Who is God? Grand Master of Gridlock, Conquering King of Quagmires
- Kathryn Cox
- Jan 5, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Jan 17
No one knows exactly when, but best estimates say at least 1728 (AD) or earlier. One sunny afternoon, I imagine, or at least a pleasant one, a stone mason hauled a basic but sturdy cedar wood ladder to a large church window ledge. He leaned the timber tool against the building and proceeded with whatever task he set out to do. Duties completed, the worker scaled up the five rungs, entered back into the building through the open window, and, for whatever reason, left the ladder. Although this doesn’t appear odd or unusual, what happened next truly is. You see, this “church” wasn’t simply a common edifice located in a sleepy, no-name town. This place of worship is said to house the actual tomb Jesus Christ Himself walked out of three days after a horrifying death by Roman-style crucifixion.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem was first constructed and completed under the rule of Emperor Constantine and dedicated in September of the year 335 AD. In 1009, it was destroyed during war but rebuilt by Christians in 1048, with the Crusaders expanding the structure in 1099. It isn’t hard to believe that, since then, this towering basilica-style marble church claiming not only to hold Jesus’ tomb but the “Rock of Golgatha” where Jesus hung nailed to a cross, fussiness abounds here.
Petty Politics
Because of its incalculable importance and sacredness, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre isn’t “owned” by any one group.
“…in 1757 the Ottoman sultan Othman III, who controlled Jerusalem, issued a ruling that codified the power relations existing within the church at that time. This “Status Quo,”…means that everything that happens in the church—from renovation works to the timing of services to who picks up litter—is governed by mutually agreed rules.” (1) *Reprinted with permission from Peter Williams, Prospect Magazine Managing Editor (article author, Matthew Teller)
And
“Following the Paris Treaty of 1856, the often warring factions who claimed the region agreed to preserve and protect key religious sites—including the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The treaty stipulated that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was to be shared by six Christian denominations: the Catholic-Franciscans, the Greek-Orthodox, the Armenians, the Copts, the Assyrians, and the Ethiopians. Each one of these denominations are responsible for different aspects of the complex.” (2) *Reprinted with permission from Michael Weiss, sepulchre-candles.com
After our unassuming stone mason either by intent or accident left behind his ladder, there it sat, unmoved for an astounding number of years. The “1728” date marks when a Franciscan monk named Elzearius Horn made an engraving of the front façade of the church, and, capturing each unique detail with accuracy, he included the leaning set of steps. (3) Every sketch, painting, and photograph from 1728 shows the ladder right where Monk Horn initially etched it. I assume before Sultan Othman stepped in, various “warring factions” kept this innocent ladder bound to the window ledge because to change or do anything in this holy of holies required (past and present) a bi-partisan consensus, which rarely happened. Yes, even moving a simple ladder is no simple task.
So, a plain and unadorned ladder made from a tree in Lebanon rested undisturbed as Great Britain and Spain clashed during the Anglo-Spanish War of 1727-1729. It stood unflinchingly as a relatively unknown George Washington rode his horse in battle in the French and Indian Wars. The ladder moved not at the birth of Mozart nor as Captain James Cook mapped out Australia and New Zealand. The solid cedar 5-rung remained stone still during the American Revolution, The French Revolution, and the defeat of Napoleon. Orville and Wilbur Wright took flight in their homemade airplane. The ladder sat. The Ford Motor Company invented the Model T. The ladder sat. Titanic sank. The ladder sat. World War II raged. The ladder sat. As Neil Armstrong stepped foot on the moon, the ladder stayed untouched. On and on time passed, the ladder frozen in time until…one sunny afternoon in 1997.
Legendary… or Ludicrous?
By the late 1990s, the “immovable ladder” had morphed into a sort of celebrity. In the mid-1960s, even the pope, Paul VI, commented it had “become a sad testimony of the divisions among Christians.” After approximately 270 years, a young man decided to prove a point. How silly, he must have thought. Was it true that for over two centuries, a small group of various people couldn’t agree on who owned the ledge and the window, nor could they decide as a whole to pull the old ladder back into the building? Ridiculous. No one knows whether the young tourist had pre-planned the heist or if he spontaneously decided enough was enough. Regardless, with videotape rolling from the ground (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVckJs2pzH0), he climbed out the window, pulled the “immovable ladder” inside, and stashed it behind an altar. “Horrified” hardly described the hubbub of the religious hoity-toity. According to various articles, the ladder was found after a few days and promptly returned to its original spot. Church leadership post-haste arranged for installation of a barrier over the famed window.
Haughty Heathens vs. War Hero
God has and does without doubt show Himself mighty in short-term quandaries, but, to dismiss His attentiveness to an “it’s-been-this-way-for-a-LONG-time” dilemma is as absurd as bickering and eternal stalemate over a piece of ordinary timber. The “Ancient of Days” has no problem with victorious breakthrough, even if the impasse has stood steadfast for eons! King David’s stunning triumph against a foe who had foiled Israel for ages proves God can bring about victory against seemingly everlasting evil.
The Jebusites of the Bible were a people group descended from Cain. God commanded Joshua to rid the “Promised Land” of these wicked and pagan people who rejected the true God and worshiped idols. Joshua 10 details the miraculous win over various kings of these tribes, including the king of the Jebusites, but a remnant still gathered in their fortress (Joshua 15:63), which they apparently called Jebus. This city built on “high ground” gave it a unique advantage. Without modern weapons or climbing gear, an attacking army would have to scale a considerably steep hill before reaching the tall fortress walls. The guards of Jebus wouldn’t have to do much more than throw heavy stones or shoot arrows straight down, thus mowing down with ease a slowly ascending invader. Judges 1:21 tells us later, the Benjamites gave it a go and failed.
About 400 years passed from the time Joshua was commissioned until King David approached Jebus and probably thought this is silly. Ridiculous. David, of all people, knew gigantic, longstanding troubles (and giants) were no match for the power of Almighty God. At this point in history, King Saul had been killed in battle, and David rose victorious as the anointed king. David needed a capital city, and since Jebus wasn’t a part of any of the tribes of Israel, it made the fortress a “perfect neutral property as a symbol for a united Israel.” (4) I guess David also wanted to finish what Joshua started! For nearly four centuries, the Jebusites held onto their prized property as the tribes of Israel lived nearby, surely seething at this invincible squatter. Undaunted, King David marched his men to Jebus.
2 Samuel 5:6 (NLT) …The Jebusites taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here! Even the blind and lame could keep you out!” For the Jebusites thought they were safe.
The Jebusites were about to learn you don’t poke a lion. To prove a point, David, trusting in The God of Angel Armies, gave the order: Whoever attacks them should strike by going into the city through the water tunnel. (2 Samuel 5:8). Most Bible translations render the Hebrew word “ṩinnôr” as “water shaft” or “water tunnel.” William F. Albright (an archaeologist and Bible scholar) makes a plausible case the word could also mean “scaling-hook.” (5). By whatever means it happened, the Jebusites shouted their last taunt at what they figured to be an impotent threat: But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David. (2 Samuel 5:7) Yes, Jebus, or Jerusalem (also named “City of David”), was now finally in the hands of the nation of Israel!
Help for Hope Deferred
Gridlock. It’s frustrating and exhausting, especially when a conflict stretches back months, years, decades, or even centuries, yet, God, who planned from Creation to come to earth as Immanuel (God with us), is the Master of solving even the most enduring quagmires. Moses poetically scribed of Him, Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (Psalm 90:2 NIV). The Message translation reads, Long before You brought earth itself to birth, from “once upon a time” to “kingdom come”—you are God.
There is not even one recurring difficulty in your life He cannot untangle and rescue you from. Is your family tree a mess and has always been as far back as Ancestry.com can search into its abyss of ancient records? It doesn’t matter; the Lord can begin with you and break the cycle of sin and destruction. Has your marriage felt hopeless for so long that irritation has evolved into indifference? The supernatural actions of God yield resurrection! Is a nation led by unrighteous, greedy, tyrannical individuals who scoff at justice and despise to their core God’s Word, irredeemable?
‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. (Jeremiah 32:17 NKJV)
The more I study the life of Jesus Christ, the more I see true grit. Nothing, and I mean nothing, intimidated Him, nor does it now. If you genuinely come to Him, He proves fearless in upending status quo. Whatever “ladder” has saddled you with perpetual setbacks, He’s ready and able to step out onto any precarious ledge, window or otherwise, to dismantle all works of the devil.
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(4) https://www.logos.com/grow/3-reasons-david-chose-ancient-jerusalem-and-one-that-trumps-them-all/
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