Genesis to Numbers

A few thoughts from reading those books the past few days...

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In Exodus 1, Pharaoh orders the midwives to kill all Israelite baby boys. To preserve lives, the midwives lied. And God was cool with that. God calls us to listen to the authorities above us. But when what we are asked to do is not in line with God's ways, it's okay to do otherwise. God > man.

The midwives lied. But in this case, they were considered shrewd, wise, and as the Bible says, "God fearing".

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Exodus ends with the completion of the temple, exactly as God commanded it to be. Perhaps in a way after building it, the Israelites were no longer an exodus (a mass departure of people) because after all, they were brought out so they could worship freely – and now they could.

It isn't about settling in the Promised Land. Rather, it is about worshipping freely in a God-honouring way, wherever we are.

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Leviticus is full of rules that are so exact. They reflect God. A God of precision, who knows exactly what He wants. A God you should fear because when He says you will die if you disobey, you will really die. Also, a God who says – you belong to me. Mine. 

We are His. We belong to Him. We don't deserve any of the promises He gives. Why should Abraham have received such blessing? But He gives, and He takes away. And He gives.

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In Numbers 16, a group of Israelites rebelled against Moses. It's scary because you know later in the chapter, God will wipe them out. After all, they complained and rebelled before, and bad things befell them.

Reading it as a story, the Israelites seem so silly. After all this time, do they still not trust God? But really, isn't this just reflective of human nature? We today are the same. We have what we need, yet still we complain. We receive blessings and see miracles, yet we rebel against what God has put in place. God, we are sorry.