No Longer….

They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols to whom they prostitute themselves. This is to be a lasting ordinance for them and for the generations to come (Leviticus 17:7, NIV).

I came across this verse in my devotional time. I’ve been thinking about it over the last few days. I mean look at it, they must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols. “Tis the tense of the words “no longer” and “prostitute” that caught my eye. They are not in the past tense, they are in the present tense. It is what they are doing. Even after being taken out of Egypt, after crossing the sea and seeing Pharaoh’s army destroyed, and being hit with a plague for making the golden calf, they still were worshipping idols.

And God was still saving them. Teaching them. Leading them. Still telling them what He expected. Yes He was laying down the law, The Law. But it was given in grace, to people who despite all God had done and was doing for them still were unfaithful. That doesn’t say a whole lot about the Israelites. But is says a whole lot about God, the kind of God He is, and the kind of people He expects us to be with people who don’t measure up. And if we are honest, we’ll admit that is everybody, including you and me.