I reemphasize Chapter
19’s honor of parents and the Sabbath. Parts of my own culture are known by
their deference to parents and it is so virtuous.
Coppola’s Apocalypse Now is an uncompromising
take on Pilgrim’s Progress. It takes Captain Willard along the river through the
worst depictions of Americans at war. Brothels in burnt out helicopters, wanton
killings, lawlessness, loss of principle and its dark heart: Colonel Kurtz.
The thing that strikes
me about the US military, as portrayed in movies, books and in anecdotal accounts of other forces, is their arrogance and disrespect. Such individualism is cited by sociologists and is both self-serving and destructive. It points to Conrad’s true Heart of darkness.
Now ask, how long will
that last. How can any society last if it is disrespectful of authority, parents, country, values,
heritage? That is why Esau lost everything to his more discerning brother.
In addition to
respecting family, the Sabbath was central to Jewish life and thought and still
is. It was always the touchstone of their faith and I submit that these two
cornerstone principles account for the persistence of the Jew through history.
A society without
moral touchstones and a carefulness about its values, is doomed to fail and to
lose all perspective on why we work, why we have an economy and why we do what
we do.
Christians are almost
culture-less. We have taken grace to mean license and, as such, very little is
sacred. Even the breaking-of-bread is a tick-a-box ritual with little or no
meaning other than as a vague reminder of our roots. How will we survive like
that?
Therefor don’t serve foreign Gods (Chapter 20)
That all gives context
to what follows in Chapter 20. Why would a people with so much advantage and a
living God in their midst, turn to idols that consumed their children?
Guess where our world
is now? We are godless and children are dying daily. God was too inconvenient
for our throw away, if-it-feels-so-good-how-can-it-be-so-bad society.
That is all cast into the
context of bestiality and homosexuality. Any corruption of divine order will
lead to corruptions of natural order. God abhors it all, more because of the rebellion
that is at the heart of it - the real reason
for His displeasure.
Regardless of what society feels that is what is recorded in history and I can't get round that. It was quite rational to a new nation and the need to set standards that would facilitate coexistence in the close confines of a tent camp, but His standards never really change.
As a sinner I feel for
the pains in our world and I empathize with what people face. So does God. He
is merciful, but never, in all His dealings with us, did He move the standard
to us. He always reconciled our lives to His higher standard.
The priests had to be above reproach (chapter
21-22)
How can anyone mediate
between God and men, if they are corrupted? Many priests in history were pious in
public, but compromised inside. That was unacceptable to such a high calling.
You have seen how
dabbling with strange fire led to the death of Nadab and Abihu. Well, God help
leaders today who do not live the lives they preach. There are rewards for
service and it was so then, but that is no license to abuse our calling.
I must say that some
of the standards that defined defilement seem a bit harsh at times and it is
hard to understand why someone deformed was untouchable to a priest.
However, I do
understand that if a sacrifice is to be
that at all, it should be worthy. Why would someone cheapen the gesture by
bringing an animal that was worthless anyway?
It is right that
whatever we offer to God by way of our wealth or service, is from a pure heart
and not incidental to some other agenda. That includes the appearance of
serving God whilst actually serving our own needs for power or prominence.
God help us to keep
our hearts pure towards God, for He sees through us and detests insincerity.
Rather offer little from the depth of your heart than much from the top of your
wallet.
If you can grasp it,
you are the first-fruits of God and He wants you to be living sacrifices,
surrendered and set apart for His glory as a noble, freewill offering.
Keep the feasts (Chapter 23)
What followed was the setting
up of the annual Jewish festival calendar.
It started at the 14th
day of the first month, with Passover, and carried to day 15 as the day of
unleavened bread, where they recalled their deliverance from Egypt. It
coincides with the Passover where the
Lamb of God died in Jerusalem for our sins.
50 days later was the day
of Pentecost, when the old covenant was consecrated beneath Mount Sinai to
bring the Jews into the law and all its holy ordinances as a special people. It
is no coincidence that The Holy Spirit fell then, as He came to lead us into
all truth.
The seventh month
marked the feast of trumpets. It ushered in the three remaining festivals:
trumpets, atonement and tabernacles.
Prophetically,
trumpets were used to proclaim divine judgments, as seen in the Revelation of
John. It is significant that it happened in a Sabbath month, the seventh, as that
is a significant period to God. It has been a prophetic marker throughout
history.
We need reminding that
God is coming to judge the world. It is one of the foundation principles of
Hebrews 6 and a sobering reminder, relived in the Breaking of Bread, to work
out our salvation with fear and trembling and to not turn back or return to old
ways (Hebrews 10).
Forget “once saved
always saved”. That has sent many to hell. God help us to keep short accounts
with God: to sound the trumpets and to remind each other that we can yet lose
what we have.
The festival of
atonement was the highest and most somber day in the Jewish calendar as it was
a time for national repentance. It is the right response to the trumpets. We
need to turn back and lead our families back to Him and repent of our own ways.
Finally, Tabernacles
reminded them of the years spent in booths and tents. It is a sobering reminder
of Hebrews 11 and 12, that “here we have no continuing city. We are sojourners
on the earth, passing through, seeking a city whose builder and maker is God”.
As Woody said in “Toy
Story, “Don’t get comfortable”. Our journey is not done until it is done. Thus,
“I run not as one who has attained, but
that I may attain to the resurrection” (Phil 3:11).
(c) Peter Missing @ bethelstone.com
