Can we learn about God today from an old contract?
Every day we're reading or listening to part of the Bible together and sharing thoughts with you. Today it’s Bern Leckie:
What did I like about today’s passage?
How easy this book is to “like” depends on how you look at it. On one level, Deuteronomy has all the appeal of your bank’s big book of terms and conditions, something you must have promised you read and agreed to, but most likely kept in a box somewhere only in case of dire problems later. It takes the form of a covenant treaty, reminding people of the agreement their ancestors made with God, the benefits of keeping it, the consequences of not. Most scholars believe it was put together very close to the national crisis of exile as people wondered why God might want his people to leave the land that he promised them.
So why read it now? On its own, that doesn’t sound very appealing to me, and don’t we have a new covenant with God in Jesus instead? We do, and that’s one reason why many of the legal details don’t sound like they are, or should be, part of our lives today.
But as well as treaty and law, Deuteronomy is also about people and God. This is what I love about it. Through dealings with people, including incredible, legendary leaders like Moses, God has revealed his character and intentions for humanity. This includes us.
What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?
It is God’s world. We live in it. I’m struck by God’s commands to Israel not to provoke various other people he established in other parts of his planet. I love that we are invited to see history here not through human struggles and accomplishments, but as God’s work.
God’s faithfulness and love can be seen. Look at how Israel remembers through this story that they came from tiny beginnings and grew “as numerous as the stars in the sky”. This growth reminds me of Jesus’ pictures of the coming Kingdom of God as the tiniest mustard seed which becomes a tree big enough to accommodate life. The same God grew Israel and grows us through faith in Jesus too.
God remains concerned that we trust him and don’t rebel against him. This massive ongoing theme in scripture gets illustrated in the struggles of people and the fates of nations. If you’ve followed any other Bible with us, you’ll be familiar with it! But it’s still an issue in life.
What am I going to do differently as a result?
I’m feeling conflicted as I approach this book, even though it’s familiar in many ways. I need to resist my internal urge to filter and skip over the bits which I can most easily dismiss as “out of date” and choose to seek God’s character in it.
Who am I going to share this with?
Not sure yet. I know some Christians who are very relieved we don’t have to stick to all of the upcoming laws, but we may still struggle with obeying God in other ways. I’d like to look and figure out with them how God might be grabbing our attention with a challenging book.