In the Beginning..............of my blog
I have made the plunge into the depths of Blogging. Surprising enough, it only took about 15 seconds! Now I just have to think up something to say!
I have enjoyed my time making new friends and studying others perspectives of things related to Scripture on the various blogs I read. My only hope from this endeavor is to be closer to my Creator, and a respectful handler of His Word.
My prayer is to exhort faithfulness to the people of the one who is Faithful. May God grant His mercy and Grace upon me, as I comment upon things that pertain to His sacred Word.
The title of my blog:
>>Vassal of the Great King<< comes from the study of the similarities found with in the Ancient Near Eastern texts (Ugaritic ect.) and the structure of the Scriptures, specifically the Pentateuch, but found through out the entire Cannon and is indeed an over arching pattern of God's dealings with mankind. Within the ANE (Ancient Near East), the pattern of dealings between two parties always included the distinction of each members status. Meaning, basically that the parties were of unequal strength. If I were to need protection, I would make covenant with some one of greater strength than myself. Now, if I were representative of a people by way of a political-militarily headship, I act in covenant for the sake of the people I represent. Whether the lesser (vassal) or the greater (Suzerain king) of the two parties, a covenant would be formed using a pattern that for the greater part, are the same (with minor differences) from one culture or tradition to another within the ANE, including the ancient Semite Abram, called from the land of Ur and Moses who documented the paths of the patriarch.
The following is a brief synopsis of the structure of ANE covenants.
1) Preamble
The Suzerain King over the berith (covenant) gives his credentials and attributes as the one with authority.
2) Historical prologue
Here, the past relationships that have lead them to this agreement are given. The Suzerain states his past acts on behalf of the vassal to show him the need for his obedience.
3) Stipulations
I will do ‘this’, and you will abide in ‘that’
Among the Hittite treaties, the vassal would be required to pledge his allegiance to the Suzerain and a prohibition of any allegiances with outside nations. Also, a yearly visit in person to the Suzerain of the covenant was required to show loyalty.
4) Provision of document deposit
Document was to be kept in a safe place with periodic reading to those involved. This would be necessary to the entire people the vassal represented. The vassal nation would deposit this document, protected by the deity in their temple and was considered a sacred object thereby a breaching of the covenant would as well invoke the protector-deity as well.
5) List of witnesses
In the ANE, the gods were summoned to witness the agreement (either/or Hittite specific gods or those specificly of the vassal nation). They (gods) could be the deified mountain(s), Heaven and Earth or rivers and clouds.
6) Curses & Blessings
This section outlines the consequences for covenant breakers and rewards for the covenant keepers. Within the Hittite structure, the great army was used as the source of the divine will of the gods as their hand in judgment for those who broke covenant.
I would presume that much of what I have described has a few bells ringing as the similarities to the way in which God revealed Himself to His chosen people, and the culture that the ancients were a part of, should be glaring. We will get into that as we go, but for now it shall serve as an explanation of the title “Vassal of the Great King”.
I have enjoyed my time making new friends and studying others perspectives of things related to Scripture on the various blogs I read. My only hope from this endeavor is to be closer to my Creator, and a respectful handler of His Word.
My prayer is to exhort faithfulness to the people of the one who is Faithful. May God grant His mercy and Grace upon me, as I comment upon things that pertain to His sacred Word.
The title of my blog:
>>Vassal of the Great King<< comes from the study of the similarities found with in the Ancient Near Eastern texts (Ugaritic ect.) and the structure of the Scriptures, specifically the Pentateuch, but found through out the entire Cannon and is indeed an over arching pattern of God's dealings with mankind. Within the ANE (Ancient Near East), the pattern of dealings between two parties always included the distinction of each members status. Meaning, basically that the parties were of unequal strength. If I were to need protection, I would make covenant with some one of greater strength than myself. Now, if I were representative of a people by way of a political-militarily headship, I act in covenant for the sake of the people I represent. Whether the lesser (vassal) or the greater (Suzerain king) of the two parties, a covenant would be formed using a pattern that for the greater part, are the same (with minor differences) from one culture or tradition to another within the ANE, including the ancient Semite Abram, called from the land of Ur and Moses who documented the paths of the patriarch.
The following is a brief synopsis of the structure of ANE covenants.
1) Preamble
The Suzerain King over the berith (covenant) gives his credentials and attributes as the one with authority.
2) Historical prologue
Here, the past relationships that have lead them to this agreement are given. The Suzerain states his past acts on behalf of the vassal to show him the need for his obedience.
3) Stipulations
I will do ‘this’, and you will abide in ‘that’
Among the Hittite treaties, the vassal would be required to pledge his allegiance to the Suzerain and a prohibition of any allegiances with outside nations. Also, a yearly visit in person to the Suzerain of the covenant was required to show loyalty.
4) Provision of document deposit
Document was to be kept in a safe place with periodic reading to those involved. This would be necessary to the entire people the vassal represented. The vassal nation would deposit this document, protected by the deity in their temple and was considered a sacred object thereby a breaching of the covenant would as well invoke the protector-deity as well.
5) List of witnesses
In the ANE, the gods were summoned to witness the agreement (either/or Hittite specific gods or those specificly of the vassal nation). They (gods) could be the deified mountain(s), Heaven and Earth or rivers and clouds.
6) Curses & Blessings
This section outlines the consequences for covenant breakers and rewards for the covenant keepers. Within the Hittite structure, the great army was used as the source of the divine will of the gods as their hand in judgment for those who broke covenant.
I would presume that much of what I have described has a few bells ringing as the similarities to the way in which God revealed Himself to His chosen people, and the culture that the ancients were a part of, should be glaring. We will get into that as we go, but for now it shall serve as an explanation of the title “Vassal of the Great King”.
posted by Hank at 11:48 PM
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