Spirit, Law and Wisdom

Numbers 36:9-Deuteronomy 1:7         1/12/2018

The children of Israel were located on the plain of Moab, preparing to cross the Jordan. Moses began an extended address to the people to help them understand the law and encourage them to obey it – even after he was gone and they had taken possession of Canaan.

The Law and Wisdom

It says, “Moses undertook to explain this law.”

As he prepared to die, Moses’ great challenge was to ensure that the project would continue to move forward and not die with him. His life’s work was to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. But it was always understood that, if they failed to obey God, they could lose their place.

Moses felt pressure. For more than a generation, the people had depended on him almost entirely to interpret God’s will for the community. He had to ensure the Israelites understood the law. But not just a literal knowledge of the law. He needed them to understand God’s reasoning in delivering the law. They needed wisdom, not leastwise because life in the promised land would be different than the life of exodus. He needed to impart the wisdom of God so the children of Israel could reason in harmony with God’s will – even when Moses was long gone.

Spirit of the Law

The Spirit of the Law:

The Great Shema. Hear O Israel; Love the Lord your God with all you heart. And love your neighbor as yourself. This is utter Wisdom.

Not the Spirit of the Law:

Eve once said, “…You shall not eat it OR EVEN TOUCH IT, or else you will die.” She went beyond the actual commandment – beyond the requirement – thinking she’d be safe. This is Unwise.

The law is set in opposition to the human propensity to find a way around it. In my mind, I can justify almost anything; my lust for pleasure and my lust for power and my pride. The proliferation of laws is the evidence the law has little power. I just keep trying to move the boundary a little further away from the temptation. Like sugar to an addict; we all know how this almost always ends.

And yet, until I embrace the Spirit – until the Spirit is in me- until I love the Spirit, the “sugar” of the law is all I have.

From this we’ve collectively come to realize that wisdom can’t be taught. Nobody taught Moses how to be wise.

But the Spirit of Wisdom can be known and loved – can be known through love. And this is my hope.

“I, Wisdom, dwell with prudence, and useful knowledge I have…. Those who love me I also love, and those who seek me find me.” Prov 8:12,17