Monday, March 06, 2017

"Removal Of The Excrement" - 03/06/17 - Deuteronomy 21-23



"Mark out an area outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourselves.
Along with your weapons have a stick with you.
After you relieve yourself, dig a hole with the stick and cover your excrement.
 
God, your God, strolls through your camp;
He’s present to deliver you and give you victory over your enemies.
 
Keep your camp holy; don’t permit anything indecent or offensive in God’s eyes." (23:12-14)

Seriously, the thought came when reading these verses, "why would they have to be given specific instructions on relieving themselves?" 
 
Bathrooms have been discovered in ruins dating back before Moses' time with the Egyptians.  Even though living in tents, didn't they know what to do when they defecated? 
 
I also found it interesting " along with your weapons have a stick with you".  
 
We need the weapons He gives us always - particularly when we are most vulnerable. 
For that is when the enemy loves to attack.    

Obviously, this isn't a very sweet subject, but one God needed to touch upon.   To hand down laws regarding fecal matter.  These laws were to be followed as one way of keeping the camp free from diseases and unpleasantness.  

To keep the camp holy because God strolled through it. 

I then begin to wonder - how is my camp?  Just like human waste, sin doesn't offer up a sweet fragrance to the Lord.   What worldly fecal matter am I putting into my mind, my heart? What "spiritual weapon" am I carrying with me at all times?

As His, our bodies are a temple in which The Holy Spirit lives.  Our ABBA.  He lives within us.  He strolls through our "camp" and we are  instructed to "keep our camp holy". 



 
When I was younger, outhouses weren't all that uncommon at the homes of elderly persons who lived in the country.  Nor was it surprising to me that they were still being used.  I can remember my great uncles talking about  "the lazy fool who built their outhouse not 10 feet from their well".  Through listening to them, I learned also that they should never be placed near running water. 

God in His wisdom created the layers of earth as a filter for unclean matters, before entering into our drinking source.  Today, there are many third world countries where it is completely normal to relieve themselves wherever and whenever the urge hits.  These countries are riddled with diseases that can be traced back to this unhealthy practice.

 
 
 
 
I wonder how is it a people became so far removed from a healthy practice.


Much like a person becomes so far removed from keeping their spiritual camp clean. 

Through Scripture our ABBA teaches us a sin is a sin.  There are no greater or lesser levels.  Any sin separates us from Him for He is Holy and can not be a part of sin.  Any sin.  And yet, so many of us have decided it is okay to live in a camp allowing sin within the perimeter.  And when living  close to sin, it will seep into your being, just as the waste from an outhouse sitting too close to the well or the running water. 
 
This is why Christ had to become our filter, cleansing us, before our Abba.  We were living in sin.  In accepting our Christ, He has handed us our weapons to never put down in His Word and The Holy Spirit, who is always at the ready to fight for us.  Both weapons are there to constantly lead us in having a purified camp.  We are to daily wear His Armor.  Sin has to become far removed and buried outside of our spiritual camp. 

For we are His spiritual camp in which He resides.  His spiritual camp in which He strolls.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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