I Will Remember Your Wonders of Old: Sermons on the Old Testament

By Jack R. Lundbom

This book is a collection of sermons on the Old Testament preached by the author at home and abroad, in churches and in seminary chapels, intended mainly for a lay audience. One sermon was preached at the historic Civil War Lutheran church in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Represented are texts from the Primary History (Genesis to 2 Kings), Psalms, Prophets, and the Wisdom Literature, with nine sermons on texts from the prophet Jeremiah. The sermons can also double as devotional reading.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Release date: Feb 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9781666759235

Jack R. Lundbom

Jack R. Lundbom is a life member at Clare Hall, CambridgeUniversity. Among his prior publications are JeremiahCloser Up and The Hebrew Prophets: AnIntroduction.

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Preface

We do not hear much preaching these days on the Old Testament, which is unfortunate, since many great truths of the faith are there, and not a few tie in with what we hear from Jesus and writers of the New Testament. I have preached often on the Old Testament for another reason. While I pay attention to the lectionary, many OT texts never get preached if one only follows the lectionary. The same is true if one preaches only New Testament lectionary texts. A number of sermons in this collection are thus on texts seldom—maybe never—heard. My goal over the years has been to make as broad a use of Scripture as possible. Sermons in this book were preached in chapels of seminaries where I was teaching, in churches where I served as pastor, and in pulpits at home and abroad where I preached on invitation. They span a period of years, and as a result speak to a variety of issues in our world, in America, in the church, and in the lives of people near and far.

Translations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New Revised Standard Version.

Jack R. Lundbom

Primary History

1

What about Depression?

¹

Text: Gen 4:6–7

The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry,

and why has your countenance fallen? If you

do well, will you not be accepted? And if you

do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its

desire is for you, but you must master it."

The past decade has heard much talk about our nation being in the midst of a depression. When we hear the word depression we think, of course, of the thirties when the crash of ’29 left people without money, jobs, houses, and more. People also lost their lives—by suicide. Some of these problems are with us today, but it is being said that our depression is not so much economic as psychological and spiritual. Americans in large numbers are psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually depressed. No doubt this was true also in the thirties, but perhaps there is more of it today. People you and I know are depressed.

According to a statement released a while back by the National Institute of Mental Health, between six and eight million Americans suffer from severe depression. Many more are affected by minor depressions. In fact, most all of us at one time or another have known what it is like to be depressed. But unlike those with severe depression—which is intense and long term—we know we are not in deep trouble and believe our depression will pass. Usually it does.

The New York Times reported a list of depression symptoms that were issued by the head of the depression clinic at Long Island Hospital. These were later reprinted in Ann Landers’s newspaper column. They are the following:

1) Feelings of sadness and hopelessness—I’ll never get better

2) Loss of the pleasure capacity, the ability to enjoy things

3) Loss of sexual interest

4) Loss of appetite, or its opposite, overeating

5) Insomnia, or its opposite, sleeping too much

6) Anxious or restless behavior, or its opposite, apathy (i.e., not caring about anything)

7) Difficulty in concentration, in remembering things, and in making decisions

8) Becoming upset by small things

9) Feelings of worthlessness—I’m no good, I don’t amount to anything

10) Withdrawal from friends, relatives, and family

To the last-named I would add withdrawal from the church. If in adding up your score you show six out of ten of these signs, you are severely depressed and are advised to see a doctor immediately. I suppose three or four would mean, at the very least, that you are depressed.

Though the Long Island doctor did not comment on when depressions come, situations are already well-documented, and now rather widely known. Depressions come:

1) After the death of a family member or close friend—someone you love very much; psychologists call this the loss of a love-object.

2) For women, after the birth of a child.

3) After any high experience, such as a vacation, graduation from high school or college, or a week spent at camp; it can also come after some religious high, e.g., being born again.

4) After a disappointment—in school, in your career, with your children, with yourself because of something you have done; also, after a disappointment in your religious life, e.g., the feeling that God has punished you, that he has been hard on you lately, not treated you fairly, or not answered your prayers.

5) Before or after a change in jobs, the selling of your house, the marriage of your son or daughter, war, or the fear of war.

Having described the malady, I would have you look with me at two texts from the Bible, one from the Old Testament and one from the New, where human depression seems transparent. Each evaluates depression differently, deals with it differently, and provides an end result that is strikingly different.

The first passage is from Genesis: the story of Cain and Abel (Gen 4:1–15), where Cain is afflicted by depression. Family tension is there from the start. One brother is a herdsman, the other a farmer. Abel was a keeper of sheep; Cain a tiller of the soil. Remember Oklahoma! and the tension between the cowboys and the farmers? Rivalry of this sort was no less real in antiquity, and other ancient texts besides the Bible make much of it. Here, each brother felt superior to the other.

Cain brought his offering to the Lord—probably some grain, maybe olive oil, almonds, or pomegranates. Abel brought an animal, most likely a lamb. Both offerings were presented to the priest, with Abel’s offering likely sacrificed on the altar. The text says that the Lord had no regard for Cain’s offering, yet he accepted Abel’s offering with gratitude. Why? Well, we are not told. Surely more is going on behind the scenes. Some have suggested that the Lord is showing a preference for wandering herdsmen as opposed to settled farmers, but if so, that preference has been suppressed. Even if it were taken into account, it would have little or nothing to do with the main point of the story.

What is important in the story is that Cain becomes angry when the Lord disapproves of his offering. We are told that his countenance fell, which is a clear indication of depression. The Hebrew idiom of the face falling is a way of saying that Cain was downcast, sad—very sad. He was depressed. The next verse (v. 7) is difficult to translate. The New Revised Standard Version does not bring out the meaning well (nor does the KJV or RSV). The Good News Bible is better. It says, If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling. A Jewish scholar I know translates it this way:If you will make yourself happy, you will regain your smile.²

Either way, Cain bears some responsibility for his condition. In the one case his depression is the result of having acted badly—perhaps giving an inferior offering, perhaps having had a bad spirit in giving it—we don’t know. In the other case Cain is faulted for not doing something about his depression once it sets in. According to this view, he could have become happy if he wanted to.

The debate over the role the human will plays in depression continues. Psychologists are saying more and more that depression is an act of the will. People help bring it on, and they help allowing it to continue. The rest of the verse confirms this notion, for it says, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it. The final but you must master it tells us that Cain is expected to do something about his condition. Depression, bad as it is, is not overpowering. If Cain does something about it, his smile will return. Nevertheless, sin is lurking at the door. If he does nothing, sin waits to overtake him. The real danger is sin.

The great tragedy of the story is that Cain did not successfully master his depression. He and Abel probably had an argument, although details have been suppressed. The Hebrew says simply, Cain said to Abel his brother, and then leaves off abruptly (v. 8). The NRSV, following some ancient versions, adds, Let us go out to the field. This eases the transition, but we should know that the words are a bonus and not found in the Hebrew Bible. In fact, the rabbis taught that something originally in the story has been left out. Most likely it was an argument. How often have you been told about an argument having taken place, after which comes a dot, dot, dot?

This argument led to murder, even as it does in our own day. A young boy was taken into custody this past week for killing his foster parents. They (had an argument and) made him do his homework. This is the route depression takes, if not to murder, then to suicide, another form of murder. Lesser acts of violence result from anger, depression, and argument.

Cain had suffered disappointment in his relationship with God. He was given a rebuke, which left him rejected, angry, and depressed. Withdrawal from his brother—and from God—became extreme, and he rose up and killed his brother. Extreme responses such as this one are seen today, but more often people inflict lesser punishments on others—including themselves—which cause families to suffer, friends to suffer, whole communities to suffer, entire churches to suffer. These are usually bad enough.

Let us move on to another story in the Gospel of Luke—the familiar Emmaus Road passage (Luke 24). We know that the travelers coming from Jerusalem are depressed because the text tells us so. After the stranger asked them what they were talking about, it says, they stood still, looking sad. Another case of fallen faces, another case of depression. Do they not overreact? The stranger’s question is inoffensive enough: What are you fellows talking about? Cleopas’s answer is intimidating: Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days? (24:18). Did the stranger ask for that?

Jesus pretends as if he does not know. What things? he asks. Then they tell of their deep hurt. It does them good to let it out, although they had been doing that already in talking amongst themselves. They have lost a love-object, don’t you know, a dear friend, one they thought was savior of the world. They have a religious disappointment, just as Cain had. Their faith has been shattered. Can you identify with this? Have you a hurt, or someone you know a hurt, this bad?

We read on to see what happened. The stranger opens to them the Scriptures. This is important, for the Scriptures with a right interpretation give understanding and new faith. They say later, Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us? (24:32). Do the scriptures rightly interpreted ever do this to you? Then the stranger goes into the house and sits with them at table. There, in the breaking of the bread, they recognize their risen Lord. How different from someone or something waiting to exploit depression, lurking outside the door! The Bible, it seems to me, says we can get help with our depression. In the story of Cain, the accent seems to be on self-help. Here in Luke 24, help is offered by Jesus.

I have said nothing thus far about medication, which can be both a hindrance and a help to depression. But it is something that must be taken into account. Depression is vastly more than a drug issue; it is vastly more than a problem to be remedied by drugs. It has to do with our total wellbeing, or a lack thereof. It has to do with openness, honesty, integrity—being willing to admit that something is really wrong in our life, that something real is making us hurt. It has to do with a wanting to get on top of depression as soon as it sets in so it does not remain, become worse, and weaken us to the point where sin—which lurks at the door—enters and overtakes. It has preeminently to do with our willingness to seek help, to seek it from the one who can put a smile back on our face, the one above all being Jesus Christ. It has everything to do with meeting Jesus in the Scriptures and sharing with others the bread and cup at the Lord’s table. Depression can be overcome. That, I submit, is good news. AMEN.

1

. Preached at the Covenant Church in Menominee, MI, on March

7

,

1993

.

2

. Mayer Gruber, Jewish Quarterly Review

69

(

1978

),

95

.

2

Jacob: Lost and Found

³

Text: Gen 33:1–11

Now Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and four

hundred men with him. So he divided the children

among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. He put

the maids with their children in front, then Leah with

her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. He

himself went on ahead of them, bowing himself to the

ground seven times, until he came near his brother. But

Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his

neck and kissed him, and they wept. When Esau looked

up and saw the women and children, he said, "Who are

these with you? Jacob said, The children whom God

has graciously given your servant." Then the maids drew

near, they and their children, and bowed down; Leah

likewise and her children drew near and bowed down;

and finally Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed

down. Esau said, "What do you mean with all this company

that I met? Jacob answered, To find favor with my lord."

But Esau said, "I have enough, my brother; keep what you

have for yourself. Jacob said, No, please; if I find favor

with you, then accept my present from my hand; for truly

to see your face is like seeing the face of God—since you

have received me with such favor. Please accept my gift

that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously

with me, and because I have everything I want." So he

urged him, and he took it.

There is a New Testament parable used often to illustrate the experience of conversion. It is the parable of the lost (prodigal) son in Luke 15. In it Jesus tells how the younger of two sons takes his inheritance and goes off into a far country, engages in riotous living, and squanders the inheritance given him by his father.

When money and perhaps also his thirst for adventure are exhausted, and a famine descends upon the land, the fellow finds himself feeding pigs. He wishes for some of the pods himself, but no one gives him any. Then his thoughts turn to home; his father’s servants are eating better than this. So he decides to return home. When he arrives, there is a great reunion with his father, and a large feast is readied to celebrate the occasion. The older brother at first is unwilling to join the party, but the father urges him to come. We do not learn the outcome. Did he go into the party, or did he not?

The younger son had experienced a conversion. God was the waiting father who graciously received his wayward child. Life is a journey ending in a return home. I would like this morning to speak about another conversion, this one recorded in the Old Testament, where the person is the patriarch Jacob.

But to call Jacob the Old Testament prodigal would be a misnomer. A prodigal is someone who squanders his riches, and Jacob is not that. He is just the opposite, amassing a small fortune while off in a far country. Nevertheless, Jacob’s life may well lie behind the story of the younger son in Jesus’ parable, as other parallels are striking. Parables are fiction but often building upon real-life incidents where only the names and other details are changed. Ancient fiction is no different than modern fiction.

A brief scenario of the life of Jacob. He was the younger of two brothers; he and Esau were twins. They were rivals throughout their youth and different in character and interests. Jacob was mother’s boy; Esau was favored by his father. Esau comes across as being rather straight; Jacob is a trickster. Only in a weak moment, when Esau comes in famished from the field, does he surrender his birthright to Jacob for some lentil stew. When it comes time to receive his father’s blessing, Jacob secures the better portion through cunning and deceit, receiving help also from his mother. The OT makes no attempt to whitewash the reputation of one who will perpetuate God’s covenant with Abraham and become the namesake of Israel.

Relations with Esau sour, so Jacob decides to leave home. The far country for him is Haran, 480 miles to the north, on the other side of the Euphrates where Uncle Laban lives. Laban was his mother’s brother. In Haran things begin to look up. Jacob agrees