Tuesday, 26 January 2016

Another Letter to Moses - Exodus 19 and 20


Dear Moses

I find these chapters interesting. They relate to purity and law giving. They also relate to the specific role you had as an interpreter between God and the people.

These verses separate God from the people too. Yet you were able to bridge this.

They are also the verses which seek to underline a move from polytheistic worship to monotheistic. I wonder if this command was necessary in part because of the influence other cultures had had including the one which your wife had been part of.

I find the generational aspect of what is said here difficult on one level. Yet in our 21st century culture we know the impact parents and even grandparents can have on the lives of future generations. It is what much of our counselling industry is based around dealing with.

How was the Lord’s name being misused in your culture? In our culture there are times when groups use the Lord’s name and the concept of a Christian country for racist ends. It encourages me when I read that God will punish those who do this. I know that might not be good on my part but it makes me really angry when I see things being misused.

Sabbath is something I have spoken about before. I’m not going on about it now. Suffice to say that I believe it is important and we need to underline it but inside and outside the church we are creating a culture which does not appreciate the important of rest. Yet it is something we need to relearn.

Was there a lack of respect towards parents amongst the young people? I am taking it there was. I wonder if this disrespect came from those who were young during slavery and found life in the desert difficult. Were they questioning what the purpose was?

The basic laws which are laid down here about not committing murder and so on are ones which we still have today. They are the ones which keep our society in order. Was your society at a point where your leadership was under threat and where chaos was staring to reign?

I find it difficult in my culture that wives are listed with donkeys as property not to be envious of.

God seems to be using fear on the people to get them to listen to you. Again that makes me question what state the society was in.

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