Sivan 26
My Desire
“More desirable than gold, Than much fine gold; And sweeter than honey
and the honeycomb.” (Ps 19:10 ISR)
Gold has held a
fascination, even an obsession, for mankind for eons: from mythology, with
Jason’s Golden Fleece, to the history of Israel, with the construction of the
Golden Calf, and even today, with the gold plated roof on the Dome of the Rock.
Gold equates riches and wealth, and for many, it represents societal status as
well. We have worshipped it, hoarded it,
and for some, spent a lifetime searching for it. And for what?
Does the ownership of much gold guarantee us residence in the olam haba, the world to come?
What could be more
desirable that gold, and the wealth it represents? In all of the previous verses, all that we
have been learning these last few days, combined and taken together, can never
be measured by all of the gold that is at present in the world today. Narrowed down, it all represents Torah, the
divine instructions in moral and righteous living, given to us by an Elohim
that wants only the best for us. When we
make the decision that the Words of our Creator are more important to us than
all of the wealth available, we are firmly on the road to maturity, and
eventually, the olam haba.
During the
lifetime of our Psalmist, sugar was, for the most part, an unknown
commodity. Honey as a sweetener was
extracted from the date palms that were (and still are) common in the middle
east, and with the passage of time, bees and bee keeping were also important
for the honey that they produced. Honey
that runs from the depths of a honeycomb is considered the purest of honey that
is available, and it is much desired.
However, the satisfaction of a spoonful of honey is fleeting and
temporary; it does not last. The Word of
our Elohim stands forever, and is the source of life (see Ps 119:89, 50).
“The Torah of Your
mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver pieces …How sweet to my taste has Your word been, More than honey to my mouth!” (Ps 119:72, 103 ISR)
“I have not gone back
from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed and treasured the words of
His mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12 AMPC)
©2018
No comments:
Post a Comment