Strangelove

Joshua bar Nun possesses a weapon of mass destruction. In the Ark of the Covenant, he carries the equivalent of a one megaton thermonuclear bomb in a suitcase, the only one of its kind - a weaponry of supremacy. I have to ask — with that kind of unrivaled firepower, why didn’t God give the Israelites the land to the east of the Plains of Moab? To the east, under the sand — petroleum was waiting. Future wealth! God gave the Israelites the only land in the Middle East without oil. Petroleum is now power. For Joshua and his people, petroleum didn’t matter. They had the Ark. They carried their power with them. Other gods didn’t have Arks in which to be carried. Other gods were rooted to the land. Each nation had its own god, and those gods warred through the people. The loser’s god got a black eye, and the losing people got annihilated. Civilized nations don’t annihilate anymore.

The Ark of the Covenant was unbeatable, and feared for its power. The Israelites themselves feared its power. In Moses’ day, a man died for touching it. One day, the priests carrying the Ark stumbled. The Ark tipped toward the ground; the man who saved it — died instantly. He was smote. Only priests were allowed to touch the Ark and not suffer death. The Ark was the Dooms Day Bomb of its day — the ultimate weapon. All people melted with fear before it. With it, no army could fail.

Let’s Pray: Dear God, we are still fighting over that real estate, and rattling doomsday devices at each other. A little love here, please? Amen.

Here’s a Thought: Peace is essential between all God’s peoples.

Sources:
The Book of Exodus
The Book of Joshua