“Observations”©

Donald S. Conkey

Date: April 2, 2009 - # 9915 – Holy Week could create a needed ‘Unity of Feeling.  (822)

The Christian Holy Week begins Sunday. The Jewish eight-day Passover season begins on Wednesday.  It is a Holy week for two of the world’s great religions whose doctrinal roots are fed by biblical truths.

       Sunday is Psalm Sunday. Its focus will be on Christ’s triumphant ride into Jerusalem. Thursday is Maundy Thursday with its focus on Christ’s Last Supper. Good Friday focuses on Christ’s Crucifixion on the Cross. Saturday is the day to prepare for Easter Sunday. And Easter Sunday is the day the worldwide Christian community celebrates, in word and song, their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s triumphant rise from the grave, breaking forever the sting of mortal death for all mankind.  

       The Jewish community celebrates Passover, the period their God, Jehovah, “passed over” the first born of the Israelites, then slaves in Egypt. This Jewish season also celebrates the “exodus” of the Israelites from Egypt, and slavery, led by Moses with special powers from Jehovah, out into the wilderness of freedom.

       These two religious holidays both celebrate personal freedom, freedom form slavery and freedom from the sting of mortal death. Passover was instituted to remember how Jehovah, in answer to “the people’s prayers,” sent Moses to lead His people out of slavery. Easter celebrates breaking the chains of death for all mankind who choose to follow, in obedience, the commandments of their God, Christ.

       Unfortunately these two religious cultures have had their differences over the last 20 centuries. But, considering both the biblical prophecies about these latter-days and today’s economic downturn, perhaps this might be the time for both cultures to reassess their differences and attempt, with greater determination, to create a new “Unity of Feeling” that could bring about what both cultures are looking forward too: the coming of Jehovah for the Jewish people, and the second coming of Jesus Christ for the Christian people.

       Yes, it would be difficult, very difficult to develop such a “Unity of Feeling.” And it would require members of both cultures to make ‘changes’ and adjustments, and for the members of both cultures to become more spiritually independent, meaning, both cultures would need to turn to their God to better understand his historical messages more fully. Equally important, all would need to seek Him his counsel, via prayer, and then, with patience, listen to his counsel through revelation. For me, one of the most ignored and, ironically, most needed scriptures of both cultures today is found in Amos 3:7; a scripture applicable to both cultures.

       But creating such a Unity of Feeling is possible. We have seen such a Unity of Feeling created recently by those living along the Red River in North Dakota and Minnesota – their homes are at risk and the people have put aside their personal differences to fill sand bags and build a sand-bag barrier to hold back a raging river. I also witnessed such a Unity of Feeling when millions of Americans came together after December 7, 1941 to defeat Hitler and those engaged in trying to defeat America and America’s way life.

       And such a Unity of Feeling is found here in Cherokee County as one drives through it. A recent Tribune article gave the county high ratings for its quality of life – one of the best places to live in the nation. Cherokee citizens are united behind its school system, one of the best in the state and nation; its sheriff’s department, likely the best in the state; and its expanding efforts to provide recreational parks for its citizens. But Cherokee’s County’s strong Unity of Feeling foundation is based, I believe, on its solid belief in and worship of their God.  These churches represent many denominations, each reaching out to touch and uplift the lives of their people. Were Alexis de Tocqueville to travel through the county today he would be as impressed with the number of churches he would see as he was in the 1830s when he wrote his powerful study about America’s great secret of freedom and liberty — the American people’s belief in God, and in the laws that protect their freedom to worship God according to the dictates of individual conscience.

       With America’s historical way of life under attack again, from within this time, not without, perhaps Americans should make a stronger effort to create that same Unity of Feeling that helped the Founders create a new nation; 130 million Americans defeat the Nazi during World War II; and Red River residents turn back an angry raging river. It can be done.

       On Easter Sunday, as Christians raise their voices singing “He is Risen,” they may like to ponder what the world would be like if such a “Unity of Feeling” would bring together, that brings people together in times of crisis, all those who profess an absolute belief in their God, be His name be Jehovah or Jesus Christ.

       Yes, He is Risen. And yes, He will come again.