The concept of oikonomia (stewardship) ultimately requires that we acknowledge the existence of God. This is because oikonomia is rooted in the nature, character, and purposes of God. The subject of the greatest book ever written, the Bible, is God. But, how can we call God a “subject” in any sense of the word?
When Moses asked His name, God spoke from the burning bush, saying “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14)*. God, as His Hebrew name, YAHWEH conveys, was revealing that He is a self-existent Being Who does not need a point of reference to define Himself--temporal, spatial, or intellectual. God is eternal (beyond measured time), omnipresent (unlimited by physical location), and omniscient (with infinite knowledge). How could such a God be “sub-“ (beneath or under) anything? Instead, in Psalm 95:3-6 we read:
For the LORD (YAHWEH) is a great God
And a great King above all gods,
In whose hand are the depths of the earth,
The peaks of the mountains are His also.
The sea is His, for it was He who made it,
And His hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us worship and bow down,
Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
Thus, God is the Owner of all, the King of all creation. He cannot be a steward, can He? A steward is responsible for that which he doesn't own; God owns it all. Therefore, God has never been a “subject” who serves a master. But wait! Has God indeed been “subject?”
Care to respond? Let us know whether or not you believe God can be called “the Greatest Subject.” We invite other comments or questions on this "subject."
Dr. Silvius,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting a comment on our blog. I don't really read blogs or even post on our blog--Alana does all that--but I wanted to say hey to you on yours. We do like Nashville, our church, and our new home. Mu-mu the pug is now joined by another pug named Lily--we're gonna draw the line at two:) I hope this school year gets off to a great start for you and your students. I've been reading a book that I think you'd like called "Heaven." It's by Randy Alcorn and dovetails very nicely with your blog's theme of stewardship and the importance of the physical creation. Check it out! Have a great day.
Dan Rasbach
Hello Dan,
ReplyDeleteTwelve (12) years after your kind comment, I am answering, having not seen your comment at the time. Thank you for your kind words and your reference to Randy Alcorn's book, "Heaven." I agree with your recommendation; it's a great book which I still reference and use.
I look forward to reconnecting with you, my friends.
John