Before Israelites went to the promised land - Moses engages them with the covenant of God. The Bible is the story of human kind with God. Covenant is an image that expresses strongest between people in this case, between people and God. Covenant is a relationship. Any relationship has two aspects to it - 1. Gifts 2. Tasks. Wherever have a gift, you have a task; where have a task, have a gift. Image we inherent and adapt it to hope. Sinai is a task. What happens when you break it? What happens to the relationship when all you have is gift? God promises life - gift. God does not give conditions. It is a promise. Abraham did have to leave his family and land - that was the task. Get up and go and I will give you these three promises: Last time he speaks to Abraham is to get up and go and sacrifice your son. It begins with a task and ends with a task. A grant, a gift but something has been done and something is expected. Think of a cycle. Get up and go - and I will give your ancestors land and you will be blessed. Story continues, Genesis moves to Egypt - to people - they become numerous in Egypt. They become oppressed and cried out to the Lord. God is the one who brings out his son out of Egypt. With Abraham - get up and go - God takes people out of Egypt - Then in the desert. Finally God brings them out of Mount Sinai. God brought out of Egypt - gift. People say they will bring out Torah - task. They will follow this task.
To be cont.
No comments:
Post a Comment