The reading of the Law in the hearing of all the people was
in keeping with scriptural commandments in Deuteronomy 31 and Numbers 29. The first day of the seventh month may not
tip you off but the day is the beginning of the Jewish New Year, Rosh
Hashanah. Jews celebrate this as the day
on which Adam was created. The sages
teach that it was on this day Adam sinned and was forgiven by God. The
overriding theme of the day is Judgment, the Law convicts all of sin in
preparation for Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. We need to know God’s definition of sin in
order to be convicted of it, so the law is read. We see the people’s reaction to the
proclamation of the law as weeping, deep conviction and contrition. The leaders rush in and encourage them that
this is a holy day, they are not to mourn and fast, but celebrate, so they are
directed to go and “eat the fat and drink sweet wine.” The reason is that while
their sins are clear to them, the Lord’s goodness, mercy and forgiveness are
greater still. When was the last time
you wept at the confession in worship and rejoiced at the absolution?
Jesus had proclaimed in the synagogue at Nazareth that the
year of the Lord’s favor was being fulfilled in Him. That year promised reversal of fortune, joy
and gladness, the Lord’s mercy. In these
healings we see Jesus reversing the curse for those who come seeking healing
and wholeness. At the end of this Jesus
says He has compassion on the crowds, “because they have been with me now three
days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest
they faint on the way.” When the
Israelites left Egypt, when they had gone as far as their food would last, they
began to complain against Moses and Aaron because of the lack of food and God
had mercy on them because He had created mankind so that we need food and He
had called them out to the wilderness, a desolate place. He provided manna for them there. Jesus is motivated by this same compassion
and mercy for the crowds who have come out to follow Him and provides for them
miraculous provision of food. Their
response of faith in Him provokes His covenant faithfulness and love.
It seems strange, after the first two lessons emphasizing
God’s mercy and forgiveness, to read this passage of utter judgment. The difference is that judgment is done on
Babylon because she will not repent of her wickedness and sin. God’s people were commanded, like Lot, to
come out from the city lest they be caught up in the judgment. When we refuse to repent, refuse to come out
when called, refuse to put our faith in Him and His Word, we choose judgment instead
of mercy. Sin will be judged and those
who refuse to accept God’s Word place themselves in danger of that judgment. We are either aligned with Him or we are
aligned with sin. Conviction of sin is a
good thing, it allows us to choose mercy or judgment. This reading tells us that judgment, and
therefore our choices, are real and meaningful.
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