The New Moses

Day 18: Exodus 36–40; Psalms 61–66; Luke 4–6

"I will live in Your tent forever and take refuge under the shelter of Your wings," the psalmist prays (Psa 61:4) and points to the place where God dwelt among the Israelites in the desert, the Tent of the Tabernacle.

As I wrap up Exodus and continue my journey through Psalms and the Gospel of Luke, I am struck by the ministry of Jesus beginning with a 40 day experience in the desert where he was tested just as Moses and the Israelites were tested.  Jesus passed the test.  He emerged from the wilderness and faced a variety of conflicts with religious leaders, the old wine skins who cannot be filled with the new wine of Jesus' faith.  Satisfied with the old, they are not even interested in trying the new (Lk. 5:37-39).  They criticise the liberty Jesus and disciples enjoy during Sabbath.  Jesus chooses liberating those oppressed by illness and spiritual bondage rather than attend to every law restriction.  Jesus tells them the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.  Sabbath keeping should not be a burden, but a renewing time of joy in the community that loves God.

Moses taught to kill anyone who works on the Sabbath because it is a holy day to be observed in obedience to God. Serious stuff!  Jesus was a Sabbath observing Jew and went to synagogue each week.  It is sad that the place where He should find joy in the Lord, He finds resistence to His ministry.  The men in the synagogues resent that He heals on the Sabbath or that He, a Nazarene, teaches with a profound authority.

Moses faced similar conflicts and challenges to his leadership, but Jesus is more than Moses. This is the visitation of God in the flesh. 

12 tribes gather to construct the Tabernacle "just as the Lord had commanded Moses." (Ex. 39:42) and Jesus chose 12 apostles to go and continue His ministry of teaching, healing and liberation (Lk. 6:18).   He taught the blessings and curses of the new covenant community (Beatitudes - Lk. 6:20-26) just as Moses set before the Israelites life and death and encouraged them to choose life (Deut. 30:19-20). 

God's glory filled the holy place He commanded Moses to construct.  Whenever the cloud of His presence covered the tabernacle with His glory, the Israelites stayed encamped with God in their midst.  When the cloud lifted and moved onward through the wilderness, they broke camp and followed the pillar of cloud.

If only I had a cloud to follow, then I would always know where to go.  But would I always follow? Or would I like Peter say to the Holy One, "go away from me, Lord. I am a sinful man."

If I am going to follow Jesus, I have to let go of my fears and my feelings of unworthiness and accept that He called me regardless of my weaknesses.  He encourages saying, "I will make you fish for people."  For Christ came for the sick, not those who don't need a doctor.

Lord, help me to put into practice what you teach and join you in teaching, healing and liberating people. Help me to become the good tree that bears good fruit. Amen.