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Hub You - Lamech's Revenge: Israel Pursues Ancient Strategy
As in several previous SuperBowls, the biggest single advertiser at this Superbowl XLI was Anheuser-Busch, with nine spots. Their Bud Light brand alone fielded six 30’ commercials. Now, of course, Bud Light is already the market leader of this category. And this may be the reason why they seemed so complacent with their Superbowl advertising.Let us look at Bud Light advertising at this Superbowl at all the key areas of scrutiny compelled by accountable practices for marketing communications.Bud Light was launched about twenty-five years ago. It is the market leader of the light beer category. Bud Light must have a marketing strategy that involves at least two thrusts:a)
If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.
The meaning of burning coals is obscure, but it may mean you will make him burn with shame at his unfounded enmity.
Stage four: Unlimited forgiveness and restoration of relationship
Jesus the Messiah Himself urges us to love our enemies and to let our love prompt us to action. He counsels a ready
Let me ask you a question.Of all the friends and family in your life, have you ever known any of them to become rich while earning a wage? Now there's a chance you might be thinking of someone in sales who's making six figures a year. But when it comes to sales, that's a slightly different animal and I'll tell you why in a moment.Wages, while they can pay for most of your expenses, have one drawback. They are always a fixed amount. Worse yet, the deductions that come off your check keep increasing while your wage stays the same. And if you do happen to ever get a raise, you could fall into a new tax bracket and actually take home less than before. It's happened to a lot of people and i
It is the strategy, in fact, that first occurs in the Book of Genesis, before the Great Flood. It is known as "Lamech's Revenge."
The Lamech of Cain's line told his two wives:
I have killed a man for wounding me,
A young man for injuring me.
If Cain is avenged seven times,
Then Lamech seventy-seven times (Genesis 4:23-24).
Pay them back 77 times more than their offense! This seems to characterize Israel's long-term strategy. But take a look at how the unfolding will of God revealed itself through history since those brutal, antediluvian times.
Stage 1: Tit for tat
The Law of Moses moved the ancient nation of Israel from Lamech-like revenge when it limited vengeance to "life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise" (Exodus 21:23-24; see also Leviticus 24:17-20; Deuteronomy 19:21). We tend to think of these as harsh commands, but compared to Lamech's Revenge, it was a giant leap forward toward true justice.
Stage 2: Lex talionis
Not only was this the justice meted out in an Israelite court of law, but it was also the kind the Israelite people prayed for from the court of heaven. It's the vengeance we often refer to as "poetic justice": pay them back in kind for the wrong they have done.
If they rolled boulders down on the unwary, may boulders roll down on them; may they fall into the pit that they themselves have dug (see, for example, Psalm 7:15; 35:8; Proverbs 26:27). The command to hang Haman on the gallows he built for Mordecai (Esther 7:9-10) resonates with an ironic justice. The step forward here is that the people are not taking vengeance themselves, but earnestly pleading for God to do it in their behalf.
Stage three: Refusing vengeance and acting kindly
Under the New Covenant we see grace and forgiveness triumphing over resentment and bitterness. The Apostle Paul commands, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil.... Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." Then, in v. 20, Paul adds this amazing command, which is actually a quotation from Proverbs 25:11-12:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.
The meaning of burning coals is obscure, but it may mean you will make him burn with shame at his unfounded enmity.
Stage four: Unlimited forgiveness and restoration of relationship
Jesus the Messiah Himself urges us to love our enemies and to let our love prompt us to action. He counsels a ready
After all, you’re no dummy or idiot. You’re a talented business person that wants to make his or her Yellow Pages effective and profitable. The only problem you have is that you’re good at fixing water heaters or painting houses, not doing marketing. So you have come to rely on your YP rep when they come out each year for guidance. Is that a bad thing? It depends. Who are they working for?If you said, “the advertiser,” you’re wrong. Who pays their salary and commission? Why it’s the YP publisher, of course. So they will try to help you through the process, while keeping a careful watch on the things the publisher wants them to accomplish. Like selling you the latest product, service, or other
Pay them back 77 times more than their offense! This seems to characterize Israel's long-term strategy. But take a look at how the unfolding will of God revealed itself through history since those brutal, antediluvian times.
Stage 1: Tit for tat
The Law of Moses moved the ancient nation of Israel from Lamech-like revenge when it limited vengeance to "life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise" (Exodus 21:23-24; see also Leviticus 24:17-20; Deuteronomy 19:21). We tend to think of these as harsh commands, but compared to Lamech's Revenge, it was a giant leap forward toward true justice.
Stage 2: Lex talionis
Not only was this the justice meted out in an Israelite court of law, but it was also the kind the Israelite people prayed for from the court of heaven. It's the vengeance we often refer to as "poetic justice": pay them back in kind for the wrong they have done.
If they rolled boulders down on the unwary, may boulders roll down on them; may they fall into the pit that they themselves have dug (see, for example, Psalm 7:15; 35:8; Proverbs 26:27). The command to hang Haman on the gallows he built for Mordecai (Esther 7:9-10) resonates with an ironic justice. The step forward here is that the people are not taking vengeance themselves, but earnestly pleading for God to do it in their behalf.
Stage three: Refusing vengeance and acting kindly
Under the New Covenant we see grace and forgiveness triumphing over resentment and bitterness. The Apostle Paul commands, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil.... Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." Then, in v. 20, Paul adds this amazing command, which is actually a quotation from Proverbs 25:11-12:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.
The meaning of burning coals is obscure, but it may mean you will make him burn with shame at his unfounded enmity.
Stage four: Unlimited forgiveness and restoration of relationship
Jesus the Messiah Himself urges us to love our enemies and to let our love prompt us to action. He counsels a ready
An IT consultant needs to be aware that PC vendors are typically very willing to cover inexpensive products like a mouse under standard warranties. But because as an IT consultant your client can probably buy a replacement part of that type for as little as $10, it's probably not worth waiting for a few days to get a replacement part under the standard PC warranty agreement.The Convenience Of Available Spare PartsIf your clients already have spare mice available, warranty claims can be delayed by a few days or a few weeks until there is time to deal with the issue. As their IT consultant, you will have helped your clients deal with potential downtime for a nominal advanced planning e
Stage 2: Lex talionis
Not only was this the justice meted out in an Israelite court of law, but it was also the kind the Israelite people prayed for from the court of heaven. It's the vengeance we often refer to as "poetic justice": pay them back in kind for the wrong they have done.
If they rolled boulders down on the unwary, may boulders roll down on them; may they fall into the pit that they themselves have dug (see, for example, Psalm 7:15; 35:8; Proverbs 26:27). The command to hang Haman on the gallows he built for Mordecai (Esther 7:9-10) resonates with an ironic justice. The step forward here is that the people are not taking vengeance themselves, but earnestly pleading for God to do it in their behalf.
Stage three: Refusing vengeance and acting kindly
Under the New Covenant we see grace and forgiveness triumphing over resentment and bitterness. The Apostle Paul commands, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil.... Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." Then, in v. 20, Paul adds this amazing command, which is actually a quotation from Proverbs 25:11-12:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.
The meaning of burning coals is obscure, but it may mean you will make him burn with shame at his unfounded enmity.
Stage four: Unlimited forgiveness and restoration of relationship
Jesus the Messiah Himself urges us to love our enemies and to let our love prompt us to action. He counsels a ready
What not everybody knows is that these loans can be customized to suit the needs of the applicant and that there is no need to accept the pre-defined clauses that most loans feature. The whole idea is to provide the money needed to put things in order, pay off debts and bills or fund any new project you have in mind to generate income.These loans are meant for those with less than perfect credit that cannot afford high monthly payments or even for those who need to reduce the portion of income they destine to paying off debt. But not all personal situations are similar and you can tailor the loan terms to suit yours. Negotiating The Repayment Schedule On Fresh Start Loans
Stage three: Refusing vengeance and acting kindly
Under the New Covenant we see grace and forgiveness triumphing over resentment and bitterness. The Apostle Paul commands, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil.... Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." Then, in v. 20, Paul adds this amazing command, which is actually a quotation from Proverbs 25:11-12:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.
The meaning of burning coals is obscure, but it may mean you will make him burn with shame at his unfounded enmity.
Stage four: Unlimited forgiveness and restoration of relationship
Jesus the Messiah Himself urges us to love our enemies and to let our love prompt us to action. He counsels a ready
I was fortunate enough to get a job that paid well and was a lot of fun about five years ago. However, they wanted me to use a Mac laptop when I started. This was a problem because I was very unfamiliar with it and I had no idea what I was doing. Obviously, using a Mac is a lot different than using an IBM compatible type computer. It took me a quite awhile to get used to it because everything was different. Fortunately, my boss was patient because he knows that they aren’t common. He was also kind enough to offer to have someone come in to show me the basics.It turned out that I did well without the help with the Mac laptop. I managed to figure things out as I went, which tends to be the way
If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.
The meaning of burning coals is obscure, but it may mean you will make him burn with shame at his unfounded enmity.
Stage four: Unlimited forgiveness and restoration of relationship
Jesus the Messiah Himself urges us to love our enemies and to let our love prompt us to action. He counsels a ready forgiveness so that if our brother offends seven times in a day and seven times says, "I repent," we forgive him (Luke 17:4).
We forgive, the Master says, not seven times, but 77 times (Matthew 18:22), exactly reversing Lamech's Revenge. And, if the offense remains unrepented, Paul's command means that we still do not take vengeance into our own hands, but defer to the "Judge of all the earth."
Analyze the results
Does this offer the prospect of a better outcome than the one the Israelis can anticipate with Hezbollah or Hamas? The potential for transformation exists, as unlikely as it seems to jaded analysts and pundits. But what potential is there for Lamech's Revenge? Only the ringing warning of a Savior who found His victory on a cross: "Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword" (Matthew 26:52). We should not disregard or diminish the significance of the word 'all' in this verse.
At best, Lamech's Revenge can offer only an escalating tit for tat — an endless blood feud that ever threatens to burst beyond national borders. Mercy and forgiveness offer a new start, regenerated hearts leading to transformed attitudes, helping actions, healed relationships.
What about closer to home?
It's easy for us to remain comfortably detached and criticize what seems to be the intentional, long-term strategy of modern Israel. It's much more of a challenge for us to detect the identical strategy in our own country's foreign policy. More difficult still is the process of diagnosing the very same tendency to yearn for Lamech's Revenge on a personal level.
Wherever it turns up, Lamech's Revenge has the same devastating effect. It destroys both its object and its subject. Christ's forgiveness has the potential to heal both. Yet, even if its object remains unresponsive or even violent, Christ's 77-fold forgiveness keeps the subject's heart spiritually healthy and attuned to God's will. It qualifies us to be peacemakers, in imitation of the Prince of Peace.
Although the short-term effects of this strategy may mean carrying a cross, if we can lift our eyes to look over the short-term, we can be confident that in the end, both we and the world will be better for rejecting the one upsmanship of "I don't get mad; I get even." Revenge comes from harboring of resentment, which is like concocting a deadly pois
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