Come Again?

Midway through Deuteronomy now.

Many noteworthy things since the last post.
In Deut 18, we read of another prophet who will be raised up. I remember God showing His violent power on Mt Sinai but even more terrible must have been His Voice. It was a type of Voice that, when heard, the people would say, "let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God." Further, it was a type of fire that, when seen, the people would say, "let me not see this great fire anymore." Why? They felt as if they would die. It was the presence of a being so accosting, that death pounded in their ears and in their hearts. "I will die".

God agreed. Verse 18:17 conveys the Lord's estimation of such a conclusion. "They have spoken well."

But, as is so like our Father, there is more to the story. God tells them of someone else. Someone else would be heard and seen. What? You mean to say that there will be another word from this horrific God? Yes.

There will be another one, one from among them, who will speak. God said, "I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him."

Yes, God was saying that someone was coming who would speak His words. Yes, God would come again. He would have a voice. But, no longer would God condone "let me not hear," "let me not see." No, they would have no option to refuse this voice. What would it be like? What kind of words would come out of this one? What would they see this time? The absolute most appropriate, receivable and personable Being, who would use their language, their form and their tones to share the reality of God and His message.

No one ever saw such Grace. And no one ever saw such Truth.
How could anyone not listen to such words?

In The Midst Of Their Impurities

Concluding Leviticus -

It is no small thing. It is a weight far heavier than I can bear. It is a barrier far thicker than I realized. It is a distance far greater than I have felt before. This thing called sin.

I am reminded of what life used to be like in the palmy days of the garden. Didn't Adam and Eve walk with God? Wasn't there ongoing, regular, uninterrupted joy and delight? No twinge of despair, guilt, failure, or shame. All the colors were bright as they should be and all the hues of life just right. "God?" "Yes, Adam." "My insides burst when I am near you!" "It's called joy, Adam! I love you so much." "Wow!"

Then, came sin. "Where are you?"

That anti-life force entered into the hearts of men, all men, because of disobedience. Nothing was the same. Now for man to merely come near to God, it required daily ongoing sacrifices of animals, shedding blood, butchering animals, burning of incense, altars, basins, utensils, tables, offerings, rules, regulations, laws, standards. Obey, obey, obey. So vast and penetrating was the demand of law. So heavy was the weight of sin. So great a barrier. So great a barrier.

When God came into the camp at the end of Exodus He then spoke from the tent in Leviticus 1:1. It takes the rest of the Old Testament to figure out what just happened. Life didn't get one or two things added to it. The entire life of a Hebrew was re-arranged. Because of Him. He was near. He wanted to be near. It seems God's heart never did change. . . just ours.

The purpose of the tabernacle is found in Ex 25:8 - "that I may dwell among them."
We get further insight into God's plan in Lev 26:11,12 - "I will make my dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people."

But what of the great barrier - sin? God kept going. He placed the "tent of meeting which abides with them in the midst of their impurities." (Lev 16:16)

Thank you, Lord.