Exodus 32

Dear RTB’ers,

I am touched by Moses’ leadership in this “golden calf” incident. First, when he sees God’s anger, he implores Him not to destroy the people for what they have done. But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, …“Turn from Your burning anger and relent from this disaster against Your people.” (vv. 11a, 12b) But his own anger against the people was real: And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. (v. 19) Still, Moses was able to contain his anger and do what he could to resolve their sin before the Lord. The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” (v. 30) Finally, Moses’ plea before the LORD includes a willingness to forego his own relationship with God: “But now, if You will, forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of Your book that You have written.” (v. 32) Moses’ offer of his own life calls to mind Paul’s admission in Romans 9:3, For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. What a fine example of Moses’ leadership we see in today’s reading.

Blessings!

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See also: January 27 (2023) / Exodus 32-34

Exodus 30-31

Dear RTB’ers,

A number of topics today. I’m struck at God’s naming of two people, Bezalel and Oholiab, as skilled craftsmen to be put in charge of all the detail work on the tabernacle and its contents. Occasionally we sing “He knows My Name” and we believe it, but it’s quite another for God to have named these two men from among the 600,000 at Sinai and charged them with a task for which He had supremely fitted them. But it’s no different for us – except that billions of people will not be reading about us thousands of years from now. But God has specifically gifted each and every one of us to tasks for which He has called us. Nine years retired and 76 years old and I still own the gift of teaching that God gave me years ago. Each of us should regularly name our gifts and thank God for them and for His using us as He will.

Carol and I attended the Diocesan Synod last November. Very near the end of the Synod a speaker made an announcement that vials of anointing oil were available to be picked up by clergy or their appointed laity. Reading today the specific requirements for the mixing of the Sinai anointing oil, I wonder back whether today’s anointing oil is the exact same mixture as those thousands of years ago. I’m betting that it is! And for the incense… An interesting story down the road.

Blessings!

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See also: January 26 (2023) / Exodus 29-31

Exodus 29

Dear RTB’ers,

I counted the word “offering” sixteen times in today’s reading. What kinds of offerings? Sin offerings, burnt offerings, food offerings, wave offerings, peace offerings, drink offerings, grain offerings. If you can keep track of all those, you are a Biblical scholar!

I could not find a way to shorten the ending of today’s chapter, so I offer it mostly in full: …at the entrance of the tent of meeting … I will meet with you, to speak to you there. I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God. (vv. 42b-46, slightly edited) He is the LORD, our God!!

Blessings!

Exodus 28

Dear RTB’ers,

And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. For Aaron’s sons you shall make coats and sashes and caps. You shall make them for glory and beauty. (v. 2, repeated in v. 40) For glory and for beauty… To reflect God’s glory and the beauty of His Creation. When I was in the Army, I didn’t have to think about what I would wear each day. It was all OD (olive drab) green. Dull and boring. I don’t like thinking about what I’ll wear each day, but I sure like seeing the myriad colors in our clothes’ creations! For glory and for beauty!

Blessings!

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See also: January 25 (2023) / Exodus 26-28

Exodus 26-27

Dear RTB’ers,

I should have posted this yesterday – if you are up to date we have hit a stride that gets a bit difficult. To this point in Genesis and Exodus we have been doing mostly history with only a few genealogies mixed in. Now we are reading God’s instructions to Moses on specifics of building the tabernacle and all its contents. It gets a bit dry and hard to follow, so it’s good to have a Study Bible handy to look at artists’ depictions of what each item looked like and of the entire configuration of the tabernacle and its contents. So here’s my suggestion – grab your Study Bible or get on the Internet to see some pictures and maybe explanations of these constructions and their uses. The measurements make more sense when you finally see what the final product looks like. Here, for example, is the best drawing I have ever seen of the tabernacle and it’s accoutrements:

Beyond those measurements and constructions and garments, we’ll have a lot of sacrifices and laws to talk about months down the road when we get to Leviticus! Good stuff, eh?!

Blessings!

Exodus 25

Dear RTB’ers,

Today and for the next many chapters Moses is on the mountain with God receiving instructions for the building of the tabernacle and sanctuary and many other assorted items. These the Israelites will carry with them during their forty years of wilderness wandering. Today we read of articles that will be within the sanctuary, later to be called the “Holy of Holies” – the Ark of the Covenant, the table for bread, and the golden lampstand. These instructions will be repeated many weeks later when we get to the actual building of these articles after Moses comes down from the mountain.

One section that I had to read twice… The beginning of our reading today had God asking for contributions from the people of Israel. Of all these contributions there is only one item that is a necessity – the oil for the lamps. Everything else is a luxury. Similarly, when we speak of giving at church, of stewardship, our suggestion has constantly been a tithe, a tenth of your income. I daresay, that tithe for any of us would not cut into our necessity spending. Frankly, God does not ask that much of us, compared to what He gives us!

On the other hand, God asks that we give Him ALL that we have, ALL that we are. He wants us to be His, completely!

Blessings!

Exodus 22:20-24:18

Dear RTB’ers,

As I noted to you yesterday, I incorrectly read and commented yesterday only through 22:19, not 23:19 according to our schedule. So I am beginning today with 22:20 and moving forward to the end of chapter 24.

Today’s modified reading covers four topics – first, many “Thou shalt not…” commands; second, a number of “liturgical” commands as to how the Israelites are to relate to God; third, an introduction to God’s hand in the Israelites’ conquest of the Promised Land; and fourth, the people affirming their covenant with God.

I was struck that God let Moses and 73 other men see Him: Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel. … And He did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank. (vv. 24:9-11) They saw God; He did not reach out against them; they beheld Him! I don’t remember ever reading this passage, or more correctly, processing it. When I think of Moses “seeing” God I think of the Burning Bush (Exodus 3) and the “cleft rock” encounter: Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” … But, He said, “you cannot see My face, for man shall not see Me and live.” And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by Me where you shall stand on the rock, and while My glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.” (Exodus 33:18-23) So here in Exodus 24, Moses and 73 men see God, behold Him, but again, only His glory, not His face. What a sight that must have been! It calls to mind Peter, James, and John with Jesus when He is transfigured before them. GLORY!!

Blessings!

Exodus 21:33-22:19

Dear RTB’ers,

Sorry folks, today’s assignment should have been though 23:19, but I unwittingly stopped short – a continuing illness-induced brain fog. I’ll pick up with 22:20 tomorrow.

There are two “Thou shalt not…” commands (Ex. 22:18-19) in today’s reading, direct orders from God. The rest of today’s reading is a set of “if-then” situations – first the situation, then the judgment. In each case a man (or his animal) takes an action, there is an incident, then God’s decision as to restitution. Responsibility! To me, that’s what today’s reading comes down to today. What we do in this world matters. We act (or fail to act), there are outcomes, and there is judgment rendered – not always rightfully executed in this world, but certainly in the next. Every action, every day has outcomes and consequences.

But as I go about my daily routine, in this case teaching students foreign to my ways, do I seriously think of the outcomes of what I’m teaching or the consequences for many lives down the road? I need to be careful, every day, every class. Carol and I have long known that the apostle James said it best, Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. (James 3:1) But to all of us, teachers and non-teachers alike, …whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (I Corinthians 10:31) That’s what responsibility is really about!

Blessings!

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See also: January 24 (2023) / Exodus 22:16-25:40

Exodus 21:1-32

Dear RTB’ers,

Today and continuing for the next two weeks we read the rest of Exodus. The book of Romans provides a good transition to Exodus. Remember Paul’s mentions of “the Law” in Romans, especially in Romans 7-8. Now we will be reading part of that Law – some of it in Exodus, a huge chunk in Leviticus, and a second reading of the Law in Deuteronomy. Much of our reading of the Law will be a listing of a bunch of laws and consequences for misbehavior. Some of these laws will make sense, even for today. Some will seem fit for the culture back then. And for some, you’ll just have to scratch your head and wonder. Frankly, much of the work of the scribes and Pharisees in Jesus’ time was to explain the Law and the official interpretation of aspects of any given law, since cultures had changed a lot in the 1200-1500 years since the Law was given.

Only one item to point out today. (The rest of you can do your own analysis.) Whoever strikes a man so that he dies shall be put to death. But if he did not lie in wait for him, but God let him fall into his hand, then I will appoint for you a place to which he may flee. (vv. 12-13) You will probably remember reading about “cities of refuge” when Joshua and his assistants were dividing up the Promised Land. It’ll be about 50 years before that gets done, but it does get done.

Enjoy our return to Exodus!

Blessings!

Romans 16:17-27

Dear RTB’ers,

Sorry for this late post, but I’ve been quite ill from yesterday afternoon, through the night and all morning today. Classic flu symptoms; I’ll spare you the details! COVID test was negative, so all will be well.

…according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations… (vv. 25b-26a) I can’t remember whether we have come across any of Paul’s writings yet this year where he mentions “the mystery”. For many years I wondered what “the mystery” was, but some years ago I learned that “the mystery” was that the Gentiles would be brought into the Jewish/Christian faith. Or maybe I’ve learned that incorrectly. Anyone out there with a clarification?

So now, after 28 days we leave Romans. I’m looking forward to going back to Exodus!

Back to bed for me…

Blessings!