Home.

A house is so important for people of all cultures. It defines a person's socio-economic status, style, culture, etc. Whenever you go to someone's house, you are immediately able to judge a person. If the person has a mansion, you can probably tell that he/she is rich. If there's a plethora of furniture and trinkets inside of the house, you can probably tell that he/she is a hoarder. If trash accumulates and there's dust all around, you can probably tell that he/she is a lazy bum.

The house is so important in Asian culture, and this is evidenced by the emphasis on something called feng-shui. Even though my parents were not big into this Asian superstition, it was still in the back of their minds when they were shopping for houses. First of all, the house had to have an open feel so that air can circulate. Then, the stairs could not be directly in front of the front door, unless we wanted our blessings to run out the door. Next, the master bedroom had to be downstairs so that they don't have to climb up the stairs once they were old. All of these requirements were just the tip of the iceberg. Some might say that Asians are picky, and to that I would say, "yes they are."

Now, upon reading Haggai, I understand God's frustration with Judah. God wanted a house and he wasn't getting it. Everyone was neglecting the temple and instead was focusing on their own housing projects. Not only was God mad that his temple was not being built, but he was picky about it too. If the temple was supposed to resemble anything like the temple in Ezekiel's vision in Ezekiel 41-47, no wonder the Jewish people were not quick to start building the temple. God was demanding a very difficult task. But still, the house is what people look at. A house is a reflection of who you are. Your personality and your status is determined by your house. People revere a person by the kind of house they have. In the same way, God deserved a magnificent house because he is a rich and extravagant God. He deserves the best because no one else compares to him. The grand temple would also show the whole world how magnificent YHWH is. If God wants to show off, he should. He deserves a temple that shows people how important he is. 

Your Children Too

Throughout the Bible, the importance of the faithfulness of generations is evident. Not only is obedience expected of fathers and mothers, but also of their sons and daughters. It was not enough that their parents were faithful, but God required everyone in each generation to respond to the law faithfully.

Joel is a book that stresses the importance of this generational faithfulness. In the first couple of verses of this prophetic book, Joel writes, "Hear this, O elders, give ear, all inhabitants of the land! has such a thing happened in your days, or in the days of your ancestors? Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation" (Joel 1: 2-3, NRSV).

In Asian culture, it's so important that each generation progresses and is better than the last. As my parents say, it's a shame if I don't live a better life than them. I should be "better" than them in my education, work, salary, social class, etc. People from the outside should be able to look into my familial life and see that my brother and I are progressing my family name. It was so honorable for my grandparents knowing that their children are going to America to make a name for themselves. It was progress. My grandparents never went to college, but my parents not only finished college, but they finished it at an American university. How proud my grandparents must have been! The work that my grandparents did did not set the tone for their children and their children's children. Instead, each generation has to work hard to outdo the work of their parents.

It seems as if the Israelites also had the same task in their hands. The obedience of their fathers did not guarantee their salvation and security. God required that each generation uphold the commandments. Each generation had to do their part in order to maintain right relationship with God. In Joel 2, God's encouraging promise also highlights this theme of God's concern with each individual generation  stating "I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions..." (Joel 2:28, NRSV). No generation is left blameless for their sins, and in the same way, each generation will be rewarded for their individual faithfulness to God.

He has a big mouth...

As a child, I was drawn into charisma. I would watch the Trinity Broadcasting Network as a kid and be so engaged by the dynamic sermons these preachers had to give. As a child, it was also easy for me to trust people. I was so gullible, that if you had charm or charisma, I would automatically believe whatever you said.  Because my parents realized that I was so trusting, they made  an extra effort to tell me that charm and charisma is deceiving. They told me to stop listening to what people were saying and to start noticing what people were doing. Whenever people at church would boast in themselves or proclaim an elaborate testimony, my parents would often say that they have a "big mouth." My parents weren't impressed by the things they said they did, but instead were more impressed by the people who said little but did much.

As I read Ezekiel, this method of thought stuck with me. I was especially intrigued by Ezekiel 33:31 which states, "They come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not obey them. For flattery is on their lips, but their heart is set on their gain." As I read this, I was reminded of a woman I used to volunteer with who would always complain about how much she did. She made a point to let everyone know that she was working so hard and that she was so tired because of how much she has put into the project. At the end of the day, after evaluating how much work she actually did, it turned out that she did little to nothing. She wanted people to believe that she was super efficient with her tongue to gain the recognition of being a hard worker, but her actual productivity resulted in little. In the same way, Ezekiel is working for people who have a "big mouth" wanting to flatter God with their voice, but their actions do not back that up. This flattery reminds me of Saul and how he tried to persuade Samuel of his good intentions, but still, his actions did not reveal correct obedience to God. I guess my Asian culture taught me right in that charisma shouldn't impress you, but it's their actions that should speak for themselves.

The Biting Asian Tongue

I grew up in a culture where it was totally okay to be brutally honest to those you love most. My relatives and church family would bluntly say that I was fat and needed to go on a diet as a ten-year-old kid. I remember my dad suggesting Slim Fast and people suggesting that I skip meals. I especially remember my cousin's boyfriend telling me that I needed to grow vertically instead of horizontally, and that was all okay. Grandparents have the right to tell you that you have a stomach because it was honest. They didn't tell me this to make fun of me or put me down, but they wanted me to get to a better weight. They cared for me and therefore made it a point to tell me what was wrong with me.

God was probably doing the same thing in Jeremiah. God gave Jeremiah some harsh words and prophecies. A lot of the words could have gotten Jeremiah killed if it weren't for God's protection over his life. For example, in Jeremiah 36, when Baruch was ordered to read the scroll in the palace, the officials told Baruch to "Go and hide, you and Jeremiah, and let no one know where you are." What kind of word did Baruch recite that he had to go into hiding? According to the rest of Jeremiah, some of the words dealt with the king losing his battle and the land burning down. Jeremiah is filled with "because you didn't do this, God is going to do this" language. So, it seems like God was making "Asian parent" threats to Israel and Judah. He was brutally honest with them through Jeremiah's prophecies, but instead of repenting and becoming better they seemed to be unrepentant. God's threats did not cause them to change their lifestyle or do something about it. Instead, it seemed as if they willingly and stubbornly chose to disobey.

"Don't Dare Dishonor the Family"

When I was a child, if I asked to borrow some money from my friends at school and my parents found out about it, it would be the end of me. This simple act of borrowing lunch money was seen by my parents as me shouting to the whole world that my parents were unable to provide. Even though this was not the case at all, and the reason I didn't have lunch money because I forgot it at home, the act of borrowing money was one that shamed the entire family. 

To generalize, I'll put it this way. My actions cannot be separated from my family and my family's actions cannot be separated from me. My personal failure meant that my whole family experienced that failure.  No matter what I do, it would always have an effect on my family. My failures equaled bad parenting. 

Similarly, Israel's negative actions are a negative portrayal of God in the book of Isaiah. Every negative action that Israel did implied that God was a bad God. They claimed the family name of God, but lived rebellious lives, which might have caused foreigners to question if their god was the real god. This is why God urged Israel to repent and walk in the path of righteousness. Their failure to love each other and obey God is a negative reflection of God, and in turn, God should be ashamed of them because they have dishonored him by living careless lives. The Israelites weren't meant to live for themselves, but to honor God. Everything they did was a reflection of their greater family, which was God and his people. 

"See, you shall call nations that you do not know, and nations that do not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you." (Isaiah 55:5, NRSV)

Israel was supposed to cause nations to praise the LORD. Their works were supposed to impress nations to want to be like them. Instead, their actions dishonored the entire family. They acted in a way that brought shame to their "house" and caused foreigners to have a negative image of God. But like the Asian parent, God will not allow his name to be shamed, and therefore urges Israel to keep the covenant. 

"Shame Shame..."

As an Asian American, I know all about shame. If you didn't grow up with tiger parents, let me give you the rundown. As an Asian American, I was held to the impossibly high standard of making straight A's in school, performing flawless solos at recitals, holding an office position in my extracurricular activities, and was raised with the expectation of making a six-figure salary. Clearly, I fell short of all these standards, and because of that I often felt like I was an embarrassment to my family. My parents would blame my mistakes and failures on my inconsistent practice and/or failure to take things seriously. Sometimes, they would yell at me or ground me, but it was all so that I could become better.

As I read Isaiah, I sympathize with the Israelite's shame. They failed, so the only natural response is shame. It's the natural order of life. However, one thing that I don't understand is why they didn't change or repent. From the beginning of Isaiah, the prophet asked Judah "Why do you continue to rebel?" (Isaiah 1:5) This question is followed by promises of restoration and protection if the people would only obey. I learned from an early age that the only way to get rid of my shame is to do everything I can to please my parents. If my parents are happy, then I'll be happy. I know that they don't want me to fail, and they surely don't want me to live an unsuccessful life. That's exactly why they were hard on me and pushed me towards perfection. I think that that is exactly what God is doing here too. God wants the best for his people. Isaiah 55:9 says, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Just like my parents, I won't always understand why God is pushing me towards perfection and disciplining me along the way. Even though I might not always agree with what God is doing, I know that God will only lead me in the right direction for my good.