For Israel

For Israel

The dietary law was written for Israel. 'Is' means 'man'. 'El' means God, just as it did in 'Elohim'. The 'R' sound means 'revelation'. Israel means 'man joined to God by revelation'.

Jacob was called 'Israel' because God revealed himself through a dream, and by wrestling with him. The Hebrews were called Israel because God revealed himself at the mountain. You are called Israel because God has revealed himself to you through the death and resurrection of Jesus.

The Hebrews did not understand the riddles. They just acted them out. The answers to the riddles come from Jesus and the cross. We can understand the message of the play by the cross. The law tells us about God, by showing us the teachers that he wants for us. We don't need to act it out too.

In Tic-Tac-Toe you learned that you never have to lose. You could always force the game to a draw. Now when someone asks you to play you can say "Thanks. Draw" without having to play the game.

As we sit down to breakfast, we can eat the tasty bacon and be reminded that we should not learn (eat) from people who cannot tell if their own learning is good or bad.