A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings

All of humanity has seen the supernatural. Romans 1:20 says that God’s “invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made”. God is basically saying here that we need go no further than a rainfall, the sun shining in the sky, or a mountain majestically standing firm in its place, to see the supernatural things of God. Jesus says much the same, “For he (God) makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45, emphasis added); even David states the same truth in Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” All of humanity has experienced the supernatural, even if they do not acknowledge it. The same chapter in Romans says that humanity has “exchanged the truth about God for a lie” (Romans 1:25). Gabriel Garcia Marquez illustrates this Biblical truth, if perhaps accidentally, in his short story “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”. More specifically, in “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”, Gabriel Garcia Marquez presents the idea that humanity would rather gain or be entertained by the supernatural, than be changed by it.

The storyline of “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” is simple enough, as Marquez wrote it to be a child’s story. A poor man named Pelayo and his wife Elisenda find an old man with wings in their yard. The old man is in a pitiful state and they lock him in the chicken coop. The old man’s wings lead to the labeling of him as an “angel”, and so this strange appearance brings “pilgrims” from all over the world to visit this strange occurrence. Eventually, however, the crowds are drawn away from the “angel”, who does not speak or do anything put lie in his pitiful state in the chicken coop, to a girl who has been turned into a spider being shown at the carnival. The story ends with the “angel” flying back out over the ocean in a beautiful scene that only Elisenda witnesses.

The inability for man to appreciate the supernatural can be seen in the crowds that come to see the “angel”. They come eagerly, even willing to pay, but are sorely disappointed when the angel says nothing, and performs miracles that they seem to be inconsequential. The people leave the old man as soon as something more interesting, like the spider-girl, comes along. Something that fits what they want in the supernatural, as false religions and world views of today deceive people with a false truth that seems more attractive. They exchange the truth of God for a lie. The “angel” can be taken as a Christ-type, or a character that embodies some of the characteristics of Christ. He falls from glory into a pitiful state, reminiscent of Philippians 2:6-8, “Christ Jesus...made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross”. This brings up another interesting Christ characteristic, the Old Man with Enormous Wings is rejected by man because he is “much too human” (Marquez par. 5), and is even accused of being a trick used by the devil. This accusation is made by a religious ruler, Father Gonzaga, calling to mind the Pharisees’ accusation that Jesus was casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul (Matthew 12:24). Even looking past the Pharisees, most of the Jewish nation rejected Jesus because he was not what they thought he should be. The Messiah was suppose to save them from the oppressive power of Rome, not die on a cross; in Marquez’s words, he came “much to human”. Marquez’s perhaps most obvious allusion to Christ in the story is when an onlooker pierces the angel’s side with a hot iron, just as Jesus was pierced by a spear on the cross (John 19:34).

“A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” teaches us that the supernatural is not something to be entertained by, but something that should change us. The only person who perhaps realizes this is Elisenda. When the angel makes his flight across the sea, she is the only one to witness: “She (Elisenda) kept watching him even when she was through cutting the onions and she kept on watching until it was no longer possible for her to see him, because then he was no longer an annoyance in her life but an imaginary dot on the horizon of the sea. (Marquez par. 13)” The angel is no longer an annoyance, but something beautiful. Maybe Elisenda will think on her experience with the angel. Perhaps she will think of the poor state of herself and Pelayo before the angel appeared, in a old house infected with crabs with a sick child, and the life that they now lead, in a big, new house, where they no longer have to catch crabs, the child well and in school. One day Elisenda may see all the angel did for her family, and the Old Man with Enormous Wings will live in her memory as a beautiful dot on the sea of her life, just as some finally see the world around them as the beautiful dot of God, and so believe in the Lord of all creation.

New Reading System

This January I adopted a new reading system for my Bible reading. And I love it! It was devised by a professor at the Master’s College in Santa Clarita, Ca (John MacArthur’s school). My brother-in-law went to school and hence how I have heard of the system. Basically, it involves reading one chapter from ten different locations in the Bible. The point of the system is to get a little of the entire scope of the Bible in one sitting. You read one chapter from the Pentateuch, the historical books of the Old Testament, Psalms, Proverbs, the other Old Testament books of poetry (Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs), the prophets, the Gospels, Acts, and the Epistles are divided into two groups.

I have absolutely loved this new reading plan. You get the entire scope of the Bible in one sitting and my knowledge and ability to maneuver the Bible has increased in just the three months I have done it. While before I might get to know one book really well, I am getting to know the Bible in it’s entirety. At any point I might be reading Romans, while reading the story of Joseph (Genesis 36 and on), while reading 1 Timothy, then reading the story of Jesus healing the blind man, then read of Joshua taking down the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6), then Isaiah predicting the Lord saving Jerusalem from the King of Assyria for Hezekiah’s faithful prayer (Isaiah 36-37), and read David declaring that the heavens declare the Glory of God (Psalm 19). It’s been amazing and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to further their knowledge of the Bible.

I am the Worst Sinner I Know

I was recently watching a promotional video for a conference featuring one of my favorite preachers, C.J. Mahaney. I was struck by the way he introduced himself in this particular video: “Hello, I am C.J. Mahaney, and I am the worst sinner I know”. And this wasn’t said to prove a point, or be used as an illustration, I could tell that he really believed it. What humbleness.

As I thought a little more about this, I though how true that statement is. Not that C.J. Mahaney was the worst sinner I know, but that he was the worst sinner he knew. We are all the worst sinners we know. Let me explain a bit further. I know every sin I have done (or at least most of them). I now my deepest, darkest, most evil thoughts that no one will ever know. I know my entire past and what I have done, what my mind has thought, what my failures have been, what has, as Jesus said, come out of my evil human heart (Mark 7:20-21). Hello, my name is Andy Smith, and I am the worst sinner I know.

I will tell you that when I think of it, it truly creates first sorrow and sadness, but then humbleness. Paul calls it godly grief (see previous post). But more than that, it cause me to preach to myself the gospel. In reflecting on my past I must remember that that is not me anymore, God and His Gospel has changed me. With humbleness I must remember that I am the worst sinner I know, but this causes me with joy to remember 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Chist, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come”.

Funny enough, not till later did I realize that C.J Mahaney was not the first to realize this. Paul says in 1 Timothy 1:15, “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”

Godly Grief

I have been profoundly blessed these passed few days by 2 Corinthians 7:8-11:

“For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it-though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us.
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, wheras worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.”

The reason I have so loved the above verses is because of how clearly it defines living for God by reading His word. Starting at the beginning, Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthians (scholars aren’t sure if this is 1 Corinthians or not, but it seems likely) that caused them sadness. 2 things to remember about this letter. First, 1 Corinthians (if it was 1 Corinthians) is quite famously hard on the Corinthian church, rebuking them for their failure in areas such as unity, the Lord’s supper, and other such things. Secondly, the letter is the Word of God. It is true and so exposes the false and evil. With these two in mind it is obvious why Paul’s letter would cause the Corinthians grief; God (through Paul) had pointed out specific wrongs that they had committed. Yet the grief felt here is not worldly grief with no hope, in fact, it is quite the opposite. This is godly grief. This grief brings you to repentance and through repentance to a renewed earnestness in your faith, a indignation, a fear, a longing and zeal to correct that which was wrong. A grief that has the ultimate product of a “salvation without regret”. How wonderful this must be. What a contrast to what Paul said of those in the Church who do nothing for the gospel in 1 Corinthians: “If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” (1 Cor 3:15). I do not want to be saved “only as through fire”, but strive for a “salvation without regret”.

Let me summarize a bit better the point. As a Christian, we must constantly read the Word of God to produce within us a godly grief. This godly grief sees our sin, and seeks with eagerness to correct it. The end result of this is salvation without regret, not as though just escaping judgement, but living the full life that Jesus promises in John 10:10. Think of what would be possible if we really did read the Bible constantly, and so instilling within us godly grief everyday. Think of the results.

The understanding of this idea of godly grief has helped me understand several passages. Here I’ve written out a few without an explanation for the sake of space. Maybe someday I’ll write a book about it and I can give you a more detailed explanation, but for now I’ll leave them to be figured out on your own: “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” (1 John 5:3), “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4), “but his (the blessed man’s) delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2), “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” (2 Cor 4:16), “I urge you therefore brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2), “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17), “Whoever says ‘I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4).

Seek godly grief, so that you may obtain a salvation without regret. I pray for it now everyday.