Who loves you more than me?

We listened to a song in Hebrew class last week that really struck a chord with me. Maybe it's because I've been reading a lot of Jeremiah lately or because one of the things that most consistently plagues my heart is the spiritual blindness in this land (not just Jews and Muslims, but on the part of many of the Christians too). Anyway, here are the lyrics translated into English. Keep in mind, they might not be perfectly translated, seeing as the the translation part was something we all did in class with some help from the teacher.

Who loves you more than me?

To whom belongs the earth, air, and sea?

To whom belongs the world?

To whom belongs the gold and diamonds?

Why does the jackal howl in the vinyard?

How does the spring know that it is time (to come)?

And to where do ships sail, to where?

Who loves you more than me?

Who makes you laugh when you are sad?

How long until you'll be mine?

And why are you silent?

Why is there war and pain?

Why does God not interfere?

Why is it that when you're here it makes me feels good?

Who loves you more than me?

Who makes you laugh when you are sad?

How long until you'll be mine?

And why are you silent?

Whose land?

Whose gold and diamonds?

How does the spring know?

Who loves you more than me?

Who makes you laugh when you are sad?

How long until you'll be mine?

And why are you silent?

Now I don't know much about the guy who wrote this. His name is Arkadi Dukin (or something like that) and he immigrated to Israel, I think from Russia. I don't know why he wrote this song or what he meant by most of the lyrics (most people look at it as a man's love song to a woman), but from the way I read/heard it, it really seems to reflect God's heart toward His people, Israel.

Here is God, the One to whom the earth, air, and sea belong; the One to whom all of the diamonds and gold in the earth belong, the King of the world; the one who taught jackals to howl and who brings spring in its season("He made the moon to mark the seasons, the sun to know its time for setting" Psalm 104:19); and the one who controls the waters on which ships sail (Psalm 107:23). And here He is, all we could ever want, asking "Who loves you more than me?...When will you be mine?" We respond to His call, trying to place the blame on Him for the broken relationship. We ask, why is their war, why is their pain, and why doesn't God interfere. I think that Jeremiah 3 summarizes it nicely:

"If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man's wife, will he return to her? Would not that land be greatly polluted. You have played the whore with many lovers; and would you return to me? declares the Lord. Life up your eyes to the bare heights and see! Where have you not been ravished. By the waysides you have sat awaiting lovers like an Arab in the wilderness. You have polluted the land with your vile whoredom. Therefore, the showers have been withheld, and the spring rain has not come; yet you have the forehead of a whore; you refuse to be ashamed. Have you not just now called to me, 'My father, you are the friend of my youth--will he be angry forever, will he be indignant to the end?' Behold, you have spoken, but you have done all the evil that you could...'Return, faithless Israel, declares the Lord. I will not look on you in anger, for I am merciful, declares the Lord; I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord your God and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree, and that you have not obeyed my voice, declares the Lord. Return, O faithless children, declares the Lord, for I am your master, I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding." (Jeremiah 3:1-5,12-15).

We've turn from Him and pursued our own goals and pleasures, with complete disregard for Him. And yet, he calls us back, saying "How long until you'll be mine?" How long until we will lay aside the sins which so easily entangle us and run with endurance the race set before us. "How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing, and fools hate knowledge" (Proverbs 1:22). How long will we be silent? How long until we confess our guilt and fall into the open arms of our Father? How long until God's people recognize their Savior? Ah, it breaks my heart...but it must break His so much more.