He said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Aaron and Hur are with you, and anyone involved in a dispute can go to them.” – Exodus 24:14

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 3, 2018): Exodus 24

One of my favorite Presidents of the United States was Jimmy Carter. I get that, while Carter is ranked among the best of the Former Presidents, he still does not get much love for his one-term Presidency. And yet, in the wake of the Richard Nixon Presidency and the Watergate scandal that his name invokes, Carter was the President that the United States needed. He was a president who was going to speak the truth, no matter what it might cost him politically, and he would complete his task as president without undue fan fair. You might not like what he was saying, but there was no doubt that what he said was what he considered to be true and in the best interest of the United States. We need more political leaders that are willing to take a Carter-like approach to the fulfillment of their duties. Of course, the problem is that it is very unlikely that we would ever elect them. Jimmy Carters, as well as the John McCain’s of our world, are a rare breed. And unfortunately, what makes them the best people for the job often is what disqualifies them from our votes.

A recent article about Jimmy Carter living, in a house valued at $167,000, which is slightly below the median home value in the area, only increased my respect for the man. He could afford a more lavish place to live, but that wouldn’t reflect the man that he is.

Moses was the undisputed leader of Israel, but that was not really because he was the choice of the people. Moses was a straight talker who had been chosen by God. Although he is revered by the people of Israel in later times, the people who surrounded him during the exodus out of Egypt often seemed frustrated with his leadership. And the reason for their frustration is, at least partially, because he refused to tell them what they wanted to hear and instead relied on a message that the prophet believed that God wanted the people to hear.

But, for this time, Moses was going to go up on the mountain and commune with God, and someone was going to have to replace him in front of the people. Moses had reason to trust his older brother Aaron and Hur with the task of leading the people. They had proven their worth in the past. But, ultimately, they would fail as leaders. Instead of leading the people, they would act much like modern politicians and attempt to give the people what they wanted to keep them happy – and obtain their votes. They would leave the teachings of God through Moses, reject the laws that had been given to them, and build a Golden Calf for the people to worship. And while Moses would correct the error and plead with God for the people upon his return, the Golden Calf would remain a snare for the people in the coming generations, and would finally become the symbol of worship in the Northern Kingdom after Israel split into two nations. All because a political leader gave the people what they wanted instead of what they needed.   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 25