Tuesday 29 November 2011

THE STORY - WHAT IS IT?


Camel and “Eye Of The Needle”
After the morning church service, the three old classmates decided to meet for special “laksa” at Goody-Goody food stall last Sunday. Finding an empty table was not an unusual waiting “problem” when the eatery was always full of customers especially so during Saturday and Sunday morning.

I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:23-24. Parallel versions appeared in Mark 10:25; and Luke 18:25).

The aphorism or figure of speech was used by Jesus in response to a young rich man who had asked Jesus what he must do in order to inherit eternal life. Jesus answered that he should keep the commandments to which the man said he had kept them. Then Jesus said in response: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." While the young man became sad and unwilling to sell all his possessions, Jesus’ disciples were astonished at the response.

The Conversation
Jiang Seng: “What is your understanding about the sermon preached this morning? .....I find it interesting how ‘wealth’ can be burdensome for rich people to ‘enter’ the Kingdom of God.....That teaching of Jesus Christ seems to discourage believers to become rich....”

Caleb Andang: “In this particular teaching Jesus Christ used the story of   ‘The camel and the eye of the needle’ as aphorism to make hearers think of the unthinkable thoughts.....a figure of speech implying the unlikely or impossible.

Wanye Salih: “My understanding of “the eye of the needle” refers a gate in Jerusalem, which opened after the main gate was closed at night. A camel could only pass through this smaller gate if its baggage was removed and that the camel had to stoop and crawled on its knees in order to enter... I also read somewhere two other mentions about “the eyes of the needle” referring to: (i) that of ancient inns having small entrances to prevent thieves by night; and (ii) that of an old mountain pass. The entrance or pass was so narrow that camel-riders would have to dismount from their camels.”

Jiang Seng: “It was believed in the Old Testament time that being poor was a curse from God, and being wealthy and prosperous were blessings from God (Deut.8:18). The beliefs seem contradictory. If wealthy persons being seen righteous by God from their blessings cannot be saved, who can be? It does portray wealth as a hindrance to salvation. The concept of salvation is theologically difficult for me to understand........”   

Caleb Andang: “As I see it- yes! Wealth can but not necessarily be a hindrance to salvation, and it is no more or less than many other things. Yeshua’s usage of the aphprohism or figure of speech (sempama jaku): “eye of the needle” was to correct the false assumption that wealth was always a blessing from God. More often than not the pursuit of wealth tends to isolate us from the workings of God in our lives. Wealth can overtake the words sown in our hearts thus robbing us of God-eternally promised treasures. This is fact and “truth” in reverse.....Under normal state it is difficult (but not impossible) for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God....... Beyond the impossibility is the possibility with God. In Jewish midrash it was recorded: "The Holy One said, open for me a door as big as a needle's eye and I will open for you a door through which may enter tents and [camels?]"......It is inferred that God only needs a sinner to open up just a crack for Him and God will come pouring in and set up room for an oasis. Jesus said: “Behold I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hear my voice and open the door, i will come in to him nd will dine with him, and he with Me” (Rev.3:20). The message and way to salvation is clear through the grace of God and God-sent-Word born as Yeshua al-Messiah.

Wanye Salih: “By the way, the Bible does not seem to have record on the existence of ‘the eye of needle’ by the wall of Jerusalem apart from being mentioned by Jesus Christ in His teaching .....I read an article and comments on this issue..... ”

Jiang Seng: “An aphprohism or figure of speech figure is an abstract concept or an idea being used to analyze and explain deep meanings of a particular subject matter... In this case the physical existence and variations over “eye of the needle”- be it the wall of Jerusalem, or of ancient inns; and of an old mountain pass; including a claim that kamilos (meaning camel) is a Greek misprint of kamĂȘlos meaning ‘rope" or "cable’ are less important than the intended meanings and  impacts of message of God’s salvation.”

Caleb Andang: “To me whether it was kamilos (‘camel’) or kamĂȘlos (‘rope or cable’) is immaterial. It is the stark contrast between the small size of the needle's eye and the large size of a camel (or lesser size of a rope) is a crux of the message explaining how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God because of distraction by wealth and the difficulty to share when a wealthy person is too attached to his wealth.....There is a dierct connection between “eye of the needle” and a "rope" or "cable"  in the trade of a “sewer” or a  “cobbler”. However, by comparing the economic value of a “rope or cable” and the economic value of a “camel with its baggage of wealth”, I see the contextual relevance of the message in the aphprohism of “camel and the eye of the needle” above that of “rope and the eye of the needle."
**********************

Sunday 6 November 2011

THE WALK ACROSS INTERNATIONAL BORDER


Onward journey from Kumpang Langgir Engkilili in Sri Aman Sarawak Malaysia to Dusun Kedang Hulu Kapuas in West Kalimantan Indonesia
  It took us about three and half hours to walk from Kumpang Langgir, Engkilili Lubok Antu  in Sri Aman Sarawak Malaysia and across the international border to reach Dusun Kedang, Hulu Kapuas in Kalimantan Barat Indonesia on Friday on 21 October 2011.
    LEFT: Bajau Biju CENTRE: Agnes L. Belon RIGHT: Anthony Belon
   From Dusun Kedang, it took another three and half hours up-mountain journey to reach the site of Gunung Doa Segala Bangsa (or All Nations Prayer Mountain) Kedang. It was treking through jungle tracks with many leeches. 

Comparatively the experiences were quite smiliar to that of my “child-and-teenage-hood" in the late 1950s - 1960s when inter-villages communications in those years were by means of rivers, footpaths and jungle tracks

The location of Gunung Doa Segala Bangsa Kedang is about 100 meters away from Sarawak in the Indonesian side of Sarawak/Kalimantan Border at N01.01376o E111.70946o.  At the altitude of 604 meters above the sea level, the height was not high comparatively with other taller mountains.  However, treking up Kedang Mountain up and down through steep valley-slopes was a great challenge. Especially so after a long lapse of many-many years.
Up-mountain journey - The scenery behind is of  BUKIT  TUGA (or Tree-Stump
Mountain)                    FRONT: Anthony Belon BEHIND: Bajau Biju 
                                                A section of up-mountain jungle track
 Photo taken below Trig. Station point (@657 meters altitude)  on S'wak-Malaaysia/ Kalimantan-Indonesia Border on 22-10-2011 during preliminary premeter-survey   RIGHT: Bajau Biju CENTRE: Benji Jihen RIGHT: Alexander Paong

Trig. Station facing  (a) Sarawak  &  (b) Kalimantan Barat Indonesia
   

Concrete-Border-Marking-Pole at Kedang Mountain between S'wak- Malaysia/Kalbar-Indonesia . Behind me is territory of Sarawak (22-10-2011)

                                                  

Rare mountain snail  locally known as "Tuntong"


Fellowship over lunch on Saturday 22-10-2011
From left to right: Pstr. Timothy; Anthony Belon; Agnes L. Belon; and Bajau Biju




Saturday night Bible Study & Fellowship (22-10-2011)
Pastor Timothy (of Nanga Wak Hulu Ketungau Kalimantan Barat Ind.) read Bible verses




Praying after planting of mangostin seedling near the Prayer House on Sunday  on 23-10-2011.
LEFT: Pstr. Nanggun; CENTRE: Alexamder Paong; RIGHT: Bajau Biju: SQUATTING:Anthony Belon
Also planted near the site of the Prayer House:  one  rembutan seedling by Pstr. Nyanggun; and one  mango seedling by Alexander Paong.  The three types of fruit tree seedling were brought from Kuching.



Coming down from the mountain: TEAM WORK - Crossing Merakai River after heavy rain (Afternoon on  23/10/11)
Front: Bajau Biju followed by  Agnes L. Belon; Anthony Belon; and Alexander Paong.

  





Enhanced by  God-created mountainous environments, the three days and two nights  staying up the All Nations Prayer Mountain Kedang were spiritually fulfilling. Inspite of my physical tiredness, the journey was indeed very refreshing.

Some members of the Team (22-10-2011)













Ready to depart on Sunday 23-10-2011

                      Departure on 23-10-2011. 
 View infront isThe Third Uppermost Waterfall in Merakai River


Second Uppermost Waterfall in Merakai River about 80 meters from the Prayer House. Located about 25 meters upstream from the Third Uppermost Waterfall

 

Third uppermost waterfall in Merakai River about 50 meters from the Prayer House. Located about 25 meters downstream from the Second Uppermost Waterfall

Fourth Uppermost Waterfall in Merakai River located about 35 meters downstream from the Third Uppermost Waterfall.
The steep-fall from top to  downstream (or below) is about 300 meters.
Benji Behin sat on dry rock about 15 meters away from the steep-fall

 



A view of the legendry & historical  BUKIT TUGA ( orTree Stump Mountain)  in Hulu Kapuas Kalimantan Barat Indonesia

 NOTE : It is biblical to establish All Nations Prayer Mountain. In this case the prayer mountain is called “All Nations Prayer Mountain Kedang”.

Isaiah 2:2-5 says: “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And it shall be exalted above the hills And all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say:”Come and let us go up the mountain of the LORD, To the house of God of Jacob, He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people, they shall beat their swords into ploughshares And their spears into pruning hooks Nation shall not lift up sword against nation Neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come and let us walk In the light of the LORD”.
Yesaya 2:2-5 berbunyi demikian: “Akan jadi pada-pada hari yang terakhir gunung tempat rumah TUHAN akan berdiri tegak di hulu gunung-guuong, dan menjulang tinggi di atas bukit; segala bangsa akan berduyun-duyun  ke sana dan banyak suku bangsa akan pergi serta berkata:”Mari kita naik gunung  TUHAN  ke rumah Allah Yakub, supaya Ia mengajar kita tentang jalan-jalan Nya, dan supaya kita berjalan menempuhnya sebab dari Sion akan keluar pengajaran dan firman TUHAN  dari Yerusalem.” Ia akan menyadi hakim antara bangsa-bangsa; dan akan menyadi wasit bagi suku bangsa; maka mereka akan menempa pedang-pedangnya menyadi mata bajak dan tombak-tombaknya menyadi pisau pemangkas, bangsa tidak akan lagi belajar perang. Hai kaum keturunan Yakob mari kita berjalan dalam terang TUHAN”.
************************************