In this obscure chapter in Deuteronomy, we find a number of judgments from God, from the exclusion of certain tribes until the tenth generation, and then certain groups which can enter upon the third generation, and including judgments about uncleanness.
The passage above speaks about defecating outside the camp. In this judgment, like every verse in the Bible, we find a picture of Christ and Him Crucified.
First of all, Jesus died for us outside of Jerusalem, a picture of the curse and shame which He bore for us, and He left Jerusalem through the dung gate.
Moreover, dung in our lives represents our self-righteousness, or our efforts to achieve right standing before God, instead of receiving it as a gift:
"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isaiah 64: 6)
When Jesus prophesied against the religious leaders of His day, He was hoping that they would give up their religious pretensions:
"6He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down." (Luke 13: 6-9)
While many of the religious leaders held onto the traditions of men rather than receive and rest in the Truth of the Gospel, one Pharisee, Saul of Tarsus, received, and cast away his former self-righteousness:
"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," (Philippians 3: 8)
Now, the metaphor of easing oneself also speaks of our rest from ourselves and our works, which in turn removes our effort and allows His life to flow in us:
yashab: to sit, remain, dwell
Original Word: יָשַׁבPart of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: yashab
Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-shab')
Short Definition: inhabitants
As we abide in Christ, less of our dead selves obstruct His life in us.
Furthermore, a sense of urgency takes hold of us when we give up more of ourselves and receive more of Himself.
Our mess, our stinky self-righteousness, comes out of us, and then we use the paddle on our weapon to cover up the mess.
This speaks of our death and baptism in Christ.
The root of the word "paddle" are the pegs of the tabernacle, which also speaks of the Cross, specifically that Jesus was nailed to the tree for our sins, and for the sin in our flesh, that we may be made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 21)
Just as we eliminate from our walk with Christ the lies and distortions of religion, law, tradition, and personal experience, so too over time I have cast away the terrible teachings of the AA cult, to feel the full release and relief of Christ's life in me!
For every child of God out there who has fled from the AA cult, rest assured that as you see more of Jesus, you will be transformed from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18), and all that is of the flesh, of your old man will be taken away (Romans 6: 6; Galatians 2: 20-21; Ephesians 4: 22; Colossians 3: 1-9)
No comments:
Post a Comment