I want to write about my recent reading in Numbers, but want to provide some New Covenant texts as a pre-emptive counter to claims that "the Old Testament God" is a God of law and vengeance and the "New Testament God" is a God of love. (By the way, that is heresy. And the covenant(s) with God are with one and the same God.)
In Morning Prayer today we will read the letter to Sardis from Revelation 3. It includes these words of Jesus, "...you have a name for being alive, but you are dead.Wake up and strengthen what remains...for I have not found your works perfect in the sight of my God...obey it and repent. If you do not wake up I will come like a thief in the night." I found my meditation on these harsh words a bit unsettling.
It calls to mind verses from Hebrews 10:31 "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." The Greek word phoberos= "fearful" occurs only three times in the entire NT, all three in Hebrews. (see also 10:27 about fearful judgment and 12:21 Moses terrror at seeing God) http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G5398&t=NKJV
I read some Wisdom literature over the weekend and recall that verse, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." That concept occurs more than once I believe. So what would motivate such fear of God, if God is love? Well, the answer may well be found in pursuing yesterday's theme on holiness. God is holy. And being holy is sublime and unimaginable. In the Ancient Covenant texts there is a reminder that if we were to see God it would kill us. Humans can not bear to look upon God's perfection. (No more than a human can stare into the sun with unprotected eyes.) Humans, at least the ones I know, seem to be pretty oblivious to this. And most people I know (including myself at some level) react negatively to stories like the one in Numbers 16-17 which I prayed over yesterday in my Torah time.
A group of Israelites (Levites) were irritated with Moses and Aaron because they did not like the authority structure. They basically said, "we are as good as you, we should be priests." (Forgetting that priesthood was God's call and designation) Long story short, when the rebels came forward to use the incense (as priests) a fire went out from God and consumed them (16:35). This is similar to what will happen with the pagan priest and Elijah hundreds of years later.
Our American culture chaffs at such an idea. And many people would say God is wrong in His response. Lest we think this is unique to us, in Numbers 17:6 that is exactly what the people say, but they are careful to do it by shifting the focus onto His messengers. [And all the congregation of the children of Israel complained the next day against Moses and agaisnt Aaron, saying, "You killed YHWH's people."] First a side note, one of my pet peaves is the way people blame human messengers for God's message. When our readings for service include hard words of judgment or challenging words of exhortation, the frequent response to the preaching message is "wow, YOU were hard on us today" or "YOU are in a bad mood." It is convenient to avoid the Divine source. It is also a long standing practice (stretching all the way to the wilderness exodus!)
YHWH's response to the insolence (and untruth) is a threat to wipe out all the people. He tells Moses and Aaron to get out of the way. Instead , the two men begin to intercede. They fall on their faces. Then Aaron ran and made an incense offering of atonement to stem the plague which had broken out among the people. We read that 14,700 died. The priest's efforts are not in vain, the plague abates and the people are saved.
SO what to do with such an image of God?
Forget it, toss it aside, make happy thoughts by singing songs of joy and love?
Quake in fear and hopelessness, frozen and paralyzed with terror?
Retreat to bromides about 'saved by faith' or 'saved by baptism' and project judgment onto "others"?
Spend every waking moment self scrutinizing and making constant effort to be perfect?
The two extremes beckon. Mindless hope or a mind full of hopelessness are neither one an option. Instead, echoing my recent writings, read the whole bible. All of it. Nice and not so nice. Upbeat and downbeat. Love and grace. Demand and Judgment. Understand that God is love. Understand, as well, that God is holy. Being loved by and in love with a HOLY God is a different kind of love.
It is hard to know exactly what to make of the image of a fire breathing God consuming people while a priest armed with prayers for mercy and an incense pot stands in the brink. What we do know is the author of Numbers communicates to us some experience of God, some aspect of God. Aaron is a type of Jesus and the work of Jesus is seen here (in micro). We also see a God who relents, whose sense of righteousness and demand for obedience is balanced by mercy. He spares those not worthy of being spared (arrogant people who judge Him!!!) and that is good news for you and I. We have much in common with ancient Israelites. And God is the same God in every age.
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