This passage seemed far-seeing, didn't it? Several things in the commands here dealt with things that would not be in use for a few generations, if not several. Such as the commands on how to handle disputes: to go to the priests in whatever city God chose, and the judge who would be in power at that time. The Israelites didn't have judges for several more years, until after Joshua and Caleb were gone and the Israelites began to stray. Between those judges, it was the priests who settled disputes. Then came also the laws concerning the kings. Kings! Israel did not ask for a king until the time of Samuel, several generations later (1 Samuel 8). Samuel was the last priest and judge of Israel. Samuel felt the request was a rejection of his leadership, but God knew that it was really a rejection of His leadership. And God foresaw that rejection even here, when the Israelites were standing outside the Promised Land. He knew the time would come. And He knew the nature those kings would have: He warned them to not take many wives, especially foreign wives, because they would lead their hearts astray. Did any king listen to that advice? He commanded them to write down a copy of the law for themselves and to read it daily (personal devotions anyone?) so that he would know the Law and obey it. We know so many kings completely ignored or were unaware of the Law, being lost somewhere along the way, because it was found in Josiah's reign during a renovation of the Temple (can you imagine it being in disrepair during Israel's occupation of the land? So weird to me!) (2 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 34. Also, the abominable practices: that Israel should never burn their children as a sacrifice or offering. Ummm, did someone not tell Manasseh this? (2 Kings 21) Apparently not, as the Law was found during his grandson's reign (2 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 34). I am unclear how long it had been missing, but it seems sometime, if those who heard it were ignorant prior to Josiah having it read to him. And this is not to mention that in the same paragraph the Lord warns against sorcerers and false prophets, personalities that riddle Old Testament history during the kingship period. Read any of 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel... the list goes on, and you'll come across a false prophet or a diviner for a foreign god.
God foresaw all of this before the Israelites even stepped into the land. If I were to think of God in human terms, I would imagine this hurt Him very much. I still think, because of God's great love for His people, He would mourn their unfaithfulness and the knowledge of it. I do not know how that translates into human emotions, perhaps it's greater than I might imagine. Still, the beautiful thing about God is that He is not waylaid like we might be. His plans move forward and His faithfulness is not shaken. He foreknew these events, and even warned His people of them, and His plans were laid to take care of them: both for their discipline and their provision. He is amazing, isn't He? My own mind cannot fathom. It's a wonderful and awesome thing that I am not God. And that God would never turn the reigns over to me in a Bruce-Almighty fashion. I'm just not capable of the task. But He is mighty and awesome in power and wonderful and majestic and just... GOD. He is more than capable to take care of all these things, and the little things in my own life. He is good!
Tomorrow's Reading: Deuteronomy 19:1-20:20
No comments:
Post a Comment