Exodus 28-29
The tabernacle offers real access to God, but it is limited access. Not everyone can go into the tabernacle and only a very select few can enter the Most Holy Place on a restricted basis. The priests would both serve God (28:41), and represent Israel when they did so. We see the representative part of their job description when they are directed to wear the names of the tribes of Israel engraved on stones on their chest (Ex. 28:9-12). The priests would offer sacrifices that were pleasing to God and also ones that were used by God as a means of atoning for the sin of the people. As we read these passages, we see the elaborate preparations of the priests – the beauty of their clothes and the rituals to set them apart. But we also see the precarious position that they minister in as we hear the constant reminder, “lest they die.” Reflect and Connect: The OT practice of priesthood is fulfilled in Jesus. The book of Hebrews explains that Jesus is the great high priest who represents us before God and gives us access to the power of God. Because Jesus is our high priest, we no longer need a human being to formally represent us before God, we can all enter the presence of God through Christ. At the same time, we serve as “lowercase-p” priests when we pray for other people. Consider these NT passages in light of the OT practices we read about today: Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. I Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Exodus 25-26, 40
We are now starting to skip over some sections of material. When we skip a section of the Bible it is noted by an "*" in the reading chart. As we read through Exodus and beyond, we will try to achieve a summary of the material that is found there, but in many books, we will have to present a “condensed reading.” Our goal is to achieve an overall vision of the grand picture of redemptive history. In order to see the whole forest in its proper perspective we will need to skip past a few of the trees. For our reading today, we combined chapters that describe the role of the tabernacle, including chapter 40 - the last chapter in the book. For the purposes of Biblical continuity, the tabernacle is essentially a “portable temple.” It is pictured the same way as the temple, except that it is made of tent material. (The temple will be built later in the history of Israel, under King Solomon and a rebuilt form would continue to be used into the time of Christ.) The tabernacle also functions the same way as the temple in that it provides a meeting place for God with his people. God introduced the tabernacle construction project with the words, “Let them make for me a sanctuary that I may dwell in their midst” (Ex. 25:8). The whole structure and all of the items placed within it were meant to be a visible symbol of how we relate to God. The sacrifices, the separate spaces, and the elaborate rituals of cleansing all combined to show that God is holy and humans are not. In the back room of the tabernacle was the Most Holy Place, where the Spirit of God was tangibly present above the Ark of the Covenant. As the book of Exodus ends, the Spirit of God descends on the tabernacle and God is really living with his people (Exodus 40:34-38). This answers a question that has been lurking ever since the Passover. That is, If God is so exceedingly holy, but his people are prone to grumbling, disobedience and even rebellion - how can he live among them? The immediate answer is: “very carefully.” The long term answer is: “Jesus.” Reflect: Humans are prone to create religious ideas out of their own imagination. When we do this, our version of the divine is always more approachable and human-like than the living God. The structure and practices associated with the temple highlight God’s separateness and our need for mercy. How do your human concepts of God need to be recalibrated by the tabernacle? Connect: God was made known to his people through the tabernacle, but it a limited access and a limited revelation. When God chose to reveal himself to us definitively, he made himself known through Jesus, whom John said, “tabernacled” among us. This is what the Greek text literally says, but since that is not an English word, the ESV translates John 1:14 as “dwelt among us.” John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. So, we are back to the Mosaic Law today. Having finished the landmark legislation of Moses (The Ten Commandments) we now move on to a variety of other commands. We need to add some more theological observations to our tool box as we head into this new section. Because the Law of Moses is both so important and also so expansive, theologians have spent a great deal of energy reflecting on this body of law and categorizing the various parts of it. When we look at the entire body of legislation we see three different areas of focus. This might seem a little too academic at first, but unless you have this theological map to guide you, the Mosaic Law will become an imposing wilderness of confusing commandments. We could fall into the error of either dismissing them altogether or using the Law in the wrong way. Historically, these two tendencies of “legalism” or “antinomianism” (lawlessness) have long plagued the church.
Reflect: The Mosaic Law can challenge our self-made notions of how we approach God and what serving God looks like. While none of the laws in this section are directly applied to Christians, understood properly can help us to think through what it means to live a faithful Christian life. Can you see any places where the principles revealed here can guide you to greater faithfulness? Connect: Paul says that the Mosaic Law, in its entirety, was meant to be a training tool for God’s people as they grew in maturity and were prepared to receive Christ. Galatians 3:23-24 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. Special note: Slavery in the Bible. It can be troubling for people to read regulations about slavery in the Bible, because we imagine historically recent modes of “chattel slavery” when we read Exodus 21. However, it is important to note the specific limitations in place on the practice of slavery within Israel. “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh he shall go free” (Ex. 21:1) Furthermore, there were essentially rights and protections for people who were in the classification of “slave” (Ex. 21:2-11,20,26). Slavery was a common practice in the ancient world. The Mosaic Law does not create it, but it brings regulations and protections to an existing practice. Finally, we see that the entire practice is governed under the precept that Israel knew what it meant to live in slavery in Egypt and that God had delivered them from this (Ex. 20:1). This is clearly a very different system that what was practiced in American plantation systems. But why would God have allowed even this highly regulated practice of slavery to exist within the nation of Israel? We don’t know for sure, but we do know that it provided a means of survival for people who were living in poverty and in danger of starvation. That is, you could sell yourself in a time of absolute desperation but, there was a limit on how long you could be held. Like modern day bankruptcy, there was a process that could allow for the restoration of absolutely desperate people. About seven weeks after the Exodus, Israel arrives in the wilderness of Sinai and came to “the mountain.” Presumably, this is where God had appeared to Moses at the beginning of the book. At this point, we can see that God’s promise to deliver his people from their bondage to Pharaoh has been fulfilled. When God first revealed himself to Moses through the burning bush, he said that Moses would lead the people out of Egypt and they “would serve God on this mountain” (Exodus 3:12). But what does it mean to serve God? We are about to find out. Chapter 19 shows great preparation for a sacred meeting on the mountain top. All of the people were told to wash themselves and prepare themselves for a meeting with God. Only Moses will be allowed to go up to the top of the mountain (with Aaron for some portion of it) because the holiness of God is a deadly threat to mortals.
What God reveals on the mountain is referred to the “Law of Moses” or the “Mosaic Law” and forms the foundation for life for the people of Israel. Now, the Mosaic Law is laid out in many parts of the first books of the Bible. Much of the second half of Exodus, all of Leviticus, and parts of Numbers unfold this law. Then, at the end of his life, Moses summarizes these commandments in the book of Deuteronomy (the title means “second (giving of the) law.”) Because this 90-day study focuses on the history books in the Bible, we will not spend a great deal of time on the law. That is a study for another day. For our purposes, we will spend just a few days looking at some of the commandments in the law of Moses which are found in Exodus. At this point, we will be a little more selective in our reading so that we can stay on pace to finish our tour of the story of Scripture before Easter. Here are the initial observations that we want to make:
Reflect: Your obedience cannot earn your salvation but, the Ten Commandments can show us quite a bit about the Christian life. Historically, they have been understood to function in 3 ways (“Three uses of the Moral Law”.) First, they show us wisdom about how the world works and demonstrate a basis for flourishing human life for all people. Second, they reveal our sinful hearts and drive us to deeper repentance. Third, they show Christians how to live a life of thankful obedience in the power of the Spirit. Simply look at the Ten Commandments again. How do they reveal your sin? How do they call you to a life of greater faithfulness? Connect: Paul tells us that the law is good, but that it reveals our sin and is no longer meant to be the guiding system for the Christian life. Admittedly, the New Testament treatment of the Mosaic Law is a field of study which is complex and often confusing. Let’s simply look at one NT reference in which Paul highlights the way that the Ten Commandments reveal our sin and highlight our need for a savior. Romans 8:7,24-25 If it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet”… Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! ,In the immediate aftermath of the Red Sea crossing the frailties of Israel become evident. It is almost hard to imagine that shortly after this remarkable victory the people could grumble and complain. They “grumble against Moses” (Ex. 15:24 and 16:2). Then they refuse to listen to the Sabbath regulations. Then, they threaten to kill Moses when their thirst gets extreme and say the ultimate ungrateful remark, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt?” (Ex. 17:3) In spite of it all, God continues to graciously provide. He will need to straighten things out with some disciplinary action, but the overwhelming picture is one of God’s abundant and merciful provision for ungrateful and fickle people. Furthermore, even Moses begins to show cracks from the strain. Fortunately, he has friends to hold up his arms, and his father-in-law shows up with some good advice about delegating his responsibilities.
Reflect: It would be hard to imagine ungrateful attitudes developing so quickly if it were not part of our everyday human experience. In reality, we forget God’s blessings quickly and our hearts turn toward grumbling even shortly after God helps us out. Where do you need to confess a grumbling spirit and an ungrateful heart? Connect: Paul continued to apply the lessons of the wilderness generation to the Church in Corinth, telling them specifically that these stories are meant to be an example to us. In particular, the example is that they were part of the community that experience great blessing, but they “desired evil” and “grumbled.” (Other sins that he mentioned come up later in Exodus.) The end point of his concern is that we should not allow the experience of God’s blessing to make us spiritually apathetic. I Corinthians 10:3-12 [Our Fathers] all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. Well, Israel has escaped from Egypt, but the mighty power of Pharaoh still overshadows them. After letting them go, Pharaoh has his mind changed and he decides to pursue Israel into the wilderness. Notice how God is working in all of this to complete judgement on Pharaoh (directing Israel to a vulnerable place and hardening Pharaoh’s heart so that he stubbornly persists in his rebellion.) All of these lead to the climactic moment of deliverance in the Old Testament. Israel is delivered from the oppressive power of Egypt when they pass through the waters of judgment, but the Egyptian army is swallowed up behind them. Following the Red Sea crossing, Moses sings about God’s work of deliverance. The end result of this whole ordeal is that God was revealed to be the ultimate judge with power to direct earthly affairs and the powers of Pharaoh are severely limited. Together with the Passover, this judgment at the Red Sea becomes the definitive account of salvation in the Old Testament. What we see is that God brings our salvation by removing our enemies. The Passover reminds us that we need God’s mercy for ourselves if we are going to withstand his day of judgment.
Reflect: Rather lead Israel by a safe and easy way, God directs them to go to a place where their backs are against the sea and they have no other options. How has God used desperate circumstances in your life to make you lean on him more deeply? Is that happening now? Connect: Paul compares the Red Sea crossing to the salvation that Christians experience in Christ. He spoke of the Israelites as being “baptized into Moses” when they accompanied him through the Red Sea. The parallel idea is that when we believe in Christ we are connected to him by faith and we experience deliverance through him. Christians pass through the judgment of God because they are in Christ. Baptism is a picture of our union with Christ. Because Jesus endure the judgment of God on our behalf, we pass through it “in him.” I Corinthians 10:1-2 For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea... Romans 6:3-4 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. As the climactic act of God was approaching, Moses was given an unusual command. In the prior plagues, Israel was a passive bystander. But now they have a role to play. In this final act of judgment, they will finally be set free from the oppression of Pharaoh. But there is a lesson for Israel here also. When the angel of death sweeps over the land, taking the life of every firstborn son, the people of Israel need to be delivered from this same act of judgment. The houses of Israel will be marked with the blood of the lamb, and when the angel of the LORD comes by he will “pass over” the house where the blood is shed. Notice that the agency of this activity seems to be given to an angelic being whom the LORD calls, “the destroyed” (Ex. 12:23). But, throughout the chapter, God owns the activity himself – “I will pass through the land… I will strike… I will execute judgments.” This is a clear message about the identity of God. He is pure in his holiness and he is opposed to human sin. This opposition will prove to be deadly for all people, even those people that have a covenant relationship with him. While Israel needs to be saved from Pharaoh, their greatest need is to be saved from the judgment of God himself. The Passover would become a yearly feast that was intended to cement this memory into the minds of God’s people. They were saved by a substitute (lamb) and saved by grace, but they were saved from the judgment of God for their own sins.
Reflect: Often other problems loom larger in our life, but the Bible tells us that the biggest problem we each have is that we are sinners who cannot stand in the presence of a holy God. Connect: The New Testament authors show that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Passover. He is the lamb slain in our place that we can be forgiven and so that God’s judgment will Passover us. John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! I Corinthians 5:7 Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Now the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh really starts to heat up. Behind all of these events is the powerful hand of God. We see this directly as God’s power works through Moses. But we also see the mysterious work of God in the heart of Pharaoh. At times Pharaoh hardens his own heart, and at times (especially as the story progresses) God hardens it. We don’t fully understand this, but we know that a hardened heart is part of God’s judgment. And here, God is working for a bigger purpose. He wants his own identity to be revealed through the events of history. God shows that he has ultimate power over creation by essentially reversing the creation process. For example, frozen precipitation brings destruction and not the normal blessing of rain. Furthermore, the God who spoke light into existence reveals himself as darkness settles over the land. The created world turns against Pharaoh because he has exalted himself over the creator. In all of this, God is working to reveal himself as the only true and living God. Notice the repeated refrain – “The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand…” Some of the miraculous signs of Moses can be repeated by the court magicians (we don’t know how), but very quickly they are shown to be out of their league. There is only one God, and he holds the power of the created world and even life itself in his hands. As we progress through the 10 plagues they get more and more severe and often show an intentional distinction between Egypt and the people of Israel. This move us to the ultimate and definitive action of God in the final plague...
Reflect: This is a warning hear about a hardened heart. On one hand, God’s purposes are mysterious. On the other hand, the end result of resisting God’s entreaties (hardening the heart) is that our hearts become hardened, and we are no longer able to respond appropriately or think rationally. Sometimes, a severe intervention from God can get our attention and help us regain perspective. If that leads to repentance, even a painful event can be a good thing. Connect: The Bible warns God’s people against hardening their hearts. We can’t assume that our response to God is something that we can do at our leisure. Assuming that we can do what we want and then go back to God’s way when we choose is itself an act of arrogant disregard for God. Hebrews 3:12-15 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” Our first glimpses of Moses as the mighty servant of God don’t exactly inspire confidence. He is reluctant to accept the mission, complaining that he isn’t a very good speaker. (As if, his eloquence was going to be the deciding factor in this confrontation.) Then on the way back to Egypt he is nearly killed by the angel of the LORD for having neglected to circumcise his son. (This is admittedly a strange part of the story.) And then, the first confrontation with Pharaoh ends not with progress – but with things getting worse. Now they have to make bricks without straw and still keep up the production levels. The people of Israel are now mad at Moses for deepening their problems. But God is not discouraged in the least. He is the Sovereign LORD of the universe and will accomplish his purposes in spite of the weakness of his servants and the might of the opposition.
Reflect: When the problems in our life loom large, we are reminded that God is always bigger and more capable than any opposition. Connect: Paul assures Christians that God is able to work all things for our good. That does not mean that all events are good – many are painful or even heartbreaking. But it means that God’s almighty power is able to direct all events for his purposes, which is for the ultimate good of his people. Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Day #18b: Exodus 3. “I am”
I am glad that we can get a whole day to discuss this one chapter, because it is one of the most important ones in the Bible. In Exodus 3, God enters the story in a new way. He reveals himself to Moses in the burning bush, promises action for oppressed Israel, and reveals himself by the divine name. When Moses asks God, “Who shall I say sent me?”, God answers, “I AM WHO I AM.” That sounds cryptic to us, but it is a revelation of God’s character. God’s defining aspect is his underived self-existence. It is what sets him apart from every other thing that exists. Every other thing is created by God. It is “derived” by God’s power – that is, it comes from God. But God does not come from anything else. As we learned in Genesis, “In the beginning, God…” Before anything was created, God was. There was never a time in which God did not exist. All other aspects of our experiential reality were created, but he is uncreated. The Hebrew word for “to be” was represented by the (Hebrew) letters YHWH. This was understood to be the personal name for God, in distinction from the more general title of “god” – which could be used for other, false, gods. The name that sets the God of the Bible apart from every other deity that can be named or imagined is his unique divine name, “YHWH.” This name became so sacred to the Jewish people that they stopped speaking it out loud. Instead, they would say, “The LORD” whenever the name of YHWH was written. Later, Bible translators were uncertain of how to render this, or even how to pronounce it. Early English translations rendered the divine name as “Jehovah.” Later translators rendered it as “Yahweh.” Following the practice of the Jewish scholars, most modern translations write the name “the LORD” (notice all caps) whenever they encounter this word in the Hebrew text. This is distinct from the word “lord” (not in caps) which is a title of respect that can be used for people. Traditionally, the first five books of the Bible were attributed to the authorship and direction of Moses, so it is understandable that the name YHWH was used, even prior to the burning bush revelation (for example, in the book of Genesis._ The thing that we want to understand is that, generally speaking, when God is referred to as YHWH (“the LORD”) it is showing the specific relationship that he has with his covenant people. On the other hand, when the term “God” is used it often speaks of God in a more general way and may even be used for false gods or angels. Reflect: God invites you to be on a “first name basis” with him. To call God, “The LORD” is to know him as the uncreated, self-existence deity that is the source of all things in existence. We have a powerful friend. Connect: The New Testament is written in Greek and not Hebrew, so the authors don’t use the Hebrew letters YHWH and therefore, the same sort of capital letter distinction does not exist in the New Testament. But in his letter to the Philippians, Paul proclaims that Jesus is given “the name above every name” and shows that all humans will one day confess that he is “Lord.” This is a clear reference to the divine name and he is showing that Jesus shares the same divine name “Yahweh.” Furthermore, when Jesus says about himself that “I AM”, he is assuming to himself this divine identity – an action that his listeners understood to be an infuriating claim to divinity. Philippians 3:9-11 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. John 8:58-59 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. *Note: When the schedule of readings was first published, I made a mistake and cut out this date. Since other parts of this program had already been published using the dates, it was easier to simply create “Day 18b” than shift the whole schedule back a day. So, the technical count for 90 days is a bit off, but I hope that you will agree that is not a very big deal. – MK In the book of Exodus, God’s redemptive plan shifts to focus on the nation of Israel. We meet them hundreds of years after the time of Joseph. They are still in Egypt, but they are no longer favored people because the new king of Egypt “did not know Joseph.” God had been fulfilling this promise to Abraham to make his people great in number, but the large numbers of rapidly reproducing foreigners threatened the Egyptian leaders. Pharaoh oppresses the people with hard labor and attempts to slim their numbers by killing male infants. Moses is spared, and under God’s guidance he taken in by Pharaoh’s daughter and raised in the royal court. In the midst of the “groaning” of God’s people two heroes emerge. First, Moses. He is unable to deliver his people from their groaning and oppression and has to flee in into the desert. But the second hero will have sufficient ability. Chapter 2 concludes with these words of anticipation; “God heard their groaning and God remembered his covenant… God saw the people of Israel and God knew.”
Reflect: Deliverance from the oppression of Egypt is the defining act of God’s Old Testament salvation. In this we see an important characteristic of God. He hears the groaning of his people, he sees their situation, and he knows. As you consider painful and frustrating parts of you own life and hold them up to God in prayer, remember that he “hears, sees and knows.” In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church he sought to correct a church that was distracted by great acts of power. He reminded them that love is the greatest of all attributes that a Christian can have. In this, we draw near to the heart of God. But more important than knowing God, is the fact that we are “known by him.” I Corinthians 13:12-13 Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. * Note on the title "18a"; When the schedule was being made, there was a cut and paste error which resulted in one date being left out. We didn't catch this until further plans had developed, so the easiest way to deal with this was to simply make day #18a and #18b. I trust that you will not find this to be a huge difficulty. The final two chapters set the stage for the sequel book of “Exodus.” First, as we read Jacob’s final blessings we begin to see the twelve sons as the twelve tribes. This is how we will meet them in the book of Exodus. (Note that there are technically 13 tribes at this point, since Joseph has two sons that are included with their uncles. But the tribe of Levi becomes the tribe of priests who do not possess their own land, but become associated with temple worship.) Second, Joseph’s final words anticipate a future deliverance from God which he calls a “visitation” (Gen 50:24-26). He foresees a day in which God will need to personally show up and act for the salvation of his people. And though this day was far off for Joseph, he lived with hope in that future deliverance. This sets the stage for the second book of the Bible, Exodus which is, essentially, about a “visitation” from God.
Reflect: The completion of God’s work of salvation often feels a long way off, but hope in future deliverance is the fuel for the Christian life. Let’s pray that God will continue to use this study of “redemptive history” to stir our imaginations and fuel our hope. Connect: The author of Hebrews finds Joseph’s display of faith to be particularly encouraging. Hebrews 11:1-2, 22 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation… By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. The book of Genesis has a lot of bleak stories in it. From the first sin, the first murder and heinous acts of corruption, we have seen humanity at its worst. The fulfillment to the promise of redemption made to Abraham has seemed to be (from a human vantage point) quite precarious. But God has proved to be faithful through very harrowing passages. As the book draws to a close the abundant blessing of God is on full display. There is a moment of peace. The family of Israel is settled, Jacob and Joseph are reunited, and Joseph prospers in his work. This is a good moment to reflect on the ways God has blessed us.
Reflect: Consider the various ways in which God’s blessing has been evident in your life. This does not mean we should expect a life of ease, but even in the midst of great hardship there are many things we can be thankful for. Connect: Thankfulness is particularly important for people who live on the other side of the cross. And God wants Christian community to be a place where we inspire one another to greater thankfulness. How can you share some aspects of your thankful list (above) with others? Colossians 3:15-16 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. While the presence of Joseph will ultimately mean salvation (from famine) for his brothers and their family, it also brings them into confrontation with the one whom they betrayed and sold into slavery years earlier. The story plays out at a fairly slow rate at this section and allows the drama to build. Joseph tests them. I don’t believe that he is torturing them, but offering them an opportunity for growth and for relational redemption. At the climactic moment, Judah offers his life in the place of Benjamin for the sake of his father’s heart. “Now therefore, please let your servant (Judah) remain instead of the boy.” Joseph is moved to tears by this encounter, and extends extraordinary mercy to his former oppressors. In both instances (Judah and Joseph) mercy leads to fullness of life.
Reflect: What broken relationships cast shadows over your life? How might the Lord be leading you to extend mercy in the midst of them? Connect: The theme of forgiveness finds its greatest and most expansive form in the NT as a reflection of the mercy of God revealed in Christ. Colossians 3:12-14 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. I have intentionally used the language of Christology ("humiliation" and "exaltation") to describe Joseph. As we saw yesterday, his life had a painful downward bent to it. Sold into slavery, falsely imprisoned, forgotten in prison, he went down… down… down. But God is at work and redemption is at hand. In this series of chapters, we see Joseph going, up…up…up. He is in the upward side of the J-curve. (Again, I am not suggesting that Joseph knew about who Jesus would be, or that we should overlook his unique historical contribution, but this is the pattern of how God’s works redemption in the Bible.) We also want to notice that when he is exalted to the second highest position of power in Egypt, it has the effect of offering a form of salvation to both his family and to the Egyptians. Joseph’s God-given insight and natural wisdom cause him to save grain in the years of plenty that will feed people in the years of famine. This offers the Egyptian people an escape from famine. But it also becomes the means by which the people of Israel find relief. Their circumstances were so dire that they journeyed to Egypt “that we may live and not die” (Gen 42:2). When they arrive, God has already gone before them and prepared their salvation through the life and ministry of Joseph.
Reflect: In what ways in God calling you to be a channel of blessing to others? Like Joseph (and Jesus), this could prove to be a costly endeavor for you. Connect: Ministry brings life to others, but often means suffering for the “minister.” But good news, God wins in the end. 2 Cor. 4:11-12 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Chapter 37 begins a new section in which we follow the life of Joseph. He will essentially be the main character for the remainder of the book. While Joseph is not a perfect character (the way he tells his dreams to his family seems to smack of pride), he is one of the more admirable ones that we meet in this book. His life is certainly exemplary in comparison to Judah (and this terrible incident with Tamar) as well as the other brothers who sell him into slavery out of jealousy. His life follows a pattern of setbacks and triumphs. But through it all, God is at work to protect the people of Israel and reveal himself. Over the years, the similarities between Joseph and Jesus have often been pointed out. We don’t want to go so far in the comparison that we lose sight of Joseph as a real historical figure, but a comparison illustrates the way in which salvation is worked out in the Bible. Joseph is extraordinarily gifted, he suffers for righteous reasons, and after suffering (and in some ways because of his suffering) he is able to save his people from death. This sort of "down-then-up" story line is what author Paul Miller calls “The J-Curve.” In the J-curve, God’s plan of redemption unites us to Jesus Christ as we share in his sorrows and in his victory. As we leave Joseph at the end of chapter 39, he is in a desperate place – alone, forgotten, imprisoned in a foreign land. But God is at work, and the upward sweep of redemption is on the way.
Reflect: Sometimes we suffer because of our own foolish mistakes, and sometimes we suffer as people who are righteous. Where have you, like Joseph, experienced suffering that you did not deserve? Connect: The Apostle Paul was no stranger to difficulties, in fact they defined his life. He believed that God was at work through his pain and that all of his hardship was part of God’s redemptive plan, bound up with the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus. Phil 3:8-11 For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him… that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. The chapters for this day illustrate an important point regarding Biblical history. While we often come to stories in the Bible expecting clear moral tales that have good guys and bad guys and easy lessons – most often that is not what we find. If salvation was a matter of human effort than we would benefit from a series of “morality plays” that show us how to be good people. But salvation is by grace, and the real world is messy. Sin affects all people and our human experience “East of Eden” is often sad, brutal and complicated. So it is with the story often titled, “the Defiling of Dinah.” It is all pretty terrible. Jacob’s daughter was raped by a neighboring tribal group and her brothers exact a gruesome revenge. All of this leaves Jacob and his family in a vulnerable place. Jacob responds by committing himself more deeply to God by removing all of the remaining idols from among his people (Gen 35:34). As the story progresses we see God at work to protect his people and keep his covenant promise that he would fight for them (Gen 35:5). And yet, we know from the story of Dinah that he does not protect us from all harm. And while the return to Bethel offers a reminder of God’s commitment to Jacob and his people, the story continues with a tragic note (Rebecca dies in childbirth), and an ominous note (the lineage of the Edommites is traced, reminding us of Israel’s enduring enemy.) This story is not really about the strength, power, or virtue of the leading characters, but rather it is about God’s faithfulness and his power to keep his end of the covenant agreement. In the midst of sorrow, we see God’s powerful presence working toward a long term redemption.
Reflect: Life is full of sorrows and there are often no easy answers to resolve the mysterious and painful presence of evil in the world. But the living God has revealed himself through Jesus Christ, a human being who was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” What sorrows can you hold before the understanding knowledge of Jesus? Connect: The prophet Isaiah showed that the Messiah would enter into our suffering. Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. As we saw last week, Jacob was not a very admirable person. He tricked his father and brother and received the inheritance through deception. And yet, God chose to love him. This is good news for all sinners - God loves us in our brokenness and accepts us as we are. But the story of Jacob shows us that the love of God also works to transform us. Because of his feud with Esau, Jacob had to flee to Rebecca’s family. There he falls in love, works hard to earn the right to marry the girl of his dreams… and then he is deceived by his uncle Laban. This is a messy story and one can’t help but feel sorry for Leah, the unloved wife of Jacob. But for Jacob the setbacks continue. Even though his work as a shepherd is blessed with physical abundance, his uncle again deceives him and steals from his flock. Jacob “the deceiver” is getting a taste of his own medicine. When the pressure from Laban gets to be too much, Jacob decides to take his family back to his homeland, setting up a tense reunion with Esau in which Jacob was “greatly afraid and distressed.” But before his encounter with Esau, Jacob has a strange wrestling match with a supernatural opponent. In the face of adversity he hangs on to the angel – essentially, hanging on to God – until he extracts a blessing. Jacob receives not only a blessing, but a new name – Israel. And from Esau he receives unexpected grace. From now on, Israel will walk with a limp – a reminder of his struggle with God. But he returns home a different person, humbled and contrite. God has been at work through these difficulties.
Reflect: In what ways has God used adversity in your life to shape and change you? How might he be doing that now? Connect: Many Biblical authors show that God uses difficulties to transform us. James 1:2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. The next section of chapters will cover the next generation, and be defined by conflict between two of Abraham’s grandchildren – Jacob and Esau. Though he is the younger son, Jacob will be the one through whom the blessing of Abraham is transmitted. He will eventually be renamed Israel and his twelve sons will become (roughly) the twelve tribes of Israel. On one level, the point of Jacob’s life is that God chose to bless him because of his sovereign choice and because of his grace. Jacob is not a particularly likeable character. At a human level, he deceives his father, manipulates is brother, and cheats his way to the all-important blessing. God’s sovereign choice in salvation is to bless people who do not deserve it. On the other hand, Esau is also responsible for the fate that befalls him (Heb 12:16). First of all, he despised his inheritance and sold it for a bowl of soup. Second, he married into the surrounding nations by taking “Hittite wives” (Gen 26:34-36, Gen 27:46) which threatened to introduce religious compromise.
Connect and Reflect: When we see God choosing Jacob we see undeserved grace (Rom 9:10-13). When we see God rejecting Esau we see warnings about how unbelief in the promises of God causes us to value the wrong things (Heb 12:15-17). How has God acted with sovereign grace in your life to give you what you don't deserve? Romans 9:10-13 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” Hebrews 12:15-16 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God… that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 2We continue to follow the story of God’s blessing as it moves down to the next generation. Isaac’s quest to find a wife is important because it is necessary to continue the lineage of blessing. The story about the camels being watered (Gen 24) is not a divine blueprint for finding a spouse. Rather, it shows God’s divine intervention to safeguard the promised lineage of Abraham through his descendants. (There was danger in this situation, because if Isaac had taken a wife from the surrounding nations, it would threaten to introduce the pagan practices of the surrounding cultures.) In this section there are several clear links between Abraham and Isaac. On one hand, we see a positive transmission from father to son: God reaffirms his commitment to bless Isaac in the same manner that he promised to bless his father Abraham (Gen 26:1-5). On the other hand, we see a negative transmission from father to son: Isaac gives in to unbelief and dodges the responsibility to protect his wife by claiming that she is his sister. Just like his dad did. This is a near fatal error because it threatens the lineage of promise. Once again, God has to intervene on behalf of his chosen people to protect them by using a (seemingly) pagan king to protect Rebecca.
Reflect: In what ways have the positive and negative aspects of your parents’ life been transmitted to your life? Connect: The consequences of our parents’ actions can have a lasting impact on our lives – for good or for ill. In the NT, Paul showed how the faith of Timothy’s ancestors was instrumental in shaping him for good. How can you leave a spiritual legacy of faith – either through parenting or mentoring? 2 Timothy 1:5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. So, this is a confusing section. God asks Abraham to journey to the top of Mount Moriah and offer his son as a sacrifice. For readers who are already steeped in Biblical literature, this is confusing because God says specifically that he abhors human sacrifice. While this practice was not uncommon in the ancient world, it would come to represent the very worst tendencies of the pagan cultures that surrounded Israel. (See King Ahaz and his compromise in II Kings 16:3.) But the story is also confusing on another level and must have been bewildering to Abraham. After all, Isaac is the child of promise. The middle section of Genesis all hinges around the promise to bless Abraham (and eventually the nations) through a human lineage – even as Abraham and Sarah remained childless. And now that the child of promise has finally appeared, Abraham is told to offer him up. Here are some things that we do know. God brings Abraham to the brink of doing something terrible to his son, and in so doing reveals several key truths.
Reflect: Abraham’s dilemma has traditionally been interpreted with a “metaphorical” parallel. Following this approach, when has God called you to a place of decision where you have been asked to hold your greatest treasure (your “Isaac”) before him with open hands? How might he be doing that now? Connect: In this experience, Abraham got to see a firsthand view of God’s ultimate sacrifice as he offered his only Son as a substitute for our sin. Jesus willingly embraced this plan for our salvation. It was God and not Abraham who would have to follow through on the sacrifice of his own son for the salvation of the world. John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” We start this section by reading about a specific promise to Abraham concerning his son. The general promise to bless Abraham’s descendants are now given a timetable, “next year” a son will be born to Sarah and Abraham. The message is given by three strangers who we later see are representatives of the living God. (Gen 18:13 and Heb 13:2) This is hard for Sarah to believe and we won’t see the actual birth of Isaac until a few chapters later. However, the three visitors were passing through on a mission from God. Through them, God will check in on the neighboring cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and evaluate their wickedness. As the story shifts to Sodom we see Abraham take the role of redemptive mediator in an argument with God. We see the deep corruption of Sodom as they threaten to rape God’s messengers. We even see Lot’s callous and cowardly response to this threat as he offers his daughters up to the mob. There is not much in this place that would warrant God’s continued patience, but he intervenes to graciously spare Lot and his family. Sodom is destroyed, and while it seems that Abraham’s prayer was the only thing that spared Lot’s family, even Abraham doesn’t come out looking great. He melts under the pressure and pretends his wife is his sister to avoid a confrontation with Abimelech. Another example of the cowardly sacrifice of female honor. How can God ever work with these people?
Reflect: In his best moment, Abraham is a model of charity as he pleads for mercy on neighboring Sodom. Do we ask for God to show mercy on those around us? Connect: In Luke 10:1-22, Jesus warns of a coming judgment on the cities in Galilee. He sends out his disciples to offer redemption, but warns it will be worse on the Day of Judgment for those who reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ than for Sodom. God’s judgment is a serious threat and calls for serious repentance. Luke 10:1, 8-12 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go… "Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town." While Abraham is sometimes a model of great faith, he did doubt and he did some stupid things. At the root of this whole drama is Abraham’s practical problem. The promises of redemption are tied to Abraham’s descendants, but Abraham has not been able to have children and he and his wife are quite old. To ensure his commitment to his promises, God makes a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15) which will extend to his children. The form of this covenant would have been familiar with Abraham and people of his time, but walking through dead animal pieces seems strange to modern people. The impact of this covenant ceremony was meant to show that the weaker party (in this case Abraham) would experience the same type of cutting apart if he broke the terms of the covenant. This would have been an effective ceremony for ancient “Emperors” to use so as to ensure the loyalty of their subjects. But in a surprise twist, it is not Abraham who walks between the slain animals, but in a vision God himself move through the pieces in the form of a smoking firepot. Even at the start of redemptive history God showed that he would take the failures of his people upon himself. This covenant of grace would shape the entire rest of the Bible. It is further expanded in chapter 17 and circumcision is given as a sign to mark all the male members of the covenant community. God will continue to deal graciously with Abraham and his descendants in spite of their weaknesses. This is great news, because sandwiched right between these two great, covenant making chapters… Abraham does something really stupid. Rather than trust God, he takes action into his own hands, and tries to produce an heir through his wife’s servant (with her encouragement.) This may have been normal in the ancient world, but it is outside God’s plan for family life and covenant fulfilment… and it creates a world hurt for everyone involved.
Reflect: Where are your tempted to take matters into your own hands and go outside of God’s commands for your life? Where are do you struggle to trust God’s purposes as you face disappointment in life? (As childless Abraham did.) Connect: Jeremiah is an Old Testament prophet who showed how God would work to bring a New Covenant. This is a continuance of the same covenant of grace given through Abraham, but when it is fulfilled in Christ, it will lead to the transformation of the hearts of God’s people. Jeremiah 31:33-37 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Chapter 12, represents a huge change in the plot of redemptive history. While mercy had been previously displayed and redemption had been hinted at, this is the first clear mention of how God will do it. He is going to bring redemption through a particular human family – Abraham* and his descendants. Now, it will become painfully clear in the following chapters that Abraham is both admirable and sinful. He trusts God and becomes an example of true faith. But he struggles in mighty ways. His children and grandchildren are often petty and corrupt. In other words, the redemption that comes through Abraham will have to be “by grace.” Abraham does not earn it.
But what does this redemption look like? God will have a special relationship with Abraham. This will be played out in four tangible ways: (1) his family will be a great nation and his name will be great, (2) God will align with him as an ally and fight against his enemies, (3) he will have a special land to possess, and (4) “in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” This fourth promises is a direct answer to the problems seen at the end of the last chapter. God will call a special people to himself and he will use them to be his instruments on earth. From this point forward, the story of the Old Testament will follow the people who are the descendants of Abraham, their entire existence defined by this promise. Redemption will be a group activity. Notice also how this plan for redemption occurs against the backdrop of ongoing conflict (chapter 12-13). Reflect: How do you see redemption being worked out in the midst of conflict in your life? Connect: In his letter to the Galatians, Paul describes how faith in Christ can connect all people to the promises of blessing that were first made to Abraham. If we are “in-Christ” by faith, then we receive the blessings due to Jesus – the true heir of Abraham. Gal 3:27-29 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. *Abraham’s name is initially “Abram, until God changes it in Genesis 17:4, but for simplicity sake, we will refer to him throughout by the later name, following the pattern of Scripture itself (see Romans 4:3). Chapter 10 starts with a list of descendants of Noah which serve to show how this reboot of humanity expanded out to fill the surrounding regions. Practically speaking, it served a role in explaining the world that the people of Israel would come to live in. Chapter 11 gives us a very interesting “backstory.” Since, the descendants of Noah are listed as having their own languages, it seems clear that the story of Babel does not follow the development of these nations, but in must have happened at some point during the genealogies of chapter 10. The role of the Tower of Babel account is very important in the larger story of redemptive history. It shows us that humanity is still defined by its central ambition to exalt themselves rather than submit to God’s rule. The tower that they build will reach to heaven – a clear sign of self-promotion. At the same time, they seek to build a great city to avoid having to spread out – the very thing that Adam & Eve were charged to do in the garden. But the tower project is not successful. God confuses their language and they are scattered. As we prepare to move into a clearly new section of the book in the next chapter, we are left with several questions: How will anything good come from this mess of humanity? If humans are divided by family ties and linguistic skills how will they ever learn to get along? How will redemption enter into this dismal scene? Enter Abraham.
Reflect: What are ways that you see humans separated by their language and cultural differences? Connect: In Romans 3, Paul shows that all humanity – including people from every family on the earth – is redeemed the same way, by faith in Christ. Romans 3:22-24 For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus… |
Archives
April 2021
CategoriesAuthorThis blog is part of the ministry of City Reformed Presbyterian Church. Unless otherwise noted, the entries are written by Matt Koerber. This is part of a project that our church is doing as we read through the narrative sections of Scripture between early January and Easter 2020. New entries will be scheduled to drop automatically at 5:00 am on the scheduled day. |