Standing Strong |
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Shabbat Chol HaMoed
Exodus 33:12– 34:26 Numbers 28:19– 25 Ezekiel 37:1– 17 Isaiah 53 |
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Isaiah 11:6 2 Thessalonians 2:15 |
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We are in the middle of the feast of unleavened bread and take a detour in our reading from Leviticus to focus on the required feasts of the L-rd.
Let’s reset the stage. Moses is on the mountain top with the L-rd G-d. Moses has pleaded with G-d to go with him and the people as they travel to the promised land and G-d has agreed because Moses enjoys G-d’s favor and because he is known to G-d by name. In other words, Moses is in close relationship with G-d. At this point Moses begs G-d that if he has found favor in G-d’s sight to show him G-d’s glory, “Show me your face”. G-d allows Moses to see His back, for no one can see the full glory of G-d and live. Moses gets insight the rest of us do not get to see. And what are the first actions after this insight and what does it have to teach us?
Moses again asked G-d to go with him and the stubborn obstinate people he is leading to the promised land. And how does G-d respond? G-d makes a covenant. They are not to allow any false G-ds in their midst. They are to make no pact with those who follow false G-ds. They are to follow only the L-rd G-d of Israel. And how are they to do this?
The first thing G-d tells Moses is to observe the feast of unleavened bread, offer the first born to the L-rd, observe the Sabbath and not work thereon regardless of the season of profit available to them, observe the Feast of Weeks (first fruits), and the ingathering at the end of the year. To observe the pilgrimage feasts of the L-rd and this specifically mentions Pesach / Passover. These are the terms of the covenant with G-d in which He will go with His people and dispose of their enemies.
WOW!
What does it take to have G-d go with us? We are to not associate with other G-ds, and we are to observe His feasts. The very first thing G-d gives to His people in order to have Him walk amongst them is to observe these feasts of the L-rd. These are the conditions of the covenant that allow G-d to be walking with His people.
These are not terms for being His people. So many people try to say the Mosaic covenant was conditional and Israel has lost it’s place as G-d’s people. This is a falsehood. G-d has a chosen people. G-d Himself has said they are His people for all time.
The conditional part of the covenant was in His willingness to walk in their midst. Re-read chapter 34 verse 10. This is the covenant that is conditional. G-d will walk among His people and perform wonders such as have never been seen. What G-d will do through his people will be awe inspiring. This has not changed for any of us. Whether your relationship with G-d is that of a born Jew or one of being grafted in, for G-d to work through us, for G-d to drive out our foes and the false G-ds before us, we must obey His voice and observe His feasts as directed. We can’t expect G-d to work through us, to show His glory to perform works that are awe-inspiring, if we are not keeping our part of this conditional covenant.
Selah |
