Imagio Dei is a Latin phrase that carries meaning to many people. Translated, it means image of God, but that carries with it so many meanings. According to the readings, that concept caused many ancient Jews to reflect on the presence of God. Where does God reside? Is it only in the temple? Or can the image of God be seen elsewhere throughout the world? To the Christians, that phrase could mean the image of God in the believers heart. All of these play into how believers of the two religions view their lives as well as their holy places.
If the image of God was found in the temple, it is no wonder why the Jews originally cared so deeply for the temple. The crisis came about with where God was during their diaspora whether it is with the Babylonians or the Romans in A.D. 70. Did God go with them when the temple was destroyed or did He leave them on their own when it was destroyed? For those who believed that God went with them when the temple fell, the concept of carrying God with them gave them much hope and encouragement that the hardships they were facing would be short lived.
That concept has carried great meaning with me. To believe that in under no circumstance God will still reside with me is a powerful beacon of hope. Throughout the times when all else has seemed to fade away whether it is my health with my brain tumor, or when my family is collapsing with my parents divorce, God still resided with me. One of my favorite quotes is: "If I had not felt certain that every additional trial was ordered by infinite love and mercy, I could not have survived my accumulated sufferings." by Adoniram Judson. I can say with confidence that the concept of God residing with me rather than in a temple is the source of that love and mercy.
At the same time, I can understand why the ancient Jews felt so strongly about the image of God being found in the temple. From the very beginnings of that establishment under Solomon, God had resided in the temple among the Ark of the Covenant. Their desire to restore that under Cyrus, the Greeks, and then after its fall with the Romans, shows how important that understanding is to them. I am amazed by their passion to restore the temple and to keep Jerusalem as a holy place, set apart for the worshiping of Yahweh. A passion that is continued to this day.
Blake, I found your post really interesting. It fascinates me that today we are still able to relate to occurrences that happened so long ago, like the one you mentioned where God was during the diaspora in 70 A.D. I too believe that through tough times god resides with me and this has definitely given me a sense of inner strength.
ReplyDeleteI agree entirely. Feeling the presence of God empowers us and strengthens us, because it reminds us that we are not alone. And if God resides within us rather than in a certain location, then we are never truly alone. This belief creates hope, which is the foundation of inner strength.
ReplyDeleteBlake, great post! It really made me think