March 7

Conquering a Land (Ca. 1400-1100 B.C.), Renewal of the Covenant - Deuteronomy 26:16-19, 28:1-68, 29:2-29, 30:1-20, 29:1, 27:1-26

Wrestling with God. Is He fighting us or holding on to us until the fight has left us still and at peace in His arms?

Let me begin today by saying simply, I don't know and I don't understand. [Deep breath.] There, I've said it. Actually, I say it a whole lot when I'm reading the Bible.

But. What I do know and understand is that God loves us. The seeming disparity between what I don't know and understand and what I do know and understand I'm certain looks like ignorance and blindness to the world, but, to those who know this journey, it is wisdom and sight.

I've wondered...perhaps I shouldn't write about what I don't know. Am I just tying a digital milestone around my neck? Am I leading innocents astray? Again, I don't know. But what I do know is that God loves us (and thankfully that us includes me).

Whatever else you read - questions, doubts, struggles - know this: I am confident in God - His wisdom and justice and love. In the troubling midst of all the wiping out of nations, He saves a prostitute and her family; He honors the widows, fatherless and aliens; He allows us to sin and prepares to send His Son for our salvation. My confidence is in this God. But my mind cannot fathom His. That doesn't bother me intellectually - I'm glad He's bigger than my own mind - but it does cause problems in grasping all that He's done and doing.

And so I begin today by saying I don't know and I don't understand. And, now, on to today's struggle...

There is a often repeated preposition in today's reading that caught my attention and always troubles me - the little word if. Now I typically frown on people who focus on prepositions in the text rather than the person of God. Perhaps I should heed my own advice. But for some reason, this seemingly insignificant word - if - leaped off the page this morning.

"If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all His commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on the earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God...." [Deut. 28:1-2]

"If you do not carefully follow all the words of this law, which are written in this book, and do not revere this glorious and awesome name - the Lord your God - the Lord will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses." [Deut. 28:58-59]

Wait one minute. Wait. WHAT IS THIS IF? Lord knows it's actually when, right? He's omniscient and we have the benefit of reading ahead so both He and we know it's not If. They/We do/will fail. That's certain and there is no if. And, He also knows the consequences are so horrible in this reading:

"Because of the suffering that your enemy will inflict on you during the siege, you will eat the fruit of the womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters the Lord your God has given you." [Deut.28:53-57]

I'd go on with the above passage, but it just gets worse.

There is a flaw in our design, a flaw we hold up and celebrate and revile in called "Free Choice." We all want freedom and free choice until our children make a bad choice, right? Then it sort of loses some of its luster and we grieve. I can't find any way around it...the Creator is responsible for that flaw in the design of the created. The all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving God knew what He was doing and what would happen. For Him, there is no if. Lord knows. In a court of law wouldn't He be charged and found guilty of some sort of negligence for not keeping this Rottweiler of His properly chained and fenced? I've often heard it said that without free choice there is no such thing as love because love by definition must be given freely and not against one's will. That's fine. But is that truth about love worth all of the horrible suffering, suffering of innocents who merely had the misfortune to be born in a poor country or subject to an evil family or government and to suffer and die because of things not of their free choice?

I struggle with suffering in the world in the face of an all-knowing, all-powerful, all-loving God. Lord knows I'm not the only one. I also feel it's extremely presumptuous to even stand up and shake this fist in the face of the Creator of the Universe.

And so...my confidence and sanity rests in this - All of this is only for a little time, a breath, a sigh in the face of eternity. Please forgive me if that sounds cold to those in the midst of such terrible and horrible suffering. But I cling to the brevity of life, the expanse of eternity and the confidence that He knows exactly what He is doing and somehow it really and truly and ultimately is all for us.

I hold God ultimately responsible for everything. But live and read and pray and know, He has a way of turning a story at the last possible instant, He never does quite what you'd do or expect Him to do, and, finally, He did what I could never do. He allowed His Son to suffer something He knew would happen and He had the power to stop.

Did He feel guilt in that moment? How could love restrain Him? Or did love empower Him? Because He loved us more. Amazing.

My post from last year on this date.

March 6

IX. Responsibilities Under the Laws, A. Obedience Enjoined - Leviticus 22:31-33; Deuteronomy 12:32; B. Duty to Promulgate - Numbers 15:37-41; Deuteronomy 22:12, 31:9-13; C. Blessings of Obedience - Leviticus 26:3-13; D. Punishments for Disobedience - Leviticus 26:14-45; E. Conclusion - Leviticus 26:46

When we're in doubt, it might be that we're looking in the wrong direction and settling on the wrong answer that we think is the only answer, instead of considering all of the possibilities.  I rest in this one absolute and it affects all of my reading of scripture:  God is love. 

 

If you've been reading along here, I'm sure it's self-evident that I'm not a Bible Scholar.  I'm a Bible reader.  I don't read Hebrew or Greek.  But I do read God's word as a believer, a believer who thinks God still speaks through His inspired word often in spite of us.  He still speaks.  For me the question isn't do I understand it.  The question is - am I listening?

So what you'll find here is what I hear.  Make of it what you will.  And let me know what you hear.

I have a daughter who reads the Bible with such a wonderfully sensitive heart.  And the sentence I've just penned is really the answer to her questions.  But she comes across this passage regarding God's punishment of the rebellious in today's reading and it makes her pause:

"You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters." [Lev. 26:29]

It makes me pause, too, as well and should.  Does this sound like a God of love?  Yes.  Because it's written in the context of so much love.  

It's written in the same chapter of Leviticus that says:  "If in spite of this you still do not listen to me but continue to be hostile toward me...." [Lev. 26:27] The brutal warning comes toward the end of a long, long series of warnings.  It is a warning to a person who hasn't rebelled just once but continues to rebel against God.  But - and hear this amazing, amazing thing - it's also written to someone, though in continual rebellion, who God is still ready to forgive as He always is.  "But if they confess their sins and the sins of their fathers... I will remember my covenant with Jacob and my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land." [Lev. 26:40-42]  It is in the same chapter of Leviticus in which God assures us that He is with us in this beautiful and poetic passage:

"I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you.  I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people."  [Lev. 26:11-12]

And in an early chapter of the same book:

"I am the Lord, who makes you holy...." [Lev. 22:32]

So much assurance that God will do for us what we can not do alone...if we trust and search.  And my daughter's question predisposes that there is a God, that He means what He says, that I should obey Him and that I want to serve Him.  She is searching for a God of love.  And I trust and know that He will find her.

Often in our questions are our greatest statements of faith.  Lord, forgive us our unbelief.

My post last year from this date.

March 5

VII. General Welfare Laws, A. Requirements for Benevolence - Leviticus 19:9-10, 23:22; Deuteronomy 24:19-22, 23:24-25; Leviticus 25:35-38; B. Duties of Respect and Support, 1. Parents - Deuteronomy 5:16; Leviticus 19:3, 20:9; Exodus 21:17; Deuteronomy 21:18-23; 2. Elderly - Leviticus 19:32; 3. Widows and Orphans - Exodus 22:22-24; 4. Strangers - Exodus 22:21, 23:9; Leviticus 19:33-34, 24:22; 5. Deaf and Blind - Leviticus 19:14; 6. Neighbors - Leviticus 19:16-18; Exodus 23:4-5; Deuteronomy 22:1-4; C. Treatment of Animals - Deuteronomy 25:4, 22:6-7; VIII. Rules of Warfare, A. Preparation for Battles - Deuteronomy 20:1-9; B. Rules of Siege - Deuteronomy 20:10-20; C. Camp Regulations - Deuteronomy 23:9-14; D. Soldiers and Marriage - Deuteronomy 24:5, 21:10-14

"When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it.  Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands." [Deut. 24:19]

"Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan.  If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry.  My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless." [Ex. 22:22-24]

"When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him.  The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born.  Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt.  I am the Lord your God." [Lev. 19:33-34]

As you can see from many of my posts, one of the things I'm following on this walk through scripture are the groups God has identified for our compassion and benevolence.  Over and over again, He focuses on three - widows, orphans and aliens.  That's where God's heart is.  Even though, objectively, if I were to survey God's holdings and monetary work on earth, I'd have to conclude he's actually into real estate and staff.  I know that sometimes we say that the government is trying to do the work of the church and is getting glory that should go to God.  If given more, would we give more to those who need it or build bigger and bigger barns?  In fairness to the church, it's priorities are a reflection of our own.  A lot is spent on amenities because as individuals we spend a lot on amenities.  A lot is spent on speakers and flat screens and projectors and creative help to craft Powerpoint because as individuals we spend a lot on entertainment.  We are the church.

Of those three groups God directs us to in scripture, aliens might be the most surprising.  Even though we're a land of immigrants, I'm not sure we're real happy with modern day immigrants.  Why?  Because there is an underlying perception perhaps that they are here to take what is ours - jobs, resources, assistance from the government and healthcare communities.  As Christians, we should know that we are as alien to this land and culture as the aliens among us are.  

Lord knows.

[P.S. Also thought it was interesting in this reading, the reason given for being sanitary with waste in the Israelite camp:  "the Lord your God moves about your camp to protect you...."(Deut. 23:13-14)  He's there.  So keep it clean. ]

My post from last year on this date.

March 4

B. Dietary Regulations, 1. Clean and Unclean Creatures - Leviticus 11:1-38, 11:41-47; Deuteronomy 14:3-20; 2. Dead Animals - Leviticus 11:39-40; Deuteronomy 14:21; 3. Killed Animals - Leviticus 17:15-16; Exodus 22:31; 4 Blood and Fat - Leviticus 17:10-14, 7:26-27, 19:26; Deuteronomy 12:16, 12:23-25; Leviticus 7:22-25; 5. Meat and Milk - Exodus 23:19, 34:26; Deuteronomy 14:21

Ok, the rat, bat, weasel and gecko are unclean.  That makes some sense.  The rabbit, eagle and stork are unclean.  Ah, no longer making sense.  Locust, katydid, cricket are clean.  Let me get this straight - you can eat a nice crunchy buzzing locust but you can't eat a rabbit?  And shellfish is a no, too.

Not eating blood make sense.  Not eating fat, not so much.  Of course my middle child, John, would have liked this restriction.  As a child, he picked fat off of his meat.  And he was sort of obsessive about it.  How obsessive?  Well, he even picked the fat off his bacon.  You know how much "meat" is left when you pick the fat of of a strip of bacon?

Of course, the Jews wouldn't eating bacon anyway.

My post last year on this date.

March 3

VI. Health and Dietary Laws, A. Health Regulations, 1. Leprosy - Leviticus 13:1-59, 14:33-57; Deuteronomy 24:8-9; 2. Discharges - Leviticus 15:1-12, 15:16-27, 15:32-33; Numbers 5:1-4; Leviticus 15:31

With all of the examination of infectious disease by the priest, it's a miracle they didn't contract something.  Truly a miracle.

Another pretty shocking read sure to make even the most faithful believer blush.  Maybe that's why I've never heard a public reading of these verses.  Wonder what happens when one of the churches reading the entire Bible aloud publicly gets to this particular passage?  Or that group that's touring the U.S. getting people to write out the whole Bible a passage at a time?  Wonder if they carded the scribes when they get to these pages and the talk of emissions and discharges?

Then there's the curious passage about removing mildew from a house:

"To purify the house he [the priest] is to take two birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop.  He shall kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot.  Then he is to take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet yarn and the life bird, dip them into the blood of the dead bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times.  He shall purify the house with the bird's blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet yarn.  Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields outside the town.  In this way he will make atonement for the house, and it will be clean." [Lev. 14:49-53]

Sounds a little made up, doesn't it?  Cedar, scarlet yarn, hyssop, a live bird, a dead bird, water and a clay pot.  A bit fanciful.  Is it a test of faith?  Seeing if they'd actually do this...and keep a straight face.  

Ok, all of this I get...but scarlet yarn?  Do we get "dyed in the wool" from this?

Lord knows.

My post last year on this date.

March 2

V. Marriage, Divorce ad Sexual Relations - A. Marriage - Deuteronomy 21:10-14, 24:5, 22:13-21; B. Divorce - Deuteronomy 24:1-4; C. Sexual Violations, 1. Introduction - Leviticus 18:1-5; 2. Adultery - Deuteronomy 5:18; Leviticus 18:20, 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22-24; Leviticus 19:20-22; Numbers 5:11-31; 3. Fornication; 4. Prostitution - Leviticus 19:29; Deuteronomy 23:17-18; 5. Incest - Leviticus 18:6-8; Deuteronomy 22:30; Leviticus 20:11, 18:9-18, 20:16-20, 20:12, 20:14; 6 Violation of Uncleanness - Leviticus 18:19, 20:18; 7. Homosexual Practice - Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; 8. Bestiality - Leviticus 18:23, 20:15-16; Exodus 22:19; 9. Conclusion - Leviticus 18:24-30, 20:22-24; D. Separation of Sexes - Deuteronomy 22:5

Why do we think each age gets progressively worse?  It's always been with us.

Ok, if the story of Tamar wasn't enough, right about now you're not quite as excited that your 10-year-old is reading through the Bible in a year, are you?  I wonder what Moses thought when God started going through this.  Remember your discomfort the first time your parents started talking to you about sex?  What was Moses thinking when God brings up Bestiality? "What?  Surely not!  Ah, do we really need write this down?" 

Lord knows.  And He's not afraid to spell it out in intimate and sordid detail.  The Bible isn't for the faint of heart or the easily embarrassed.  It, like God's Son, gets down in the mud and wallows with us there...just to save us.  Lord knows. 

The reading covers so many flavors and varieties of sexual sin.  Because it threatens us in so many ways.  And it is the reason God here singles out as an explanation of why the nations will fall before Israel.

"'Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways [sexual sins], because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled.'" [Lev. 18:24]

Post from last year on this date.

March 1

IV. Personal Rights and Remedies - A. Restitution for Loss - Numbers 5:5-10; Exodus 22:7-18; B. Seduction - Exodus 22:16-17; C. Injuries and Damages - Exodus 21:33-34, 22:5-6, 21:28-32, 21:35-36; Leviticus 24:18, 21; Deuteronomy 22:8; D. Masters and Servants - Leviticus 19:13; Deuteronomy 24:14-15; Leviticus 25:44-46; Deuteronomy 23:15-16, 15:12-18; Exodus 21:1-11, 21:26-27; E. Credit, Interest and Collateral - Deuteronomy 23:19-20, 24:12-13; Exodus 22:25-27; Deuteronomy 24:6, 24:10-11, 24:17, 15:1-11; F. Contracts and Agreements - Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:1-16; G. Weights and Measures - Leviticus 19:11, 19:35-37; Deuteronomy 25:13-16; H. Inheritance - 1. Right of Firstborn - Deuteronomy 21:15-17; 2. Levirate Marriage - Deuteronomy 25:5-10; 3. Case of Zelophehad's Daughters - Numbers 27:1-11, 36:1-13

I think the poor enjoy a unique relationship with God.  God has a heart for those without.  And they have God's ear in a special way.  He watches how we treat them with interest, like a parent watching at a distance how children deal with a challenged sibling.  Do we show compassion?  Or make a show of our "superiority?"  Father, forgive us.   

We can argue over our various religious beliefs.  But no one argues about Mother Teresa.  Service helps us understand one another.

"Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin." [Deut. 24:15]

"If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.  Rather be open-handed and freely lend him whatever he needs.  Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought:  'The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,' so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing.  He may then appeal to the Lord against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.  Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to." [Deut. 15:7-10]

Post from last year on this date.