Contemplative Bible Reading

Exodus 32:27-28 (New Living Translation)

27 Moses told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Each of you, take your swords and go back and forth from one end of the camp to the other. Kill everyone—even your brothers, friends, and neighbors.” 28 The Levites obeyed Moses’ command, and about 3,000 people died that day.

This is part of the (hi)story of the people coming out of Egypt. It was a long time that Moses had been up in the mountain with God receiving the law. The people were impatient. The people were afraid. The people went stir crazy and did crazy things. They were out of control Moses gathered men from his tribe, Levi.

Moses spoke to his fellow Levites. This is what Jehovah, the God of Israel says. Go. Kill.

And the Levites did as God told them to do through Moses. They killed 3,000 people in one day. The dead included their brothers, friends, and neighbors.

Try to think about this awful day. Take a long knife, run around, and kill. Kill and kill and kill. It doesn’t matter if the person in front of you is a brother, friend, or neighbor. Kill and kill and kill. That is the command from God.

How awful. Thank you God that I live in a time and place and under grace. God has never asked me to go through my neighborhood and kill brothers, friends, and neighbors.