You know everything we do in this life always boils down to choices. Some of those choices are really simple, such as do I turn left or right to get where I am going while other choices aren't always that simple, which Doctor do I go to, which bill can I skip, and with our choices there always come consequences. If I turn left instead of right I get stuck in a traffic jam, fail to pay the mortgage on time and you lose you house. Choices. There are some scientists out there in the world of Quantum physics that would even suggest that not making a choice in a particular way sets off parallel universes where any and all possibilities intersect with each other. A bit over my head but fascinating.Usually though when all is said and done everything that we do boils down to small choices and usually the results thereof are fairly clear.
In Deuteronomy 11:26-28 G-D gives His people a choice; Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you today;and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known.
Moses has been busy giving his farewell speech to the children of Israel and he had been going over many of both the good and the bad things that have been happening with them since they left Egypt. But here I think he hits a very important point (of course this is G-D speaking through him )he is basically telling them you have 2 choices that you can make, you can choose to follow G-D and keep His commands and Ordinances or you can seek after the gods of the nations,. Seeking G-D and keeping His commands and Ordinances brings about blessings but going after strange "gods" brings about a curse.
He then proceeds to re instruct them in His decrees and ordinances and says an amazing thing to them right in the beginning.
Deut 12:7 "and there you shall eat before the LORD your God, and you shall REJOICE in all to which you have put your hand, you and your households, in which the LORD your God has blessed you."
He tells them to rejoice! That has surprised me to say the least for it. He doesn't just say it once he says it several times in the course of the next couple of chapters.
It was as simple as this; When they brought their offerings and their sacrifices before G-D, they were to eat and drink and celebrate, rejoicing before G-D ,them and all who were with them. See Deut. 12:12,18, 14:24-26, 16:11,14... it just keeps going.
Why do I find this so exciting and fascinating?
G-D expects His people to REJOICE while celebrating His holy days. This is a much different picture then what I had ever heard as a child. Everything was always a somber ,sober, event with much pomp and circumstance but little too no rejoicing.
Whenever I would hear the stories of the Jewish holy days it was always in that vein of being a somber right that had no real meaning and yet, according to what I have read in the Torah, that turns out to be a huge lie!
G-D essentially commanded His people to rejoice when ever they brought their offerings and sacrifices to Him, you were to remember His blessings and if you are doing that then how can you do anything else But celebrate and rejoice.
So they were given two choices, as we are, you can Rejoice in G-D and all that He has done for you and has provided, or you can follow the gods of the nations and sacrifice your kids and be nailed with curses.
So for this simple minded guy it comes down to this; I can chase after the gods of this world and sacrifice my kids and the life G-D has given me or I can Rejoice in G-D celebrate His holy days with great rejoicing loving Him and keeping His commandments.
I think I'll take the rejoicing....
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