This Sunday, we have one more week in Deuteronomy - and this week we will consider the food laws. When we read the ancient dietary laws in Deuteronomy 14, they can initially feel like a puzzling, irrelevant menu. However, these laws are deeply tied to Israel's identity as "sons of the LORD" and His treasured possession. God's holiness encompasses both moral purity and separateness, which meant His people needed to live and eat differently from the surrounding nations.
Rather than being merely restrictive, these food boundaries were actually a gracious invitation for God's covenant people to eat at His table. Moses transformed a legal dietary list into a moral document that beautifully affirmed what the Israelites could enjoy as God’s holy people. By observing these daily culinary boundaries, they constantly reminded themselves and the watching world of their special covenant relationship with their Creator.
But for us who live on this side of Jesus? How does that affect what we eat .... and how we can be the holy people of God today?
Also, don't forget the following:
- St Phils Clean up day is 8am-noon on Saturday 5th September. Please join us to help prepare the site for the Thanksgiving Service and our Term 4 ministries
- The Thanksgiving Service is being held at St Phils at 10am on Sunday 13th September. All are invited and welcome. You can read about our Thanksgiving Projects here and if you can help with the day, please let us know through this form.
Yours in Christ,
Eric