Blessings and Curses

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 20-23

Buried in all the discussion today about who gets stoned for what and when is this key passage that the Apostle Paul will pick up later in Galatians and apply to Christ. “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.” (Deut. 21:22-23) Blessings and curses are a huge theme in Deuteronomy. If you do well, you will be blessed. If you rebel against the commands of God, you are cursed. And not just you but your family, your land, your friends and neighbors because every action we take has communal consequences. This is why God is constantly telling His people to expel those who break His law lest they defile the land.  

Enter the Apostle Paul. He picks up on this theme of “blessings and curses” in the Book of Galatians. He is writing to a group of largely Gentile believers who are doing their best to keep the Law of Moses. The entire book is a forceful critique that draws a sharp contrast between life under the Law and life under the Spirit. “For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them." Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous shall live by faith." But the law is not of faith, rather "The one who does them shall live by them." Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree"— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.” (Galatians 3:10-14) Basically, Paul argues that when we seek to justify ourselves by keeping the Law, we take on the curse because no one can actually achieve what the Law demands. Furthermore, he tags Abraham and reminds God’s people that it is not the Law that justifies in the first place but faith! Abraham believed God and was justified. 

What then happens to the Law? What about the all the curses that have piled up over the centuries through the failure of God’s people to keep it? Christ literally becomes the curse for us! He literally takes our place and perfectly satisfies the Law’s just demands. And the sign of this great salvific event is the Cross. The place where Jesus literally hangs on a tree, becoming cursed on our behalf. As we know, He doesn’t hang there all night but is buried that same day in accordance with the instructions given in Deuteronomy so even in His death, He fulfills the Law.

This, in itself, is incredible news but Paul’s not done! Not only did Christ remove the curse by His saving death, He also unleashed all the blessings! All the promises God made to His people from Abraham forward are now ours in Christ Jesus! All the blessings of obedience are given to us because of Christ’s great faithfulness! This includes the very Spirit of God which is now our inheritance as adopted sons and daughters of God!  

It is so easy to make the mistake of reading Deuteronomy and get crushed by the weight of expectations. We read about the blessings and curses and think immediately of our own lives and how often we fall short. We start to wonder and question our faith in God. We immediately recognize the gap that exists between who we are and who we should be. We look at the list and see all the things we should do that we don’t do and all the things we do that we shouldn’t do. An honest person knows they’ve sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. An honest person knows they have done things that bring them under the curse. Even earned them death. An honest person looks at the sin of their life and experiences deep grief over what they have done. All that is good because it drives us to Christ! It brings us completely to the end of ourselves. The end of our pride. The end of our self-sufficiency. And it is there that Christ meets us with open arms. Hands and feet bearing the scars from where He hung on the tree. He embraces us. He lets us know all has been accomplished. The work of salvation has been finished. We are free. 

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 24-27

Don’t Believe the Hype!

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 16-19

God intends His people to live as beacons of life in a culture of death. This requires us to be different. Set apart. Transformed. Counter-cultural. It requires us to have our minds and hearts shaped primarily by God’s Word rather than the ways of this world. It forces us to think through what we consume on a daily basis from the media, social media, and other outlets. We have to ponder how much time we are truly spending meditating on the Word of God versus watching television or YouTube or scrolling through Facebook/Twitter/Instagram feeds. 

Surprisingly, God’s people have always faced this challenge. They have always been at risk of becoming just like the pagan nations around them. The temptation is to go with the flow of the culture rather than take a stand against it. It doesn’t matter whether we are talking about Philistines, Amorites, Edomites, Greeks, Romans, Germans, Russians, Communists, Atheists, Republicans, or Democrats. The temptation remains the same. To exchange our allegiance to God for something more culturally acceptable. 

This is why God commands the future kings of Israel to take out a pen and paper (or quill and scroll as it were) and literally write out for themselves every single word of the Law of God. “And when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel.” (Deut. 17:18-20) Their work will then be graded by the Levitical priests. Assuming the king passes, he will keep the Law with him day and night. He shall immerse himself in it. Meditating. Reading. Pondering. Praying. The goal here is not just rote memorization but something much deeper. To “learn to fear the Lord his God.” 

But why is it important to fear the Lord? Because it is the beginning of wisdom according to Scripture. And we cannot live without wisdom. Not well. The other thing this daily practice of reading God’s Law will do is humble the king. It will keep him from believing he is somehow higher or better than his brothers and sisters. It will keep him from making the mistake so many of the pagan rulers made and so many of our own rulers make when they start to believe their own hype. They start reading their own press. They start to see themselves as gods, giving them the divine right to rule. We see this in our own time in places like North Korea, Russia, and China as leaders like Xi Jinping eliminate term limits. There is nothing that leads more quickly to tyranny than when a world leader starts to believe there is no authority higher than their own. 

The same is true for each of us. As soon as we lose sight of the reign and rule of God over our lives. As soon as we stop reading God’s Word and stop believing what it declares about us and our sinful condition before the Lord. As soon as we start believing the cultural lie that we are our own highest authority. That we know best. That we deserve whatever we can get out of this life. We are doomed. Our lives will descend into tragedy and suffering and pain. Our most important relationships will break under the strain. We will never find fulfillment or deep satisfaction because we will have lost sight of the greater purpose for which we were created. To love and to serve Almighty God. To live under His direction and command. To pursue holiness as we seek to honor God in all we say and do.  

This passage really is a call to self-examination. A courageous self-inventory must be made. Where am I struggling to submit my life to the Lord? Where am I struggling to live under His authority? Do those I am in relationship with experience me as humble? Gracious? Self-sacrificing? When I look at my schedule, where is God? When I look at my spending habits, where is God? When I evaluate my life goals, where is God? Do these things reflect His Lordship? Have I brought them under His authority? Have I truly asked Him to shape the desires of my heart? 

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 20-23

God’s Plan for Poverty

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 12-15

Poverty is a very real issue in our world today. Despite major advances in the global war on poverty - and the progress truly has been miraculous as over 1 billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty since 1990 - the struggle remains. Furthermore, this issue is complicated by how we define “poverty.” There are some objective measures defined by the World Bank and others. Extreme poverty is defined as living on less than $1.90/day. Moderate poverty is less than $3.10/day. But then there is this idea of “relative poverty” which measures the economic distance of an individual from a certain percentage of the median household income in a particular community. Our response to the problem of poverty will depend to some extent on which definition we are working from and this, in turn, will shape how we approach our interpretation of the Biblical text. 

In my travels around the world, I have personally witnessed life-threatening poverty. I have seen what extreme poverty does to a person. Physical bodies wasting away from hunger. Lifeless eyes staring into the distance. Mothers begging me to take their newborn children. Men and women bombed out on khat lying in the streets. I have seen the effects of extreme drought and famine. I have seen what happens when crops fail or the rains don’t come. I have seen the graves of those who’ve perished in the violence that often ensues when resources become scarce. And though I acknowledge the truth of Jesus’ words, “you will always have the poor with you”, it doesn’t mean I have to like it. 

Thankfully, God cares deeply for the poor. We see His tender love and care on display in our readings from today. Deuteronomy 14:28-29 contains part of the national tax code for the nation of Israel. Every year, the Israelites were expected to contribute a tithe (10%) to the Lord in sacrifices. This essentially provided income and food for the Levites since they had no property inheritance among the tribes of Israel. A second tithe was contributed to provide food and income for the Israelites themselves during those seasons when they celebrated the required feasts and were not able to work their land. In addition to these first two annual tithes, a third tithe was required every three years to provide for the poor, orphaned, widowed, foreigner, and Levites who lived in the community to make sure everyone was provided for and no one went hungry. “At the end of every three years you shall bring out all the tithe of your produce in the same year and lay it up within your towns. And the Levite, because he has no portion or inheritance with you, and the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow, who are within your towns, shall come and eat and be filled, that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands that you do.” (Deut. 14:28-29) For those keeping score at home, this equates to an annual tax rate of 23% for each Israelite household and, in addition, they were expected to contribute freewill offerings as well. 

What is the goal here? Believe it or not, it’s to bring an end to poverty. “But there will be no poor among you; for the Lord will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance to possess— if only you will strictly obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all this commandment that I command you today.” (Deuteronomy 15:4-5) If God’s people will obey God’s voice, contribute their tithes and offerings as commanded by the Law, and give generously to the foreigner, orphan and widow in their midst then the problem of “absolute poverty” disappears. However, this will be a continual process. A continual test the Lord will put before them according to Deuteronomy 15:11. “For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.” 

Human society is unequal by definition. People are not all given the same gifts and talents. People are not all given the same opportunities. People are not given the same resources. Furthermore, there are forces beyond our control that make a huge impact on our economy. Natural disasters. Wars. Death. Disease. Famine. Drought. Availability of natural resources. All exact a toll. Throw in the fact that some human beings simply work harder and smarter than others and the gap between rich and poor only seems to grow. 

God recognizes this very “human” trend which is why He demands generosity from His people. We who are blessed must in turn bless others. For our blessing did not come from ourselves but from God. He commands Israel to always remember their time as slaves in Egypt. To remain humble and compassionate towards those who have experienced economic hardship and therefore sold themselves into slavery to pay off their debts. When the Sabbatical Year comes (every seven years), they are to release their slaves, forgive their debts, and help them get started in their new life. “And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed. You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to him.” (Deut. 15:13-14) The Sabbatical Year serves almost as an economic “reset” as the wealth of the nation - which God has provided - is redistributed in a way that closes the gap between rich and poor. This effectively addresses the “relative poverty” of the country and provides hope and opportunity for those who wouldn’t otherwise have it. 

It’s an open question how often Israel actually kept the Sabbatical Year or what practical application it could have in today’s global economy. But the principle remains. If we live our lives with the understanding that all we have has been given to us by God. All our wealth. All our talent. All our opportunities. Then it becomes a lot easier to live generously. To provide for others. To sacrifice our own lifestyles so that we might relieve the burden of poverty for those around us, whether they live next door or on the other side of the globe. 

Readings for tomorrow: None

Remember

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 8-11

It is so easy for us to forget God. I think about my own life. I’ve experienced the miraculous provision of God. From the moment He first saved me on the campus of the University of Colorado, I have been blessed far beyond what I deserve. He introduced me to incredible, life-long friends through University Christian Fellowship. Introduced me to lifelong mentors who have shaped me into the man I am today. He introduced me to my wife of almost 26 years. He guided and directed my steps professionally at Boulder Community Hospital, Princeton Theological Seminary, New Jersey State Prison, Overlook Presbyterian Church, John Knox Presbytery, and now Parker Evangelical Presbyterian Church. Along the way, I’ve had a front row seat to the lives He has changed. It’s truly incredible. Then I think about the conversations I’ve had with so many fellow believers down through the years. The miracles of healing they experienced through modern medicine. Miracles of provision as God opened new doors and new opportunities. Miracles of protection from bad decisions. Miracles of deliverance from sin and death. And still we forget. Still we lose sight of all God has done. Sadly, none of this is new. 

Israel also had a tendency to forget God and Moses knew it. He knew they would get into the Promised Land and begin to prosper. They would build homes and plant vineyards. They would harvest crops and raise their herds. They would conquer cities and lay claim to the territory once promised to Abraham. And in the midst of all their success, they would lose sight of God. So he warns them. “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.” (Deut. 8:11-17)

The reality is we have to work hard to remember. We have to incorporate spiritual rhythms into our daily lives so we do not forget. Reading God’s Word and humbling ourselves before Him in prayer on a daily basis. Participating in corporate worship every week. Finding ways to serve. These are the holy habits that help us remember the most important truth of our lives...we are not our own! It is God who gives us the power to get wealth. (8:18) It is God who gives us victory over our enemies. (9:1-3) It is God alone who is righteous. God alone who is holy. To God belongs the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. And the only reason we are not destroyed along with the rest of the nations is because God made a decision in eternity to love us and set us apart for Himself. “Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day.” (Deut. 10:15) 

This is why we walk in the ways of the Lord. This is why we keep His commandments. By following the Law of God, we are constantly reminded of His great goodness towards us. Reminded of His great love for us. Reminded of His great faithfulness. God demands our obedience not because He needs it. Not because He’s controlling or manipulative or demanding or insecure. God demands our obedience because He wants to preserve in our hearts our memory of Him. “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good.” (Deut. 10:12-13) 

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 12-15

The Greatest Prayer

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 4-7

Deuteronomy 6:4 contains the single most important prayer in all of Israel. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” It is the prayer known as the “Shema” (pronounced Sh’ma). Jews are required to recite this prayer twice a day. It is the first prayer they teach their children. It is the last prayer they pray before they die. It captures the essence of their monotheistic faith. Praying this prayer twice a day reminds the Jewish people of the personal relationship they have with God. They are His chosen people. They are His royal priesthood. They are His holy nation. Set apart by God Himself to declare His glory to the nations of the earth. “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations…” (Deuteronomy 7:6-9)

Because God has set His great love on them, the expectation is that Israel will love Him in return. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5) This is the second part of the Shema. The commitment of the believer to honor God in every facet of their lives. First, we must love God with all our hearts. All our affections. All our feelings. We must love Him first above all other things. All other people. All of our accomplishments, dreams, and visions. Second, we must love Him with all our souls. From the depths of our beings. From the deepest recesses of who we are. To love God with our “soul” is to literally love Him from our bowels. From the gut. From a place deeper than our minds. Deeper than our hearts. The very core of our beings. Finally, we must love God with all our might. All our physical strength and activity should be dedicated to the glory of God. All our work. All our play. All our relationships. All our physical labor. All of it is to bring glory to God. This is what the Apostle Paul - a former Pharisee who prayed this prayer all his life - is referring to in Colossians 3:17 when he says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

There’s a lot packed into today’s reading. So many reminders of God’s great faithfulness to His people. Despite their sin and grumbling and complaining, God remains steadfast. This is the essence of the covenant of grace God made with His people. Fast forward a few thousand years to Jesus. A lawyer challenges him one day to identify the greatest of the commandments. Jesus goes right back to the Shema. “And Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." (Matt. 22:37-40) Not only did Jesus place the Shema at the center of His life but He demands His followers do the same. 

How are you seeking to love God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength? What does that practically look like in your life? If you do not know or nothing readily comes to mind, let me challenge you to memorize Matthew 22:37 and ask God to give you the wisdom to know how to place the Shema at the center of your life just like Jesus.

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 8-11

Testimony

Readings for today: Deuteronomy 1-3

Well done! You just finished Numbers and you’ve made it through what some would say is one of the toughest stretches in the Bible. Give yourself a high five! Now let’s dig into Deuteronomy. The final book in what’s known as the Torah.

The Book of Deuteronomy is a sermon. In fact, it is Moses’ final sermon to God’s people. His last will and testament. His final chance to encourage, challenge, confront, and comfort. He’s led Israel for decades. He’s led them out of Egypt. Led them through the wilderness. Led them through the ups and downs of the wilderness journey. He has personally witnessed the miracles of God. He has personally performed the miracles of God. Delivered the Ten Commandments. Issued the Law. Created an entire system of worship, governance, economics, and military organization that will long outlast him. It is a remarkable and almost unparalleled accomplishment. 

Now he’s at the end of his life. He’s not going over the Jordan. He will not set foot in the Promised Land. He has one last chance to address the people he’s led for over forty years. What would you say if you were in Moses’ position? Given one last chance to address those you love or those you lead, what would be on your heart and mind? Moses points them to God. He points them to God’s faithfulness. Points them to God’s provision and protection. He wants them to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is with them and He is for them and He is going before them as they cross over into new territory under new leadership.

“The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.” (Deuteronomy 1:30-31) 

“For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing.” (Deuteronomy 2:7)

“This day I (the Lord) will begin to put the dread and fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.” (Deuteronomy 2:25)

“Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two kings. So will the Lord do to all the kingdoms into which you are crossing. You shall not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.” (Deuteronomy 3:21-22)

It’s an amazing testimony and it gets me thinking…when I finish my life, how will I feel? When I look back at all I’ve experienced. All I’ve accomplished. All I set out to do. When I think about my family. My children. My future grandchildren. What will I want them to know about me? Say about me? Remember about me? Will it have anything to do with Christ? With all my heart, I hope so!

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 4-7

Death Penalty

Readings for today: Numbers 33-36

I worked for two years at New Jersey State Prison as a volunteer chaplain. NJSP is where the state of New Jersey sends the worst of the worst. Murderers. Violent criminals. Sex offenders. Gang leaders. Mafia dons. It is also where they used to house death row. I was never allowed into death row but I remember vividly standing outside the door and looking in through the window. It was a sterile environment and the men there were cut off from the general prison population. Most death row inmates are excluded from any kind of educational or employment programming and visitation is extremely limited. They can also spend up to 23 hours each day in their cells which essentially amounts to years of solitary confinement. New Jersey abolished the death penalty in 2007, five years after I left. But from 1690 to 1963, they executed 361 people. 

The death penalty is a thorny subject for Christians. In theory, it does have biblical support drawn mainly from passages like the one we read today in Numbers 35. A careful reading of the passage reveals many fascinating details. Cities of refuge. Premeditated murder vs. accidental death. Avengers of blood. Congregational trials. Evidence. Witnesses. Motives. Methods. It’s a very specific passage that actually places limits on vengeance in a way that would have been striking to other ancient near east cultures. It employs the principle of lex talionis  or “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” Proportional justice. It keeps generational vendettas from forming between families and clans and tribes.

Those who support the contemporary use of the death penalty on biblical grounds need to wrestle with the boundaries this passage sets. Provision must be made for the safety of the murderer while he/she awaits trial. Motive must be carefully discerned and the accuser is the one to carry out the sentence. If there is no premeditation then the congregation is allowed to judge and show mercy by assigning the person to a city of refuge for a certain duration. (Lifetime of the current high priest.) There must be more than one witness to the crime. And you cannot tolerate murder in the land lest it become ritually polluted. 

Obviously, it’s quite the challenge to apply ancient near east law codes in a 21st century context. Layer in the well-documented class issues we have in our legal system - statistically ethnic minorities and the poor are FAR more likely to be convicted and/or serve longer sentences - as well as the frequency with which our justice system convicts the wrong person (DNA evidence has been a game-changer here) and one can see why many would argue we should abolish the death penalty altogether. Furthermore, it seems Jesus accuses all of us being guilty of murder in His words from the Sermon on the Mount, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, 'You fool!' will be liable to the hell of fire.” (Matt. 5:21-22) 

So what do we do? We must carefully and prayerfully consider our position on the death penalty. We must ask if it is just, not in abstraction but in concrete practice. We must make sure the actions we take are just, the process transparent, and if there is even a hint of incompetence or injustice in the way we prosecute then we must forbear. Furthermore, we have to come to grips with the gravity of our actions. Executing another human being is deeply significant. The shedding of blood is not something to take lightly. Unjust killing pollutes the land in which we dwell. Furthermore, to take the life of another human being before they accept Christ as Lord and Savior consigns them to an eternity in hell. All these factors must weigh heavily on us as we wrestle with this issue and think about public policy in our society. 

Readings for tomorrow: Deuteronomy 1-3

God’s Judgment

Readings for today: Numbers 29-32

Holy War. Jihad. Violence sanctioned by God Himself. In Numbers 31, God directs Moses and Israel to attack Midian. “Avenge the people of Israel on the Midianites. Afterward you shall be gathered to your people.” Who was Midian and what had they done to Israel to cause God’s judgment to fall on them in such an extreme fashion? 

Midian was a son of Abraham and his servant Keturah. While Abraham was still living, he sent Midian away so that there would be no competition for Isaac’s inheritance. Midian presumably thrived over the years becoming a great tribal nation. Abraham’s great-grandson Joseph was sold to Midianite traders as they made their way to Egypt. Moses fled to Midian to escape Egyptian justice and actually married a Midianite woman. As Moses learned to lead the nation of Israel, he leaned on his father-in-law, a Midianite priest, for advice but Israel’s close association with Midian would come back to haunt them as they began to intermarry with them and co-mingle their worship practices. This results in judgment as God pours out His wrath on Israel through a plague which is only stopped when Phinehas kills Cozbi, daughter of a Midianite chief named Zur, and her husband Zimri who was the son of a Simeonite chief. Furthermore, the Midianites had allied themselves with the Moabites, setting themselves in opposition to Israel, and called on one of their prophets - Balaam - to come and curse the people of God. 

You may remember the 2nd Commandment. “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,” (Exodus‬ ‭20:4-5‬)‬‬ God is jealous for His divine name. Jealous for His divine glory. Jealous for His relationship with His people. He makes it clear over and over again throughout the Scriptures that He will tolerate no rivals. So when Israel begins to worship the Midianite gods, God takes action. First, he punishes Israel as I mentioned above. Then He calls for holy war. He commands His people to attack Midian and “execute the Lord’s vengeance.” Vengeance not in the sense of God losing control and lashing out but vengeance in the sense of the righteous execution of God’s justice. Israel is successful. They kill all the males that come against them. They take the women and children hostage. They plunder their possessions. Then they go one step further. As an act of ritual purity, they kill all the male children and any women who is not a virgin. It is brutal. It is horrifying. It is judgment. The women were just as guilty as the Israelite men in the sin of idolatry at Peor and their guilt conveys to their male children as well who - if left alive - might seek their own revenge against Israel in the future. Once again, we have to remember how different ancient near east culture was when compared to our own. Blood feuds between tribes and clans were common and could last generations.

This is scary stuff. Especially for the 21st century American reader. It doesn’t square with our notions of a loving God who always shows mercy and grace to the sinner. When we read passages like this, we think of modern-day terrorists. Suicide bombers. Religious extremists like ISIS and we cannot understand how our God could ever act in such ways. This is where we come face to face with God’s holiness. God’s righteousness. God’s justice. The stark reality is this...evil makes God angry. Idolatry is an offense. He does not let it go. He does not overlook our sin. He does not turn a blind eye to our rebellion. This is why the cross itself is so brutal and horrifying. There God pours out the full measure of His righteous wrath and judgment on His Son. Satisfying the demands of divine justice through Jesus’ suffering and death. On the cross, the truly innocent One dies in our place thus saving us from God’s righteous wrath and the “Lord’s vengeance.”

So what is our response? Repentance. Repentance is the only appropriate response of the creature when confronted by the Creator and this is the lesson we must all take away. God will not be mocked. Not back then. Not now. Not in the future. God is a God of love and mercy and grace but He is also a God of holiness and righteousness and justice. He is quick to forgive the sin of those who repent but He is also faithful to judge those who persist in their rebellion. Humble yourself before the Lord before it is too late. Embrace the Son and what He has done for you. Give your life to Christ that you might be saved from the coming judgment.

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 33-36

Succession Planning

Readings for today: Numbers 25-28

For years, I’ve harbored this dream of retiring as the church janitor. No big send off. No celebratory retirement dinner. No special recognition. Just a long, slow fade into the background. I hope with all my heart it happens and I’m actually making plans towards that end. Yes, I am still very much in my prime years of leadership. But time goes by fast and before you know it, I will come to the end. My preaching gifts will wane. My vision for the future will begin to fail. My influence will fade as it rightly should and when that happens, I must be humbly willing to take a step back. Let another take my place. 

This is one of the things I love most about Moses. He knows he’s coming to the end. The closer they get to the Promised Land, the closer they get to end of his life and leadership because God has already told him he will not be allowed to cross over. So when they arrive at Mt. Abarim, God calls Moses to go up and see the land He has given to Israel. It will be the last thing Moses will see before his death. He will at that time be “gathered to his people” just like his brother Aaron. However, Moses loves his people. He doesn’t want them left without a leader so he asks God to appoint his successor. To raise up a man to take his place. And once again, God answers Moses’ prayer. He raises up Joshua and he is commissioned as Moses’ successor in front of all the people. 

There are several things to learn from this passage about succession planning. First and foremost, none of us is irreplaceable. The Kingdom of God is much bigger than any one person. Second, we must humbly accept the fact that we will eventually decrease and another will increase. We will eventually fall and another rise to take our place. This is natural and good and right. Third, we should be preparing with this end in mind. Not holding too tightly to our position or power but rather plan for the day when we need to step aside. Fourth, we should be praying for God to raise up our successor. We should be praying for the man or woman whom God is calling to take our place.  

As I said, I want to retire as the church janitor and I am already planning with that end in mind. Should the Lord be gracious to me, I might have another fifteen years in my current position. At that point, I need to relinquish my role as senior pastor and move into an associate role. I need to fade into the background and let another take my place. I need to humble myself under their leadership. Serve as their chief cheerleader. Do all I can to help them be successful. Then I need to fade even further. From ordained pastor to an ordinary staff position. Doing all I can to give my life in service to others. Decreasing as much as possible so others increase around me. Finally, after my physical and spiritual and emotional strength is spent, I can be “gathered to my people” and hear the words I long to hear from Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” 

Readings for tomorrow: None

The Language God Speaks

Readings for today: Numbers 21-24

When I first became a Christian, I started eating at this little pit BBQ place off Arapahoe in Boulder, CO. It was owned and operated by an amazing man named Bruce. Bruce was the son of the famous “Daddy Bruce” who served the homeless of Denver for many years, making sure they got a full Thanksgiving dinner. Bruce Jr. was cut from the same cloth as his father. He not only served the homeless of Boulder, he also was a strong believer in Jesus Christ. I don’t know that I’ve ever met someone quite like him. He literally could quote you chapter and verse from the whole Bible. He would quiz me every time I came in before he would make me any food. He would tell the best stories about how God had worked in his life. One day, he was sharing with me his frustrations with how biblically illiterate American Christians tend to be. He was a black Baptist preacher and could preach with the best of them. I still remember the crescendo of his sermon that day. “Doug, when I’m in need don’t you give me no Footprints in the Sand! I don’t need no Prayer of Serenity! Tell me about the donkey that spoke! Now that’s in the Bible!” I still chuckle every time I think of it!

Today we read a crazy story about a fortune-teller named Balaam and his donkey. Israel is moving towards the Promised Land. God is going to fulfill His promise to Abraham. But it won’t be easy. The land is already occupied. There are forces arrayed against them all along the way. Nations and tribes and cities whom they will have to fight in order to claim God’s promise as their own. Arad. Amorites. Bashan. All fall before Israel. All are put to the sword. Devoted to destruction. And now it’s Moab’s turn. (If you remember, the Moabites are descendants from Lot who was Abraham’s nephew. His oldest daughter got him drunk and slept with him in order to get pregnant so these are distant cousins of Israel.) One can almost imagine living in those days. Getting word of a new superpower rising from slavery. Defeating the Egyptians. Overrunning all who oppose them. Fear and trembling seize the Moabites. So Balak, their king, sends for Balaam. His hope is that Balaam will use his magic to put a curse on Israel, thus weakening them so they can be defeated. But Balaam is visited by God. God commands Balaam not to go with the princes of Moab. However, Balaam eventually relents before the pressure Balak brings to bear. He mounts his donkey and begins his journey. It’s not long before the donkey freezes in its tracks. It can see the angel of the Lord blocking their path. Balaam, in his blindness, is both physically and spiritually unaware. God opens the mouth of the donkey (insert your favorite Shrek scene) and speaks to Balaam. The net result of it all is that Balaam will indeed go to Balak but will only speak blessings over Israel.  

So what are we to make of such stories? Magic? Fortune-telling? Donkeys that speak? The point here is that God speaks to us in a language we can understand. He meets us in the middle of our cultural superstitions. He uses all things - even our delusions - to bring about His perfect will. Remember when Jacob peeled poplar and almond trees in order to breed a specific kind of goat and sheep in Genesis? Does anyone actually believe the power was in the trees? Or was it God using Jacob’s foolishness to accomplish His purposes? What about the bronze serpent on the pole? Is it really the talisman that saved Israel from the poisonous snakes that were killing them? Or was it God using their superstitions to deliver them? Think about the myths we so easily believe today. The “invisible hand” of Adam Smith from his famous book, Wealth of Nations. The myth of universal human rights in a world where every tribe and nation seems to place a different value on life. The notion that democracy is transcultural and can be universally applied in the same way we apply it here in America. (A mistake that cost us dearly in Afghanistan and Iraq...) The reality is we too believe in magic. We too believe in myths. They may be couched in more sophisticated language and political or economic theory but they are fairy tales nonetheless. 

So what’s a Christian to do? We have to push past our superstitions and look to God. We have to push past the “bronze serpents” we create and stop looking to “fortune-tellers” to show us the way. We have to dig deep into God’s Word. We must fix our eyes on Jesus! He is our only hope! He is greater than any bronze serpent! He is wiser than any Balaam! He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!  

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 25-28

Pointing People to Jesus

Readings for today: Numbers 17-20

As a pastor, I do a lot of counseling. One of the most common issues I face is something called “blame shifting.” Basically, a person commits a wrong and when confronted on it, “shifts” the blame to someone else. This can be their spouse. Their children. Their parents. Their boss. Even their pastor! :-) I cannot tell you the number of times I have counseled a couple on their marriage only to have them blame me for their eventual separation and divorce. Never-mind the fact they were unwilling to put in the work. Unwilling to change any of their unhealthy behaviors. Unwilling to engage each other at a different level. At the end of the day, because the counseling didn’t “work”, it must be my failure as a pastor. 

We see this same dynamic in play in Moses’ relationship with Israel. How many times do they accuse Moses of failing to lead them well? How many times do they blame him for not providing water, food, or getting them to the Promised Land? Never-mind their own sin. Their own lack of faith. Their own fear. Their worship of false gods.  “And the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the Lord! Why have you brought the assembly of the Lord into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle? And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink." (Num. 20:3-5) Over and over again, we hear this refrain. Let’s go back to Egypt. Let’s go back to slavery. You brought us out here to die. The accusations are unjust. The attacks are personal. And Moses must have been hurt so he responds the way any of us would…he reacts in anger. 

“Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.” (Numbers 20:10-11) Makes perfect sense to me. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve felt exactly the same way. It’s incredibly frustrating to be falsely accused. It’s hurtful to have your motives questioned or your character attacked. It makes me angry when people lie about me or say all manner of things about me that just are not true. How many times have I wanted to lash out over the years? How many times have I lashed out only to later regret it? 

God will not be mocked. He will not allow us to get in the way of His own glory. By lashing out in anger and striking the rock twice, Moses was more focused on himself than on God. The people would now be tempted to be more afraid of Moses than of the Lord. So the Lord issues His judgment. “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.” No one is above God’s law, not you. Not me. Not even Moses. All of us are responsible to “uphold God as holy” in the eyes of those we live with and live among. All of us are responsible to point people to Jesus no matter how hurt or betrayed or angry we may feel. And the only way we can ever do this with any kind of integrity is if we swallow our pride and humble ourselves before the Lord. 

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 21-24

Power of Intercession

Readings for today: Numbers 14-16, Psalm 95

Today’s passage reveals two things in stark terms. If God were not faithful. If His steadfast love did not endure forever. If His grace was not extended to generation after generation. We would all be dead. We would all be destroyed. Our sin is simply too much. Our penchant for rebellion to hard to resist. Our pride too much to overcome. At the same time, God has a mission. Come hell or high water, God will make His glory known on the earth. No obstacle will stand in His way. Not even His own people! No power will prevent Him from accomplishing His great task. Not sin. Not evil. Not death. “But truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.” (Numbers 14:21) 

The people of God quake in fear at the report of the spies. They mutiny against Moses and the Lord. They make plans to head back to Egypt. Back to slavery. Back to what was familiar. It reminds me of one of my favorite Proverbs, “Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly.” (26:11) But for the intervention of the Lord, they would have stoned Moses to death! Incredible! So God tells Moses to step aside so He can destroy them and start all over yet again. Once again, Moses is being tested. Once again, Moses is being challenged to stand in the gap for God’s people. Once again, Moses intercedes. He calls on God to remember His own name. To be true to His character. It’s an amazing prayer and worth reading again. 

“But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. For you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. Now if you kill this people as one man, then the nations who have heard your fame will say, ‘It is because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land that he swore to give to them that he has killed them in the wilderness.’ And now, please let the power of the Lord be great as you have promised, saying, ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’ Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now.” (Numbers 14:13-19)

Some might see this as Moses talking God down. Talking God off the ledge. Persuading Him to change His mind. This is where the true nature of intercessory prayer comes in. Intercessory prayer actually creates a new condition, a new situation to which God responds. Whereas the sin of the people of God created one situation to which God responds righteously in judgment; Moses’ intercession creates a second situation to which God responds righteously in mercy. If Moses refused to intercede, God’s people would have perished. God would have followed through on His threat and His punishment would be just. However, Moses did stand in the gap. He fell on His face before the Lord and asked God to forgive and pardon – not because the people of God deserve it – but for the sake of His own reputation and great name. 

So often we are tempted to believe prayer is worthless. After all, God already knows what He will do, right? God already knows the outcome so why pray at all? Friends, this is part and parcel of what it means to be in a real, authentic relationship with God. He invites us to intercede. He invite us to lift up the needs of those we love. He invites us to stand in the gap for our friends and neighbors and community and world. And as we do, He promises to respond in accordance with His divine nature and character and will. Does this mean we will always get the outcome we desire? No. Like any good Father, God keeps the bigger picture in mind. He sees what’s happening on a universal, global scale and we have to trust He knows what is best. But this does not mean our prayers are any less powerful or effective. Let me encourage you to accept God’s invitation to intercede on behalf of others. Don’t be afraid to boldly ask God to act on their behalf. Call on God to intervene in accordance with His divine will and nature and then trust Him with the results. 

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 17-20

Humble Leadership

Readings for today: Numbers 10-13, Psalm 90

There seems to be a yearning in the human heart for deep connection. To God. To other human beings. There is a real craving in the world today for authenticity. A desire to “be real” and be known. I hear it all the time and I feel it down in my bones as well. The problem, of course, is most folks don’t really want to engage on an authentic level because it’s not very pretty when we do! We run into all kinds of sin and ugliness and we’re not very good at accepting each other’s faults. We aren’t very good at showing each other grace. We aren’t very good at forgiveness and reconciliation because such things take a lot of work. So we settle. We settle for less in our human relationships. We settle for not being known. Not being understood. Not being connected. And worst of all, we settle in our relationship with God. We only let Him in so far. We only let Him reign and rule over parts of our lives, not the whole. We only submit halfway and the result is a lot of pain and suffering and heartache. 

Nothing’s new under the sun. The people of God have been struggling with these things for thousands of years. It’s like the struggle is hardwired into our system by the Fall. (Remember that tragic event in Genesis 3? It frames everything!) You think about the blessings Israel enjoyed. A literal pillar of fire by night and a cloud by day. God visibly present among them! God’s glory filling the Tabernacle. Moses literally speaking to God on their behalf. Silver trumpets blowing every time they went forth to remind them God would be with them. The parting of the Red Sea. The deliverance from slavery in Egypt. Rescue from the plagues. Manna in the wilderness. The miracles they experienced were incredible! And still they complained! Still they struggled to believe! Still they rebelled!

“And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.” (Num. 11:1) 

“Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, "Oh that we had meat to eat!” (Num. 11:4)

“Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, "Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?" And the Lord heard it.” (Num. 12:1-2)

“And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them." (Num. 13:33)

Leading God’s people has never been easy. There is always complaining. Always whining. Always criticism. But guess what? That’s real! That’s authentic! That’s people being themselves. And if we’re honest, none of us are immune. Even Moses complains, “I am not able to carry all this people alone; the burden is too heavy for me.” (Num. 11:14) So what’s the answer? Humility. One of my favorite verses in all of Scripture is Numbers 12:3, “Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.” What a statement! Moses’ leadership was not based on his power or eloquence or influence or wealth or talent. It was based primarily on his humility. His meekness. And because Moses considered others more important than himself, he wasn’t threatened. God put His Spirit on other leaders. He wasn’t threatened when God’s Spirit showed up in other parts of the camp. Reminds me of the famous quote from Harry Truman, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.”  

Humility gives us the ability to accept other people for who they are...warts and all. It gives us the ability to extend grace even in difficult circumstances. It gives us the ability to address the log in our own eye first before we go to pluck the dust out of our brother or sister’s eyes. Most importantly, it is humility that allows us to submit our lives to the Lord and to follow in His ways.

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 14-16, Psalm 95

Spiritual Unity

Readings for today: Numbers 6-9

What is it that brings people together? I have long pondered this question. I have been in settings where individuals from wildly different backgrounds almost miraculously find common ground. A maximum security prison where men who once belonged to rival gangs defined by racial hatred play side by side in a worship band. An African nation where one tribe attempted to exterminate the other find healing and reconciliation as they practice confession and forgiveness. A husband and wife, estranged for many years because of deep wounds, renew their vows and discover new intimacy as they humble themselves and make themselves vulnerable before each other. Sadly, I’ve seen the other side as well. Especially recently. Debates over COVID mandates. Political power struggles. Social strife. All have conspired to exacerbate our differences and tear us apart. None of these things are new. In fact, they are quite normal. Status quo for the human race. Throughout our history, we have demonstrated an almost limitless capacity for division. It’s part and parcel of our fallen nature. 

Perhaps that’s why I love our reading today. Especially chapter seven. Yes, I know it’s full of mind-numbing details like the weight of several silver plates, the number of gold dishes, and what seems like a herd of livestock but when one takes a step back to look at the big picture, what emerges is a beautiful picture of unity. Each of the twelve tribes of Israel coming before the Lord to make a sacrificial offering. Each of the twelve tribes doing their part to help consecrate the altar. Each of the twelve tribes sending their most respected leader to dedicate the best of what they have to God. It’s a beautiful picture of what God’s people can do when they come together with one heart and mind. And what happens? God honors their spiritual unity. He accepts their sacrifice. He descends from heaven to meet with them. “And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and it spoke to him.” (Numbers 7:89)

What is it that drives such unity? Is it unanimity? I don’t think so. The Book of Numbers is replete with story after story of rebellion and conflict and complaint. The people of God often find themselves at odds with each other, with Moses, and with God Himself. Is it because they are ethnically and culturally homogeneous? Not at all. Their identity as God’s chosen people is still in it’s infancy. They are far more shaped by their experience of slavery and often exhibit a desire to return. They have yet to settle in the Promised Land. They have yet to establish themselves as a nation. So what is it? What is it that brings them together and motivates them to give so generously? The only answer is God. His faithfulness keeps them together when so many forces threaten to tear them apart. His steadfast, covenant love gives them a common identity and purpose. His holiness exposes all their impurities and His mercies – new every morning – cleanse them daily of their sin. 

Now fast forward to our context. What is it that drives unity in our community? Is it our unanimity? Not at all. We are divided generationally, economically, ethnically, politically, culturally, socially, sexually, you name it. There are so many forces arrayed against us threatening to tear us apart. In my experience, the people of God are just as rebellious and prone to conflict and complaint as the people of Israel! Including me, by the way! So what is it that brings us together? The only answer is Jesus. He is the author and perfecter of our faith. Through His death and resurrection, He tears down every dividing wall of hostility that exists between us. He is faithful even when we are faithless. His unconditional love and grace shapes our identity and gives us purpose. His holiness exposes our sin and His shed blood cleanses us completely and utterly and for all eternity. 

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 10-13, Psalm 90

God’s Treasured Possession

Readings for today: Numbers 3-5

The title for this particular book of the Bible could not be more appropriate. The Book of Numbers is indeed “all about the numbers!” The number of warriors in Israel. The layout of the camp of Israel. The duties of the Levites. Even more specifically, the duties of Kohathites, Gershonites, and Merarites. And then some more regulations regarding ritual purity, confession and repentance, and then a strange test for adultery. As was the case in Leviticus, the cultural distance between us and ancient Israel is vast so we have to take a step back and look at the big picture. 

“Behold, I have taken the Levites from among the people of Israel instead of every firstborn who opens the womb among the people of Israel. The Levites shall be mine, for all the firstborn are mine. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both of man and of beast. They shall be mine: I am the Lord." (Num. 3:12-13) 

Israel belonged to God. They were His chosen possession out of all the nations of the earth. He had redeemed them from slavery in Egypt and thereby laid claim to their very lives. They were not their own. They were not “free” to choose or not choose God. He had chosen them. He had saved them. He had rescued them. He had made His covenant with them. No matter where they went or what they did or how they acted, they remained His children forever. In order to remind them of this great and awesome truth, God told Moses to set aside one entire tribe...the Levites. They would not be counted in the census. They would not be considered “part” of Israel. They would have no inheritance in the Promised Land. Their “inheritance” would be God Himself. They would be set aside to serve Him in His Tabernacle and, later, His Temple. They would play specific roles within the worshipping life of Israel. They would guard the sanctuary. They would set it up, tear it down, and transport it day after day. From birth they were set apart, consecrated to the Lord’s service. It was not a vocation they chose but a calling God had placed on their lives.  

Fast forward a few thousand years. One greater than Moses is born. A high priest greater than Aaron has come. The Old Covenant is fulfilled. The New Covenant is established. “In speaking of a new covenant, Jesus makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” (Hebrews 8:13) The reality is the Old Covenant was always temporal. Always bound to a particular cultural situation. Always designed to point us to a new and better covenant which Jesus Himself would die and rise to guarantee. “This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.” (Hebrews 7:22) The ceremonial laws of Israel were culturally bound to a particular time and place. To a particular situation in history. Even the moral law which remains binding serves only to show us our weakness and imperfections. Therefore, it is useless to save. “For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God.” (Hebrews 7:18-19) Jesus is that better hope! And through His life, death, and resurrection, God once again lays claim to our lives. He chooses us. He redeems us. He purchases us with His own blood. And because He Himself is our eternal high priest, interceding for us continually in the heavens. Because He Himself is our eternal sacrifice, fully atoning for the weight of all our sin. “He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him...” (Hebrews 7:25)

In Christ, we belong to God. We are His treasured possession. We are His chosen people. As such, we are not our own. Our lives are not our own. Our future is not our own. All that we have and all that we are and all that we achieve is not ours to hold onto but rather ours to offer in service to God. How different would our lives be if we understood this great truth? 

 Readings for tomorrow: None

The Glory of God’s Law

Readings for today: Leviticus 26-27, Numbers 1-2

Wow. Congratulations! You’ve just finished Leviticus! It is a significant accomplishment to make your way through one of the hardest books of the Bible. But you persevered. You pushed through. Even if you find yourself a little behind, you are going to make it! Well done! ;-)   

One big question that a lot of people are afraid to ask about Leviticus is this...what is the purpose behind all these laws? Or big picture, what is the purpose behind God’s Law? The late, great R.C. Sproul described it this way... 

“The first purpose of the law is to be a mirror. On the one hand, the law of God reflects and mirrors the perfect righteousness of God. The law tells us much about who God is. But perhaps more important, the law illuminates human sinfulness. As Augustine once wrote, “The law orders, that we, after attempting to do what is ordered, and so feeling our weakness under the law, may learn to implore the help of grace.’” In other words, the Law of God highlights our innate weakness so that we might seek the strength found in Christ. 

“A second purpose for the law is to restrain evil. The law, in and of itself, cannot change human hearts. It can, however, serve to protect the righteous from the unrighteous. John Calvin put it this way, “The Law, by means of its fearful denunciations and the consequent dread of punishment, curbs those who, unless forced, have no regard for rectitude and justice.” The law allows for a limited measure of justice on this earth, until the last judgment is realized.” 

“The third purpose of the law is to reveal what is pleasing to God. As born-again children of God, the law enlightens us as to what is pleasing to our Father, whom we seek to serve. The Christian delights in the law as God Himself delights in it. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). This is the highest function of the law, to serve as an instrument for the people of God to give Him honor and glory.”

We see these three purposes at work in Leviticus 26. In verses 1-13, God clearly lays out the blessings of obedience. If God’s people will live in a way that is pleasing to God, they will bring Him honor and glory. God will dwell with them and walk with them and they will be blessed. This is the third purpose of the Law. Then, in verses 14-39, God clearly lays out what will happen if God’s people don’t follow His Law. God Himself will become their adversary. He will fight against them. He will walk contrary to them in wrath and fury. He will punish them. They will suffer. This is the second purpose of the Law which is to restrain human evil. Finally, in verses 40-46, we see the first purpose of the law come into play. Repentance. The reality is God’s people will not be able to fulfill God’s Holy Law and this is by divine design. It’s to teach us that righteousness and holiness are beyond us. It’s to bring us to our knees in what I call “holy despair.” It’s to drive us to the end of ourselves, our strength, our ability, our self-sufficiency. It’s to bring us to a place where we cry out to God for mercy and grace! We look to Christ to take our place! We glorify Christ for doing what we could not! We surrender to Christ and exchange His righteousness for our own. It’s a beautiful exchange!

So here’s the most important question as you finish Leviticus...do you find yourself resenting the Law of God? Dismissing the Law of God? Or do you find yourself overwhelmed by a deep sense of inadequacy before the Lord? If it’s the former, I would encourage you to go to prayer and ask God to soften your heart towards Him. If it’s the latter, be encouraged that you are drawing ever closer to Christ and He stands ready to take your place! 

Readings for tomorrow: Numbers 3-5

Sabbath

Readings for today: Leviticus 23-25

Sabbath. It is a core, foundational principle in Scripture. Hardwired into our system at creation so that we could find rest. One day out of every seven. One year out of every seven. One year out of every fifty set aside for rest. Set aside to honor God. Set aside for not only our rest but that of the land. Animals. Basically, all of creation. A pattern God Himself followed at creation. Six days God labored to make the universe and all that is in it and on the seventh day He rested.  

We ignore this command at our peril. Not just because God commands it. This is no arbitrary rule God puts in place to test us. It’s not divine busy work just to make sure we are listening. No. God has hardwired the human body for rest. Our best medical professionals will tell you the source of so much of the depression, anxiety, fear, and pain we suffer from is due to the stress of feeling like we have to work 24/7.  We are being crushed under the weight of the burdens we carry. The responsibilities. The obligations we’ve taken on as a family and as individuals in our world. Social media only exacerbates this problem with it’s never-ending stream of connection. The reality is we were not built to be “on” all the time. 100% productivity is a goal that will kill us even if we are able to achieve it.  

I remember seeing this play out when I worked as the Manager of Patient Access Services at Boulder Community Hospital. The stated goal of the Human Resources department was to get maximum productivity from each employee. They actually had an equation they followed to determine how much each employee was expected to produce. They kept our available workforce as lean as possible in order to achieve this goal. The result was a much higher number of sick days, lower quality of life in the workplace, and therefore, lower productivity. In their effort to achieve maximum efficiency, they lost sight of the very real human cost. 

That was almost thirty years ago. Things have not gotten better. As a pastor, I watch as people try to squeeze 28 hours worth of work into a 24 hour time period. I see them running from dawn to dark, giving themselves barely any space to breathe. The result is broken marriages. Broken families. Broken lives. The Sabbath is designed to create a “speed bump” in our lives. To get us to slow down. To rest. To let God be God. It is perhaps the most tangible expression of our faith because it forces us to relinquish control over our lives. When I Sabbath, I am letting God back onto the throne of my life because I am specifically choosing NOT to produce anything. And that’s a good thing. Even a godly thing. A major reason Israel lost the blessing of God was their failure to keep the Sabbath. We actually don’t have any evidence they let the land rest every seven years. We certainly have no evidence they honored the Year of Jubilee. When you read the passages from today, it’s important to sit back and ponder what life would look like if we really lived according to God’s divine rhythm.   

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 26-27, Numbers 1-2

The Golden Rule

Readings for today: Leviticus 19-22

Raise your hand if you knew the Golden Rule came from Leviticus? Now repent because you broke the 8th Commandment! :-) Most associate the Golden Rule with Jesus and rightfully so. After all, Jesus repeats it as part of His teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 7:12) However, very few people realize that God first enshrined this rule in law in Leviticus. Lost in all the conversation about sacrifices and priestly garments and what one should eat or wear is this beautiful picture of community life in Leviticus 19:9-18.

We see God’s heart for the poor and less fortunate...“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.” 

We see God’s concern for honesty and transparency..."You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another. You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.”

We see God’s compassion, especially for the less abled in our midst..."You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning. You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.” 

We see God’s desire for justice and righteousness and truth..."You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.” 

And finally, we see God’s admonition against hate, anger, rage, contempt, and most of all, vengeance..."You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” 

These principles are massively applicable in our world today! Could you imagine a community of people who sought to put these into practice? On a daily basis? Who gave generously? Dealt honestly? Showed compassion? Fought for truth? Laid aside anger and rage and malice and hate in the name of love? Hopefully you can. It’s called the church! Now I know no church is perfect. After all, it’s full of imperfect sinners like me who struggle to keep God’s law faithfully. However, as we seek God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we can expect to see some of these same behaviors break loose in our lives! We can expect to bear this kind of fruit for the Kingdom. And as brothers and sisters called into community together, we can make a HUGE difference in the world today. That’s the call. That’s the challenge. That was God’s plan for Israel and it’s still God’s plan for His people today!

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 23-25

Sexual Purity

Readings for today: Leviticus 15-18

I remember seeing my first Playboy magazine when I was ten or eleven years old. I was with my cousins. They had a stack hidden in the play-set behind their house. As a young man just entering puberty, it created all kinds of feelings inside me that I had never felt before. Powerful emotions swept over me. Sexual urges I had no idea existed welled up inside. It became an addiction that plagued me through my college years. It also created all kinds of confusion. Subconsciously, I began to objectify women. Value them primarily as objects of sexual desire. Relationships became transactional and heavily tilted towards self-gratification. If my sexual needs were not met, I moved on. Sadly, my experience was not unique. It was very common in the circles I ran in at the time. For example, I remember serving as a camp counselor at a summer residential sports camp in Maine. The hookup culture was rampant as we spent weeks getting drunk at the local bar and sleeping with each other. It was the darkest summer of my life. Thankfully, things often are darkest before the dawn and the Lord intervened in my life in a miraculous way the following year at CU. From the moment I met Christ, I knew things had to change. I had to surrender my sexuality to Him just like every other part of my life. 

Today’s reading includes a very important section on sexual purity. These regulations may sound somewhat foreign and somewhat familiar depending on your experience. Incest, bestiality, adultery, and homosexuality are all considered “abominations” before the Lord. Engaging in such activity comes with a heavy price. One would be cut off from his or her people. “Vomited” out of the Promised Land. 

We struggle to understand this section of Scripture. Some dismiss it as “ceremonial law” much like the restrictions on what we can eat or wear. The problem with that approach is that we affirm such things as bestiality and incest as abhorrent, illegal practices in our own time. Some argue these passages are culturally bound. Their argument is that these regulations were designed exclusively for ancient Israel and therefore have no bearing on how we regulate our sexual activity today. Proponents of this argument believe in the primacy of love. As long as two people love one another, denying them sexual fulfillment is perceived as cruel and harsh. Therefore, same-sex relationships are justified as is adultery in some instances. The problem with this approach is that it misunderstands the nature of love. It trades on the erotic almost exclusively and dismisses any notion that sexuality and holiness are inextricably linked. A final argument is made - particularly from our LGBTQ Christian friends - that the authors of Leviticus didn’t understand the nature of same-sex attraction and had no experience with loving, committed, monogamous same-sex relationships. Same-sex relationships in the ancient world were always exploitative, oppressive, violent, etc. and therefore the prohibitions in Leviticus 18 do not apply to a 21st century context. The problem with this approach is it is simply not historically accurate. Pioneers in Queer Studies like Louis Crompton and New Testament scholars like William Loader (neither of whom are Evangelical Christians and both of whom affirm same-sex relationships) are among many who have demonstrated that loving, non-exploitative, same-sex relationships have existed since antiquity. No matter how you slice it, the Bible is clear. God seems univocal in His condemnation of any sexual expression outside of marriage between a man and a woman and to claim otherwise is not being honest. 

So what’s the big deal about sex? Is God a prude? Is He simply trying to squash our natural desires and affections? We can’t help how we feel, right? The key is to remember the context. You and I are born in sin. Sin warps and corrupts every part of us, including our sexual desires. Therefore, we are “naturally” going to want to rebel against God’s will. We are “naturally” going to want to pursue unholiness. Our hearts are drawn so easily away from God and towards what is impure and unclean and this is what prevents us from entering God’s presence. And yet God wants to dwell with us! God wants to be with us! So God commands us to “be holy as He is holy” and this call covers every area of our lives, including our sexuality. Sexuality is not an end in itself. It is a powerful drive created by God for the main purpose of the propagation of our species as well as to give physical expression to the kind of “oneness” God desires men and women to have in this life. The joining together of man and woman in sexual intimacy within the context of the covenant of marriage is literally designed to give us a foretaste of the joy and freedom and transparency we will enjoy with one another in the Kingdom of Heaven. This is why sex can be so amazing! And it is also why God has placed such strong boundaries around it’s expression. To keep us safe. To keep our sexual lives pure and free from corruption so we can experience all God has for us.

All one has to do is look around our culture today to see the consequences of unfettered sexual desire. Sexually transmitted disease. Sexual abuse and assault. The objectification of the female and male bodies. Rampant divorce and infidelity. The breakdown of families. Depression and anxiety and fear surrounding every potential sexual encounter and/or its aftermath. It’s heartbreaking. God’s desire is for us to repent and commit ourselves to holiness. Holy sexuality is expressed in celibacy in singleness and intimacy in marriage between a man and a woman. I realize taking a traditional, Biblical position on sexuality in our world today will draw scorn and even accusations of bigotry. However, I believe when one takes a step back and looks objectively at the empirical data surrounding the consequences of pursuing a sexual ethic divorced from the Bible, one can easily conclude God probably knows better. After twenty-six years of faithful marriage to one woman, I certainly know this to be true in my own life. 

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 19-22

Living Sacrifices

Readings for today: Leviticus 11-14

Confession time. I have leprosy. At least according to Leviticus 13. The leprosy referenced in our passage today isn’t limited to Hansen’s disease but could refer to a variety of conditions like psoriasis, scarlet fever, scabies, or atopic dermatitis. I’ve been fighting this last one for years. In periods of stress, my eczema flares up. I get these red patches of skin that are dry and itchy. Of course, the fact that I swim regularly doesn’t help. ;-) If it’s serious enough, I have to use steroid cream to get rid of it. It’s not any fun and it would have potentially made me unclean back in ancient Israel. This is where Leviticus really starts to get challenging. Holy. Unholy. Clean. Unclean. Common. Polluted. The ancient Israelites assigned disease to a different category than we do today. They used lots of words we don’t think about in our own context and culture. This begs for some explanation.  

First, everything that is not defined as holy is understood as “common.” Second, common things – like animals, plants, pots, homes, clothes, even people – are further divided into two groups which are labeled “clean” and “unclean.” It’s important to note here that “cleanness” is a state of being more than anything else. Clean things hold the potential to become holy things when they are sanctified. Unclean things cannot be sanctified and therefore cannot become holy. For example, if I come to present a lamb from my flock as an offering, it must be unblemished. It must not be diseased or old or disabled in some way. Blemished lambs are considered unclean, cannot be sanctified, and therefore are not suitable to offer as a sacrifice. The flip side is also true. Clean things can become unclean if they are polluted by touching something dead for example. Holy things can become defiled in the same manner which is why the proper rituals must be followed to the letter during the daily sacrifices. 

But what about people, you ask? Great question! The baseline condition for humanity is “common” but the baseline condition for the people of Israel was “clean.” They were set apart by God remember? Israel can become “unclean” through sin, disease, corruption, pollution, etc. Israel can also become holy by following the law of God and offering the right sacrifices. In fact, it was God’s stated goal for His people to be holy even as He is holy. “For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy."(Lev. 11:44-45)

Now here’s the great news! In Christ, all of the ceremonial laws that sanctified God’s people have been fulfilled. He is the perfect, “once for all” sacrifice. He is the unblemished Lamb offered on our behalf. His death atoned not just for our sins but for the sins of the entire world. (1 John 2:2) As a result, our baseline condition is no longer “common.” It’s no longer even “clean.” It’s holy. Pure. As such, we no longer need to worry about clean and unclean animals. We no longer need to fear being made unclean by disease or disability or coming into contact with the dead. Through His shed blood, Christ has not only washed us clean – in the Levitical sense – but sanctified us permanently! 

So does this mean we no longer need to follow the law? Not at all. The call to personal holiness has not been set aside. God still calls us as His people to be set apart in thought, word, and deed. We are still called to “be holy as He is holy” and offer our lives as “living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God” according to Romans 12. Though the ceremonial obligations of the law have been fulfilled, the moral obligations remain in force. God still has expectations for His people. Sin is still serious and should not be treated casually. This is why Jesus spends a great deal of time talking about the heart in the Sermon on the Mount and Paul spends a great deal of time on the ethical obligations of Christians in most of his letters. As Christians, we no longer need to undergo elaborate rituals to maintain a state of cleanliness or sanctification before the Lord but we should undergo regular examination and confession of our sin in light of the Word of God. 

This is one of the reasons Christians have historically engaged in spiritual practices like the Daily Examen. First pioneered by Igatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, it is an intentional way to reflect on our day. We prayerfully ask God to reveal to us what in our day drew us closer to Him and what drew us away from Him. We think back on the actions, thoughts, and feelings we experienced during the day and we consciously “examen” them in light of the Word of God. We confess where our actions/thoughts/feelings fell short and we rejoice where our actions/thoughts/feelings reflected Christ. This is just one example of learning how to bring every thought captive to Christ and live for Him. 

Readings for tomorrow: Leviticus 15-18