[Today’s readings were those for March 5-7 in the One Year Bible. Click on the Bible image to the right to see the full list of readings.]
I am roughly 1/6th of the way through and Leviticus-Numbers was really getting me down. Then I came to this bit about how to deal with a wife you suspected of cheating on you. Num. 5:11-31. What’s the email phrase I’m looking for, oh yes,
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Not only is does the passage reveal the sexism of the system–no parallel for a cheating husband–but it sure reads like something some folks in Salem Mass. might have spent a little too much time reading.
Thankfully, I soon came across this gem, also from Numbers.The LORD said to Moses,
“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
” ‘ “The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.” ‘
“So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”
Num. 6:22-27, and with the sweet theme from Fiddler on the Roof playing in my head, I turned to the story of the widow’s mite in Mark.
These blessed passages don’t “erase” passages about forcing a women to drink a cursed solution to prove she’s been faithful to her husband. But they remind me about what my faith is about, which is important to me.