Just got back from a 12 mile walk. Got it done in three hours. Bob P and I walked together for the first 6 miles and then I did the second half by myself. It's a great day in Denver to be out and about.
The image on the left is from Mount Nebo. The work in iron is by Gianni Fantoni. It is the likeness of the Serpent lifted up by Moses in the desert as a symbol of the Crucified and Risen Christ.
If you check out Numbers 21 you can read what was going on with Moses and the children of Israel. It was that part of the journey when everyone was asking the theological question, "Are we THERE yet?" So, here's how the story goes:
4From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. 5The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." 6Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 7The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." 9So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.
Fast forward to the Gospel of John. In the first Episode of "Nic at Night" (Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the dark) we here these words from Jesus:
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
16For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
17Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Many people have heard those comforting words and take them to heart. As we have discussions in the church about Biblical interpretation I remind people that very few folks have Leviticus 3:16-17 memorized, whereas they do have John 3:16-17 memorized. And that's for good reason.
Here are the words from Leviticus 3:16–17 16Then the priest shall turn these into smoke on the altar as a food offering by fire for a pleasing odor.
All fat is the LORD's. 17It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, in all your settlements: you must not eat any fat or any blood.
So, it's all about cross training whether you are thinking about God's love for the world or about
increasing physical activity and decreasing caloric intake. It's a good idea to leave the "fat"
at the altar.
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