An Interesting Proof Text

Psalms 48:3 (KJV) God is known in her palaces for a refuge.

(Proverbs 13 also read)

I was worshiping with the first two verses, which go along with one of the choruses that I have ingrained in my heart.  In the process I read through this verse several times, and the last time I read it, I kind of backed off and said, “What?”  I recognized a proof text when I saw it.  What a great place this would be if I were a feminist or a progressive Christian or a scholar looking for a paper to publish.  You could read this, if you wanted to say that God is a her.

You don’t believe me?  Just back up and read that verse in isolation.  Of course, since we know our Bible, when I call gestalt, we know that it can’t be true . Of course what we do is we read the context.  In the process we realize that the “her” refer to here is Jerusalem.  It is Zion.  It is the city of our God, not God Himself.

So?  Make sure that your brain is always turn on.  When you see something that just jars you with it strangeness that could mean one of two things.  First, it might mean that God is trying to get your attention and teach you a new truth.  I love it when that happens.  Second, it may be that you’re not paying attention and you’re living in dumb dumb land.  It’s also a wake up call.  So wake up read.  Learn.  Apply.