June 6

Deuteronomy 10 With the invention of the printing press, the reformation and the enlightenment, the western European mindset was forever changed. We moved from a culture that presented images and then used words to understand and explain them, to a culture that primarily used words to understand and explain life. Visit a Catholic, Orthodox, Armenian, or Coptic (all traditions that were well entrenched prior to the invention of the printing press) church building, and you will find that the architecture and embellishments of the buildings are full of images. Indeed one of the long-standing arguments between Catholic and Protestant has been the understanding of the second commandment, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image.” Most of those from those ancient traditions would argue that they do not worship the images but simply use them as teaching tools. The use of an image in teaching, understanding, explaining and motivating is indeed powerful. God uses images here. There are two major images included in this chapter which help illustrate the glory of our Lord. The first is the image of the ark. So just what is an ‘ark?’ It is basically a box. It is interesting that it could be translated ‘coffin.’ Think of the image here. The stone tablets upon which are written the Ten Commandments are stored in a coffin. In Moses’ day when a king (Suzerain) conquered another king (Vassal) a Suzerain/Vassal treaty was written up. Portions of both Exodus and Deuteronomy follow the form of such a treaty. One of the things that would take place with the treaty was that a copy of the basic stipulations of the treaty would be placed in the temple of the god of the Vassal and the temple of the god of the Suzerain. When you think of the Ten Commandments as the basic stipulations of a Suzerain Vassal treaty, it takes on an added significance. The Lord would be the Suzerain and the people of Israel would be the Vassal. It very well could be that the two tablets of the Ten Commandments were identical tablets. The Lord is the only God involved. The focal point of His tabernacle or temple was the ark of the covenant. The basic stipulations of the peace treaty were placed in the coffin. The ark is considered by most Christian commentators to be a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you get the image? The basic demands of the law, the peace treaty, are placed in the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. With His death, the demands of a holy God are satisfied. Peace is obtained. Before they had even received the tablets of the basic stipulations, they had broken them. Now that they had received them, they are immediately instructed to place them in a coffin! What an image! What do you think they thought when they saw the image? Every time that they got up to move to a new location in their 39 years of wandering in the wilderness, the focal point of their move was the cloud or fire above the coffin which held the stipulations which they had broken! What an image! Before I had any understanding of the holiness of God, I had already broken the entirety of the Law. The demands of my breaking the law are carried out in the Lord. Every time that I see Him, both now and in Eternity to come, I will see His scars and be reminded that I broke the Law, and the demands of the law were placed upon Him causing those scars. He died for me! He is my peace. What an image! But there is a second major image dealing with the covenant in this passage. It is the image of circumcision. What a strange request God would have of His people. Why in the world would he want the males who are part of His covenant to have their foreskin cut off? First of all, it would be a lifelong image. Every time a male would urinate or bathe, he should have a visual reminder that He was part of the covenant family. Every time he made love to his wife, he should be reminded that he was part of the covenant family. Today there is a reaction against circumcision. In some countries there are groups that are trying to make the practice illegal. I wondered if there was any health benefit to circumcision, just as there is for much of the dietary laws. According to the Mayo Clinic’s website, circumcision might have various health benefits, including: easier hygiene, decreased risk of urinary tract infections, decreased risk of sexually transmitted infections, prevention of penile problems, decreased risk of penile cancer. The New York Times reported that a new study suggests that circumcision in adult males in Africa reduces the risk of getting HIV from a female partner, cutting infection rates 40 to 60 percent. Hmmm. . . it would seem to me that those benefits imply that circumcision increases hygiene which then results less likelihood of infection. Underneath the extra skin, uncleanness can hide. Removal of the skin reduces the area where unwanted bacteria, fungi or viruses can hide. What image does that produce spiritually? God calls them to circumcise their hearts. He is telling them to remove from their lives anything which would allow sin to hide and produce its killing infectious disease. We must cut away anything from our thinking process or decision making process or emotions which hides the truth about the condition of our hearts. We must allow our hearts to be invaded by the light of the Lord Jesus Christ. When He shines His light upon it, we must confess the sin, repent and receive His provision to set us free! Now, take those two images and apply them to this passage. We are commanded to love the Lord our God. The ark is the image which motives us to do that. What else could we do but love Him who died just for us? Circumcision of the heart is the image that tells us how. We come to His light. We expose ourselves to Him. We cease hiding. Is that not amazing? What images which declare His glory! Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today! --Pastor john