Today is a brief introductory bit that will be expanded upon later - it is enough to simply have Brueggemann note a few pieces of information about the time of this Babylonian experience.
For all of the historical stuff going on during this empires rules....The biblical evidence is terse....The evidence of the "facts on the ground" concerning the Babylonian destruction is not in doubt and is readily summarized. What remained, however, was an enormous interpretive task, a task that evoked Israel's best imagination that in turn resulted in the production of much of the material that now constitutes the Old Testament.
Though Brueggemann throws in the bits and pieces of this biblical evidence, it is most important that though it is 'terse', there is a whole creation that takes place during that time within the life of Israel. As he notes here, much of what is in the OT comes from this time. Some would argue that the first chapter of Genesis comes to life in this time as a counter-creation story that speaks of the one God that is the only God in the midst of the Babylonian powers and their god. Does that mean the story of something like Genesis loses its 'weight' among the faithful? Not at all. I would argue the opposite. This bunch of beaten folk emerge from this place of exile with a creation story that truly continues to create - even out of nothing. It is a story of hope and power and identity that gathers a remnant into a people and into the eternal embrace of the God that abides with them and takes them into new life - always!
Connection: We need such imaginative minds and hearts as a people who are called to live a life that is quite contrary to the prevailing powers that attempt to rule the day. We need to be able to say "you do not rule here - you do not rule us." And then, we need to live in the way of the liberating stories that come to light with a faithful imagination.
O God, within the stories of our lives, we long to weave your love and creative power into the days at hand. The truthfulness of these stories are grand for they show us our depth as a people and the power that comes to life within stories that are not molded by the culture and the influence and the brutality of the day. Grant us the vision to hold such stories close to heart. Amen.
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