July 30

24 – there are many comments that could be made about the bread and the oil and the frankincense on the gold altar but I will say this – Jesus called Himself The Bread (of life!).  The Holy Spirit is referred to as “oil” (along with four other elements).  Imagine the scene of 12 gigantic loaves of bread made of a gallon of flour each.  That, the gold, the aroma in the room, flames flickering, orange glow on the walls,  this isn’t boring stuff, people. It would have been a marvel to be there.  Inspiring.

The incident of the half Israeli/half Egyptian who cursed and broke the 4th Commandment and was executed sends quite a message that still speaks 3400 years later.  George Washington came back to his troops once after his morning prayer session and heard a man swear and curse, mocking God to another man.  GW ordered him whipped in front of the whole army.  It sent a message to all soldiers –  that they were on a divine assignment to found a new country, under God, and the 10 commandments WILL be obeyed in this land.  Other laws are laid forth in the latter of this chapter.  They aren’t harsh/cold/ archaic/outdated.  It’s merciful – for the purpose of ending disputes and disagreements as quickly as possible.  People talk about getting even, but the truth is no one ever does get even. An accidental slip or bump is followed by a slap of retaliation for a misfortune that is perceived to be deliberate. Then comes a punch, then out comes the sticks, then the clubs, then the blades, then the guns, then the …   There’s a true story about a gang rival that has gone on the over 40 years. Thousands have been killed in hundreds upon hundreds of skirmishes.  How/why/what/where did it all start? It began over a pair of stolen tennis shoes/sneakers.  That’s it! true story. The Bible says [e.g.] a stolen pair of shoes needs to be returned with a fresh pair of new socks as compensation plus a second pair.  The human heart says, “uh, uh, grab weapons, sharpen the tips, lock and load, he’s going to payyyy BIG TIME!”               The biblical way is better. Always.

25 – The Sabbath Laws were a shock to the world. No one ever thought of anything like this, much less operated this way.  Land was worked until it was stripped – the term is “desertization”.  Slaves and workers were worked to death the world over prior to hearing of this – the Sabbath Laws.  The seven-day-week comes from this literature.  Life could now then have a pattern to it. There was a cycle, a schedule that bio-rhythmically worked with us and it was humane. Productivity resulted from this new schedule. Life expectancy rose again because of this.  It was very typical for the Egyptian river boat slaves (especially them) along with most slave laborers to die in their 30s. Many of these men died in their late 20s.  God made this SAbbath rule because He loves us.  The dustbowl of the 1930s resulted from the ignoring of the sabbath laws for agriculture. Who was rejoicing over this geological tragedy? No one.  The Year of Jubilee: imagine that being applied today?  People would cry “fiscal irresponsibility!”  Do you wonder what the government would wail about? They are the regents of irresponsibility. It’s the way back for a new start.  Relax, the rich will get rich again.  It will take a decade at most.  The poor will get poor again.  It will take a decade … at the most.  The Jubilee Year makes 100% sense.  There are pagan organizations that lend out loans in Asia.  The quickest they can be paid back is a century!  This shackles at least four generations of extended families.  It’s just wrong. God’s way is better <–  Have y’heard that before?

26 – This is a chapter of tremendous promises for everything wonderful that most everyone wants … unless they are a sadistically depressed Satanist.  It also contains a list of horridly frightful warnings against all the calamity no one really wants … unless they are a, uh, let’s see, oh yes, unless they are a sadistically depressed Satanist.  It’s very similar to Deuteronomy 28.  When God finished telling this list to Moses in Deuteronomy 28, He told Moses essentially, “btw, Moses, they are going to disobey.”  Believe it. It’s pathetically true.  The fact of life is that without the Holy Spirit assisting those who are yielded to God, it is not possible for a person, a family, a church, a group, a community, a state, a country, a people to do right start to finish.  God’s help is needed.  To do right by God requires God’s help.  He has a better way.  He always does.