As we begin this week, we end these five books we call the Books of the Law. Tradition credits Moses as their author. Today, we read chapters 32-34.
Sing it
This all begins with the Song of Moses. I have been a songwriter as long as I can remember. When I was four or five years old, I remember playing a little plastic guitar and making up lyrics.
In my teens, writing songs was my refuge. With my heartbroken, I would grab my dog, Java, drive to a place overlooking the city, sit on my car’s hood with my Yamaha guitar and notepad, and draft songs.
In my twenties, as I struggled with facing life with a disability, I discovered that playing music in nightclubs made it easier to talk to women. I was always shy and dancing was not a viable option. But if I sang and played, all I had to do was respond when they came to tell me they liked my songs.
Because I have a unique voice and never sounded like anyone else, I would play songs I wrote. The advantage was I couldn’t play them wrong. No one had ever heard them before.
God’s protection
I wish I could have written a verse as beautiful as 32:11, “like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft.”
In my mind, I can visualize this majestic sight. They say animals don’t love, but seeing this, it is hard to accept.
The mother eagle is teaching her young and still protecting them. Allowing them to face danger, but refusing to let them be harmed.
This is a picture of how God allows us to experience hurts and fears.
The baby eagles with their undeveloped minds, wondering why their mother would forsake them and let them fall. Learning, when they are rescued, they can always trust her.
God uses trials in our lives to teach us these same principles.
They fly away
At a certain point in their development, the eagles will leave the nest.
As a father who rarely sees his son or grandkids, I know the pain this mother eagle would experience. Still, you have let them go. It is the natural process.
God provided everything the people needed and as they reached the promised land, they grew fat and abandoned Him. He understands our pain. They rejected the Rock, their Savior. (32:15).
They deserted Him and forgot the God who bore them. So He hid his face from them, calling them “a perverse generation, children who are unfaithful.” (32:20)
God allows suffering
People will question why a loving God allows famine and disease. When we lose loved ones, it is painful. We watch the news and see violence everywhere and contemplate how God doesn’t step in. Verse 32:24-25 answers this question.
We read how God was ready to destroy these people several times, but Moses intervened, reminding Him that the enemies would then claim He couldn’t deliver them. So He tolerated their actions.
Knowing they lacked sense and had no discernment, He provided an answer.
He would come down from heaven, like an eagle from above. He would live as one of us and die for sins He did not commit.
If we refuse to acknowledge Him as Lord, we are told that disaster will come to us and we will look to our idols. Our wealth will not save us. The armies and technology will not protect us. Government will be powerless against what will come if we refuse to repent and turn to God.
He is God, and only He can put to death or bring to life. We can trust Him to heal our land if we repent of our idolatry.
We can be certain that we will leave these short, wonderful, sometimes miserable lives. He will gather us to our people. Those who went on before us and are waiting beyond for us.
