ksl.com - Man dies after being trapped in cave nearly 28 hours
As with many, the story of John Jones and his tragic death has impacted me acutely and also- I might add- quite unexpectedly. I didn't know this man or his family or anyone who knew him. But from the moment I heard that someone was "stuck in the Nutty Putty cave" on Wednesday night, I was engaged in following the rescue. Perhaps this is because I've turned down multiple invitations from fellow adventurous friends to explore the cave feeling that the worry of surviving the experience would cancel out the thrill of enjoying it. In any case, I woke up Thanksgiving morning to the terrible news that John Jones had passed away and immediately felt markedly hollow and profoundly somber. Naturally, I put myself in the shoes of the victim as well as his family and imagined different angles of grief and anguish. When I got in the shower, I just started sobbing and it took concentration not to let the grief continue through the day. While comforted by the realization of my ability to empathize, I've been a little confused why this tragedy should consume my thoughts as it has. I lie awake thinking about it, about what his wife is feeling, what his mother is thinking, how his daughter will do... just a million things. The tragedy of this death has been multiplied by the revelation that the man's body would not be recovered due to the danger of the rescuers and the altered state of Jone's body. This came as a double whammy to an already grieving family. But during my scripture study today, I had a beautiful thought that I want to share.
I set out to read the Bible for the first time in my life from beginning to end on Sunday and today finished through Genesis chapter 26. The story of Sarah's death caught my special attention:
As with many, the story of John Jones and his tragic death has impacted me acutely and also- I might add- quite unexpectedly. I didn't know this man or his family or anyone who knew him. But from the moment I heard that someone was "stuck in the Nutty Putty cave" on Wednesday night, I was engaged in following the rescue. Perhaps this is because I've turned down multiple invitations from fellow adventurous friends to explore the cave feeling that the worry of surviving the experience would cancel out the thrill of enjoying it. In any case, I woke up Thanksgiving morning to the terrible news that John Jones had passed away and immediately felt markedly hollow and profoundly somber. Naturally, I put myself in the shoes of the victim as well as his family and imagined different angles of grief and anguish. When I got in the shower, I just started sobbing and it took concentration not to let the grief continue through the day. While comforted by the realization of my ability to empathize, I've been a little confused why this tragedy should consume my thoughts as it has. I lie awake thinking about it, about what his wife is feeling, what his mother is thinking, how his daughter will do... just a million things. The tragedy of this death has been multiplied by the revelation that the man's body would not be recovered due to the danger of the rescuers and the altered state of Jone's body. This came as a double whammy to an already grieving family. But during my scripture study today, I had a beautiful thought that I want to share.
I set out to read the Bible for the first time in my life from beginning to end on Sunday and today finished through Genesis chapter 26. The story of Sarah's death caught my special attention:
"And Sarah died... and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her."
Abraham asks the sons of Heth for a possession of land to serve as a burying place for his beloved. Since he is "a stranger" in the land, he wants to secure something that can be kept sacred for her. The sons of Heth call him a mighty prince among them and tell him he may have his choice of Sepulchres and that none will be denied him. Abraham then asks,
"Hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a burying place amongst you."Ephron's response speaks of the high respect Abraham's neighbors had for him: To paraphrase, he says: 'No- listen to me- I'll give it to you. What's money between friends?' He then proffers Abraham to freely take the land and cave. But Abraham insists on giving Ephron money for it and weighs out 400 shekels of silver in front of all the sons of Heth to make sure that his possession of the land is never disputed. (A shekel was a unit of weight, equal to 22.8 grams or 0.8 ounces. A silver shekel was therefore a little smaller than a silver dollar, and worth around $1.00. Abraham therefore paid 20 pounds of silver, or about $400 for the cave. Considering land values at the time, this was highly excessive. Thus, for example, King Omri paid only 6000 shekels for the entire territory of Samaria (1 Kings 16:25), and Jeremiah paid only 17 shekels for a property that was at least as large as Makhpelah Field (Jeremiah 32:9). For comparison, according to the Hammurabi Code of that time, a year's wage for a working man was between six and eight shekels.)
After this, Abraham buries Sarah, his wife, in the cave of the field of Machpelah.
"And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a burying place by the sons of Heth...
"The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife."
I know there was much controversy in opinion concerning the decision to seal off the Nutty Putty Cave. As an outdoors enthusiast, I'm not surprised. But I'm comforted that the decision stood and that the cave can remain sacred and separate. I know I can't perfectly imagine the grief of the family or assume to know their desires concerning the cave, but I know I would want to be with him or be close to him in death. That would bring peace to me. Wouldn't it be neat to see the cave turned into a sepulchre for the Jones Family?
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