Newsletter August 2020 Part 1

A God so near

And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, “Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.  Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.  And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’  These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”  (Exodus 19:3-6)

    When the Almighty God delivered Israel from slavery to lead them into the land He had promised their Father Abraham for His descendants He first brought them to Mount Horeb.  For Israel to enter God’s promise they first had to meet the God of the promise.  YHWH, the eternal I AM, had revealed Himself to Moses on this mountain in a burning bush and had sent him back to Egypt to lead the Israelites here.  God had said to Moses that He would certainly be with him, and that the sign of Moses’ calling would be the people’s encounter with Him: “When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” (Exodus 3:12)

     Now here they were and God spoke to them through His servant Moses, reminding them of their deliverance and declaring to them His purpose for them.  He was calling them into a loving relationship with Him – that relationship which had been lost when humanity desired independence from their Creator over God’s presence and blessing.  He had displayed His power over their oppressors and had set them free.  Now it was for them to learn what freedom means.

     Freedom is often (mis)understood as the absence of any restrictions.  Freedom, for many today, means that I can do whatever I want, whatever feels good.  So why does God give restrictions?  Why did He give Israel the Law?  It is precisely so that they could remain free.  Freedom always means responsibility, and God’s laws were designed to enable His people to live responsibly – to fulfil their God-given purpose and potential through a loving relationship with Him and with one another.

     God wants those who have answered His call to be His special treasure.  God wants to form a people of priests, worshippers, who will reflect His glory and show His love and mercy to a world bound by sin.  God’s election of Israel was never for Israel alone; neither is our Salvation for us alone.  God wants His people to be a light to all the world.  From the beginning, when He called their father Abraham out of idolatry and promised him, against all the odds, that he would make from him a great nation.  He would bless Abraham’s descendants and make them a blessing to all other nations.

   This is why God gave a law – restrictions that would regulate relationships and thus ensure justice in a world of hatred and injustice.  As the Israelites prepared to enter into the land of God’s promise Moses reminded them to be careful to observe [these statutes]; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’  “For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? (Deut. 4:7-8)  Thus the nations around them would see God’s goodness and mercy and would come to know Him through them.

     In His last speech to His disciples before going to the cross, Jesus admonished them to love one another.  It was by their love for one another that the world would see Him and His purpose for all humanity.  The world today is desperately seeking unity and justice, but true unity and true justice can only come through God.   He is the Creator who made all things good.  Therefore He is the only One who can restore what humanity’s rebellion has destroyed.  As Israel were reminded of their deliverance and resulting responsibility through the Scriptures and feasts, let us be reminded, by looking to the cross, of God’s salvation and His call to love Him and one another, and to be His light in this world of darkness.