Welcome to the Pauline Family's "Year of the Bible"! I'm reading the Bible clear through this year, and I invite you to read along with me. But first, let us pray:
I praise you, my God, with all people.
May they thank and adore you!
You have written your greatness in creation,
your Law in consciences,
your eternal promises in the Bible.
You are eternally faithful and always lovable!
As I read Sacred Scripture today, open my mind to hear your voice and understand your loving message.
Amen.
Today's chapters are Deuteronomy 32-34.
These are the last pages of the Torah, the "Books of Moses." The Pentateuch or first five books of the Bible, ends with an extended blessing (prayer of thankful praise) and with the poignant scene on Mount Nebo.
This is a good time to look back a bit. Exodus (chapter 20) had presented us with Melchizedek, the "priest of God Most High" to whom Abraham had paid tithes. Melchizedek is a type (prophetic foreshadowing) of Christ as Priest, "one who offers gifts and sacrifices for sin" (Hebrews 5:1, 8:3). Deuteronomy is now putting the finishing touches on the portrait of Moses "whom the LORD knew face to face." Moses, whose entire career was spent mediating messages from God to the people, is a type of Christ as Prophet, one who speaks in God's name.
We will encounter one more major "type" of Christ in an historical person, but it will take a few generations before he shows up in our readings. Any idea who this important biblical figure is, and what role (we could say it is a twofold role) his life foreshadows that of Christ?
If you are looking for a solid but approachable companion to the Bible, I can wholeheartedly recommend A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament by Brant Pitre and John Bergsma. Although the authors are top-level Scripture scholars, they write for "real" readers. Notes include recent findings from archaeology and ancient manuscripts.
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