Continuity

 

Sometimes a later version does sounds so appropriate:

What a shame—yes, how stupid!—to decide before knowing the facts! (Proverbs 18:13 TLB)

Still, in my preferred King James version, the meaning is the same – but to a certain antiquity of the problem which continues unbroken and consistent existence through human history:

He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. (Proverbs 18:13 KJV)

That, my friends, is continuity:

the unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over a period of time.

In electrical property terms, continuity defines the connection necessary for electricity to flow. A ‘multimeter' allows us to see whether or not the unseen electrical current does flow through a connection. I have a circuit tester that detects whether or not voltage is present. Without that presence, there is no continuity.

There’s continuity across the Bible. It would take a lot of pages to cover the width of biblical writings that continue across thousands of  years. Both the Old and New Testaments define a monotheistic religion, though God is seen from different viewpoints, He remained the same from Genesis through Revelation.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: (Deuteronomy 6:4 KJV)

The Office of Rabbi Sacks was among the references for Shema:

“Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our G-d, the Lord is one.” These words are the supreme testimony of Jewish faith. Each word is worthy of careful study, but it is the first – the verb Shema – that deserves special attention.

Shema is much more than a single word, nor does it simply mean a prayer. As with any movement from one language to another, the word “shema” doesn’t simply mean “Hear,” as explained in Strong’s definition of the Hebrew word:

H8085
שָׁמַע
shâma‛
shaw-mah'
A primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively to tell, etc.): -    X attentively, call (gather) together, X carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear (-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim (-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell, understand, whosoever [heareth], witness.

(See that part of hearing intelligently, which includes attention and obedience?)

Moses saw only a glimpse of God as He left Moses, as told to us as Exodus 23 closes. No other instance in the Bible mentions anyone seeing God. In the New Testament there were years where Jesus, as a physical representation of God’s love, interacted. After being seen by assembled followers (Acts 1:3-4) over forty days, there was no doubt among them as they met at Pentecost that God spoke to them without being seen.

Not until the Sunday that John heard that great voice (Revelation 1:10) do we begin to see the throne of God (Revelation 4:2-3) and He who sat upon it.

That is only one example of biblical continuity – from Genesis where God was capable of creating a universe, to Revelation where He was capable of showing how it was to end. Between the two events, we are blessed:

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. (Revelation 1:3 KJV)

From Genesis to Revelation we are exhorted to read, hear, keep, and share what God has for us. while we acknowledge God not only exists, but we also acknowledge He is to be obeyed. He asks nothing more than that we love Him and the people He created.

Sounds simple – until we realize:  1) we do not love plus we have been and/or are one of the unlovable people that He loves;  2) we must change through obedience to be lovable, and share God’s love to people we still deem unlovable (the book of James is the best one to work through that conundrum);  plus 3) we must have the Holy Spirit through the John 3:16 belief in Jesus Christ.

After that, we have continuity with God – the connection to a consistent existence through God’s timing, which is eternal.