Readings for today: Exodus 19-21, Psalm 23
“Christianity is not about rules, it’s about a relationship.” I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard this or said this myself over the years. It’s true of course. But too often people make the mistake of thinking this is a New Testament idea when in fact its roots go much farther back. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The same God who revealed Himself fully in Jesus Christ, reveals Himself to His people at Mt. Sinai as a God of relationship. A God who brought them out of Egypt on eagle’s wings. A God who delivered them from bondage and slavery. A God who refuses to abandon His people but remains faithful to the covenant He first made with Abraham and Sarah,
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery.” (Exodus 20:2 CSB) This is where the Ten Commandments begin. Not with a rule but with a relationship. Not with law but with love. “I am the Lord your God…” God has laid claim to this particular people. He has set them apart as a nation of priests in order to bring blessing to the world. They will serve as an example to the nations of what it means to live by faith. To walk in holiness and purity before the Lord. And to help them understand their new identity as God’s chosen people, God gives them a set of laws to govern their lives in an ancient near east context. Some of these laws - like the Ten Commandments - are transcultural, meaning they remain in force in every time and place. Some of these laws will be ceremonial, meaning they govern the worshipping life of ancient Israel and no longer apply in our context. Some of these laws are civil in nature, meaning they apply to the nation of Israel, a theocratic state that no longer exists. Don’t get lost in the details. The main point is to stay focused on what God has done to save and set apart His people.
The Apostle Peter will pick up some of these same ideas in the New Testament. He will call the people of God a “a chosen people” and “a nation of priests” and a “people set apart for God’s own possession.” You and I are grafted into the covenant. Through Jesus Christ, we enter into a relationship with God whereby He delivers and saves us from our sin. Jesus is the greater Moses. He accomplishes eternally what Moses can only do temporally. He secures for us a place in God’s eternal Kingdom and when that great day comes, we too will be lifted up on eagle’s wings to dwell with the Lord forever.
Readings for tomorrow: Exodus 22-24, Psalm 24