Always The Same

Always The Same

          Astronauts have walked on the moon. This was only possible because the laws that govern the orbit of the planets was implemented at the beginning of time and are still in force. God is the same yesterday today and forever. This is fact! That being true, it brings up some serious contradictory statements from the Bible. Years of scientific study, theories, methods, and data were tested before the scientists were confident they had a right answer. Doesn’t the Bible deserve the same consideration?

          Moses brought the children of Israel out of Egypt where they were slaves. In the book of Levitieus the Lord speaks to Moses, giving him very detailed instructions on who must sacrifice; the way it should be done; how to burn the sacrifice and how to sprinkle the blood. The Bible demands, “And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, and he that is born in the land, who blasphemed the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.” It seems that blood sacrifice was a sacred duty when Moses lived.

          Jesus was also a Jew, who also followed God’s law. He had a new interpretation of these laws. He said the Sabbath was made for man and He healed on that day. He called the Temple “a den of thieves.” He overturned the money tables and set the sacrificial animals free. Long before Moses, Abraham was told to sacrifice his beloved son. As he was ready to plunge the knife, an angel said “Stop.” Who was right? Moses or Abraham and Jesus?

          When Moses lived there were few people compared to today. There must have been an abundance of vacant ground. The God of Moses demanded that they take the occupied land and kill everyone there. Several times Moses fell on his face and begged an angry God not to destroy the lives of His chosen people. An angry, vicious, vengeful, frightening God. This is the same God, (we think) that sent Jesus to earth to die for our sins; as a blood sacrifice. Without the blood, (as the story goes) God could not forgive our many sins. That is Moses God, not the God we know.

          I believe in the God that Jesus taught. A loving Father, who provided for our comfort, health and happiness before we were created. A God that does not forgive sin, heal disease, or recognize death for a very simple reason: God created everything good and sin, disease and death are not among His creations. A Father who owns everything good and insists on giving it to us to enjoy; no strings attached.

          Are there two Gods? One waring and murderous; another kind and loving? Perhaps Satan and God? Absolutely not!  The fault lies in man’s thoughts. Moses was a good man. Omens, superstition, fear and war were normal when he lived. Moses made god in the image of man, with all the hate. anger, crudity of the men around him. He didn’t know any better. As humanity grew wiser and kinder, their God became more stable and reasonable. Jesus came, but men were still confused. Sacrifice was the rule of the day, so Jesus was sacrificed-not for God-for men. Men sincerely felt they were doing God’s will. Jesus had defiled the Sabbath by picking wheat and healing. He desecrated the Temple, denounced the holy men of God. The worst sin? He called himself the son of God. It was men obeying man’s religious law that caused Jesus to shed His blood.

          My theory is that Jesus’ body was becoming so spiritual that it was glowing. God did not need or want the blood of Jesus. However, with His body changing He has to die in front of many people, so they would know He was dead. When they saw Him again they would realize that the lessons He taught were true. Jesus proved that death is an illusion that men believe.

          God has not changed. Men’s thoughts about God have evolved. A mind expanded by a new idea cannot return to the same dimension. Our Father-Mother-Creator-God will always be more, better and more loving than we can comprehend. Jesus taught us that.

          The Old Testament is the history of men’s growth in understanding. Jesus wiped the slate clean. He taught us by example that the world was created for us. That we can walk on water and still the storm. That nothing evil was created and are only shadows in our thought. Not two Gods; only two different thoughts. Read the Bible the way it is intended. Understanding God’s reality brings health and happiness. God never changes.

          792 words                                     Loretta Ellen Edwards