God Sticks With Us, Even Institutionalizing His Presence Among Us
Deuteronomy 10:1-11 (NLT)
“At that time the LORD said to me, ‘Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones. Also make a wooden Ark—a sacred chest to store them in. Come up to me on the mountain, and I will write on the tablets the same words that were on the ones you smashed. Then place the tablets in the Ark.’ . . . . .
At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi (the descendents of Moses’s brother Aaron) to carry the Ark of the LORD’s Covenant, and to stand before the LORD as his ministers, and to pronounce blessings in his name. . . ..
“As for me, I stayed on the mountain in the LORD’s presence for forty days and nights, as I had done the first time. And once again the LORD listened to my pleas and agreed not to destroy you. Then the LORD said to me, ‘Get up and resume the journey, and lead the people to the land I swore to give to their ancestors, so they may take possession of it.’ Deuteronomy 10:1-11 (NLT)
Pastor’s Blog
Moses broke the first set of the “big 10” in a temper tantrum, but God gave him a second set anyway. Then God even assigned the Levites to make sure the commandments were protected. In other words God gave the Israelites a leader in Moses (through whom God would speak), a written code of conduct to keep the keep his people on track (kind of like bumpers on the side of bowling alleys), a box to preserve them in and to serve as God’s symbolic throne, and a tribe of Israelites to make sure the people were honoring God.
In short, in order to do your life journey right, God puts all kinds of signposts, ritual practices, people, and leaders into your life so that you get where He’s taking you. Do you view your church leaders, church itself, the Bible, religious institutions, and God’s people as God’s way of guiding you? Or do you rely more on yourself? Every one of us needs a guide, a coach, a people, a code of conduct. . . . .and not just any version of these . . . .each of us needs the ones that come from God.
One more thing. The Promised Land was promised. It was a can’t miss deal if they would just trust and obey. It’s the same with each of us. To you and me a God ordained future is a can’t miss deal as long as allow the God of Biblical revelation to lead.
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Question: Do you think it was significant that the first set of stones for the Commandments were made by God, written on by God and handed to Moses to carry, while the second set Moses made the stones, written on by God and given to Moses to put in Ark made by Moses? (because this detail was part of this account)...curious...
ReplyDeleteAnd curious as to the manna from heaven, food of the angels that they received while in the wilderness. Food for angels, it seems would not be for the physical body as it would seem angels do not dwell in bodies like us. Any thoughts out there?