So, we are a sixth of the way through and have completed the first 5 books - the Torah. I wonder how many people are still with us. I know there are at least three, but there are probably more.
What am I taking away from the books of Moses? As others have said, the sheer amount of animals required to atone for my sins is humbling. But the impression I took away from Leviticus is of a God who has taken inordinate pains so that his people could know Him. He thinks of so many situations, and sets out a way that they can please Him, and continue to have Him in his midst.
The end of Leviticus shows a God who not only will not forget His covenant promises, but will do everything He can to restore that special relationship, even aftr his people have turned their back on Him and worshipped false Gods.
From Numbers, I see a people very similar to me - moaning, grumbling, ungrateful and quick to forget what God has done for them. The stories there are so remarkable, so hard for our modern rational minds to accept, because we are so stupid that God has to shout to make himself heard.
Finally, from Deuteronomy, we see Moses lay on with a trowel, repeatedly, how faithful God is, and how fickle his people are. He stresses that they were not called because they were anything special. Indeed, they were a weak nation of slaves, yet He chose them to live among and bless. All this is from God, and all He asks is their obedience. They do not know all of God's plans - He has ideas for the Amalekites, Edomites and various others - but His people have no excuse. Their task is to obey Him and serve Him wholeheartedly (Deut 29:29).
Their task is our task today - love the Lord your God with all your heart, sould, strength and mind.
1 comment:
I'm not sure I am with you at all.
I understand that God certainly feels he has to shout at us. In one of the many curses and punishments promised in Deutoronomy God gives us in 28:34 "You will go mad because of all the tragedy around you." Air-disaster, earth-quake suffering, child criminality, chemical Ali executed...symptoms of a fallen world that can only be saved by Jesus? Or is it as it says in 28:63 "The Lord will find pleasure in destroying you."
I am slowly learning that we are not to judge the Bible, but rather allow the Bible to judge us. However, how can you not go mad when you read that we are to show "no pity", that ethnic cleansing seems to be the order of the day; that we should be the first to execute people that go astray. There is even provision for rebellious children to be stoned (as in with rocks, not drugs).
All this horror set aside 31;8 "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
My limited modern-day woman's mind has other questions.
How come Moses can suddenly give these fantastic orations when before he couldn't speak?
Why is anything more than 40 lashes degrading but fewer perfectly OK?
Are we rally to accept that they just "lost" Moses' grave?
Verse 32; 39 I can understand:
"See now that I myself am He!
There is no God besides me.
I put to death and I bring to life,
I have wounded and I will heal,
and no-one can deliver out of my hand."
One final question. Do you think I should remove the "beware of the Dog" sign on the gate and door-posts?
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