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Facts v. Truth
A number of months ago I was reading Seventh Day, one of the books in Bodie & Brock Thoene’s AD Chronicles series. Seventh Day contains a telling of the raising of Lazarus, the brother or Mary & Martha. In it a character named Zadok discusses the difference between facts and truth. The truths contained therein have not left me and have instructed me over and over as we’ve walked this journey to Luke. These Truths have been rumblings in my heart.
Forgive my quoting these long excerpts, but I truly feel I must…
Zadok queried, “ So, Emet. Here’s a fact from the Book of Beginnings: Father Avraham was a very old man without a son. He wanted a son, but his wife, Sarai, was also very old. Now what is the truth?
Emet shifted his weight and stared heavenward. “Truth is…God said Avraham would have a son through Sarai. Baby Isaac was born.
Zadok cheered him on. “Very good, Emet! Now once more. Tell your father the answer t’ this…fact. Joseph the Dreamer, great-grandson of Avraham, was sold into slavery by his brothers, unjustly accused, and imprisoned. What is the truth of this story?”
Emet furrowed his brow in thought. “Truth: Joseph became a great leader in Egypt. His brothers bowed down to him and he saved the whole family of Israel.”…
Zadok sighed. “Aye. Here’s a difficult one for you, Emet. And also for me, when I think on it. Fact: Pharaoh ordered all the baby boys of the Hebrews t’ be slaughtered because he feared their numbers.”….
Emet laid his head against Zadok’s chest and answered quietly. “Papa , you remember. The truth: Baby Mosheh was saved when he was placed into a basket and set adrift on the Nile River. He was rescued by Pharaoh’s daughter, nursed by his own mother, and grew up to be a prince of Egypt and the deliverer of Israel….
“Aye, Papa. One more true thing, Papa? Shall we recite one more, Papa?”
Zadok seemed to scour his memory, searching for some familiar lesson Emet could recite. “Here it is, then. Fact: On their journey from Egypt, the former Hebrew slaves were trapped between the Red Sea and the approachin’ chariots of Pharaoh. Now, Emet, tell us if you can. What is the truth?”
Emet eagerly declared, “God parted the waters of the sea, the Hebrews crossed over on dry land, and then the waters closed over the heads of the Egyptian pursuers and drowned them. Israel escaped and became a great nation.” P. 181-182
Kindly but firmly, Yeshua drew her [Martha] aside. With a gesture He summoned Miryam to join them. Then He said, “Didn’t I tell you that you’ll see God’s glory if you believe?”
In that instance Yeshua’s teaching from Ezekiel flashed into my thoughts: this is what the Sovereign Lord says—“I am going to breathe into you and make you live again!” (Ezek. 37:5)
But four days dead? Dead, stinking dead?
And this is what rumbled from heaven, though perhaps no one else in the whole assembly heard it except me: Don’t ever again confuse facts with Truth! That Israel was trapped between Pharaoh’s chariots and the Red Sea was fact…but not Truth! That a virgin could never conceive and bear a son was fact…but not Truth! Watch and see Truth!
And like The Lord of All the Angel Armies issuing and order, Yeshua repeated, “Roll the stone away!”……
Lifting his face toward the brilliant blue sky, Yeshua said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. You always hear me, but I said this out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so they will believe you sent me.”
Because I love them!
…..And then before the last of Yeshua’s words had finished rolling around in my head, He suddenly shouted, “El’azar! Come forth!”
Yeshua never shouted, seldom lifted His voice. But I believe his cry that day could be heard in Jerusalem.
There was a rustling from within the shadow. A figure detached itself from a stone slab and stood upright. Then El’azar, shuffling because of the layers of cloth with which his arms and legs were bound, stepped blinking into the sunlight. P.201-203
…..I learned to never confuse facts with Truth.
The fact is, El’azar was dead.
The greater Truth is that Yeshua is the Resurrection and the Life.
I learned that sometimes we do not understand how The Lord of All the Angel Armies is working for our benefit.
The greater Truth is that He always cares and provides for us. Even if He delays, it is because He loves us. p. 208
I’m coming to think that God allows us to see the facts just so He can demonstrate Truth. He loves to fly in the face of facts and use circumstances that are impossible in human terms to glorify Himself.
There have been some scary facts when we looked at Luke’s file…but God has challenged us to look at the Truth…and trust in Him to reveal the Truth…and stand expectantly watching.
Reading about the chasm of difference between facts and Truth prepared my heart for Luke.
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