Scripture~
Numbers 8-9, Psalm 67, John 7
It’s amazing how little things have changed. To me the new testament passage speaks to peer pressure, in how things are controlled by a few people with influence. The people of Israel are starting to believe, indeed some of the high priests are beginning to believe that Jesus is the Christ. Even when Jesus is openly performing signs and wonders they question Him, when He speaks words of truth, they spew half-truths and lies. It seems they are always conspiring and speaking together, to find ways to answer and regarding what the people would think. The leaders had lost sight . . . they had forgotten about their fathers in the wilderness. Those who would pick up their tents and move when the Cloud moved . . . even if it had only been there for an evening . . . they immediately and unquestioningly picked up their camp and moved on. Keep in mind this is a camp of over 600,000 people so we’re talking about packing up a pup tent and moving to the next camp site.
It is interesting how quickly we can forget our past . . . the lessons of our fathers . . . and thus we are doomed to repeat them to learn the same hard lessons that they did. The people of Israel would forget themselves and their place until they were chastened by God. The same had happened here. After 400 years the priest had become so focused on the law that they had missed the point of the law. They had gotten to a place of having the law be so restrictive . . . that they were portraying God as an ogre to be feared. Someone to whose rules you’d best not break or He’ll smite you.
I think this is what we’re seeing today . . . for years the church has been so focused on legalism that they have gotten away from what the scriptures really say about the Father. Yes there are rules and standards, but that’s not the point. God doesn’t love the person that does the best job of following His statuettes. God’s love and grace is not measured by how well we follow the 10 commandments. Instead His love is given freely and wholly. Even to those who are disobedient . . . all He asks for is our love and obedience. His son came and showed the gift of ultimate love in laying down His life for all of us. ALL of us.
The only thing that is required . . . is to believe in the resurrection of Christ, and submit to the Lordship that He has. It’s not hard . . . His “yoke is easy, and His burden is light”. No being a Christian does not equal a life without trouble . . . but it does equal that in that trouble you’ll never be alone. The cloud, the fire, the spirit, the King is always with you as a child of God.
Father . . . thank you for this wonderful gift. Your presence, Your Son, Your Spirit . . . thank you thank you thank you Father . . .