Easter came late in the spring, in 2003, and even later in 2011. Some persons get hung up on the statement that Christ crucified on Friday, and risen on Easter Sunday, was presumed to be in the grave for three twenty-four hours’ days before resurrection. If Friday (late) and Sunday (early), how do we get three days? The likely answer is that in that far off era (culture) any portion of a day was counted a day. The prophetic meaning is fulfilled in the culture of the time if Jesus expires a minute before the Sabbath begins, and rises a minute after the Sabbath ends. The schedule may not have been kept that tightly, but might have been. Time is both culturally calculated, and dictated in the solar system. For that era and locale, any moment of a day belonged to a whole day. Any reference not recognizing the pattern would have been cause to doubt the resurrection as today it is made cause for some odd theories – like Jesus swooning (not deceased).
This matter of culture in seeking truth is an ongoing problem for the casual person of history. Israel counted days from sundown to sundown. Most moderns measure the day from midnight to midnight, a rather easy pattern to follow when cultures have mechanical clocks to record hours. This business of cultural change becomes problematic when we search for truth. One finds the problem in many areas, ranging for controversy. For the last quarter century the controversy over pollution of the atmosphere has become a concern for the world. Attention has been given by nations in cooperating programs to reduce pollution. One concern is that climate change to warmer temperatures threatens the very existence of living creatures, in diseases, agriculture, water supply, and assorted other factors. In the controversy the blame is often placed on mankind for the cavalier ways in which emissions have fouled the air. Evidence is rather clear that there have been severe climate changes in the millennia before the present. Increase in pollution by mankind likely exacerbates excessive warming most fully accounted for in larger natural causes. Global warming and cooling are caused by natural shifts, including mankind, a factor of nature. Mankind can reduce or delay the problems by greening the globe, but change will continue – up and down. It is better to address what may be done directly related to the change (which includes better practices in the population as a major issue). Take away all man-made pollution, the problem remains with us, and begs our attention to solutions, perhaps to tolerances and defensive preparations, including conduct changes.
Distortions of cause/effect may be multiplied. Marriage and family are being touted as outmoded, to be replaced by same-sex marriage, partnerships, some children from test tubes, and culture changes generally. Then the society tries to find peace, safety, economic balance, development of persons and society, when the basic unit of society is changed, diluted, or abandoned. It is not likely to work. Family is as much a product of nature as global warming. We may dilute, even foul either, but we will not replace them. Recent voices have invited Christians to give up the notion of male/female in marriage, and extend marriage uses for other relationships. A general morality, for a new paradigm, for resistance to an alleged old and outmoded form is requested. So the provision of God for man and woman to be joined, under God, reflects their meaning in their children giving witness to the analogy of God in the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Mother), is to fade away. To reduce the meaning of heterosexuality is to miss something about God. Truth of God even of nature’s secrets, are hard to come by for mere humanity. Whatever is the leading theory of the moment is often taken as truth in currency. In God’s provision by common grace (earth) and divine grace (heaven), there is rescue for mankind – if we choose. It begins with proper humility that will help us find truth. God will partner with us in life and problem solving if we accept his place in creativity. We are his children, and he cherishes us, something that is not likely to fulfill itself well when human independence prevails. It is not likely that a massive secular society will accept scriptural solutions to problems. God does not leave the human race without recourse, but the concepts of prayer, good will, service to others, stewardship of earth, and a dozen other factors in God’s solutions do become foreign to the general public, and sound odd to a society that is used to monstrous problems created by both nature and mankind. Our answers are partly found if nations serve creation in good will. We must remember that God has not abandoned his creation including persons without faith in him. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020