15 June 2010
Psalm 78:1-39; Num. 11:1-23; Rom. 1:16-25; Matt. 17:22-27

The people tire of the Lord’s provision. Moses hears the complaints of the people and goes to the Lord to quit his job. They are tired of eating only manna day after day and it is easy to see why, it would have been an incredibly boring diet. The problem is that they don’t speak to the Lord about it, they complain among themselves and ultimately what they are doing is complaining not only about the provision but also about the provider. It is hard to blame Moses for his attitude before the Lord here, how could he possibly do anything about the problem? He has put the people down is the bigger problem and now the burden will be shared by others, the elders. The Lord has given Moses this responsibility and now he has had enough of the people. The provision of meat that is promised is filled with sarcasm. The Lord is able to do whatever is needed, but the people didn’t ask for meat in faith, they grumbled against Him and now they will see that He is able to do abundantly more than they could have imagined.

Jesus asks an interesting question in response to the collectors’ request for Him to pay the temple tax. The children of the kings did not pay taxes and Jesus compares that situation with His paying a tax to the temple. His claim is that of Son and therefore it makes no sense to pay the tax but He complies in order not to give offense in this situation. The tax itself, however, is provided for in an interesting way and further reveals Jesus to at least one disciple, Peter, who alone knows the source of the money for the tax.

Paul says that we all share in the general revelation of God in creation and are therefore without excuse before Him. What we can know of God from creation is nearly without limit. He is a God of order and beauty, of differentiation and similarity, of grandeur and of intricacy, of love and concern for His creation, etc. We have been given the perfect environment in which to live and thrive and the conditions are met for the continuation of life via procreation and abundant resources. Any claim of knowledge and wisdom that denies God only points to folly as the evidence is so plain. Paul also clearly sees that the options, once God has been rejected, are rather limited, and we will worship or venerate something in creation if we no longer worship the God of creation.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as
it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.