Since I started the MY Challenge, I've been talking about what I've read with Jason each night. One of my favorite comments from him was, "I don't remember ever reading that in the bible." It's really opened up the door and I'm thrilled! Our small group season usually runs Sept though May and we usually do a recap on the way home of what we've talked about but that's as far as it goes. I'm excited to see what else has in store to teach us. With that said, here's my journal entry....
"One of the stubbornly enduring habits of the human race is to insist on domesticating God. We are determined to tame him. We figure out ways to harness God to our projects. We try to reduce God to a size that conveniently fits out plans and ambitions and tastes. But our scriptures are even more stubborn in telling us that we can't do it. God cannot be fit into our plans, we must fit into his. We can't use God-God is not a tool or appliance or credit card."
-Eugene Peterson
I started reading Leviticus today. It takes the holiness to an entirely different level. This time it's in regards to offerings. There are so many different types of offerings with different animals and different things done to the animal. God also states what foods are acceptable. I want to look into this more by the way. In the process he says katydids (http://canalphotos.org/7-23_canal_katydid_3_PS_rz.jpg) are ok but skinks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Blue-toungued_skink444.jpg) aren't. I don't think I've read any other passage of scripture where the words "fat" or "unclean" are used so much. In case there's any question, God moves on to childbirth, infections, bodily discharges, and even sex. The devil isn't in the details, God is!! I knew that a woman was unclean if she was on her period, but I find the rules for childbirth bizarre. If a woman has a boy, she is unclean for 7 days. If she has a girl, she's unclean for 14 days. Then they have to wait a month or 2 months (if it's a girl) and go make an offering to God.
Numbers 22 makes me think of Shrek. Balaam kept trying to disobey God so his donkey kept him from traveling because she saw the angel in the road. Each time she was beaten. After the third beating, God gave the donkey a voice and she confronted him. Only God!
I'm amazed by how many times God wanted to completely wipe out all the people of Israel for disobeying him. Heck when Moses was on the mount for 40 days and nights, his own brother had people make a golden calf idol! Miriam was Moses' sister and God gave her leprosy when she was talking with Aaron about Moses behind his back. Like MY said in his blog "the lie of the devil is to follow your heart." What can we learn from the Israelites when they followed their heart at this point in their story? When you blatantly disobey God and whine about being better off in Egypt, He makes the earth separate and swallow you and your entire family into Sheol. He sends the plague to kill you. He has Phinehas, a zealous follower, drive a spear through an Israelite man and a Midianite woman's genitals for disobeying. Ouchy!!
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