Deu-ter-on-omy….It’s hard enough to pronounce let alone read the seemingly never ending thirty four chapters! In fact if you do venture to read this book you will soon find yourself asking ‘Did I not read this before?’ You see most of what we find in Deuteronomy has already been said in the previous three books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. So why should we be bothered to read it?

Another struggle with the book is there is not much action – nothing really happens. Exodus at least has the drama of the plagues and rescue, Leviticus makes us squirm with all the details of how to slaughter animals and Numbers for all it’s counting keeps us engaged with the the miraculous provisions in the desert and the odd battle too. But Deuteronomy has no action, all that happens is Moses dies: ‘And Moses the servant of the Lord died…as the Lord said’ 34v5, and even at that ‘no-one knows where his grave is.’ v6                                                                                                                                  However the death of Moses is very significant and it gives us the clue to understanding the whole book.

Who will replace Moses?

Moses was first introduced to us back in Exodus 2 when Israel were in slavery for four hundred years. God called and chose Moses to lead his people out of slavery. For the following forty years Moses led the people of God as God spoke through him. It was God who spoke to his people through Moses. Forty years later, Israel are standing on the East side of the Jordan ready to cross over into the promised land. But there is one person who is not going to make it. Right at the beginning of Deuteronomy Moses reminds the people of what God said: ‘Because of you the Lord became angry with me also and said, You shall not enter it, either.’ 1v37. Even when Moses asks God if he can go over God is emphatic in his response: That is enough…do not speak to me any more about this matter…look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan.’ 3v26-27. Then at the end of Deuteronomy we are reminded twice more that Moses will not go to the promised land: ‘I am now a hundred and twenty years old and I am no longer able to lead you. The Lord has said to me ‘You shall not cross the Jordan’ 31v2, and then finally God again reminds Moses: ‘This is the land I promised..I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you will not cross over into it.’ 34v4.

We are left with the people ready to enter the promised land but their leader is not going with them, in fact the book closes with his death. So the big question is who will lead the people as they venture into the promised land, who will speak to them from God?

Well Deuteronomy is a collection of final sermons from Moses to the people. It is a summary (Deuteronomy means second law), a repeat of all that God has spoken to the people. So while Moses will not be going with them God’s word will. That’s why no one knows the place where Moses is buried. It’s not important! We are to leave Deuteronomy not remembering Moses as a great leader but trusting that God’s word will sustain us and keep us as we journey on. It’s God’s word that will lead the people. Moses realises this as he faces his imminent death: ‘So Moses wrote down this law and gave it to the priests….when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose, you shall read this law in their hearing. Assemble the men, women and children, and all the outsiders living in your towns so that they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law.’ 31v9, 12                                          Yes other people will be chosen in place of Moses but they lead by speaking God’s word to the people.

Hearing God’s word

Since the book is a collection of sermons the emphasis is on careful listening: ‘Hear (50 times) now O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach (7 times) you. Follow (16 times) them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land…Do not add to what I command you to do and do not subtract from it but keep/observe (170 times) the commands that I give you.’ 4v1-2

God’s word is to be central to their life and living, because how they respond to it will be their life or death: ‘See I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction…now choose life so that you and your children may live and that you will love the Lord your God., listen to his voice and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life…’ 30v15, 19-20.

In fact the reason they wandered in the desert for forty years instead of entering the promised land is because they ‘rebelled against the command of the Lord your God’ 1v26..’in spite of his word you did not trust the Lord your God.’ 1v32.

So the people are commanded: ‘Do not turn aside to the right or the left. Walk in all the way that the Lord has commanded you so that you may live..’ 5v32, 28v14

Ultimately the call to hear God’s word is a call to choose Christ.

Jesus Christ comes as the ‘word of God’ John 1v1, he is the ultimate ‘Moses’ and in his words are life: ‘I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.’ John 5v24.

Moses spoke of the Christ to come: ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to Him’ 18v15. God said of this prophet: ‘I will put my words in his mouth..If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call to account.’ 18v18-19

So as we read Deuteronomy we are hearing Christ and as we listen, we are called to choose Christ, the true prophet and the one who has come to give us life in all it’s fulness.

(This life is seen in four themes that progress through Deuteronomy. We will look at these tomorrow)

‘But when the time had fully come, God sent his son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that they might receive the full rights as sons.’           Galatians 4v4-5

Intervention                                                                                                                      ‘When the time had fully come, God sent his Son…’

God looked down on the world, he saw the mess, the brokenness, the suffering and the pain. He saw how rebellious and disobedient people had become. Like a spoilt child on Christmas morning we have taken all God’s good gifts and have broken and destroyed them and then expected more. God saw that we were utterly weak and helpless and unable to change our situation. So without invitation, without consultation, God intervened. He took the initiative and did something about it. He could no longer sit back and let people and the world destroy itself. When the time had fully come God sent his Son.

Incarnation                                                                                                                        ‘…God sent his Son, born of a woman…’

It simply means that God became a man. While he was still God he was born into the world just like you and me and experienced the full range of emotions and feelings that you and I have. If God was going to help us he had to become like one of us. The creator of the world, who has no beginning or no end. The sustainer and provider of all life, who depends on no one and who needs nothing. The ruler of the universe, who is all powerful and all controlling – was born into this world. God came near and experienced the world, first hand, in all it’s mess, suffering and pain. He loved us so much that he moved in with us. Not only so he can know us but that we can know him – personally and intimately. We are reminded of this each Christmas through the name given to Jesus – Immanuel God with us. God sent his Son, born of a woman.

Identification                                                                                                                                    ‘…born under law to redeem those under law…’

To redeem is to buy back. It means to intervene into the life of someone who is utterly helpless and give them a life that they could not achieve on their own.                                 ‘Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written:Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ (Galatians 3v13)                                          God became like one of us so that he might identify with us. His identification was so great that he not only became like us he took the place of us. He came ultimately to take on himself the punishment that the law demands for our sin. Jesus did not stay in a crib he went to a cross and became a curse for us. On the cross he died for you and for me. He redeemed us, he rescued us, he gave his life for our sin so that we might have his life. Born under the law to redeem those under law.

Inclusion                                                                                                                               ‘…to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.’

This brings us to the climax, the purpose and reason of Jesus coming for us. So that we can be adopted into his family. No longer are we outsiders, excluded and rejected we are included into his family. We have been given the full rights as ‘sons’. A son has access to his Father. That means God is no longer to be feared he is our loving father. It means we are his valued and treasured possession and he now treats us as his own Son, Jesus Christ. But there is more. Sons are heirs of all that belong to their Father. So in the same way we will inherit all that God has for us – an eternal Kingdom ruled by justice and peace. As his children we will share in his eternal home.

Happy Christmas!

The recent and very sad death of Savita Halappanavar and her unborn child (see previous post) has re opened the debate on abortion. While the recent proposed motion ‘Termination of Pregnancy in Case of Risk to Life of Pregnant Woman’, in relation to the x case, was defeated there will almost certainly be new legislation on abortion in the new year. So what are we to think?

Generally speaking, it seems that Abortion on Demand is not supported, however abortion can be an option in the following circumstances: Rape, Suicide and Mothers life.

Rape At the very outset Rape is a horrible and henious evil act. It robs the victim of their security and innocence, and violates their human rights. While there can be healing, the physical, emotional and physcholgical scars will always be there. It is never justified. It is wrong. When a pregnancy occurs from rape the victim may seek an abortion on the grounds that the child is not only unwanted but as the child grows will be a continual reminder of the rape and the perpetrator. Therefore in this case an abortion should be allowed. However, when a pregnancy occurs from rape we are dealing with three people not one. Two are innocent, the mother and the baby, there is only one who is guilty, the perpetrator. So why should we give an innocent victim, the baby, a sentence more severe than the perpetrator of the crime? Why make the baby a victim? Why violate their human right to live? All life is precious and should be treated with dignity, respect and care. So while we seek the right to life of the unborn we should also seek the very best care for the mother, emotionally, physically and spiritually. Every resource, financial, medical and social should be available to the mother to support her through the pregnancy and care of her new born baby and into the future.

Suicide The x case of twenty years ago led to the call for an abortion when the mother was suicidal. As with all reasons for abortion it is very sensitive. While a mother may not want an abortion, her suicidal thoughts may mean her life is in danger. Therefore it is argued that an Abortion should be offered or advised – a tragic choice that just has to be made. However abortion in this case views the mothers life as more valuable and precious than the unborn child. All life is precious and all life should be protected. We are concerned and saddened by any suicide and we are equally concerned for the termination of a life who is completly dependant on the just and right choices of others. Rather than see an abortion as a tragic choice to be made we should have recources and care in place so that a mother has the choice of bringing the child to full term with all the support that is required. Would this mean more money? would this demand greater professional support? would this mean an increase of resources? Yes, yes and yes! and every mother who is pregnant and struggling with suicidal thoughts should be supported with the utmost care.  In fact, a mother who has chosen abortion can, in later years become suicidal because of her choice. So abortion in this case does not provide a solution but creates the very problem abortion was meant to solve. This is not a choice of either or, but, both and. All life needs protected.

Life of mother  This is perhaps the one most in our minds after the sad death of Savita Halappanvar. We still do not know all the medical facts, all we know is that the mother requested a termination of her pregnancy and her request was denied. So the reasoning is, when a mothers life is in danger for medical reasons an abortion may be given to save her life. This is very difficult and thankfully it is not at all common. Ireland has one of the highest rates of child birth and we can expect that to continue. However there are cases when a mothers life is at risk. So what should we do? First there should be no deliberate intention to end the childs life in a desire to save the mothers life. However there may be situations, which are very rare, where a mother receives treatment to save her life and as a result the pregnancy is terminated. But we should never see the child or mothers life as more worthy than the other. Second because of the advances in medicine we are now able to tell the health of the unborn. Sadly there are times when a child is born and is incapable of independant survival outside the womb. Such cases are extreme and are termed ‘anencephalic birth’ (born without a brain). When a mothers life is at risk and the unborn is unable to survive independantly then there maybe a case to terminate the pregnancy. However such circumstances are excepional and are never the basis on which to make judgements about abortion.

The debate about abortion will continue and we must make it our business to be clearly informed, medically and theologically, so that we are ready to give our answer and reason. ‘We must contend for the full dignity and humanity of every single human life at every point of development and life from conception until natural death, and we cannot rest from this cause so long as the threat to the dignity and sanctity of any life remains.’

A following post will look at what the bible says about Life.

Hearing the right voice

No longer is it national news, it is now international news. Newspapers and News channels all over the world are reporting the very sad and tragic death of Savita Halappanavar and her just 17 week old baby. The very real emotion of it all has reignited the whole abortion debate, with protests in Dublin and Cork, calls for new legislation and demands for abortion to be made legal. It seems no one is short of an opinion. Those who are pro-choice will say that Mrs Halappanavars death is reason enough to introduce abortion in Ireland, after all, if it was legal it would have saved her life. However when an Irish woman nearly died last year, during an abortion at a Marie Stopes clinic in  England, the same argument was not applied, after all, if it was illegal then her life would never have been in danger! Amidst all the voices and opinions who do we listen to?

First, I think we should listen to the voice of Praveen Halappanavar, Husband of Savita. More than anyone else he wants answers and an explanation but he has also requested privacy and time to greive. Right now Praveen is greiving the the loss of his wife and his child that he never got to hold and cuddle. In the emotion of it we should pray for Praveen and Savitas’ wider family as they come to terms with the loss of a dear loved one, what ever the cause of death may have been. What this may mean for pro-life or pro-choice campaigners is yet to be made clear, and whatever laws are passed Praveen will never see his wife and child again. Sometimes we need to greive with those who greive.

Second, I think we should listen to the voice of the 100,000 + who can’t give an oppinion. These are the voices of those who have been aborted by Irish women in the UK over the last 20 years. What ever the cause of Savita Halappavar’s death (the findings we may know later today), what ever legislation will be needed to bring clarity in a similar situation, let’s remember that while we all have an opinion many will never be able to say what they think – the most basic of human rights.

Third, I think we should wait and listen to the voice of those who have been given the responsibility of inquiry. Theirs is a difficult job as they interview doctors and staff and see what procedures were or were not followed. The truth is we do not yet know what was the reason and we will do well to wait, be patient and listen before passing judgement.

Fourth, I think we should listen to the voice of God. God is the creator and sustainer of all life, both mother and child, and is grieved when any life ends. God has compassion on all he has made and entered into this world as a baby to redeem and restore all life. The suffering and the tragedy that the whole Halappanavar family have had to go through is great and it is for this reason that Jesus Christ came – to bring hope, to bring life, to restore the brokenness we see all around us. The saviour of the world became a baby, lived and died and rose again to defeat death and offer eternal life to all who come to him. That’s why we celebrate Christmas – the birth of Jesus – who came for all people, Irish and Indian.

A recent PrimeTime report has brought our attention once again to the ‘Magdalene Laundries’. Originally set up to care for young women involved in prostitution, they became institutions run by the church and supported by the state for those, who for various reasons were in need of a home.                While the intention may have been good they soon became prison-like and those ‘caught in sin’ were sent and forced to work in terrible conditions as a form of penance and restitution. A very different response to the grace Jesus shows to all of us.

The name ‘Magdalene’ comes from a true story found in the Gospel of Luke*. The woman in the story is not named, perhaps to highlight her rejection in society. Church tradition tells us she was Mary Magdalene but there is no evidence of that within Scripture. The lady in the story however is described as ‘one who had lived a sinful life’ which suggests she led a sexually promiscuous life, but again we are not told what the sin is. So what has the story in the Gospel got to do with the Magdalene Laundries?                                                                                                            Well Luke’s story shows us the failure of grace-less religion and contrasts the restoring grace that Jesus offers to those who are most in need.

Before the story begins Jesus is accused of being a ‘drunkard and a glutton, a friend of “sinners”’. Clearly his association with certain people got him a bad name – but he was neither embarrassed nor ashamed with those he met as the following account tell us.

One of the Pharisees (The Religious Ruling Elite) named Simon invited Jesus to dinner. Jesus obliged. During dinner an uninvited ‘woman who had lived a sinful life’ gatecrashed. Ignoring all religious protocol she ‘began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them’. It’s the response of the Religious Leader that is both surprising and shocking. His private thoughts; ‘If this man (Jesus) were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is – that she is a sinner.’, are an indication of his heart attitude – judgemental, critical and superior.

This woman needs grace not criticism, restoration not condemnation. Those who claimed to be ‘God’s representatives’ failed those whom God came for.

But Jesus is a prophet and he knows what Simon is thinking. He tells a story.                            “Two men owed money to a certain money-lender: One owed fifteen months wage, and the other one months wage. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he cancelled the debts of both. Now which of him will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt cancelled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.  

Jesus however, not only knows the heart of Simon he knows the heart of the woman.                    “Do you see this woman? (In contrast to Simon)… she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair…she has not stopped kissing my feet…Therefore, I tell you her many sins are forgiven – for she loved much.” Jesus is not saying she earned forgiveness by being loving. No! He is saying her many sins are forgiven and this is how I know – she loved much. Her love is a sign she has received forgiveness. This is the restoring grace the woman was in desperate need of, that should have been evident in Simon. Jesus knows her heart. Jesus sees that her extravagant devotion is a sign that she knows her failing and therefore receives the loving and accepting welcome of Jesus.

While this woman went away renewed and restored Simon was left with the words of Jesus confronting his critical heart; “But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”                                 The story in Luke’s Gospel assures us that in Jesus we find the home, the refuge we all long for. A home full of grace, where the rejected are welcomed, the sinner forgiven and the broken restored. 

* The story can be read in the Bible. Luke’s Gospel Chapter 7 verses 36 – 50.