At Passover at my congregation, we read a liturgical passage called Dayenu, which roughly translated means "enough" or "it would have been enough." We then sing a musical version of it. ---------- How thankful must we be to God, for all the good that the Omnipresent did for us. Had God brought us out from Egypt and not executed judgment against the Egyptians, Had God executed judgment against the Egyptians and not destroyed their idols, Had God destroyed their idols and not slain their firstborn, Had God slain their first born and not given us their property, Had God given us their property and not divided the sea, Had God divided the sea for us and not brought us through dry-shod, Had God brought us through dry-shod and not drowned our oppressors in the sea, Had God drowned our oppressors in the sea and not sustained us in the desert for forty years, Had God sustained us in the desert for forty years and not fed us manna, Had God fed us manna and not given us the Sabbath, Had God given us the Sabbath and not brought us to mount Sinai, Had God brought us to Mount Sinai, and not given us the Torah, Had God given us the Torah and not brought us in the land of Israel, Had God brought us into the Land of Israel and not built for us the Holy Temple, How much more so do we have to be thankful for the manifold and unbounded blessings of the Omnipresent God. ------- Now, I am just grateful for my salvation, bestowed on me by a merciful and gracious God. Heaven could be a Siberian Gulag and for me, Dayenu! It would be enough! If there were no pets or animals, Dayenu! It would be enough. However, I do suspect that our Wonderful and Creative God has much, much, much more in store for us. :yahoo: Here's a humorous take on the song in Hebrew: Indeed, there is no end to His goodness! The fact that He formed me in my mother’s womb, that would have been enough! That He chose to die for me, would have been enough! That He has assigned angels to watch over me, that would have been enough! That He offered me His heart, that would have been enough! That He has kept a watchful eye over me, that would have been enough! He is mindful of my frame and captures my tears, that would have been enough! That He leads and guides me, that would have been enough! That He calls friend and loves my soul, that would be enough! TR Here's an interesting take on the question of whether there will be animals or pets in heaven. This is Part 2. The link for Part 1 can be found at the top of the article: https://deborahsbiblestudies.wordpress.com/2015/02/18/do-our-pets-go-to-heaven-2/ Redemption for animals In order to inherit eternal life, we humans have to be redeemed; we have to repent of our sin and put our faith in Jesus Christ. Animals are often said to be excluded from redemption, because they cannot do this. But again, this goes against the Biblical evidence. The Passover is the definitive act of God in the Old Testament – not only an event of great significance for the nation of Israel, but the paradigm for our redemption and salvation through the death of Christ (I Corinthians 5:7). Both in the preparations for the event, and in its outworking, every detail is pregnant with meaning – such as the command not to break the bones of the lamb (Exodus 12:46; John 19:31-36). For months beforehand, Moses had been negotiating with Pharaoh, repeating again and again God’s demand to “let My people go!” (Exodus 7:16; 8:20; 9:13) After nine plagues, Pharaoh finally agreed that all the Israelites could leave Egypt – so long as they left their animals behind. But this, declared Moses, was not enough: “Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind.” (Exodus 10:26) He claimed that this was because they would be needed for sacrifice; but this was a negotiating ploy that did not deceive Pharaoh (the Israelites wouldn’t need all their animals for sacrifices!). Even though all those sheep and cattle would slow the Israelites down, and would require feeding and watering on the long trek to Canaan; even though there were livestock to be acquired in Canaan; even though God was well able to provide the people with meat to eat on their journey (in the form of quail); the animals were considered to be part of God’s people and had to be liberated along with them. It was because Pharaoh would not agree to this, that all the firstborn of Egypt died in the tenth plague – a plague that affected animals as well as people (Exodus 11:5). But Israel’s animals, like the Israelites themselves, were protected by the blood of the Passover lambs. In each Israelite house a lamb died not only for the firstborn human in the family, but also for any firstborn animals in the household. Both people and animals were ‘redeemed by the blood of the lamb’, and left Egypt the next morning to begin a new life. So do our pets ‘go to heaven’? I for one think that they do. “Not a hoof (or paw, or claw) is to be left behind!” Thank you Arthur ~ Thank you! That rendition literally brought a tear (or two or three) to my eyes. :thankyou Love the article! :good: And this … “Not a hoof (or paw, or claw) is to be left behind!”. :mdrmdr: I do believe those who have a love for animals and are taking care of them right now … we are stewards over them and I don’t think it just suddenly ends in this short life but will continue on in all eternity. :whistle: I also think God gives us far more than enough so that we may see that those things can never take His place, no matter how much we have. Nothing compares to Him! True that! TR What beautiful artwork! I especially like the inclusion of koalas and kangaroos in the top pic. Somehow, they made it all the way to Australia....only God knows how. I'm also tickled by the hoof mention in that Exodus verse.
It would have been enough! Dayenu!
It would been enough! Dayenu!
It would been enough! Dayenu!
It would have been enough!, Dayenu!
It would have been enough! Dayenu!
It would have been enough! Dayenu!
It would have been enough! Dayenu!
It would have been enough! Dayenu!
It would have been enough Dayenu!
It would have been enough! Dayenu!
It would have been enough! Dayenu!
It would have been enough! Dayenu!
It would have been enough! Dayenu!
It would have been enough! Dayenu!
