Moses the messenger

 Welcome to the Daily Bible Chapter. My name is James Leroy Wilson and I invite you to join me as I attempt to read the Bible with fresh eyes, as if I don't know anything about it, and without consulting experts on what it "really" means.. Let's see where this takes us! 

Deuteronomy 34

I'm reading Young's Literal Translation (YLT) and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Deuteronomy 34 is the last chapter of Deuteronomy. Moses is led up a mountain to see the land he is not allowed to enter and then dies.

187 chapters in the first five books of the Bible; 15.7% of the Bible as a whole. From Exodus on, Moses and The LORD were the two central characters, with The LORD (translated "Jehovah" in the YLT) a mysterious figure shrouded in fog and fire capable of mighty deeds.

Writing about Deuteronomy 5, I speculated that Moses represented the Mind. Apparently, the LORD couldn't speak to the crowds directly without starting fires and otherwise frightening them. The message of The LORD had to be communicated through messengers: Aaron (initially) speaking for Moses, who in turn spoke for The LORD.

What is that message? I believe it is that the power of God is within you. The mobile tabernacle is within you. The Ark of the Covenant is sealed within you, just as Noah was "sealed" in that other Ark.

Come before the LORD, your higher self, sacrificing the animal instincts of the goats, sheep, and cattle in your midst. There is no one and nothing in the external world to worship or depend on for your well-being.. The LORD is your imagination, and you must follow it and it alone through faith.

The stories of the Exodus and of the Israelites in the wilderness and conquest of lands east of the Jordan are probably just allegories for the signs and wonders each of us is capable of. There is no other God except what is known in your consciousness.

James Leroy Wilson writes Daily Miracles, The Daily Bible Chapter, JL Cells, and The MVP Chase. Thanks for your subscriptions and support! You may contact James for your writing, editing, and research needs: jamesleroywilson-at-gmail.com.

(Photo credit: TyshkunVictor)