in Exodus. It asks if we are better than Egypt, better than our past. 

In how this passage speaks to us now, I hope we are better than our past. I hope we are looking to the past to understand, to forgive, and to breed compassion and hospitality. Ultimately that is truly what Nahum is calling us to do.

Given this, Tom asked us what kind of senior pastor would we like to have, prophetic or Pentecostal? Whom do you think Nahum would invite us to call?

Prayer
Prophetic and Pentecostal God, live with us, breathe with us, forgive with us. Help us to look past our past, and help us to move into a world of truth and accountability that breeds compassion and hospitality, honoring all people, because all people are in your image. Thank you for meeting us where we are and being a guiding light during our Lenten darkness as we await your promise to us. Amen.

Written by Jessica Wang, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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