Who Eats But is not Satisfied....

Who eats but is not satisfied

Who hears but does not see,
. Who falls in love with wealth itself
. And turns his back on me.

Sounds like Micah, or some other Old Testament Prophet, and it could well have been. In fact according to the Jewish writer, Lawrence J Epstein, these lyrics sung by Bob Dylan in “I Pity the Poor Immigrant” from the album “John Wesley Harding” are full of allusions to the 26th chapter of Leviticus. And, as it just so happens, I am reading Lev 26 this morning

Now, for those of you who missed out totally on the sixties, “John Wesley Harding” was the album when Dylan moved, against the tide, and the current of “stream of consciousness” psychedelia back to a more rootsy sound based in the common human lot of of living and surviving in middle America. Its a world full of hobos and drifters, immigrants and small town gangsters. And its a world conscious of a God who has His eye on the wicked and on the righteous, on the deceiver and the deceived, on the oppressors and the victims

In fact, as I re-listened to “Poor Immigrant” this morning, I suddenly saw it as written from the persective of God - God’s eye view on a humanity that rebels and twists and lies and deceives in order to try and make sense of and manage his world, and yet a humanity to be pitied and loved and shown mercy. Amazing poetry

I pity the poor immigrant
Who wishes he would've stayed home,
Who uses all his power to do evil
But in the end is always left so alone.
That man whom with his fingers cheats
And who lies with ev'ry breath,
Who passionately hates his life
And likewise, fears his death.

Getting back to Leviticus 26, I read the startling and awesome contrast between what it means to obey God and to walk with Him, on the one hand and what happens when you constantly turn your back on him, on the other. Its a chapter of blessings, and woes of the riches of living in harmony with Him, and the ultimate horrors of living without Him. You should read it. For me, by following Him, I find a wonderful trio of “p”s -

the Promise of fruitfulness,

the Peace that no human comfort can bring, and

the Presence of an Almighty Everpresent God who says

“I will put my dwelling place among you,

I will walk among you and be your God

and you will be my people”

* 'When Dylan Spoke for God', by Lawrence Epstein, August 2009 on http://thebestamericanpoetry.typepad.com

Leviticus 26:12