Sunday, June 27, 2010

Entry 38 Exodus: 33-40

Dear Reader,

I finished Exodus; I’m pleased with myself, even though nothing much happened in these last few chapters. I am unclear on a few topics- “Why can’t anyone see God’s face?” and why are the people of Israel called “a stiff necked people.” Anyone with input is welcome to post.

The people made too much of what God commanded in Chapter 36. This is normal. If God were to command something we could produce to specification, I’m sure most Americans would make too much of it, as well. When God makes a specific request, honoring it is, I feel , human nature.

In chapters 37 and 38, nothing of note happened. The only interesting thing that happened was that Moses was pleased with the building that had been completed. In chapter 40, there was one really pretty piece of language, when God said that he would be “in the sight of all the House of Israel throughout all their journeys.”

Tomorrow, gulp, it’s on to Leviticus!

1 comment:

  1. “Why can’t anyone see God’s face?” - Not sure if this answers it for you, but I see here God wanting them (and us) to know just how holy he is, and how sinful man is. So holy that people would die if they saw his face. That kinda sets things up for when he comes down to live with them in ch 40.

    "Why are the people of Israel called “a stiff necked people.”" Remember what's gone down so far - God took them out of Egypt through a series of miracles/judgments on Egypt. Led them through the Red Sea, destroyed the Egyptian army, fed them manna each day - and even after having seen all that with their own eyes, they still persist in worshiping gods made of stone. And they only show more of that "stiff-neckedness" as things go forward in the account.

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