If we readily accept that Jesus is our great God and Savior and He is #1 (Titus 2:13), then His helpmate would be signified by the number 2. Adam was created first, then Eve. Christ the Perfect came first, followed by His perfected Church Bride. As scripture stated:
"It is not good for the man to be alone." (Genesis 2:18a, Berean Study Bible). It follows that it is also not good for the Son of Man to be alone. There are TWO witnesses in scripture.
In the Old Testament, we see Moses (the Lawgiver) and Aaron (the Law speaker). Christ is the Head, His Church is the Body. We see this pattern of two throughout the Holy Word of God. There is the Law and Grace; Faith and Works. What God has joined together, "let no man put asunder." (Matthew 19:6, KJV). There is an element of inseparability in numbers 1 and 2. There is really no way to define "one" (pardon the pun) without "the other."
In Lewis Carroll's 1871 classic book, "Through the Looking Glass," the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," the title-named character has fallen through a mirror into a second world, an amazing strange land where everything is symbolic...a conundrum, a riddle, a puzzle needing to be solved. It is a place where even the language of poems is different, and "Jabberwocky" is the foreign new-fangled dialect of mystery. Carroll's style of writing was responsible for helping to create an emerging class of literature known as "nonsense genre." Whether it was truly nonsensical has been debated for over a century as the story is rich with symbolism, innuendo, classic quotes, characters and situations that can be prophetically relevant to many a current event. Avid literary students still debate to this day just exactly what Carroll was attempting to really state in the "understory."
To many people, some of the directions given by God to the Israelites may, at first glance, appear as nonsense. Traditionally, when counting the Omer, a person may only recite it while it is nighttime. If they forget to do so, they can remember to count the next day, but according to Hebrew tradition, there is no blessing. I find this an interesting parallel for today. Those who "count the Omer," by acknowledging God FIRST when it is still "dark outside," are the ones who will receive a blessing. Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess eventually that Jesus Christ is Lord and that His Moral Law reigns. However, it is best to REPENT now, while others are still asleep, and the world is very dark.
Another interesting note: The traditional Jewish texts state that the Omer may be counted in any language, but it is critically important for the person to understand what they are saying! So, acknowledge God early and make it your business to understand what "season" we are in.
Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.
~ 1 Corinthians 13:12 (New Living Translation)
The more we study scripture, the more apparent it becomes that the best way to comprehend the Bible is prismatically. If we fail to see the multi-dimensional honeycomb Truth of scripture, we will continue to have nonsensical debates with fellow Christians, much like Alice and the Mad Hatter.
But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels.
~ 2 Timothy 2:23
Honey, in scripture, is symbolic of pure Truth as it is the only food substance on the planet that never spoils. Clearly, God is trying to tell us something here. The sweetness of His Word is:
What
WAS
What
IS
What
IS TO BE
It is also:
True
THEN
True
NOW
True IN THE FUTURE
We live in a fallen world...a world that is confusing, riddled with chaos, rife with frustrating characters and often we don't know which way to turn. Just like Alice, we must choose whether to succumb to the madness or finally find our way out. In order to do so, we must obtain a sense of wonderment for the epic story we are living in and to seek God for the part we must play in it. When we peer into the mirror of our souls, we should see Christ.
Narcissists gaze into their souls and see their own beauty and glory. Make no mistake, there is beauty and glory in mankind as we are created in the Image of God Almighty. Scripture tells us Lucifer was created quite beautifully. This ended up being his fatal flaw:
Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness; I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. ~ Ezekiel 28:17
There's a deep question here. It is probably THE ultimate question of questions. Looking around at the evil and confusion in the world, it is easy to wonder:
Why did God create us?
May I humbly suggest an answer? The miraculous answer is He had need of us, just as Christ had need of the beasts of burden for His triumphant entry (Luke 19:31). When He created Adam in the garden, God stated that Adam needed a helpmate. Adam said Eve was made "bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh" (Genesis 2:23, KJV).
Christ is the final and ultimate "Adam" (1 Corinthians 15:22). The Church is His "Eve." We are His Bride. Together with Christ we birth godly offspring.
Is Carroll's fanciful place really all that unreal? On planet Earth we hear terrorists cry "off with their heads." We ask the leering, creepy Cheshire Cat politicians "Which way do we go?" Those in the pews continue to seek direction from a warren of deliriously confused clergy, some as crazy as a March Hare. The immature populace of Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum argue incessantly and follow along like mindless drones.
But then there's fresh-faced Alice, the Church, navigating through the challenges...a stranger in a strange land, sometimes in complete bewilderment yet wonderment at God's glorious drama.
Jesus said this about His followers:
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
~ John 17:16 (KJV)
We must never forget we are the Body of Christ and what He taught us...
Your Body is a Wonderland
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, as the world gets more frightening and confusing, help us to find a sense of purpose in the midst of all the bewildering nonsense. Return your Holy order to replace the chaos and disorder as You place us under the government of the Most High. We understand that you are shaking everything that can be shaken so that what remains is solidly fixed to the unmovable Rock of our Foundation. Teach us to understand, as plagues continue to rock the world, that we must remain peaceful and quiet in our abodes as you are preparing to set the captives free. We will watch, but not participate in, the Judgment that is smashing down all the idols and sacred cows of secular society. As markets crash, as abortion clinics close, as secular, godless schools shutter, we patiently await your trumpet call to amass together for our trek to the Promised Land. Help us to attain a sense of wonder at the mightiness of Your Power and the insignificance of the false gods of this world that have heretofore seemed so genuine and strong but are instead fake and weak in the face of Your awesome strength. We look onward to the place you have prepared for us where there will be no more crying and tears but only a perfect government rule by the Prince of Peace Himself. We pray this prayer in the Name above all names, our great God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
~ Amen.
