Deuteronomy 4:5-6 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it.  Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.”

When America is at it’s best it is for the very reasons mentioned in these verses.  The foundations of America are laid in the great documents of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, a promise of hope and a beacon of light in a dark world.  Unfortunately, there has sometimes been a gap in the rhetoric and the reality of American society.  Sometimes this gap has been glaringly so.

In general, that same thing some say of our religious views, both of our faith and that of us as individuals.  Sometimes our nation, our faith and our character are judged by our failings rather than the promises we hold high. We are often judged more severely because of the claims of our lofty aspirations.

However, we are more than any failed attempt. We are something beyond what can be measured by our physical successes. That something is identified in the next verse (Deut 4:7): What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to Him?

When we are near God, we become the very best that we can be. It is under the wings of God that we may soar.

Numbers 23:19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Some time ago, I read The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale.  I remember that he recommended people should read the Book of Matthew and highlight every positive thing or promise from God in order to stay encouraged while facing life’s trials and tribulations.

In this travel through the Bible, I am only in the fourth book, but I cannot help but notice that  the Bible is filled with the promises of God. (We will be a blessing and will be blessed; God will watch over us and deliver us; God will go before us; we are not alone in our journey through life). These partially make up a covenant with God.

Of course, God expects some things from us, to have faith, to love Him and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Armed with the Word of God, we are sent out on our life’s mission.  God does have a mission for each of us. It may not be to deliver millions of people like Moses; it might more be like the Blues Brothers’ mission from God in the 80’s movie (ok, not a good example).

My point is this: God doesn’t promise us a lack of adversity, but He does promise us that He will be there every step of our journey through life to help us not only get through, but to carry out our life’s purpose.  He doesn’t lie, and He doesn’t change His mind.

Numbers 12:3 Now the man Moses was very humble – more than any person on earth.

What does it take if you want to be used by God?  Well, Moses’ name is pretty much synonymous with being a servant of God. And he was the most humble man on earth.

Think of a wild horse (remember old cowboy flicks).  The horse might be strong, courageous and fast.  Yet if the rider cannot guide it, it did not serve that rider well.

That could explain many of us.  At first, we might have been unyielding and wild. For many of us to be guided by the hand of God,  was like putting a saddle on a wild horse. We butted and kicked and resisted. God had to break the bucking bronco in us.

Sometimes God brings people to a brokenness that might be physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. In this way we give over our will to His.  Sometimes this breaking process is hard and difficult.  However, I believe the more we are broken before God and the humbler we become, the more pliable and usable we are for Him.

So if you are going through difficult and trying times, it may very well be preparation for the greater work ahead.

Leviticus 19:34 The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the LORD your God.

Leviticus is filled with rules from the most significant thing to the least inconsequential item.  On my journey through the Bible thus far, I have picked out verses that caught my attention.  In this day and age, I can’t help but linger on this verse.

America has a long history of immigration.  The immigrants have been legal and illegal. Some sneaked into the country. Some forced their way in. Some were forced to come.  The immigrants have not always been welcome and problems have arisen pretty much throughout our history.  Some have adapted to the environment they found. Some have changed the face of the society that they encountered.

I am not making any political platform whatsoever.  I truly understand that there are legitimate issues concerning illegal and legal aliens alike. The issues that arise and the problems that are faced on all sides of this (and probably any issue, for that matter) cannot be diminished.

However, when I am dealing with someone, I must ask this one important question: am I doing it in love?

Leviticus 10:10 You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean.

The Book of Leviticus starts by covering rules. There are pretty much rules for just about everything. These rules are for the Levites most of all. The Levites provided the priests for the Israelites. They are descendants of the tribe of Levi.

Just before this verse, the sons of Aaron (brother of Moses) offered a ‘strange fire’ to the Lord. I’m not sure exactly what that means, but it was something that they sure were not authorized to do. They end up being consumed by a fire sent from God.

A few verses later the Lord tells Aaron that he and his sons are not to drink fermented drink in the tent of meeting. (Does that mean that Aaron’s sons were drunk while trying to carry out their priestly duties?) Is it possible that being under the influence kept them from distinguishing between right and wrong?

Offering up a strange fire ends up causing Aaron’s sons not to be able to distinguish between what is holy and what isn’t. They lost sight of what is good and bad. Likewise, when we drift from God, what we have to offer becomes strange to God’s Word. The lines between holy and common, clean and unclean, good and bad, right and wrong become blurred. It happened with Aaron’s sons. It is happening right now in the world around us. I think that it wouldn’t hurt for me to take a look at my own life to see if I too have failed to distinguish those lines.

Exodus 36:2 Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work.

The Book of Exodus finishes up with Moses getting the second set of the Ten Commandments from God (after he destroyed the first set). Then the Lord gives Moses all the rules to live by including how to build the tabernacle and furnishings.

All kinds of artisans and craftsmen and skilled people were required to do God’s work. Notice the above scripture says that the Lord gave some the ability, but … they had to be willing to come and do the work.

Isn’t that true with us? How often have we seen people who had the intelligence or ability, but simply did not have the will “to come and do the work”?

Exodus 32:19  When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.

Moses brought the people out of Egypt.  They encountered hunger and enemies, trials and tribulations, of which God delivered the people from them all.  Then Moses went up Mount Sinai to talk to God.  There he received the Ten Commandments that the Bible says God wrote with His own finger.  While Moses was gone, the people convinced Moses’ brother Aaron to make a calf out of gold so they could worship it.

When Moses came down the mountain, he saw the people whooping it up, worshiping a statue that they created.  Moses got so mad that he smashed the Ten Commandments.  (In one fell swoop, Moses broke all the commandments… literally).  He smashed the golden calf, melted it down. Mixed the remains with water and made the people drink it. Then he armed some guys and had about 3000 people killed. Talk about anger issues!

OK, I know it was a very serious thing and had Moses not acted severely, God might have chosen some other people.  But I can’t help but think: can you imagine Moses telling God,  “I smashed the Commandments that you wrote with your own hand.  Ah, would you mind making me another set?”

Actually the Bible doesn’t say Moses asked God to do it. God did it without Moses asking.  (Moses had to provide the rock, chisel out tablets and carry them up the mountain, unlike the first time).

How often in a moment of passion we break God’s commandments.  However, God is always there to help us get back on the right track again… though it might be more difficult than if we got it right the first time.

Exodus 17:11 – 12  As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up–one on one side, one on the other–so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt.  God crushed the Egyptian Army in the Red Sea.  Then the people of Israel did battle with the Amalelites in the new land.  Joshua lead the Israelite Army while Moses stood on a hill with his hands lifted to God (I assume he was praying).

Joshua doesn’t tire fighting nor does he get reinforcements for the battle.  However, Moses tired.  The physical demands of Moses’ spiritual battle appear to have worn him out.  However, the battle was God’s. The struggle was being won as long as Moses hands were lifted toward heaven.  God did not leave Moses alone.  He had given him help.

I think these verses mean something in our daily struggles.  Unfortunately, we all too often do the opposite of this story. We fight the fight and try to make adjustments or increase our efforts.  We look at the struggle or situation and tire ourselves in the battle. Instead, our gaze should be on God and our hands lifted to heaven.

Exodus 14:14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Moses had confronted Pharaoh as the Lord instructed him.  The Lord produced various plagues upon Egypt, each increasing the pressure on Pharaoh, until he let the people of Israel leave Egypt. However, shortly thereafter, Pharaoh changed his mind with a vengeance and lit out after the Israelites with an army.  Despite having seen many miracles with their own eyes, the Israelites were in fear and complained to Moses and told him that they were better off in Egypt and did other grumbling.

They only needed to be still and let God do His work.  Be still, both in the sense of being calm and also in the sense of being silent.  The King James translation reads that Moses told the people to “… hold your peace.”

I think how often I have encountered an obstacle and immediately began to complain or grumble about it.  At times, I did everything but keep my peace. I must always remember: My life is not my own and the battle is the Lord’s.

Exodus 4:21-25

²¹ And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. ²² And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: ²³ And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. ²⁴ And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him. ²⁵ Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.

Say What?

I think we need to look at this a little closer. I lot of people seem to think this passage is saying that the Lord came to kill Moses, for obvious non-compliance with circumcision.  Now, I don’t disagree with it having to do with the circumcision rite, but right before this, things appeared to be going well with God and Moses.  God didn’t kill Moses even when Moses said thanks for asking me to be the leader of your people, but no thanks. Why would something like this pop up out of the blue?

Let me rehash what I think God told Moses, “Do all the things I told you to do, then tell Pharaoh that Israel is my firstborn.” (Moses needed to stress why God, Himself, was intervening on part of Israel.  Then God emphasizes to Moses that Moses needs to pay heed. “²³ And I say unto thee (Moses), Let my son go, that he (Moses’ firstborn) may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.”

So it’s Moses son that the Lord came to kill.  Why? Among other things circumcision was a sign that one belonged to God.  Moses was about to become the Lawgiver.  The Lawgiver had to fulfill the Law that was about to be revealed through Moses.

God knew what the outcome would be.  He was making a point here. There is also a connection between the shedding of blood, particularly the firstborn son, in order to fulfill the Law and alleviate from us the consequence of sin. (Praise God that a Son did just that!)