Drawn In

 'The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.' (Jeremiah 31:3)

This is far more kindness than I could be drawn to say the caricature artist cared to show me when I employed their talents to bond with my little brother on a day trip to London. They'd only just met us on the street and soon dispensed with my skinny jeans and acne, depicting a spindly spotty clown besides my cooler skateboard-toting sibling. But the picture we get of God is that He's ever known us from the inside out and draws us forth as gold even as He draws us towards Himself.

Not only did Moses's name mean 'drawn out' as he was plucked from the Nile, but his whole career was drawn out in drawing the Israelites from Egypt Forty years a prince, another forty a shepherd, then forty more shepherding people; and he didn't even get to fully complete his exodus dreams as he stood on Mount Nebo in Deuteronomy until our latest book of Matthew.

As Jesus drew Peter, James and John aside to witness Matthew 17's transfiguration, who should appear in verse 3 but Moses standing at last in the promised land he'd gazed longingly towards from another mount, thirty-three generations before. Of the forty generations Matthew's first chapter opens with from Abraham to Jesus, it was but three generations in, when many of God's promises to Abraham already appeared to have been fulfilled in Joseph: The Hebrews were multiplying to such a degree in the fertile gifted land of Goshen that a pharaoh who'd not known Joseph would seek to deal treacherously with a family who'd blessed the whole world during famine. But even the promised land Moses would lead them towards another four generations later, was only a foretaste of a far more eternal kingdom of God that would truly bless those from every tribe and nation in the Lordship of Jesus Christ of which Joseph was but a foreshadowing.

How good of God to draw humanity so gradually by degrees that we might first see through the law our need for grace in the example of one family's national history. May we never get bogged down in our limited view but always heed the Good Shepherd's call to fresh provision.

'To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven' (1 Peter 1:12a).

In Exodus 24:8-11, Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu and seventy elders of Israel go up to dine with divinity, but only after the shedding and sprinkling of blood can they draw near. And what do they notice but the sapphire stone pavement under God's feet for all their averting their eyes from His glorious face! Even nine chapters later in Exodus 33:22-23, God reassures a glory-focused Moses, '"So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”' The people heard the words of God without seeing the glory, for Moses's moonlike face was veiled; but on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus's innermost core of three disciples were at risk of seeing the glory without hearing His voice.

Whilst Jesus's face shone like the sun and His clothes became as white as the light, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him in verse 3 of Matthew 17 before 'Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid. But Jesus came and touched them and said, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” When they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.'

How easy it is for us to pursue the experience of the presence of God's glory like Elijah fleeing his Carmel triumph for a Mosaic rendezvous with God at Sinai, deaf to God's current Will in wanting to revisit past foundings. 1 Kings 19:11b-13 indeed says, '...And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”' Elijah wanted to go back to God's proposition testing Moses if he'd have God start from scratch with him alone after Israel's rebellion, so isolated he felt, but just as God assured Elijah it wasn't all about him the Father assured Peter it's all about Jesus.

It's well to seek to understand Bible passages from the perspectives of the people of the times before superimposing the more complete revelation we've been gifted, but without a Christ-centred reading of such passages as Genesis 22's Mount Moriah, we'd be left with the impression of a callous God toying with Abraham’s emotions as opposed to a friend of God being invited into a greater understanding of just such magnificent Fatherly care as would not spare the Son of His Love for us all!  Even so, as God draws out His people from their suppositions by degrees, may we be drawn into wonder ever more...

'for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.' (Hebrews 7:19)

'Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, all sinners; and purify your hearts, all double-minded.' (James 4:8)

May we single-mindedly be those who pursue together the God Who'd not have us erect religious booths to prevaricate around lesser junctures, but using holy hands and voice, lift up the One Who being crucified and risen, would draw all people to Himself.