Thursday, March 25, 2010

Exodus 4.19-31, Mark 15.16-32 - Lectionary for 3/25/10 - Thursday, Lent 5

Today's readings are Exodus 4.19-31 and Mark 15.16-32.

In Exodus today we see that Moses is returned to Egypt.  The Lord has prepared him to face Pharaoh.  The Lord has also prepared the circumstances of Moses' return.  He has observed that the people who were going to kill Moses were all dead and gone.  He has visited Aaron to arrange a meeting, since Aaron is going to act as Moses' spokesman.

Observe the mirror image in verses 21-26.  Pharaoh will be punished by the loss of his firstborn son if he does not allow Israel to go serve God.  Yet because of the Moses' failure to keep the covenant of circumcision God threatens to punish Moses on behalf of his child.  So doing, our Lord teaches us that the disobedience of his covenant people is very serious.  As we harm our children by our failure, so the Lord allows the blame to be on our heads.  Yet at the same time, through the shedding of blood, our Lord has appointed forgiveness.  He has called out a special people to himself, through the shedding of his own blood, received by faith.

As the Israelites could do, so also we can believe.  We, like them, hear that the Lord visits his people.  We know our Lord has seen our affliction.  May we, like the Israelites, bow down and worship our Lord and Savior, who has come to us to redeem us through the shedding of his own blood.


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