Just a note

I'll be starting this project again, officially, tomorrow, as it was easiest to begin on the first day of a new month and go from there.  I'll also be starting at the beginning of Leviticus again.  This makes the most sense because: a) I get to read the book in its entirety together, and b) I scratched my head over it some last time.  Doing this, however, does mean that the reading portions will be longer, a bit.

Tomorrow's Reading: Leviticus 1:1-2:16

Second Chance, Second Try

It is important to me to state that this is not a New Year's Resolution.  This resolve was made a few weeks ago, actually, and it is something I've been praying over and thinking over for awhile.  I would rather it didn't coincide with New Year's at all, actually, as New Year's Resolutions have become synonymous with decision and new habits meant to be broken.  They're almost laughable.  The start of a new year is an excellent time to evaluate, rethink, rework, and begin anew, but let's face it folks: most of us fail miserably at it.  And since I have already failed here, I'd like to avoid doing it again.

I've decided to take up my Bible reading blog again.  The reasons are many: without a worked out reading plan, my quiet times are spotty at best, and often directionless.  I need something to keep me in the Word.  I need something that is easy for an accountability partner to check and help me remain accountable.  I need a way to think through what I've read so I don't simply check things off.  All the same reasons I started the blog in the first place.

It was no easy decision to return to it.  In some ways, it's far easier to ignore it and set to the side that I failed.  Going back means I have to admit that I failed and that I am going to have to try again.  Going back means I have to understand why I failed and what I can do to make sure I succeed this time.  It takes a greater amount of humility and guts to try again than to simply ignore it or even take it down from the web.

Why did I fail?  The possible reasons are several, and I am not entirely sure if it was a culmination of all of them, or if it really came down to one or two and I let the others be an excuse.  I don't think I'll really know which it is unless I try again.  Here are some possible culprits:

• Leviticus got the better of me after all.
• I went away on a trip without a firm plan to keep up on both reading and writing and got too far behind.
• I allowed myself to get overwhelmed by being behind instead of plugging ahead or making a good plan to catch up, and just stopped.
• No one took me seriously on the accountability aspect and no one said much to me about stopping, if anything.  (And if you did, then I apologize, but I may have mistook your comments to be pertaining to Wordisbawn.) 
• Few read the blog in any occasion and so had no idea that I was floundering and needed some encouragement.

There are a few others, but those are the main.  Granted, I have to admit that maybe the blog was dry, dull, or insipid and no one had any interest in reading it anyway, and if so, who could blame them?  Then, it is no surprise that there wouldn't be any accountability.  But I've taken some steps to combat them.


First, I lowered my expectations for Leviticus.  I had really wanted to understand some things (like why so many doves for this sin and a lamb for that one but not for this one) about the sacrificial system and was having difficult finding resources that could fully explain it, at least in the time I had to search.  Secondly, I wanted to have something interesting to say, but as I was dumbfounded by some of the things, I didn't know what to say at all.  It stopped me from writing in my attempt to meet those expectations.  Not this time.  Even if I have to grimly plug my way through Leviticus and have little more to say than, "I read it.  Who knew there were so many skin diseases?", then I'll do it.


Second, I have pointedly asked a good friend to be my go-to accountability partner on this.  I know she can't check in every day, but I have asked her to be a real partner to me and at least check regularly to see if I'm staying on point and to call me on it.  This is what I need most of all.


Thirdly, I only have a few trips planned for the next year and I'm already looking into how to keep up, even if it means typing out entries on my tiny little phone keyboard.

The rest I'm leaving up to a great deal of prayer and the Father's help.

If you, though, ever get the notion, please do go over there and check an entry or two out.  I do actually ask that you leave a comment, let me know you stopped in, and even if you have something to say on the matter.  It would be a great encouragement to me.

Chronological Bible Reading

*Please note, this post in its entirety also appears on my Wordisbawn blog site.

Confession time

This post is long overdue.  I haven't kept up with my reading this past week.  I didn't have time or opportunity to do the blog, and I allowed it to affect keeping up with my reading.  Now I'm greatly behind.  I have to say, I'm really disappointed. And very frustrated.  Many problems with keeping up with this blog is due to the limited access I have to the internet here at my parents' house.  They very willingly and generously share the internet with us, but I often get it at times when I can not sit down and write, mostly due to the fact that Eliza suddenly becomes needy (and therefore distracting) when I am on the computer, or she is napping but I am behind on my chores, and internet usage gets pushed back.  We are not hard at work renovating what will be our apartment so we can move out, and then we will have our own internet and I can get up at 5am if necessary and get this done.  Until then, I need to figure something else out.

Game plan for the next few days, perhaps weeks: get caught up on my reading.  Write blog posts when I can, and condense multiple passage readings into one.  I hate to do it, but it's got to be done.  My hope is that I can get back on track soon, that I will be in the Word every day again, and that I can keep on trucking.  And I look forward to steady and reliable internet access so that I can make a habit in the mornings of getting my reading done and then my blogging, Lord willing.

Leviticus 5:14-6:7

I've read the passage, but a clingy, crying, fussy, aggravated baby has precluded me from getting much time to sit down and write today.  And I thought maybe I could get a little ahead because the passage was so short!  Boy, was I wrong!  However, I am glad that I got the passage read this morning.  Hopefully tomorrow she'll be in a better mood and I can get more done!

Next Reading: Leviticus 6:8-7:38

Leviticus 4:1-5:13

This is what I find most interesting about this passage: that the emphasis is based again and again on the sin being unintentional.  If someone accidentally breaks one of the legal codes, the moral codes of the Law, then these are the offerings that they are to bring forward: a different requirement based upon the situation.  What if the sin was intentional?  Is there a sin offering for something like that?  Or are those sins condemned?  Because let's face it: we might sin unintentionally all the time, but more often than not we are sinning intentionally.  We know we shouldn't tell that little white lie, but we rationalize it so that it's "okay" or that we can get by, or even that we are doing someone a favor.  We know that if we say a certain thing, that it will hurt someone, and so we say it.  Or we think they deserve it.  We share gossip as a means to "keeping people in the know."  There are all sorts of things that we do, intentionally.  Big, small, either way, they are sin.  And we do it on purpose.  What kind of sacrifice was there for those kinds of intentional sin?  What if a person did something intentionally and learned to regret it; what if they learned, later, what true righteousness was and wanted to atone for what they did.  Was there a sacrifice for that?

Not in this chapter.  It says again and again, if it was unintentional or if it is hidden to them only to become known later or for their conscience to prick, then they are to offer this certain animal for the sin offering.  It doesn't say anything about, "Now, if their sin is intentional...."  We're left a little hanging here.  I guess we'll have to keep reading to see what the stipulations are there.

Next Reading: Leviticus 5:14-6:7

Leviticus 3:1-17

I miss my commentaries.  I have a pretty nifty piece of Bible software I often use in my Bible study (in fact, my reading plan is input into it so that I can just click on a link and it brings up my reading for the day, or I type in my reading in the Study search, and it will bring up commentaries and helpful resources, and then after I've read it, I only have to click and it's marked as read!  Sweet, huh?).  This is my go-to piece for all things OT (Old Testament) as all of my OT books from college are... missing.  I have notes, but my books and things have mysteriously disappeared.  I want them back.  Actually, I want my software back.  But, because of disk space, memory, storage, etc., my husband did an upgrade on the computer, and has so far reinstalled everything but my software.  I must ask him to do this.  Soon.

I feel a bit at a loss with this passage.  I admit: I feel I should know more about peace offerings than I do.  What is the exact purpose of the peace offering?  Is it to be given in concert with a burnt offering, a sin offering, a guilt offering in order to make peace with God?  Or is a celebration of the peace with God that can be found through righteous living?  This passage more than adequately states how to appropriately conduct a peace offering, but I feel at a loss for what a peace offering is.  Have I missed it?  I miss my commentaries for this purpose, where men (and women) older, wiser, more learned can explain to me the intricacies of the Scriptures that I'm missing.  I even got out my OT notes on Leviticus and while they are more than adequate for explaining the purpose and structure of Leviticus as well as the offerings and sacrifices, but... not so hot on explaining the specifics of each one.  I know there are other places in Scripture where the offerings are discussed, but my concordance in the back of my Bible(s, actually) is inadequate to point me there, and I don't have a very good head for remembering where things are at.  (That makes memorization difficult oftentimes.)  Here again, my trusty software would be of use.

One thing I did note, rather superficial, is the gruesomeness of the offering.  The offerer was to put their hand on the head of the animal to be sacrificed as its throat was cut and it's blood drained away.  Then the priests were to take the blood and throw it, literally splatter it against the side of the altar.  All this before the animal is cut up, served up as an offering, and then later eaten with the priests.  Kind of rocks our modern sensibilities, doesn't it?  I wonder how PETA would react when they finally get the sacrificial system up and going again in Israel, as I hear they are trying to do (and expect they will for Scripture to be fulfilled).  But I guess, in a way, it is typical, or rather prophetic.  See, I mean "typical" as in "type", as in a foreshadowing.  (I guess that's rather technical Biblical studies language there, isn't it?)  There are types of Christ throughout the Old Testament.  The Passover is a type of Christ's sacrifice on the cross in that His sacrifice as our substitute allows the penalty of death to "pass over us" (I'm sure there's a better way to explain that, though).  Similarly, these offerings, peace offerings, burnt offerings, guilt and sin offerings, all are types of Christ's sacrifice as well, and that His blood was shed in a pretty gruesome way in order to make our relationship right with the Lord.  In fact, as the sacrifices were designed to enable fallen people to live in a Holy Presence, Christ's sacrifice allows all fallen people to be inhabited by God Himself.  Pretty cool, huh?

I'm gonna get that software up and running again.  And then I'm going to take a very serious look at these offerings, because I'm intrigued.

Next Reading: Leviticus 4:1-5:13

Accountability

So, accountability is kind of pointless unless it's honest, right?  And that's the point of this blog: accountability.  I want to read through the entire Bible, chronologically, in two years.  I want to be in the Word every day.  Have I done it?  No, not absolutely every day, but most days.  CIY was a huge wrench in my plan.  I was doing my reading, and I was even doing my study and meditation.  And then I intended to come back and get all my blog posts done.  Has it happened?  Not really.  I've found it difficult to sit down and write every day because we've been working on our new house, because my daughter's schedule and sleep habits have been destroyed by the week away (as well as the upset in being at the house every day at varying times), and we've learned that we're expecting another child which completely explains my exhaustion; add into that the fact our internet access is shared and not actually available on my own computer 24-7, not all times with the internet are convenient or even possible for me to write.  Are the blog posts important?  To me, they are.  They're an acknowledgement that I am actually in the Word daily.  But in trying to get the blog posts done, I'm falling behind in the reading.  What is more important: the exercise or the accomplishment?  Really, what's important is that I'm in the Word.

Do I still intend to get caught up on my posts?  Yes, indeed.  But not at the expense of making sure I'm in the Word, and not for the sake of being in the Word for this blog.  So, it may take some time.  But I'll make it there.  Maybe when the work on the house slows, we're moved in, and full internet access is ours again (and then my parents can blissfully have their internet back to themselves, as well).

For now, do I have something to say about my next reading?  Not really.  Did I really think I'd have much to say about Leviticus?  I hoped.  So, I'm actually waiting to write anything about Leviticus 3 until I've had more time to think on it.  After all, a chapter on peace offerings feels like you should have something to say, right?  After all, Christ was the ultimate peace offering, wasn't He?

Leviticus 1:1-2:16

Okay, this post isn't about this actual reading particularly, but Leviticus in general.  Has anyone ever tried to read through the Bible in a year (or three years) and died in Leviticus?  I know I've heard some of my high school girls in our d-group say that exact same thing.  Everyone understands why Leviticus is in the Bible.  It holds a great many of the actual laws of the Old Testament!  It really does sometimes seem like it is just one long list of "Do this" and "Don't do this" and "Ye shall not" and "Ye shall" and "The consequences of...."  Yeah.  I can see how it's hard to read through.  So, why do we have to read through it?

There are a couple of purposes for the book of Leviticus.  One, it has all the Laws the Levites and the Levitical priesthood (the priesthood established through Aaron, the Levite) must obey, enforce, and perform sacrificial duties for.  But really, the purpose of this book is to outline what it takes to be holy.  Ever looked at this book and thought, "Yikes, who can possibly uphold all of this all the time?"  Well, it's kind of the point, isn't it?  Ever read Romans?  It's not the whole point, to be sure; to say so seriously downplays the importance and gravity of the Old Testament Law.  But one thing we do learn from the Law: that we can't possibly be holy on our own.  We need God.  We also see why we need Jesus particularly as our High Priest (yeah, that's Hebrews for you): the Levitical priesthood couldn't completely cut it.  It had to make sacrifices again and again and again. The sacrifices were insufficient.  Christ's sacrifice, however, was completely sufficient, worked for everyone for all time, for all sin.  The enormity of this comparison would be missing for us as believers if it weren't for Leviticus, as well as Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (Genesis, too).  The Mosaic Law is the foundation for our faith.  The tenets of our faith are all rooted in and built upon these laws and the requirements to keep them and to atone for them when they are broken.  Jesus did say, after all, that not one bit of the Law will pass away, nor that He came to abolish it, but to fulfill it.  How can we know what He is that He fulfills or how He does that if we don't know what it is or all about?

So, should we as believers read Leviticus?  Yes.  Absolutely.  Is it difficult reading at times?  Yes.  Definitely.  But it's worth it.

Now, I feel like I've minimized Leviticus and its sister books in the Pentateuch to only being a foothold for Christianity, and it's not, at all.  But to go further into that may mean this post becomes a rant rather than a thought.  Perhaps I should come back to it some other time.

For now, pay special attention to how special and precious each burnt offering was to be.  It was no ordinary goat or sheep or whatever you feel like taking from your flocks.  Not at all.  This was a sacrifice; it was supposed to hurt.  It was supposed to be unblemished, clean, pure, the best of the best.  And there are several reasons for that, not just that a sacrifice is to really sacrifice something.  But that, my friends, is likely another post.

Next Reading: Leviticus 3:1-17

Exodus 40:1-38

I imagine that when the Tabernacle was finally erected among the Israelite camp, it was a pretty awesome thing.  It likely didn't go down the way I imagine that it did, but I picture something like this: Moses comes before the entire congregation of Israel to ask for contributions for the building of the Tabernacle, which will be devoted to the worship of the Lord God.  People come day after day, offering up their gold to be melted down, their precious yarns and linen, silver, wood, etc.  All for the sake of this Tabernacle.  In fact, they bring so much, they have to be stopped!  Then the work begins, amidst the camp of Israel.  Maybe people walked by just to see how the work was coming.  First, there are wood frames and boxes.  Slowly, fabric for curtains begins to come together.  Embroidery begins to slowly, day by day, depict the images of angels and holy things.  Frames come together, curtains spread out, precious articles begin to take shape.  At last, God gives the direction for the Tabernacle to be erected.  The frames are set up, the curtains hung, the tent overlying it spread out, and Moses begins the anointing.  He anoints every article, the tent, everything.  And then the glory of the Lord comes down.

When Solomon builds his temple, it talks about the Shekinah glory, where God's glory comes down and fills the Temple and people are weeping.  Seriously.  It's such an amazing moment that people lose it and worship with abandon.  Now, in that "cold, clinical" statement, maybe it sounds silly, but can you imagine just an amazing moment where you actually see God's glory descend?  That Shekinah Glory doesn't return when the Temple is rebuilt after the Exile in Babylon, and the people weep then for its loss.  Exodus doesn't describe anything like that.  Was it because they had become accustomed to the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night?  Had they become a little immune to the glory of God's presence?  Is that possible?  Every day, we believers wish we could experience that in our lives, and we always treasure those worship moments or prayer moments or study moments where we really feel God's presence.  What we wouldn't give to have a visible reminder, a physical thing to point to say, "See, God is here!"  The Israelites did: it was a daily matter of whether or not God's glory lifted from the Tabernacle one whether or not they were walking that day.  How amazing is that?

Maybe they weren't immune to it, and Scripture is just silent on it.  But the way I picture it, after watching the Tabernacle come together over a period of time, it must have been so fulfilling to see it at last standing.  And knowing that they were fearful enough of the Lord's presence to request that Moses be their go-between rather than meet God face-to-face on a daily basis, I think must have been a thing of awe and glory to see God descend upon the very structure the entire nation of Israel had come together to build, whether through offerings or skill.  It makes me want to be a part of something like that.

Next Reading: Leviticus 1:1-2:16

Exodus 39:1-43

You know, I have to admit, I'd feel one of two ways wearing the priests' garments: either a trumped-up turkey, or a mighty important person.  I wonder how many of those Levitical high priests ever felt like the first one?  I'm pretty sure quite a few felt like they were pretty important, if the behavior of the ones mentioned in the Gospels and Acts are any indication.

It must have been a beautiful garment, though: red, blue, purple thread entwined with real, hammered gold thread.  (Can you imagine the work it would take to hammer out gold thin enough to intertwine with regular fabric type threads?)  The stones set in gold filigree, engraved like signet rings...  It has again made me a little desirous of a ceremonial piece to wear, if for no other time than to wear it while praying or studying.  I should really consider a prayer shawl.

The thing that got me the most, though, was the plate on the crown with the inscription, "Holy to the Lord."  Set apart to the Lord.  That was to describe the entire priesthood, not just the high priest that would wear those gowns.  They were to be set apart to the Lord, in speech, in conduct, love, faith, and purity (1 Timothy 4:12, look it up), not just be set apart by these outer garments.  The garments were symbol of their office and their duties and were to remind them of those things and to whom they owed these things: first to God, and then to the nation of Israel.  Don't we all have that same duty?  To be examples before a fallen world, before our own church bodies, but first to the Lord?  We don't wear priestly garments; we are not even necessarily go-betweens in the same way the priests were; Jesus is that priest and there is no need for another (Hebrews, check it out).  But we are representatives; we are salt and light.  We are the examples.  I would shudder to wear something inscribed "Holy to the Lord" because of the tremendous responsibility.  Nothing says "stand out" like something inscribed with those words on it.  But wouldn't it be good for us?  A daily reminder?  Not being allowed to fall back on the "I'm human" excuse for behavior?  I am human!  I mess up all the time! And while I strive to do my best, how much more would I work for that knowing that I've got that inscribed across my forehead?  It's a question worth pondering.  How about I pretend it's there and live like it is?

Next Reading: Exodus 40:1-38

Exodus 38:9-31

Holy cats!

(Yes, I said that.)

  Ok, let's be honest: when reading the specifications for how much gold, how much silver, etc., did you simply read over the words, with your eyes slightly glazed?  Or did you take a moment and really think about what that's saying?  I did, and HOLY CATS!

Let's break this down:

1. 29 talents and 730 shekels of gold works out to be 2193.25 lbs of gold.
2. 100 talents and 1775 shekels of silver works out to be 7544 and 3/8 lbs of silver.
3. 70 talents and 2,400 shekels of bronze turns out to be 5310 lbs of bronze.

Can you say phenomenal?  Have you ever seen almost 2200 pounds of gold before?  What about more than 7500 pounds of silver all at once?  And this was for the construction of the Tabernacle.  And supplied solely by the Israelites.  It boggles my mind.  A single base for the frames of the sanctuary was one talent of gold: 75lbs of gold for each base constructed.  Heavy, huh?  But beautiful and very, very precious.

Think: this is for the Tabernacle, the Lord's dwelling.  I would need to reread it, but I'm not sure that God gave instructions for the building of the Temple.  The building is described and everything that it required to make it, but it doesn't say anywhere that the Lord God said, "Now, you should build the Temple in this way."  The Tabernacle is really the only place where we see God give instructions for the building and use of a place for Him to dwell among men, and look how precious it was!  Today, where does God dwell?  In us!  Those of us who have submitted ourselves, our lives, and our souls to Him have become the vessels for His Holy Spirit.  Should we not take as much care and attention to our own bodies?  Does that mean we have to "gild the lily", so to speak, by focusing purely on our physical aspect?  I don't think so.  But I do think that means that we should treat our bodies, our beings as precious.  What do you think that means?

Next Reading: Exodus 39:1-43

Exodus 37:1-38:8

Reading these passages, I was blown away by the amount of work and the quality of work that went into building the articles for the Tabernacle.  Just take the lampstand, for instance.  It was made from hammered work, all one piece.  From this single piece of gold, by hammering and molding, not attaching and soddering, they created an entire lampstand with six branches and the cups like almond blossoms, including the calyx and the flower.  It took me a moment to really understand what that meant.  So, from a single piece of gold, these guys hammered out a "trunk" or stand, and then were able to pull out/section out six branches from that single piece of gold, and upon those branches, by hammering (not molding with the hands and then adding on like an appendage), created a delicate cup to represent a flower and all it's little parts.  (A calyx is the cup-like part of the flower.)  It amazes me!  I couldn't imagine what it would even begin to take to plan this out so that from one piece, you can form such an intricate object.  You would have to know where to begin pounding, how to hit it just right so that the gold would shape in the direction you would want it to go, how to make sure there was enough gold to extend to all the parts that you are intending...  How do you do that?

The entire passage and the amount of work made me think of a few things.  First, these men showed a great deal of devotion, attention to detail, and pride in their work for the Lord.  It doesn't sound like they worked in a slapdashed manner (which, by the way, no, I would not normally use "slapdash", but it works.  What I wanted to use would have fully explained their lack of care and attention, as well as a small amount of derision for that attitude, but it wasn't appropriate and I wouldn't use it).  They took time, they took care, they made sure that their work was quality.  That then led me to think about our own work for the Lord.  Not many of us are creating articles or pieces for worship.  But we do have work that the Lord has set before us.  Are we giving our work this kind of attention?  Are we giving it every ounce of ability and talent and love that we have?  Do we have this kind of attitude when we work with children, especially rowdy, disrespectful, difficult-to-handle ones?  Do we show them the same love?  Do we treat with gentleness and respect those teens we come into contact with, safeguarding their molding into adult Christians?  Do we devote ourselves to other believers?  God has equipped us for all kinds of works, and with all kinds of skill sets to accomplish them.  But one thing that we all can give to the Lord is this kind of devotion.  Are we doing it?

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 38:9-31

Exodus 35:30-36:8

It's kind of like that age-old question: which came first, the chicken or the egg?  Which came first?  Did God first gift Oholiab and Bezalel with all manner of skills for craftsmanship and then chose to select them from among the Israelites to head the construction of the Tabernacle?  Or, did God first choose them and then equip them for the job at hand?

Does it matter?

Let's face it.  Sometimes, God hands us jobs or gives us callings that seem to require a certain skill set.  The ability to acquire a new language is pretty helpful if you want to be a missionary in a foreign country.  People skills (which some just have, and some don't) make ministry a great deal more affective.  But do you have to have these things naturally?  Does God give you gifts and skills and then call you to do any job that fits those skills?  You have the gift of administration, better be a secretary or a c.e.o.  You have a gift for teaching, than by all means, teach!  The question always comes up, though, when you seem to get a calling that is outside your talents and skills set.  Has that ever happened to you?  And then you're plagued with questions: is this something you're really called to do?  What if you can't do it?  Should you really do it?  What if you mess it up?  This, then, is where people offer the assurance: God will never give you anything you can't handle.  He will give you what you need to get the job done.  After all, it is by God's power we can do anything at all, right?

So which is it?  The chicken or the egg?  Looking at this passage, God clearly says that He has gifted Oholiab and Bezalel with a number of extraordinary gifts, as well as a number of others.  And if you look at the work they did in building the Tabernacle, their gifts were not simply specialized areas, but several areas: metalwork for the gold, weaving and embroidery for the curtains, woodwork for the construction of the articles.  Usually, unless I'm mistaken, a craftsman will hone their skills on one particular craft, whether they dabble in others or not.  It takes so much skill, talent, and work to master one craft, can you imagine mastering many?  (Not more than one, many.)  We know these multiple gifts are from God.  But, it doesn't say that God chose these men because He had gifted them, or that He gifted them so that He could choose them.  Maybe it's just a fine line of semantics, but does it matter?  God has given them a job and He has given them the wherewithal to get it done.  Does it matter which came first?

Next reading: Exodus 37:1-38:8

I am alive and I'm catching up

We're back.  CIY.  It's a good, challenging week.  And also draining.  And have I ever mentioned consuming?  I am catching up on my reading from the past week.  Or rather, rereading, because the lack of sleep you get at CIY really affects your retention level, even with notes.  That said, tomorrow marks the first day I'm going to do multiple posts to get everything back on track.  It was good reading.  I hadn't really thought reading about the actual building of the Tabernacle would be so fascinating, especially as most of the information mimics the instructions for the building.  But... it was.  More on that to come.  But can I say, I rather did miss this blog?  It's not the conversation I had hoped to have, but I did miss nailing my rear to the seat of the desk chair every day to make sure I spent time in God's Word.  I spent time in God's Word at CIY, too, and it's good.  But having a chance to really articulate thoughts, rather than jotting notes so I can remember... It's different.  And only something that could be typed: handwriting out all my thoughts, I wouldn't be able to keep up with myself!

Tomorrow: the Tabernacle.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled program....

It always happens: when CIY comes around, it suddenly consumes your life.  And not always in a good way.  I have spent the day attending church and CIY meetings, doing laundry for CIY, packing for CIY, and because I went ahead and watched a few TV programs to unwind, I am still up without having been able to read my reading for the day, and in the morning I"m leaving for CIY.

I will be gone the entire week.  I seriously considered reading all my readings ahead of time (because there's rarely time for your own study at CIY, unless you truly do want only three hours of sleep.  Seriously).  I thought then I could write up my posts and schedule them to be published like clockwork throughout the week.  But that would fail the point of the exercise.  The point of this exercise is to be in the Word ever day for my own nourishment.  So, I've jotted down the next week's readings, including the one I'm behind with, and the one I didn't get done today (so, really, more than an entire week of reading) to take with me and work on.  Maybe I can get caught up in the car. 

I'm going to need some coffee.

I take with me a little notebook to jot down my thoughts as I study and read and pray and meditate on the Scriptures.  From these, I intend to come back and catch up on the posts.  I really want there to be a post for each day, even if I can't post every day.  Since I'm not blessed with a laptop with Wi-Fi capabilities (or a laptop at all).  And I'm not actually asking for one from "Santa Claus": my list for kitchen tools is far too long.  A laptop can wait until a more financially viable time (long after this blog is done...).

So, for the week, I say goodnight and ta ta.  Pray for our safety as we go so far from home.

Exodus 34:29-35:29

Isn't it cool to think the Tabernacle was built completely from contributions from the people?  They gave of their gold, their thread, their wood, goat's hair, animal skins...  And that it was all free-will: anyone whose heart stirred to serve the Lord in this way came forward. These people were attentive enough to hear God's voice when He spoke to them, and sensitive enough to His will to respond.  That's what it really takes to be used by God: listening for His voice and being willing to respond.  Everything that was needed for the Tabernacle, everything, was provided by those who were willing to obey God's voice.  Sometimes it means giving something up.  These people gave up the things they had asked for from the Egyptians, the most precious of their stores.  But the entirety of the Tabernacle was provided for them: a place of worship and a symbol that God was with them every step of the way.  We might be asked to give something like that up: our time, our fortune, our priorities.  But, the Lord can then use you in a mighty work.  The question is: are you willing?

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 35:30-36:38

Exodus 33:7-34:28

You know, I read this passage a little after 4:00, at a time when I didn't have the internet.  It was really clicking for me, great thoughts were flowing, and I had a few "Oh!" moments where something I'd never realized or learned before came.  The sad thing was, I didn't have a pen or useable piece of paper (like no bills, other people's notes, empty) near-by, so I just stared really hard at the passage on my computer screen and said to myself, "I'll write about that."  By the time I had the opportunity to sit down to write about it, time had morphed to 11:00 at night, a little past, actually, seven hours later, and whatever it was... is gone.  How pathetic is that?  I've read and reread the passage, and there's still some great stuff in there, but I can't remember what I was so excited about.  And I really was excited about it!  How can you forget that kind of thing as you go on to do chores, take care of your baby, start packing for a week away... How can you?

This is exactly why I always try to impress on my small group girls, and anyone that I have the opportunity to speak to about Bible study, that you must have a pen and pencil.  Or a word processing program of some kind (that's what I should have used!  At least for notes, since Word won't copy/paste into Blogger for some reason).  Something to get the thoughts down, because it is almost guaranteed that you will lose them.  No matter how good they are, no matter how "brilliant", you'll forget.

There's some kind of outrageous statistics out there on this type of thing.  According to my college Bible Foundations notes, you'll remember only 5% of what you hear, which means you'll lose 95%.  You'll remember only 10% of what you read, which means you'll lose...?  That's right: 90%.  Even if you're reading the Word every day, if you are not getting something down on paper, not writing about, not doing something with it, you're going to lose it!  Studying, honestly, isn't much better.  After a week, you'll remember only 15%-20%, but that is better than losing 90% (or more!) of what you are trying to learn from the word of God.  The best retention levels?  Memorization and meditation.  If you memorize a verse, you'll have it down; after all, the process of memorization includes constant review.  Meditation is not the eastern form of meditation where you sit in a certain position and work to empty your mind.  Rather, it is concentrated, focused thought over a period of time, even if it's only five minutes or ten minutes.  Quiet, focused concentration.  You'll remember far more than you think.

Did I ever get back to this passage and have another good study?  Yes.  I've learned from it.  I admire Moses relationship with the Lord, because here it is after a disaster among the Israelites in their relationship with the Lord, and yet the Lord grants Moses an opportunity to spend time with him "face to face".  He causes His glory to go past Moses and meets with Him in the Tent of Meeting (which by the way is so cool).  Did Moses worship the Golden Calf?  No.  Did he have anything to do with its creation?  No.  But Moses did know it was a sin of the people, that as a people as a whole they had to carry the shame of those actions, and he is part of the people. More than that, he is their leader.  He felt some of the responsibility of that on him.  Yet the Lord shows favor to Moses.  What a picture of grace!  Even here in the Old Testament where we who live based off the New Testament think there's very little.

Exodus 31:1-33:6

Oh my.  The Golden Calf incident.  You know, this is infamous for a reason.  Those of us who can sometimes be a little flippant or sardonic about it (and yes, I mean me), tend to say something like, "Hello!  God just rescued you from the Egyptians, the Red Sea, starvation, thirst, and the Amalekites.  Could you wait a little longer before going off to prostitute yourself to an inanimate cow!?"  Indeed.  Truly, though, it goes to show how quickly and easily we can go off the deep-end if we allow ourselves to become to estranged from the Lord.

If you think about it, you can see a bit of a progression here.  They know Moses has gone up on the mountain to speak to God; they have seen God consume the top of the mountain in fire (so cool, I would have loved to have seen it).  They know that they would be put to death if they touch the mountain; they also know they are content to let Moses be the go-between for themselves to the Lord.  You can almost hear the thoughts forming: What if Moses displeased the Lord?  What if Moses died?  Who's going to speak on our behalf?  We can't go up to the Mountain.  How's this going to work?  Finger- and foot-tapping ensues.  How long is he going to be up there?  Is he going to come down?  Maybe he's not coming down.  He's not coming down?  What now?

And so the people turn to a form of worship they know best: something more worldly like the nations around them than what God had in mind.  And so, voila: they build the Golden Calf.  And they say to this thing they've made: You are our god.  I don't know about you, but that seems so strange.  And foolish.  And stupid.  You know the idol didn't create itself, you did.  So when did it become God?  Or a god?  That's all I'm saying. 

But do you see how easily we fall into similar traps?  It begins with an idea, which leads to a thought.  Then we begin to rationalize why we should or should never do the thing we're thinking of.  And eventually, we start seriously considering doing it just to get rid of the doubt and worry; we rationalize.  We do it.  Maybe we're not bowing down before a big golden calf the brother of our prophet just made, but isn't it the same process.  With different types of sin.  So then, he who is without sin, cast the first stone.

(Aside: do you ever think of that scene in The Ten Commandments with Charleton Heston where they're having the big party, shall we say, around the calf?  Did you ever think they were really having a great time filming that scene?  I highly doubt it.  I've learned a few things about movie-making since seeing it.  First, party-scenes are almost completely quiet while filmed.  All you hear is the shuffling of feet as people pretend to dance to non-existent music.  They have to be quiet so whatever dialogue is taking place between whatever actors are on scene.  So these are people silently laughing, screaming, singing, partying with hardly a sound in the room except people delivering their lines and feet scuffing the floor.  And filming a scene can get incredibly repetitive if a line or a movement isn't done just right.  More takes, anyone?  Those are real actors.)

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 33:7-34:28

Exodus 30:1-38

Note: I doubt anyone who reads my blog here doesn't know what CIY is, but just in case there's someone out there I don't know, let me explain.  CIY, or Christ In Youth, is a massive youth conference held all over the country in various locations all summer every year.  It can be an intense experience of worship, teaching, challenging, but also good times.  Technically, their high school summer conference is called MOVE now as they have branched out to much more than a summer conference.  I think it's kind of silly.  The inertia of habit and doubt on the wisdom of changing the name (and the fact that every conference seems to become moored in the same habits due to its name change) has led me to continue calling it what it was since I started attending: CIY.

Last year at CIY, the theme was routed in the Exodus story (as in the 10 Plagues, the Passover, the Crossing of the Red Sea, Sinai...).  It was a good week.  Reading through Exodus now makes me wish that we would still find ourselves in the Old Testament at CIY this year.  We could truly learn a great deal from the Old Testament.  Not only is it the foundation for our faith today, but the statues and principles God taught to the Israelites are still applicable today as well.

This one struck me in particular: Exodus 30:11, "When you take a census of the people, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord..."  Seriously?  We call it the census tax, but the words of the text suggest it is so much more than that!  This "tax" is a ransom for our lives before the Lord.  We all know our lives belong to the Lord as the Creator God.  Have you ever considered that you should pay a ransom to God for your own life?  That's intense!  You don't find stuff like that in the New Testament.  Or maybe we've watered the New Testament down?  Paul does say we will either be a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness. 

I guess my simple thought process is that we spend little time in the Old Testament and we miss jewels like these types of details.  The relationship Israel had with God was supposed to be all or nothing: much like the church at Laodicea, where God says He would like to spit them out!  The blessings and cursings in Deuteronomy 28ff make it pretty clear: follow God, things will go well; don't follow God, things are going to be very, very bad.  Live fully for God, or don't.

I know we'll get that last basic message at CIY, whatever the theme (and this year it is Timothy, and I know it will be fairly good).  One thing that should be noted about this all-or-nothing way of living for God: it doesn't mean you have to sell all your possesions, say good-bye to friend and family, and haul yourself off to a misty jungle in some far away corner to fight massive mosquitoes, hazard snake bites, and the Shanghai Runs from local water in order to live for God.  Though, hey, if that's what He wants you to do, by all means do it!  But you can live all-or-nothing for Him, ransom your life to Him, living here at home by never straying.  Stay home, hold a normal job, have a family, raise your children, and live for God.  That's pretty radical today.

This post has ended up so far from where it started as a comment on my youth pastor's wall on Facebook.  I think perhaps it has suffered for the past 14 hours of being away from internet and computer.  But what have you?  It's now nearly midnight and one by one my brain cells are choosing to go to sleep rather than stay up.  I think I'll follow suit.

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 31:1-33:6

Exodus 28:31-29:46

I have to be honest: my thoughts are not on my Bible reading tonight.  It's not just a lack of concentration.  I'm angry over something I have learned, and I find it does me no credit, nor does my thoughts on this passage any good.  I have debated over and over within myself if I should just leave off on this post, or if I should really school myself and not let my emotion hinder my study.  Thankfully, I can take this situation in prayer, and though it might high-jack my prayer life for a little bit, it won't hinder it.  Just my study of God's Word and what He might teach me.  So, friends, though I am already a day behind, I might have to return to this passage at a later time and give it the full attention it deserves.

But for this post, I think I'll include this thought (the only one that pounded in my head the entire time I read it):

It took a great deal to consecrate a priest, sacrifices, ceremonies; it was no small thing.  The entire act was to dedicate that person to the Lord, that they would belong to Him and that their purpose would be to do His work; as well, they were set apart, set apart to the Lord and set apart from the people.  They did not belong to the people the same way that a Benjaminite would have.  They belonged to the people because of their public office, their duty of service, and their example to others.

This position should have been two pronged: one, that they be respected by the people because they are their spiritual leaders and authorities, respect them because they work hard for you and have been put in authority over you; two, that above all, the priests should understand that they were given this office not for their own importance but to serve others, to serve others, not his own ends or views.  If both of these things happened, it would, I should think, produce a fairly good situation.  The priest would serve God and serve the people wholeheartedly, and the people would show respect and follow their priest's lead, which then would have come from God because he is serving God... You see the circle?  Like marriage.  But, it's not a perfect world.  I know this was not always the paradigm in Biblical Israel, and I know it's not always the paradigm now.


I don't dare say anymore at this point, because I have no intentions of coming out and saying what has me preoccupied tonight, and I don't want to give anyone enough rope to hang themselves on assumptions.  (My husband would here remind you of "you know what happens when you assume..."  Of course, he cleans that saying up quite a bit.)  Let's just say that if you're reading this and you think it might be you, it's safer to think it's not.  (And then if your sense of humor is as sardonic and self-deprecating as mine is, you might start singing "You're so vain"...  Insert "comical" smiley face here, though in this case a conspiratorial wink would carry the same message, though likely just as cheesy.)

So, for now, I am leaving off.  After a post much longer than planned and far, far less about my passage than I intended.  I am going to go pray for a bit.  And then I am going to read Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, a book I loved as a child and just got from the library and which never fails to make me smile.  If you like kids' lit and haven't read it, you should.

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 30:1-38

Exodus 27:9-28:30

The priestly garments are wrought with symbolism and remembrance.  Two onyx stones inscribed with the names of Israel's sons sit upon the shoulders of the priest when he goes in before the Lord.  The breastpiece is decorated with twelve stones inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; note the tribes, not the names of the sons, and they are in fact different.  Technically, there is not a tribe of Joseph at this time, as his descendants are split among the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh.  It is hard to tell what tribe might be left out among the technically thirteen tribes: Simeon is counted in the census in numbers, but they are not given land in the inheritance.  The tribe of Levi is not counted in that census, but is set apart, but as they are the tribe that has the priestly duties to go before the Lord, it would seem strange if their name is missing on the breastpiece, unless of course we can count the priest within the Tabernacle as a rememberance before the Lord on his tribe's behalf.  Unless, they do, in fact, count Ephraim and Manasseh under Joseph?  We may never know.

Either way, the garments the priests wore held a few purposes.  One, it set them apart from the rest of the people.  It denoted their office as well as gave a physical separation in that these garments were like no one else's.  As well, their pieces had ceremonial significance.  A priest had to be consecrated with a sacrifice, a burnt offering, a wave offering, and an anointing.  It was a big deal to be ordained into the Levitical priesthood, and the awarding of these garments kind of sealed the deal. Before a priest could don these garments, he had to go through a ceremonial washing, and then another when he removed them to put on his "street clothes" again.  Also, wearing them brought before the Lord all of Israel in remembrance: the sons of Israel and the tribes of Israel.  I don't know that this was intended so much to remind the Lord, as He never forgets.  I think it's possible that it was more for the priest to remember, so that he may remember on whose behalf he is acting and what his role is: as an intermediary between God and the people. 

We don't have anything like that today.  My pastor preaches in a button-down shirt and khakis.  I think the last time I saw him in a tie was when he performed my wedding ceremony.  I'm not saying that the ladies of the church should go out and weave together a coat of blue and purple and scarlet yarns for my pastor to put on, or that we should have a jeweler inscribe stones with the names of the... elders?  Who would we put on the onyx stones for him to wear in remembrance before the Lord?  But sometimes I do think it would be nice if there was something that we did or wore, something tangible, that served as a reminder of our Lord and our responsibility before Him.  God instituted a number of symbolic rituals and things like garments; pillars were often erected for remembrance.  We often remember only that they became ritualized and marginalized to the act, rather than their purpose.  But if God saw fit to institute them, then do they not do good?  We have our own: communion.  But there are times where I think that something ceremonial might be good outside communion, something that every time I picked it up it would help me to focus on my purpose.  One example: prayer.  Our church has begun a prayer shawl ministry for those who are sick or hurting.  I think it's wonderful, and I plan to get involved (though I'm sad to say it likely won't be this month).  But I think I might like to have a prayer shawl (preferably without the illness or tragedy to get one!).  Something as simple as picking it up and setting in on my head or shoulders when I go to pray can be very focusing: remember, you are here to come before the LORD GOD, and to lift up to him concerns on others' as well as your own behalf, to thank Him, to praise Him, and to worship Him.  Perhaps just that simple practice will help me to remember my purpose and the One that I serve in a practice that I often struggle with.

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 28:31-29:46

Exodus 26:1-27:8

I apologize for the lateness of this post.  I haven't had the internet in a few days.  Couple that with two very (very) busy days, and I'm all out of steam.  If you've read my other blog, Wordisbawn, then you know we are hard at work on what will be our house in so many weeks.  And I'm so, so tired.  I may have to postpone today's post until tomorrow, as I will be taking a day off (if you count doing laundry, cleaning the bathroom, and vacuuming a day off; at least it's not stripping wallpaper) and will have more time to work up a decent post (and a coherent thought) at that time.

If you're like me, you have to read this passage rather carefully to take in all the minute, detailed instructions the Lord gave concerning His Tabernacle.  How long are the tabernacle curtains?  And what about the tent of goat hair?  And why is there a covering of ram's skin over the goat hair tent?  And why does this really matter, all these cubits and rings and clasps??

Do they really matter?  I think so.  When these instructions were given to the Israelites, they were given so that they would know exactly how to construct the House of God.  For that's what the Tabernacle was, right?  This is the place the priests came to meet with God and do the business of the people.  But for us, now, we can begin to understand, at least a little bit, what the Tabernacle looked like.  If I was given the opportunity to go back and see one Biblical place or site, I would be hard-pressed to choose.  Would I want to see Egypt in Joseph's day?  Possibly.  Would I have wanted to see Mt. Sinai?  I think so.  What about the Temple, especially as the Shekinah glory came down to inhabit the Holy of Holies?  Yes.  When the curtain ripped in the Temple?  (I get a thrill just thinking about it.)  I'm a history buff, so I would love to go back and see so many things as they were.  But really, I think if I really had to choose, it would be a coin toss between the Temple and the Tabernacle.  Ironic, isn't it?  The two places as a woman and Gentile I would not be permitted are of course the places I want to go.  But that's not really why I would want to.

The Tabernacle had to have been beautiful.  The curtains are woven with linen and blue and purple and scarlet yarns.  Like a tapestry, depictions of angels are woven into the fabric.  The curtains are clasped together with gold and hung on frames with bases of silver and columns covered in gold.  It surely was a thing of beauty.  But to see that beauty, you would have to be on the inside, because the goat's hair tent we mentioned earlier?  It's so large, that it will hang past the flaps of the interior curtains.  The tent would cover the whole thing, and not only would it cover the whole thing, but that tent would then be covered with a protective layer of animal skins.  From the outside you would only seen the animals skins and goat hair.  Something, I imagine, not too extraordinary.  But from the inside, it's a different story.  There you see the profusion of color, the artistry in the weaving, the frames of silver and gold.  Within, also, are these gorgeous religious emblems, The Vessels, as they are called in later Old Testament books: the Table for the Show Bread, the Lampstand, the Ark of the Covenant, all made of pure gold.   How beautiful would it be?  But as beautiful as all of that would be, there's something else that draws me: the Presence of God.  At the end of Exodus it describes the actual making of all these things, and what do you suppose happens?  The glory of God inhabits this little tent.  The glory of God.  How much more wondrous would that be?  I would have loved to see it.  But again: I wouldn't have been allowed to.  The priests entered the Tabernacle to do their work, and women couldn't be priests.  It was handed down from father to son.  And I am a Gentile: the Tabernacle was for Israelites.

How blessed am I, then, that I have been granted entrance to Heaven because of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Lord, where the original the Tabernacle was patterned after stands?  BLESSED.  Someday, when God see fits, He will call me from this Earth.  And I will join the multitude praising before His throne.  Do you think He'll let me take a poke around the Tabernacle up there, instead?

Exodus 25:1-40

The Tabernacle.  Honestly, until I did a Beth Moore study on it, I always thought the coolest thing about the Tabernacle was that it was a copy of what's in heaven: and I got that from Hebrews.  But the Tabernacle in itself is a thing of beauty.  Consider: scarlet, blue, and purple yarns are used to twist and weave together a tapestry depicting angels and heavenly creatures.  All the articles are either made from or covered in pure gold.  Think of the workmanship in the Lampstand alone: all of the cups, flowers, branches, calyxes (which is the outmost part of the flower, if you didn't know like me and had to look it up), are all made from a single piece of hammered gold..  In other words, the craftsman who made it did not hammer together or sodder together several pieces to make one whole.  Instead, he took a single sheet of gold and began to bend and hammer and shape until he had created the Lampstand.  Fascinating.  And amazing.  Did you ever note that all of this came from contributions from the people?  Did you ever wonder how a bunch of refugees and runaway slaves managed to produce so many wonderful things with which to make the Tabernacle?  But you have to remember back to the end of Chapter 12 when it describes the Israelites and plundering Egyptians.  God gave the Israelites favor in the Egyptians' eyes so that the Egyptians gave the people whatever they wanted, including gold, expensive yarn, etc.  What amazes me even more is that the entire project was funded out of the free will offering of those in the camp.  Think about it: has your church ever done a building campaign?  Or, if not your church than your school?  How many pleas went out for financial help?  How many fundraisers?  How many months did it take to get the money raised.  But God moved the hearts of the Israelites, and they acted!  Imagine what the church today could accomplish if the entire church so freely gave.  And I'm not just talking money: time, resources, talents, gifts, the list could go on.  What if we gave whole-heartedly to the church and God's ministry?  What could we accomplish then?

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 26:1-27:28

Exodus 23:10-24:18

Did you notice that though Israel is just now encamped at Sinai, God is already warning them about serving foreign gods and even the gods who are worshiped in the Promised Land?  The Israelites are already how many years from entering into Canaan to take possession?  Already, God is warning them of what will be one of their greatest pitfalls (besides being a stiff-necked nation).  Do not mention the name of other gods, don't let them pass your lips!  The Hittites, Hivites, Canaanites, etc. shall not even dwell in the land, lest the Israelites stray towards their gods.  And it proves to be true, as we see in Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, the books of the Kings and the Chronicles: Israel was forever straying after foreign gods because they failed to drive out all the Canaanites and tribes living in the land as they should have in Joshua. 

Yet, at the time that this is given, the Israelites tell Moses that they will do everything God has said.  They did not quarrel, they did not question.  They just said, "Yep, we're going to do it."  Lack of tactical follow-through is their undoing.  But still, I have to admire their attitude.  Are they so willing because of the Pillars of Fire and Cloud?  Are they willing because God encamps on the mountain?  Are they willing because God took them out of Egypt and has provided for them every step of the way?  It doesn't say.  It just says they agree.  I think I could use more of that attitude in my life.  How often do I feel I should do something and I dither and doubt?  I put off, feel so unsure, until the moment passes?  I need to obey God in such a way, and not just with my mouth but with my actions: God says and I say, "Ok," and do it.  That may be overly simplified, and yet again, it might not.  But I should cultivate such a ready obedience in my life.

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 25:1-40

Exodus 22:1-23:9

Can...not... concentrate!  Seriously.  I'm having a hard time sitting down to write a post on this passage.  Do you ever have that?  Where no matter how hard you try, you can't just concentrate on the Word before you?  I've got too many things running through my head.  Too many distractions.  The internet is distracting.  And unfortunately necessary to posting.  I've been at this computer for over an hour and have accomplished nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  I just can't buckle down and seriously think about the passage.  Hopefully, I'll do better tomorrow.

One thing that struck me, though, is that God ordained that whenever a trust is broken, both parties must go before the Lord.  Of course, it's talking about stealing, but isn't that a good measure for relationships?  Obviously, the first thing we should do whenever a difficulty or crisis comes up is to go to the Lord!  But just imagine, if a trust is broken between you and someone else, if you both went to inquire of the Lord... how much faster do you think the rift would be mended?  That's such good advice... for everything.

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 23:10-24:18

Exodus 20:22-21:36

Reading a bunch of laws that actually don't have a direct application to you can be kind of tedious, am I right?  Here begins a litany of laws the Lord made among the Israelites, and they can be a bit monotonous.  "Whoever does this, shall be put to death," "Ye shall do this, but ye shan't do that."  Yes, I've heard people's "baritone" impressions of the law reading.  I may have done one or two myself. 

But these laws are important, and yes, important for us.  First, they help us to understand God's standards.  They help us to understand how high and impossible it is to attain righteousness through our own deeds (Romans, anyone?).  They help us to understand how a motley crew of escaped slaves formed themselves into a nation and brought order among them.  What kind of land would American have been if the Founding Fathers had not set down to make laws and a governmental structure.  The structure of Israel's government was to be a theocracy: ruled by God alone, with the priesthood acting as the administration.  Therefore, God's laws weren't only religious statues, but ethical, political, and even health/dietary laws (Leviticus); don't think the government should regulate the dietary laws?  Um, Food and Drug Administration?

One thing about these laws that really sticks out to me, this time around, is actually at the end of Chapter 20.  Where God says that if they build an altar of stone, they should not fashion it or use a tool on it in any way, otherwise they would profane it.  Ever wonder why that is?  I don't know what Bible scholars know about this (and I'm deliberately not looking it up until I finish this post), but it struck me as this: if they don't use a tool on it in any way, then they cannot say they have made it or fashion it for themselves.  It struck me as a bit of a parallel to when the Israelites fashion a god for themselves, oh, say, the Golden Calf.  They even say to themselves, "Let us make for ourselves a god" (paraphrase there).  They know they are making it for themselves and that they are deeming it their god.  Don't we often have a tendency to elevate things we make?  We hold them as precious.  Would it be possible that the Israelites might eventually look at this altar, and say, "Hey, look at this altar we have built.  Let's bow down and worship it!"  I don't think it's as far-fetched as it seems, seeing as they were quite willing with the Golden Calf.  If you look throughout God's Laws and His commands, many of them (if not all of them) are intended to prevent His followers from harm.  You'll see that as we get into Leviticus.  Could it not be that this seemingly obscure and obtuse command would do the same?

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 22:1-23:9

Exodus 19:1-20:21

Have you ever thought about what it might be like to live at the base of the Mountain of God?  We often think about how we have such easy access to God: the way has been made by our Savior and we are not only allowed but welcomed into the Throne Room of God.  Not so here.  Israel is encamped at the base of what would become known as The Mountain of God because this is where God chose to dwell and to reveal Himself to Israel for a time.  God appeared in thunders and lightnings, billowing smoke and cloud, fire, and trumpet blasts.  But it's been made very clear that if anyone so much as touches the base of the mountain, they would be stoned.  What a contrast to today!  When I've heard people open prayer with, "Hey, God!"  We are allowed a level of intimacy with God that no one had known before Christ made us co-heirs.  But it does beg a question within me: have we gone too far the other way?  Have we accentuated God's love and familiarity at the expense of the fact that He is GOD.  God, immortal, infinite and holy, completely and totally sovereign.  GOD.  Have we allowed ourselves to forget (or ignore) the reverence with which we should hold our Savior and Creator?  I don't have the answer to that.  Or maybe the answer is, "Maybe."  Or, "It depends".  Perhaps every case is unique and special.  But reading this passage I was impressed with the fact that Israel got to see God's presence, something we long for today, and they weren't allowed to draw too near for fear of their lives (God held their lives as precious, too, or He would not have warned them).  We, today, who desperately wish we could see a tangible, even physical manifestation of God, are allowed the greatest intimacy ever granted to mankind since Adam and Eve lived in the Garden: we are welcomed, loved, adopted.  Quite the paradox, isn't it?

Notice, though, that after this is the Ten Commandments.  Again, coincidence?  I think not!  God has already been hinting at the covenant He would make with Israel.  Now they begin to see both His power and awesomeness, and also begin to learn what the requirements of the Law will be, all summed up in the Ten Commandments.  Here we see the beginnings of the Law, the Law on which everything either hinges or takes its shape.  Oooh, these are exciting times (or rather, passages)!

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 20:22-21:36

Exodus 17:8-18:27

Happy Sunday!  I have read the reading, have you?  I have to admit, every baby-free moment I've had today has been rather occupied, and I haven't had much chance to write.  And now... I need to return the internet.  So, this is me just checking in to acknowledge I've read my portion for today.

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 19:1-20:21

Exodus 16:1-17:7

It's amazing how hunger can really reduce you, isn't it?  The Israelites had been groaning under Pharaoh's hand, pining to be free of their slavery.  Now they are hungry, and perfectly willing to go back to that slavery in order to be fed.  Here, God uses the opportunity to both teach and provide: teach, that the Israelites might have faith and understand that God is not one to leave them on their own, He is faithful; provide, in order that hte Israelites would be perfectly dependent upon Him for all their needs.  When you read Deuteronomy, it shows how God sustained the manna and the quail for them throughout 40 years of wandering between Egypt and the Promised Land; and not only food, but their clothes never wore out!  But this was also a time of testing: they had to obey God's instructions.  He told them to gather no more than they needed for the day, only on the sixth day keep some in reserve.  Already, the Lord was setting a precedence for the Sabbath.  When some ventured out on the seventh day to gather, God immediately set forth strictures: it was imperative the Israelites obey God's Word!  If they couldn't do it now, by simply refraining from gathering manna on the seventh day, then how would they keep the whole of His Law in order to fulfill the covenant?  That covenant is what the entire Old Testament rests upon: keep God's commandments, and Israel would prosper.  If they didn't, God would discipline them and they would experience difficult times, all with the end in view that they would return to God where they belonged.  God is already preparing them when He gives them orders now.  How will they fare?


Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 17:8-18:27

Exodus 15:1-27

It's incredible, isn't it?  Israel goes from a stunning high to a stunning low.  Throughout the reading of Moses' and Israel's song to the Lord on seeing the Egyptians defeated after the Red Sea Crossing, I kept thinking to myself, "You know, we just don't worship like that anymore."  We don't, really, do we?  Part of that is culture and how styles change.  Another part of that is that we rarely seem to cry out in joyous worship, even when God does something incredible in our lives.  And here, Israel is standing on the banks of the Sea, rejoicing and giving glory to the One who truly deserved it. 

And then, God leads in them into the wilderness.  And three days later, (three days), Israel is grumbling because the water they find is bitter.  Here are some things I think we should remember before we pass down judgment: three days is a long time without fresh water (maybe no water).  I don't think many of us have experienced that kind of thirst.  But I think many of us can identify with the moment where we think we are finally going to receive relief from a burden, a stressor, or a worry, only to find out that it not only does not relieve us but the disappointment compounds our troubles.  I imagine Israel was in such a moment.  In hindsight, it's so easy to say, "Have faith!"  After all, we know that just around the corner was the oasis God had intended for them (after all, there are twelve springs and twelve tribes.  Perfect?  I think so).  But Israel didn't know that.  How often do we meet a crisis and just when we think we'll find relief, are disappointed and even angry when it doesn't prove to be the case?  Do we hold on in faith that a restful spring is just around the corner?  Or do we complain to God?  I know which I have done lately, and it's not the answer I wish I could choose.  It's very easy to complain when you can't see any further ahead then the feet you're walking on.  But that is the way God guides us.  That way, we are relying on Him, rather than the path we can see.  Isn't that right?

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 16:1-17:7

Exodus 13:17-14:31

True fact: Almost never do I find that a movie does justice to the written word.  Harry Potter?  First two were okay, the rest not so much.  Lord of the Rings?  Again, the first was pretty good, but the variations from the text became more and more pathetic as the movies went on.  (Really?  Arwen's life-force tied to the ring and she'll die if it isn't destroyed?  How did THAT happen since she never carried it (and that she's immortal)?  Come on.)  Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Lightning Thief?  Laughable.  The most notable exceptions I would say are The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (loved it better than the book), and the BBC Colin Firth/Jennifer Ehle version of Pride and Prejudice.  Oh, and Emma Thompson's Sense and Sensibility.  But, seriously, that's it.

What does this review on movie adaptations have to do with the Exodus?  Just this: I just don't think movies can do justice to what you can read.  They almost, almost always fall short.  So, it is impressive that one of my favorite movie moments is an adaptation, and an adaptation of the Bible, no less.  And yes, it is the parting of the Red Sea in The Prince of Egypt.  There are many things about that movie that I find quite off (though I really did enjoy it).  But the Burning Bush and the Parting of the Red Sea were fantastic.  I still feel that little trill of awe inside me when I think of the lightning flashing so that you see the outline of a whale just beyond the surface of the water (which, I know, is highly unlikely in that part of the world, but it brings home the point that they're walking between two walls of water).  It really put me in the moment of what it might have been like to walk on dry ground with the walls of sea rising above you.  Yes, I can imagine that they had to carry torches to see in the depths of the sea bed.  Imagine the force of the water as it came crashing back down behind them!  The majesty of it rising as it pushed away from a path for them to pass!

Yes, I do like to imagine myself, or put myself in the narrative of the text.  It helps me to understand and visualize it better.  What would it have been like to be one of the Israelites?  To be standing on the shore, with the mountains and wilderness you've just passed through behind you, and Pharaoh and his armies hot on your heels?  Terrifying!  And then Moses tells you to shut up and have faith!  How humbling, how extraordinary, how awe-striking it must have been!  What a wonderful picture of God's love and provision.

And to know He did it on purpose.  Yes, He did it on purpose.  I did a study called One in a Million by Priscilla Shirer (it's really good, check it out!) this past spring.  It was challenging and it was good (and so relevant to my life those several months!).  If I took nothing else away from that study, I understood what Shirer highlighted for those studying along with her: that God purposely turned the Israelites from the easy way and led them along a long, difficult road that ended at the sea.  Why?  To protect them: if they'd gone through the land of the Philistines they would have been frightened by war and fled back to Egypt.  They would have missed the destiny God had waiting for them.  And also, to show them, again, His might and His power and His love for them.  He led them purposely on the hard road to bless them.  And that is what God did for me.

Oh, there's so much more I could say about this passage: what about the Pillar of Cloud and the Pillar of Fire?  (HOW COOL would that have been to see?)  Pharaoh's about-face.  The evidence for the Red Sea crossing (it's out there).  But, really, I think it's an amazing story.  An amazing true story.  About how God loves and protects and provides.  And He just wants us to trust Him.  "The Lord will fight for you; you only have to be silent."


Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 15:1-27

Exodus 12:31-13:16

430 years to the day that they arrived in Egypt, the Israelites left it.  The Bible says it was a "night of watching" that the Lord brought them out of Egypt safely, not only Israelites but a mixed multitude.  The past several weeks had convinced others to abandon (or escape, either one) along with the captive slaves.  Eventually, however, this multitude, which will come to be called the "rabble", will be a thorn in Israel's side; at least some among the multitude.

For now, the Lord has instituted the Passover Feast as a rememberance for these days and the amazing journey the Lord will take Israel through to leave Egypt, and not only Egypt but Egyptian influences behind.  The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, even to this day, are celebrated and the story of the Exodus and its miracles are retold.  Throughout Jewish culture and religious practice, commemorative practices like the Passover and the Feast are instituted to remind the Israelite of of God's goodness to them.  When they enter the Land, they erect remembrance stones as a reminder of how they came to the Promised Land.  Eventually, even religious and cultural dress will have symbolic meanings to remind the people of what God has done and all they have been through.

Sometimes I wonder if we could use a little more of that in every day life.  Of course, it would be easy to take a ritual or tradition and just make it a ritual or tradition, void of what it was designed to remind us (Christmas, anyone?).  But how often does God do incredible and mighty things in our lives, and yet we do little to stop and thank Him, let alone make it a practice of remembering it?  Some of the Psalms are histories to remind Israel of the blessings God had bestowed on them, of all the wonderful things that He did.  Would it do us good, as well, to have something to remind us of all He has given to us?  We have communion, and we should definitely use it as an opportunity to reflect and to give thanks.  But what more could we do?  Even individually?  One thing that I did this past New Year's, as it was my anniversary, was to give a prayer of thanks for my husband and our marriage.  It's a bit of a blur, because we were still in the adjustment period of having a baby, and I was still sleeping only a few hours a night, but I think we even prayed together.  I intend to do it every year, that an important focus for our anniversary is to recognize God's blessings in our marriage and to thank Him for preserving and growing our marriage.  But what other things could we do?  Look around at your own life.  What could you do?

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 13:17-14:31

Exodus 10:21-12:30

What a horrible time!  I cannot imagine.  Egypt is struck by plague after plague, to be culminated in three days of darkness, where no one can see the hand before their face (no one but the Israelites, that is), and then the firstborn of every family dies.  "...There was not a house where someone was not dead."  That's a lot of people.  I think of the movie, "The Prince of Egypt" that represents the Lord coming and taking the breath of the firstborn as they sleep. Definitely a little hair-raising, that scene.  But if you think about the fact that the Egyptians had been sitting in darkness for three days, unable to move or work, the horror of this new darkness of grief is compounded, making three days without light possibly laughable.  Every time I read this passage I think about that juxtaposition: physical darkness, and the darkness of grief.  I think it would have left Egypt in desolation in the wake of Israel's exodus.

Do you think any of the Egyptians heard about the blood and hyssop branches?  I think of those among the Egyptians that feared God enough to bring their servants and their animals in from the fields when warning came of the hail.  Wouldn't they have done the same if they had heard the instructions for safeguarding their homes and their children?  The Bible says Moses and Aaron brought together the elders of Israel.  It would seem that the instructions then trickled down from the elders.  They were, after all, preparing to flee by night.

I wonder what Egypt was like when the smoke cleared.  Once the Hebrews were gone and the plagues over.  God promised to show Himself as Lord GOD there among them.  But it doesn't seem to have lasted beyond a generation, does it?  It makes you quite sad, first for those who saw the power of God and did not turn or bend the knee, and for those who came after who were never taught.

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 12:31-13:16

Exodus 9:8-10:20

I gotta give it straight: it's late.  I've been doing a LOT today (stripping wallpaper, going to family gatherings, trying to keep my daughter happy, and uploading pictures, just to name a few.  I didn't mention the laundry...).  I have lots of thoughts tumbling in my head about today's reading, but I don't know if I can make them make sense.  So, here's a couple in no special order:

• Note that the boils only hit the Egyptians and the magicians.  The Israelites were spared.
• Notice that those among Pharaoh's people who feared the Lord marked what Moses said and took their servants and their animals inside to protect them from the hail.  Already by this time Egyptians were beginning to fear the Lord and acknowledged His power.  But how many acknowledged His Sovereignty and His dominion?  That's different than acknowledging power.
•  That hail must have been some kind of awful to produce such destruction!  We here in Kansas know the power of hail, but still, while it might damage a crop, it hasn't always completely destroyed it.  
• The hail has damaged the flax and the barley.  It has also struck down what little remaining livestock there were after the plague on the livestock themselves.  Now, locusts are coming to eat what is left in the fields!  This would have been incredibly devastating ecologically, agriculturalist, and financially for Egypt!  First, a drought likely came becuase the Nile was turned to blood.  Secondly, the livestock are struck so they are limiting the amount of work that can be done because of their absence.  Hail is the first plague to directly strike crops, but then locusts come to eat them up.  Would there have been anything left by the final plagues?
• Pharaoh did a fakey: he actually acknowledged that he had sinned and was in the wrong, but was only willing to do so while the hail lasted.  Once the problem was over, he went back to his original stance with a hard heart and a hard head.  He did it again with the locusts.  As long as things were bad, Pharaoh was willing to admit he needed God.  When things were fine again, he changed his tune.  Know anyone like that?  Are you like that?

That's about as far as I can go.  My eyes are crossing and I can barely spell (though Spellcheck seems to have it even worse, as it couldn't recognize "directly" with the "i" and "r" interposed).

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 10:21-12:30

Exodus 8:1-9:7

The plagues of frogs, gnats, and flies, and then the livestock die.  Interesting, isn't it, that though the magicians could "replicate" the swarms of frogs, it was to Moses and Aaron that the Pharaoh went for relief.  You would think that if the magicians could produce frogs, they could banish them, too, and that Pharaoh would choose to go to his own people rather than seek out these hecklers for help.  But he went to Moses and Aaron and even went so far as to set a day and time for Moses to intercede on his own behalf before the Lord.  Which Moses did.  Moses kept his end of the bargain, and... Pharaoh did not.  Big surprise.

Did you notice that when the plague of gnats came, even the magicians acknowledged that it was the finger of God that brought these things upon Egypt?  But Pharaoh hardened his heart.  I think it likely that Pharaoh knew it as well, but refused to bend his knee.  Pharaoh was ever a mocker and scorner where the Lord was concerned.  And so, the flies came as well.  Notice, also, that Pharaoh gave them permission to sacrifice to God within the land of Egypt and that Moses and Aaron refused the stipulation on the grounds that the Egyptians would be offended, not that it was not possible.  The Lord certainly could be worshiped anywhere (especially since Temple worship was not in existence), but that was beyond the point.  Pharaoh was to let the people go, and he wouldn't.  He cheated the Israelites again and again.  Compromises weren't possible.  First, that was not the Lord's intention; second, because Pharaoh could not be trusted.  So far we've seen the plagues of frogs and flies repealed, but not the gnats or the blood in the Nile.  Did they remain?  I rather think so.  It would be miserable living in Egypt at this time.

And it gets worse: the livestock die.  Pharaoh is warned, but he doesn't listen.  This plague is severe because both animals for work and for food are affected and they die: no food, no work animals.  This one also sets the people of Israel apart because their livestock are left unharmed.  Notice, that as the plagues continue, the Egyptians begin to mark what the Israelites do in order to spare themselves the carnage.

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 9:8-10:20

Exodus 6:13-7:25

And so it begins.  The Lord sends Aaron and Moses before Pharaoh to command him to let His people go, to speak all the words of the Lord to Pharaoh, and God says up front that Pharaoh ain't gonna listen and he ain't gonna cooperate.  And God is going to send down all manner of plagues and judgment.  Egypt will know God is GOD by the time this is done.  (It's a shame they didn't pass on that knowledge to their descendants, isn't it?  Egypt is always a proverbial thorn in Israel's side.  Kind of similar to the "camaraderie" the United States and Britain enjoyed until the 20th century...)

First plague: water turns to blood.  This, I think, would be scary.  You live in a oasis that runs along the banks of a river, your only source for water, and it turns to blood.  Stinking, putrifying blood.  In the heat of the desert.  You know what I find interesting?  It doesn't say anywhere that the Nile ever turned back.  It says seven full days pass after this encounter, but that is just referring until the next encounter.  For all intents and purposes, it seems the Nile remained blood for quite some time, if not the duration of the plagues.  Good thing we're rereading that right now so I can go through and check again.  But, I imagine that the Egyptians were digging along the Nile for water throughout the plagues.

Another interesting thing: it says Pharaoh's magicians did a similar thing by the "secret arts", turning water to blood.  However, I wonder, what water did they use?  Because Moses and Aaron has already turned the entire Nile to blood, and in God's command He said He would not only turn the Nile but also water in the canals, the ponds, pools, and even in their clay and stone vessels.  What was left for the magicians to turn?  It seems trickery was at work there, some "slight of hand" and that Pharaoh willingly believed it because of his stubbornness more than anything.

One last interesting thing: it says seven full days pass after the Nile turns to blood.  In one sense, this isn't a lot of time.  You get a week before the next catastrophe strikes.  That's not a lot of time.  That's not a great deal of time to recover.  Can you imagine a catastrophe hitting you every week, every seven days?  It wouldn't be many weeks before you started flipping out.  Definitely not before I started flipping out.  But, here's the paradox: it's also quite a bit of time.  How so?  There are many naysayers to the Divine in the plagues and exodus in the Bible that try to explain these events through natural causes.  There are many explanations to the water turning to blood: perhaps there was an earthquake that released a gas that when it hit the water caused it to turn blood red and contaminate it.  If something like this happened, then it would be logical that not only would the fish in the water die, but then shortly after the frogs and insects associated with the water would start to seek other shelter, away from the river.  This, then, would explain the next few plagues of frogs, gnats, and flies.  However, wouldn't the frogs, gnats, and flies have been abandoning the river before the seventh day?  Wouldn't the frogs, at least, have been plaguing the shoreline and beyond within a day or two?  Seven days is a long time to wait to hover around, again, putrefying blood.  The Bible does report that the river stank.  That separation of time says to me that the frogs were sent by God, not as a logical, biological, natural result.  God is behind the plagues, it is His hand that moves across the land.  Remember, the Egyptians will know that He is GOD by the time He is done.

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 8:1-9:7

Exodus 5:1-6:12

This is belated, I know.  I could again blame it on a sick baby, the fact that I have to share the internet, and that I myself fell asleep on the couch last night at 8:00.  It would all be true; I just wish there had been ten more, no two more minutes, yesterday so I could get on and accomplish this.  I'm finding more and more that it is important for me to get on here and at least acknowledge that I did my reading.  It's not that I want to check it off my list, but that I truly want to accomplish this.

Yesterday we had Moses first confrontation with Pharaoh.  Anyone else think Pharaoh sounded scared?  Arrogant, definitely, but maybe under that imperious bravada, maybe he was running a little scared.  The Bible says in earlier chapters that the Israelites had become numerous; they were enslaved because they were seen as a threat.  Now, Pharaoh has building projects riding on the backs of the slaves (or "servants"), as well as who knows what else they might have used Israelites in service for.  What if this great and mighty nation left to worship their God... and never came back.  Maybe he was more savvy than we give him credit for.  But he immediately grinds them down and makes excuses for doing it, claiming they are lazy, that they are idle, they have too much time.  Why else would they want to worship their god, right?  Does this not really compute with anyone else?  I'm not so convinced that it was because Pharaoh was foolish, than that he was scared.  Or that his stubbornness before God was so much that he was a dumb fool as he was a scorning and mocking fool (Proverbs, yes, it rocks).  Those kinds of fools aren't stupid; it's something else entirely.

Regardless, there was a bit of a warning in Moses and Aaron's words to Pharaoh: let us go, lest God rain down pestilence and curses upon "us".  And by "us", we mean this land.  Ah, poor Pharaoh, if he thinks they were talking about the Israelites.  And that's exactly what follows, isn't it?  Pestilence and plagues and things that would have destroyed the Presidency of Egypt had been a democracy.

Today's Reading: Exodus 6:13-7:24

Exodus 4:1-31

A busy day, a crying baby who hasn't slept, and preparing for d-group (high school girls small group) has precluded me from doing much thinking or reflecting on my reading today.  Today's reading: God gives Moses powerful signs to prove he is in God's favor, a staff that will turn into a snake and to bring his hand from his cloak covered in leprosy, only to put it back in the cloak to be revealed again as healed..  Now, of course, the Egyptian magicians will be able to fake some facsimiles of these signs, and a few others that Moses might do, and Pharaoh will be hardened.  Also, there is that weird little passage where God almost kills Moses because his son is uncircumcised.  I don't have any insight that the Bible Knowledge Commentary, the Teacher's Commentary, The New Bible Commentary, or a host of others might not reveal to you, so I leave it to them.  But I do need to leave off now and put my daughter to bed before another meltdown hits.

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 5:1-6:12

Exodus 2:11-3:22

For several years, which we know pretty much nothing about, Moses lived as an Egyptian, part of the royal family.  We can assume that perhaps he was trained and educated along with any other males of the Pharaoh's family and given good opportunities.  He at least had freedom of movement (as he was free to go survey his people's condition).  However, it's clear that he never forgot, and was never blinded to, the fact that he was a Hebrew.  He might have stayed there forever, we don't know, if he hadn't killed the Egyptian.  I've always wondered why Moses saw that as a viable option.  It was definitely premeditated: he looked right and left to see if anyone was watching, and then he hid him in the sand.  Definitely trying to cover it up and get away with it.  Does it ever strike you as odd that God chose a murderer to do His work?

I rather think that Moses experiences in his middle years (post-Egypt, pre-Exodus) were among the most important formatively.  He went from being as a prince to being a hired shepherd, and then taken in as a son when he married Zipporah.  Reuel (or Jethro) also seems to have been a good father-in-law and mentor, as his advice in Numbers will prove later on.  These experiences prepared Moses to meet the Lord within the burning bush, an amazing passage in and of itself.  (Can you imagine seeing a burning bush that doesn't wither?  Can you imagine hearing God's voice coming from within it?)

But do you know the part of today's passage that struck me most?  This:

During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help.  Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God.  And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.  God saw the people of Israel--and God knew.  (Exodus 2:23-25)

Whoa!  Doesn't it give you thrills and chills?  It does me!  I really do get a thrill out of reading that last sentence: "God saw the people of Israel--and God knew."  It wasn't that God had forgotten the people.  It wasn't that He had turned His back on them or that He had forgotten His promises or that He had failed to see.  God had seen it all along, knew that this time of slavery was necessary as part of forming a nation out of an unruly people.  But man.   God saw and God knew.  It's almost like: ok, here we go.  It's gonna get started.  What a weight those words carry!  You can almost "feel it coming" for Egypt.  Egypt was to see the Might and the Glory of God before all was said and done.  God would be known as GOD, and none other.  You know how on movies and tv shows (and sometimes real life, sadly) you see a fight coming, and people get a little excited, and some fool has the brilliance to say, "Ah, yeah, this is gonna be good"?  It's like that moment here.  You know something's coming, you know that God's about to move.  All you want to do is hunker down to watch, as you think, "This is gonna be good."

Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 4:1-31