Scripture Daily

Context No. 777 of 4322 · Baruch

Context · Reflection

Baruch 6:60-73: in context

60For sun, moon, and stars, being bright and sent to do their jobs, are obedient. 61Likewise also the lightning when it flashes is beautiful to see. In the same way, the wind also blows in every country. 62And when God commands the clouds to go over the whole world, they do as they are told. 63And the fire sent from above to consume mountains and woods does as it is commanded; but these are to be compared to them neither in show nor power. 64Therefore a man shouldn’t think or say that they are gods, seeing they aren’t able to judge causes or to do good to men. 65Knowing therefore that they are no gods, don’t fear them. 66For they can neither curse nor bless kings. 67They can’t show signs in the heavens among the nations, or shine as the sun, or give light as the moon. 68The beasts are better than they; for they can get under a covert, and help themselves. 69In no way then is it manifest to us that they are gods. Therefore don’t fear them. 70For as a scarecrow in a garden of cucumbers that keeps nothing, so are their gods of wood overlaid with gold and silver. 71Likewise also their gods of wood overlaid with gold and with silver are like a white thorn in an orchard that every bird sits upon. They are also like a dead body that is thrown out into the dark. 72You will know them to be no gods by the bright purple that rots upon them. They themselves will be consumed afterwards, and will be a reproach in the country. 73Better therefore is the just man who has no idols; for he will be far from reproach.

The sixth chapter of Baruch is a letter written to the exiles in Babylon, warning them not to be taken in by the splendid idols they will see paraded through the streets. Its argument is a long, withering comparison. Look at the real world, it says: the sun and moon and stars shine because they were told to and obey; the lightning flashes and the wind blows and the clouds cross the whole earth when God commands them; even fire does as it is bidden. All of creation is alive and responsive, doing the will of the one who made it.

And then the idols. They can do none of it. They cannot judge a case or do a person any good, cannot bless a king or curse him, cannot make a sign in the sky or give light. The beasts are better off, the letter says, because at least an animal can run for shelter, and the idol cannot even do that. It stands there like a scarecrow in a cucumber patch that guards nothing, like a thorn bush every bird perches on, like a corpse thrown out in the dark, its gold and silver quietly rotting. The whole point lands in one line: better is the honest person who has no idols at all, for he will be far from that reproach. A dead thing you made yourself is worse than having nothing to lean on.

The whole living creation obeys God, while the idol can do nothing at all, not even what an animal can. What dead thing have I set my trust in that cannot actually act for me, when I would be better off leaning on nothing than on that?

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