Nougat 17

Siblings

Some Bible texts are hard to read for various reasons. There are those that disturb us because they challenge negative attitudes. Or we might be triggered when reading some texts. By that I mean, what we read takes us back to memories of trauma … not yet overcome, or fully resolved. There are yet others that leave us wondering how to reconcile the text with our understanding of God. For me, Today’s Holy Nougat is one of the latter.

Deuteronomy 3:2 CEVDCI

[2] But the Lord told me, “Moses, don’t be afraid of King Og. I am going to help you defeat him and his army and take over his land. Destroy him and his people, just as you did with the Amorite King Sihon of Heshbon.”

What do you think?

Destroy Him as You Did

Siblings, I am wholly aware that this Word from God was specific to the Children of Israel’s journey to the Land of Promise. It was also written in the an eye for an eye era. And let’s be clear, from the accounts we have before us, Moses was not the challenger in the battle; he was the defender. It was King Og who was on the offensive.

Og, as stated in a prior study, was not the average-sized human. Scholars suggest that he was at least as tall as Goliath, some he was taller. It seems unlikely that he began the offense out of fear. He might only have desired to protect his turf, but to me, he seems to be a war monger. Knowing, or rather, believing that of him, makes it easier to read past the promise YHWH made to Moses.

Self-Check

When we read ‘uncomfortable’ texts, do we read and move on, or do we ask some hard questions even if they are uncomfortable to wrestle with?

Deeper Dive

The issue of my discomfort (perhaps yours also) is less with the then, as it is with its implications for now. Bear with me for a moment. There’s that part of me that says Og got what he deserved. He started the fight, let him face the consequences. That’s my initial response to the then. ‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’. If someone starts a fight, we defend ourselves.

What I’ve found is that it sometimes seems that as individuals, groups, and even countries, we have used this text and others similar to it, to justify our selfishness and greed. That is contrary to God’s word. Especially in these times.

Matthew 5 begins a 3-chapter teaching by Y’shua referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. There, the values presented don’t seem to sync with what we read in our Nougat. For Y’shua argues that we turn the other cheek, in other words, we don’t retaliate (See Matthew 5:38-39). And that in itself is hard for most of us, even if we are pacifists.

When we look at the wars being waged by various countries, in several countries and territories, and sponsored by (i.e., financed and weaponised) ‘first-world’ countries, the text is challenging. For this Nougat could be used by some to justify their abuse of others. In such instances, they might be focusing on the land, or its resources, allowing religion to cover their motives. It may lead us to wonder whether they are Og, but pretending to be God’s elect. If that is the case, then we need the Lord to lead us, like Moses did, into safety.

Siblings we cannot condone the ongoing assault on innocent people’s lives. Far often, it’s not only the Ogs and Goliaths who pay with their lives in these modern battles. They often ensure that they and their families are protected. It’s innocent civilians who have no war with those they are sent to destroy who are left to find and compile the tattered pieces of their lives. Not only do some die, but many are left wounded – emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. That trauma doesn’t heal quickly.

So, while I’m still challenged by our Nougat, what is very clear to me is that the enemy’s plan is to kill, steal and destroy at all costs. Let us look to Christ, Who offers abundant life in the face of the Ogs and Goliaths of this world.

Prayer Points

Lord, grant us calm amid the wars being waged around the world. Help us see the enemy’s actions for what they are, and allow ourselves to be led by You, our Moses.

Have mercy on the innocent, and convict the guilty of their wrong. Help us to bind the wounds of the hurting; and when we are hurt, to turn the other cheek dear Y’shua, amen.

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May all we seek be found in Christ