Jews, Moses… And Me

WED., JULY 14, 1999, 8:20 AM
FPC, ASC

This week… and next… you and your stalwart cohorts in Bible study shall finish Exodus, that adventuresome tale of the Jews, Moses, and Me, as the One God, Yahweh. It is a somewhat odd portrayal of Me, as God, but it has served to maintain the Jewish people in thankful relationship with Me. (Their fate in the concentration camps of World War II certainly challenged that faith, so I had to arrange for them to get back Palestinian lands in order to reestablish the New Israel. Remember… if I could arrange “things” as I did in Exodus I certainly could arrange a more “modern” miracle. But now I have a little problem with the Moslem Palestinians and other “descendants” of Ishmael. Just remember that mantra – I do love diversity.”

In this story I was quite miraculous in My actions. In your time in the earth I do rather few “flashy” miracles. I just “keep My hand in” with some small ones, important to the people involved, but mostly unpublicized… or unrecognized. These Scriptures tell you I did do miracles, and I did threaten death to those of My chosen people who would go against My commands… that seem to you to be of little consequence.

I tell you that similar, or worse, threats are still part of life, but I usually employ more “natural” means… rather than My personal actions.

For example, North Korea may have weapons of mass destruction, and so may India and Pakistan. Would I allow use of these, not so much for political or religious reasons, but just for some reduction in the human population? But many of such weapons (nuclear or biological) would render some portion of land on this small planet unliveable, for a time. Would I cause or allow such a “trade-off”? I do have to foresee all of the possible consequences.

This Old Testament portion of Holy Scripture definitely tells of a “chosen people,” the Jews. They are told not to relate positively with people who worship “another god” or “other gods.” Zero tolerance was My Message. Then I came as Jesus, proclaiming that I was the Son of God and equal with Him… and the Holy Spirit. This seemed like “other gods,” and hence these chosen people of Mine rejected this “update” of spiritual reality. I was too human to be God. And I related positively with Gentiles and others whom I had told the Jews to avoid.

My, My! The story is hard to interpret, isn’t it!? Am I surprised at the Jews’ response to Me, as Jesus? Or was this just “a way” for Me to sacrifice Myself for the sins of the world? Which sins? By whom? The theology of this time in human history… and also in “spiritual history” is almost impossible to interpret in either/or thinking. Both/And helps.

Thus you wonder how directly this story relates to the “world of which you are a tiny part.” This is a world of increased weapons of mass destruction (with your nation a leader in production and capabilities of such), of computers and increasingly instant communication (and will Y2K be a calamity?), and of “production” as a secular god. It is a world of “haves” and “have nots”… actually and relatively, in this affluent culture of yours.

Am I still “in charge’? Do I approve of all of this “development” that seems to pose as many problems as those “solved” or prevented? You just have to assume that I continue to be BOTH Yahweh and the Triune God… and all else that is seen as “supernatural.” I am ultimately responsible for all that is… and that happens.

I do see human diversity as a good, despite all of the apparent “problems” that stem from such a “blessing.” I do see human life as just a unique “form” of life, with the spiritual as being the essence of all life. Thus death is of little consequence, as I see the earth. And yet I am reluctant to cause or allow “ways” of reducing human life and “productivity.”