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Exodus 22

Worshipping gods other than the Lord and witchcraft were treated much the same. Based on limited understanding, there was a wide range of evil worship where people would sacrifice to other gods, up to and including child/infant sacrifice. Not only was this an evil perversion against people, but it also flew in the face of the Lord. He considered this idolatry, and they were sacrificing something He created.

It’s no wonder that when God referred to the punishment for this, the person wasn’t just killed, he was to be “utterly destroyed”. Maybe it’s just colorful language at an opportune time, but the emphasis here seems to be very fitting with God’s character. To sin against God and man was not something that would carry a light sentence.

So how does this apply to today? While traditional witchcraft in America is not widespread, the serving up of sacrifices for better lives is definitely on the upswing. There are so many reasons that people will harm themselves as well as others in the name of success, pleasure, and even convenience. Abortion is one of the most sought-after ways to take care of a temporary inconvenience. We don’t have the time, money, or maturity to take care of the baby. While that might seem like a legit reason, it’s not. God holds these things in high regard and brings judgment on them. We also see women harming their bodies to prevent pregnancies so that they can compete on a track or field, as well as in the marketplace. To them and their advocates, having a career is more important, leading to a “better life,” but sadly misses the blessing of the Lord and incurs His fury.

Matthew 26

There are many women mentioned in the Bible, typically in small but mighty roles. Here in the Gospel of Matthew, we get to see one such character, who remains nameless but will be remembered for the rest of time because of the act she committed.

Women, being low on the totem pole of society in Israel, were not really allowed to walk into a room full of men. That was this woman’s first “mistake”. Second, she took a very expensive jar of oil and dumped it all over Jesus. Outside of context, this would probably seem very peculiar and a waste, as the disciples all state. But she did it anyway. Then we have the lesson one last time, and this is where the plot thickens.

This woman was anointing the great I Am who had come in the form of a man to bless and release the captives of Israel. She was there in the service of the Lord of Hosts, the creator of all humanity. It doesn’t state whether she knows what she was doing in its entirety, but she pours that oil all over Jesus and prepares Him for the burial that He had been telling His thickheaded (hard heart) disciples. She did what no one else would do and blessed the master.

I don’t think there’s a great or tangible lesson to learn here, but we must take note of what was being done. And also, this sets off the firestorm that had been brewing in Judas’s heart for a long time. He was shunned for his response here, too, which was the final straw. He leaves the room to offer his soul to the devil and deliver Jesus over to harm. I wouldn’t advocate for his job, but it needed to happen so that we could be set free.

Exodus 16

The Israelites had surely seen the hand of the Lord act on their behalf and had every reason to trust Him. They had firsthand knowledge about what He could do to protect them, and in this chapter, to secure even more faith, they were given food as a provision. Sustenance in the form of manna was given to feed their hungry bellies.

So, in the Lord’s provision, it is also stated that this is a way to test the people. He wanted to see whether they could follow a few simple instructions. First, gather enough for each person in your family, and only that much. The proper measure was an omer, and when they did so, it was the perfect amount. Second, don’t keep any of it overnight, or it’ll rot. And finally, on the sixth day, gather twice as much so you have enough for the seventh day also. That way, they could eat leftovers on one day. That day would become a stumbling block and a point of tension for generations to come, as we see in the trials Jesus faces in the synagogues. The Sabbath was to be kept perpetually by each person.

What was the point of the Sabbath? To rest; it was meant as a day of rest. Don’t go out and do a bunch of stuff, but keep it for the Lord. It became a sticking point because the leaders wanted everyone to become perfect in three days and not do anything! (Thinking of the children’s book “How to be Perfect in Three Days”) Don’t sit, don’t stand, don’t move. Yeah, incredibly impossible. Who among you wouldn’t go rescue a “sheep”? It was a matter of the heart. That is all. Keep holy to the Lord what is His.