I figured this would be a great time to pause our little journey through Exodus and take a bird’s-eye-view of where we have been. We just finished 12 chapters of law and I don’t want to lose the forest for the trees.
Chapters 1-14: An epic narrative of the deliverance of the Israelite people from their bondage in Egypt. God works powerfully through Moses and brings the most powerful nation on Earth to its knees.
Chapters 15-18: The beginning of their desert sojourn. God leads them and feeds them but all they can do it complain about it.
Chapters 19-24: The Covenant. God reveals to the people at the foot of the mountain the nature of their relationship. It is very much like a wedding.
What I found most interesting was that in chapter 19 God says the people will be a “kingdom of priests.” But the people get freaked out and don’t want to draw near to God.
After that, God only talks to Moses. That doesn’t seem very “Kingdom of priest-ly” to me.
Did the plan go sour that quickly? If so, wow.
Chapters 25-31: Instructions on the building of the Tabernacle and how to perform the religious rituals. Again, I wonder if Aaron and his sons were always supposed to do this or if the original intent was for all the people to have this kind of access.
Man and Wife
I would like to draw your attention back to one of the first things we ever read in the Bible, Genesis 2.
Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.
Now I would like to draw your attention to something we read very recently, Exodus 25.
And have them make me a sanctuary, so that I may dwell among them.
In Genesis, the man leaves and cleaves. (How about me and rhyming today? Ey?) Meaning he goes and lives with his wife where she is. In Exodus, God has a house built among his people so he can go live with them.
Are you picking up what I am layin’ down here?
So Romantic
What can easily get lost amidst all the laws and blood and gore is how romantic this whole dang thing is.
God comes in and performs this heroic rescue of the damsel in distress. He provides for her in a time of need. He promises to bring her to a good land and commits himself to her forever.
Not bad right? Fellas, you could probably learn a thing or two from this.
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Ok, I’m gonna take the day off tomorrow. My fiancé just moved into town (we drove from St. Louis, MO to Corvallis, OR. I am so done driving!) and I am helping her get settled in.
Peace!
Loved the Romantic light you shed on it. Great Job!
Thanks! I heard someone say this part was like a wedding once and now I see the evidence for it everywhere!
This part is what drove it home for me:
“In Exodus, God has a house built among his people so he can go live with them.”
I have been reading through the Bible from the start and I am stuck in Numbers…(cue wah wah wah sound effect)
Its brilliant isn’t it.
Chapter 24 has to be wedding ceremony and wedding supper doesn’t it?
And it makes sense of all that Jealous God stuff – jealous for his adopted son, the Son’s bride…
Jealous for marital faithfulness not tolerating adulterous idolatry…
As always, good stuff, sir!
You could give Charles Williams a run for his money!
I’m picking it up – great post! Enjoy a much-deserved day off with your lady!
I think I mentioned this on a porevious comment, but for me its all coming so much to life… I see Jesus everywhere, the grand redemption plan, the greatest story ever written, the bridegroom and his bride, the Father who puts it all together, the protaganist….
I think reading the Bible through is the best choice anyone will ever make as it is eye opening in its rightful context.
I enjoy your take on books I have not so long ago left behind as I read through myself(almost half way there, whahoo)
I posted on this yesterday but thought you might like it so I’ll stick it in here too… came across this poem and thought it summed up reading through and that experience so well… enjoy!
Yes I thought I knew my Bible
Reading piecemeal, hit or miss
Now a part of John or Matthew
Then a bit of Genesis
Certain chapters of Isaiah
Certain Psalms, the twenty-third.
First of Proverbs, twelfth of Romans
Yes, I thought I knew the Word
But I found that thorough reading
Was a different thing to do
And the way was unfamiliar
When I read my Bible through.
You who like to play at Bible
Dip and dabble here and there
Just before you kneel all weary
Yawning through a hurried prayer.
You who treat this crown of writings
As you treat no other book
Just a paragraph disjointed
Just a crude impatient look.
Try a worthier procedure
Try a broad and steady view;
You will kneel in awesome wonder
When you read the Bible through.
Thanks for the poem! That is pretty much what I am trying to do!
LOVE THIS! SO ROMANTIC! I LOVE GOD!!