July 14, 2009

Texts:
Exodus 39 and 40
Romans 4

Exodus:
Do you ever wish God's presence were clearly visible? If the "cloud" was over the tent of meeting, the Israelites knew not to travel. When the cloud lifted, they moved on. Seems simple. But I suspect that God's visible presence would ultimately freak me out.
Would you welcome, or be worried by, a visible presence of God?

Romans:
In this next chapter of Paul's argument, he is addressing people who say that our relationship with God is justified by adoption into the covenant through circumcision and the law and the covenant.

While Paul's language can sound difficult to our ears, he is actually a gifted rhetorician. He is well trained in the ancient models of rhetoric and uses them to great effect. To his detractors, who appear to be using scripture to support their arguments, Paul does the same thing. He goes back to Abraham and makes the point that God gave Abraham his blessing BEFORE the Law and BEFORE the Covenant (and Circumcision).

In a similar way, Jesus--not the Law or the Covenant--become the future hope of Abraham.
I love Paul. Genius.