the ruminations of aaron eberline

Moses has died and it is time for the Israelites to move to take possession of the promised land. Reading Joshua makes me excited because I am back to reading a narrative story about the people of Israel instead of the law which was detailed thoroughly in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. How will the people honor and follow God’s command to obey Him? Will Joshua be an effective leader and instill dependance upon God? I am looking forward to seeing how these questions and others are answered in Joshua. Read more

What would overtake you? I remember the feeling of speeding along in my car loving life as the wind blew through my hair when suddenly I felt despair and regret as I saw red and blue lights flashing behind me. I was quickly overtaken and pulled overtaken because I was breaking the law. Being pulled over for speeding is one poignant example of being overtaken but there are many things that we can be overtaken by some of which we would welcome and others we would dread. In Deuteronomy chapters 27 and 28 God makes a promise to the Israelites that they will be overtaken by either blessings or curses and this outcome will be directly related to their obedience or disobedience. The choice was theirs. What was their reaction to this promise from God? What would be your reaction to hearing that? Read more

Leviticus is a continuation of a love story. In this chapter of the story God instructs Israel with an in depth view of the 10 Commandments that He gave to Moses in Exodus 20. My view on the book of Leviticus was challenged and changed through my slow reading of it. My initial perspective was that Leviticus was a book of bloody sacrifice and my only route to get through it was using a ‘blitzkrieg’ method for reading it quickly. There are a lot of laws and sacrifices presented in the book but it is just the opening paragraph to God’s redemption of man. The Israelites were worshiping and following God by obeying Him.

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