Through images of the Old Testament — the constant rebellion of the Hebrews — contemporary Christians can learn a lot. At the Sunday meeting of the church “Philadelphia” on 15 November preacher Aleksander Razuvaj turned to these images. Having heard the cry of His people in Egypt God sent Moses to bring the people into the promised land. In the desert when God wanted His people to come close to Him, the Hebrews were scared. They were afraid of hearing God’s voice once again, they were afraid of a possible death (Deuteronomy 5). Their hearts were unclean and couldn’t become closer to God. When God showed Himself to Moses in flames within the bush, He ordered him to take off his sandals, for the place where he was standing was holy ground. It is an image of some burden and sins that Moses carried. God can make flaming bushes out of our dead wood.

The Hebrews didn’t want to have a close relationship with the Heavenly Father, they preferred laws and rules. But nobody could fulfill the law but Jesus Christ. Only a person true loving God can keep His commands: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you” (Psalms 73:25). If God is close to us we don’t need anything else. God waits close relationships.

Pastor Oleg Malykh recalled the question his daughter had asked him once: “Where does God live?” In the Bible we read that He lives a high and holy place and with those who are contrite and lowly in spirit. Sometimes we know the right answers to many questions. Most of us know what the Bible says, though we don’t live like that. Some people even make up a convenient gospel and live according to it. Paul wrote about this: “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3, 4).

But God gave us the Holy Spirit who rebukes us and shows us what we should change. Imagine the situation — a basketball player hurt his leg and it swelled. The doctor had a quick glance and said: “Let’s look at the normal leg, it is more pleasant”. God cares about us so that we could treat our spiritual illnesses, otherwise they can ruin us. We must keep our hearts clean. May God help us in this!