Exodus 1-4 April 2, 2009
Posted by Sparky in Exodus, Law.Tags: Exodus, Hebrew women, Law, Moses, worship
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I think the first section of Exodus (Moses’ birth & calling, the battle between God & Pharaoh and the escape from Egypt) might be my favourite section of story-telling / history in the Bible. I love the drama of it! For that reason I’m going to abandon SOAP today and just free-form.
First of all, I love the cheek / courage / ballsiness of the Hebrew women in chapters 1 & 2. The midwives disobey an order to kill male Hebrew babies, and when asked why, they, presumably at risk of losing their lives for disobeying such an order, respond with a slur so cheeky that it just makes you laugh – “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.” After that, when Moses’ basket is found and Pharoah’s daughter calls for a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby, Moses’ own mother is employed to do it – and paid! Genius.
I also really like the account of the encounter at the burning bush in chapters 3-4. Considering that Moses probably wrote this originally (and it seems likely, as he was the only human there to see it), he doesn’t write up his part in the whole affair. Moses comes off as pretty cowardly here, finding as many excuses and reasons as he can not to go and rescue his people ; so many, in fact, that God ends up getting angry with him – not for the last time, of course. This all brings Moses int o a very realistic light as a human being, despite the reverence (rightly) accorded him in the Jewish faith subsequently.
And finally, it is great to see that the Israelites knew where to direct their complaints, and where to direct their adoration when He sends someone to lead them out:
4:29-31 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.
I just find this really encouraging! The first thing they do when they hear they’re going to be saved is worship, not react in cynicism, as the Jews of Jesus’ time did.
Malachi November 14, 2008
Posted by Sparky in Malachi, Prophecy.Tags: integrity, Malachi, Prophecy, pure offerings, worship
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Scripture
Malachi 1:11
My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD Almighty.
Observation
The first part of Malachi’s prophecy is all about how the people of Israel are bringing defective animals to sacrifice on the altar as ‘worship’ to God, and how unacceptable this is. It’s not good enough because (a) the books of the law clearly instruct them to bring a sacrifice “without spot or blemish” (e.g. Lev 22:21), and (b) because God knows that only a sacrifice that actually costs the worshipper something is true worship. In the verse selected above, it was the phrase about ‘pure offerings’ that stood out to me as I read it, and i got to thinking about the worship we engage in these days (because there aren’t many of us that take a heifer to church these days).
Application
What does ‘pure offerings’ mean to me? Well, in the context of worshipping with others at church or housegroup, I take it to mean having my heart truly willing to give my all in worship, not just singing the words because they’re up on the screen, and perhaps being willing to look a bit stupid while doing it – that costs me something. And in terms of living a worshipful life the rest of the time, it’s not much different – personal integrity, and the willingness to be a Christian in front of others who might think me weird, or take the mick because of my faith. Again, that’s living truthfully for God in a way that will probably cost me.
Prayer
Teach me, Lord, to worship truthfully and with integrity, both when among Christians and when in my regular day-to-day life. Test my heart and motivations, and keep me honest in my worshipful life, so that what I do for You isn’t a small thing or something that can be dismissed.
