Expose the Bible to its bare bones and what you have is promises. Covenants, old and new. It’s Israel’s story and it’s our story. It’s bad news – a breached relationship (actually, an unfathomable chasm) between us and God. But good news comes in multiple promises to bridge that gap. And with each promise the story gains momentum: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses/the Israelites, David, the New Israel. These covenants restore not just safe access to God but intimacy and worthy worship. And, though often shrouded in mystery, at the love story’s centre-point is the one who fulfilled the promises – God’s cherished son, king and perfect sacrifice. That bridge-builder between God and us is the one whom we daily celebrate and profess! But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s not be consumed with the finale at the expense of the first few acts. How did a hot-holy God even do business with generations of sin-infected people? To those promise-keeping patriarchs he sent disaster, he miraculously rescued, he hid in darkness, flame and cloud, he stunned in radiant light, he hollered in storms, he whispered. Let’s take off our shoes with Moses. (If it’s been a while since you walked with Moses I recommend God’s nitty gritty covenant-making, the book of Exodus, read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSmevXhc6IA ) Remember when Moses asked, "Please show me your glory…" God didn’t answer, "I can’t because you’d never comprehend." He said, "I’ll show you some of my characteristics but you would die from the terror if I showed it all." * Such dangerous glory! So, squint at just a hint. God’s idea for a squint-at-just-a-hint was a holy tent shrouded in cloud. And inside that, holy mediators. And beyond them, behind a huge curtain, a box. A glory box. So, what about this Glory Box where God touched down on planet earth? *See Exodus 33:18-23 and other encounters between Moses and God (Exodus 3:1-6; 24:9-11; 33:7-11).
Author: Sarah Raiter
You'll now find Sarah empty-nesting at St James Old Cathedral where Mike and she live and worship. https://containingcolor.wordpress.com