February 4, 2010, Exodus 19:16-21:21, Matthew 23:13-19, Psalm 28:1-9, Proverbs 7:1-5

Heavenly Father, Thank you for your Holy Word from which we shall partake today. As we respond, I pray that we present ourselves in honor as your children and that the words we share may be edifying to your Kingdom here on earth.

Response to Exodus 19:16-21:21

If you will allow it, this Word of God is as alive today as it has always been. You are not asked to be naive as you read it! You absolutely should discern the scriptures with all of your own experiences of God and life. Include your understanding of History and archeology, and sociology, and apply your wealth of understanding and knowledge. Vain belief in religion, whether Atheism, Islam, Christianity, Mormonism, Judaism, Hinduism etc. will keep us all separated from one another, entangled in a world in turmoil and heartache. Read and respond. This is my fourth full reading of the Bible since beginning in 2007 and it means more and comes more alive with each passing. I will share thoughts and ideas which may come across as shocking and rock your boat, but don't let that stop us from talking and thinking. Cool? This is an awesome (I like the word "Awe-Full" better) group of passages.

Before I move on, I must say todays reading from Old and New Testament was a great discussion on the law between man's ideals corresponding to Jesus' ideals. Also I heard the Son of Man speaking in the Psalms and God the Father responding in the Proverbs - a true worshipful experience.

This thought crossed my mind in preparation for today, so I'm going to mention it here as we begin the 10 commandment story. First, because it is thought provoking, second because it just may motivate you to read on and consider subscription and respond.  How do you envision God the Father? Many of us believe His Spirit brings Love, Joy, and Peace and these attributes certainly overwhelm our concept of Jesus, yet too many of us see God the Father as wrath, judgement, fire, wind, thunder and lightning and we hide our faces in fear.  So, now, I'd like to take you back to your childhood at Christmas time.  You were enraptured by the little baby born in a stable, but greater still was the man in the sky that brought good things to all the good children of the world. Sure, we talked about coal in the stockings of the bad little children and we all thought we hoped he would look beyond our sin and recognize the good in our lives and bring us our hearts desire - what great anticipation and overwhelming joy. Catch my drift? I suggest we find this jolly man who loves us and accepts us as we are in the old testament - as this has become my passion, I venture to you that we can! But, just reading this passage makes it difficult. So, let me tell the tale in a bit different tone:

So, Moses has this millionstrong unruly grumpy quarreling mass of distressed people in the middle of the desert who are beginning to take the power exhibited by God for granted and even showing dishonor to Him. His father in law has just counseled him to write down a system of law to help govern them as he has been the acting judge and is at his wits end. He prays to this God  who has spoken to him and led this people out of Egypt and God responds with a set of rules He feels should help in the situation:

Tell them: "Worship me, I'm God. It will help if you remember that I am Holy and Powerful! I Love you deeply, but I am like you and I get frustrated by being misunderstood and mocked, so, honor me and don't make things up about me - this will really help us in our relationship - in fact, I'd like you to take a break once in a while and spend some time with me. This will help your overall health, both physically, emotionally, and Spiritually.

Second, in relation to one another - show this same type of honor to one another, beginning in your family relationships. Be honest with each other. Tell each other the truth to your mutual benefit. Try to be happy with your stuff. If you keep desiring someone else's stuff, you'll be unhappy and probably get in trouble! Work for what you desire and share wherever possible, but don't just take each other's things without asking - it will destroy relationships. Don't kill each other - this will anger a lot of people who it affects. I have beheld each one of you and behold, you are very good. I love each one of you and if you kill someone I love, I tend to lose my temper, just like you.

I gave you a love gift for men and women so that you would fill my creation and bond with one another. Please don't destroy your own joy or that of your fellow man by abusing that gift with someone who will be someone else's spouse, Mother, or Father. I am well aware of the strife and heartache you - and they will experience."

Great plan for all mankind, don't you think? How is it that these ideals became associated with religion and some people groups claim these rules and this God as their own? How can society discard them and Him as myth and legend. They make sense for joyful living, don't you think?

For many of you, perhaps this has generally been the end of the Old Testament as we now get bogged down in wierd rules and tabernacle dimensions. Yet the beauty continues and I'll do my best to provide a readable blog in the days to come. Stay tuned.

However, before we leave, I must mention the following: I am studying Sharia law and the Quran and the call for killing the unbeliever. Before we cast judgement on those who believe this is the will of God, I feel we must be aware of the rest of this passage.

We all would like to say that we became a better society when we did away with slavery - yet, here are rules for slavery.  We would all like to say the death penalty is biblical! Perhaps you feel you'd like to kill your child if he/she backtalks you - your justification is right here in Exodus 21:17! Perhaps there is a reason we lose interest in reading the scriptures at this point. So, here's my point.

If we step into scripture blindly saying this is the will and infallible word of God, we enter all kinds of entanglements and controversy. If we want the world to accept blindly the Bible as the word of God, we shall succomb to powers which call for us to believe the Quran is the word of God and we shall experience unending hostilities. Yet, we attempt to justify our own blind ideologies based on difficult scripture written by men of a different culture without applying the wealth of knowledge the rest of scripture holds mixed with the historical experiences that make us who we are today. As a society, we must discern the scriptures and be very aware of the writer's world and life view and historicity.  As a worldwide society, we absolutely must follow our conscience as it screams at us that this is wrong. I am not saying we should rewrite these historical documents to make them more user friendly and pretend these things were not written, but we definately should not be oppressing humankind with inhumane doctrines.  There is something to be said for the strength of a Democracy which allows for freedom of religion - yet calls for an end to hate speech or hate crimes - whether that comes from our mosques, temples, or churches. We are called to Love - and I assure you, if you are in question, remember we have a God of Love - at least that's how He has presented himself to me in my understanding of scripture and the inspirations I have gained from tough life experiences. Feel free to add your thoughts.

Seldom does this God of Love present Himself in fire, smoke, and thunder causing the trembling fear we find in this story. More often, there is comfort, joy, and peace - especially as many recognize Him in the person of Jesus Christ. Let me quote Hebrews 12:18-25a as the writer attempts to correct this image of God so many of us are struck with as a God of wrath: Just know, He asks for us to remember His holiness and certainly not to take that for granted.

"For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers entreat that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, "If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned." Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I tremble with fear." But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to a judge who is God of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel. See to it that you do not refuse him who is speaking." Hebrews 12:18-25a

Response to Matthew 23:13-19
So, let's listen to Him in today's reading, as He challenges the teachers of the Old Testament Law we have been discussing:

He speaks to many of us religious folks when he says "You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to." in Matthew 23:13

You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. Matthew 23:15

He calls us blind guides as he discusses oaths and swearing as if they make any differences in verses 16 - 22. In Matthew 5:37 Jesus says "Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more comes form evil (or the evil one) RSV

He says the more important matters of the law are justice, mercy, and faithfulness. in verse 23.

And then, He speaks to all of us religious folks who are out to change the world through our judgement of others as he speaks in verses 25-28.  Don't try to wash the outside of the cup and leave the inside a filthy mess. Revival starts from the inside - as we spread justice, mercy, and faithfullness in the way we deal with others through love and walk as Children of the Light, our invitation into the family should be inescapable.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16 (RSV)

"the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned." Matthew 4:16 (RSV) see also Isaiah 42:7 and Luke 2:32.

There is a stiff warning in this passage for those of us religious folk who do not get this: "you snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?" Matthew 23:33.

One more thought here as II Chronicles 7:14 is a favorite quote of us religious folk: "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." It is a stubborn and arrogant people who look at America and claim it as a Christian nation and then claim that the sins this speaks of are Abortion and Gay rights.  Certainly, sin should not be tolerated in the church. But, what are your sins oh religious man who calls himself by God's name? That's what matters! Check out the divorse rates within the church! Understand why the world stands in judgement on you before you stand in judgement on the world. Repent and experience revival from within! This spark will certainly ignite and cause a worldwide fire if we will start by repenting of our own sin and quit trying to legislate virtue in a Democratic society. Indeed, virtue legislation takes away the grace available through freedom of choice and eliminates much of the opportunity of conversion! If you don't agree, talk to me about Sharia Law. By the way, the gospel of the Bible is one of repentance! If you are guilty of divorse, abortion, inappropriate sexual relationships and are worried about being separated from the Love of God, He claims that "nothing" shall separate you from that love! Just go, and sin no more! Romans 8:35 and John 8:11

Jesus quotes Psalm 118:26 in Matthew 23:39: "For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.' I venture the idea here that as His Spirit brings "Love" and as He is considered the "Everlasting Father" and "Prince of Peace." that when we all recognize Him, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess the sacrificial lamb of God to the glory of God the Father.

Response to Psalm 28:1-9

I pray to the Lord that He would use this blog to transform this world. I ask that you share it with everyone you can! Let's join hands and start a revival with God's help. Psalm 28:1 says "if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit." verse 2: "Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place." (regarding Most Holy Place, we've mentioned today Mount Sinai, Mount Zion, and the differences of internal and external application of the law - consider here "Mount Zion" as the "New Jerusalem" especially as we pray for "Your Kingdom Come!"

Verse 3 Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, (who?) who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts. (me?)

Verse 5: "Since they show no regard for the works of the Lord and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again." Why is it that our churches have not been growing - if that's the case, think on these things. Go out and serve your community - let them know that you love them and desire to be a part of them.

Verse 7 carries that theme mentioned earlier "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Verse 9 "Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever." It makes a huge difference who you consider "your inheritance" to be. If it is religious groups of exclusion, they might be alright! However, if it is "His Creation", religious groups of exclusion could be in big trouble. Serve!

Response to Proverbs 7:1-5

I could not help as I read today to experience the Son of Man speaking in the Psalms, and the Everlasting Father reponding in this passage from Proverbs. I'll recommend again that you read them as a play with those characters. If you don't understand the "Son of Man" concept, realize this is the title Jesus claims as His own throughout the New Testament. He never used the title "Son of God" in reference to himself except to say "you say that I am" in Luke 22:70 (RSV). Also, "Son of God" can refer to each one of us through His sacrificial lamb.

This Proverb is a fitting close to this discourse on the Law! God says to us: "My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.  Keep my commands and you will live;" Proverbs 7:1-2a To Him the Kingdom, To Him all Power, To Him be all Glory! Amen.

Don't forget to write!

Rick