July 27, 2027

7Moses’ Intimacy with God. Moses used to pitch a tent outside the camp at some distance. It was called the tent of meeting. Anyone who wished to consult the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8Whenever Moses went out to the tent, the people would all rise and stand at the entrance of their own tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9As Moses entered the tent, the column of cloud would come down and stand at its entrance while the LORD spoke with Moses. 10On seeing the column of cloud stand at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and bow down at the entrance of their own tents. 11The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a person speaks to a friend. Moses would then return to the camp, but his young assistant, Joshua, son of Nun, never left the tent. 5The LORD came down in a cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name, “LORD.” 6So the LORD passed before him and proclaimed: The LORD, the LORD, a God gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love and fidelity, 7continuing his love for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin; yet not declaring the guilty guiltless, but bringing punishment for their parents’ wickedness on children and children’s children to the third and fourth generation! 8Moses at once knelt and bowed down to the ground. 9Then he said, “If I find favor with you, Lord, please, Lord, come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff-necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and claim us as your own.” 28So Moses was there with the LORD for forty days and forty nights, without eating any food or drinking any water, and he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten words.

6II - The LORD does righteous deeds, brings justice to all the oppressed. 7He made known his ways to Moses, to the Israelites his deeds. 8Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger, abounding in mercy. 9He will not always accuse, and nurses no lasting anger; 10He has not dealt with us as our sins merit, nor requited us as our wrongs deserve. 11III - For as the heavens tower over the earth, so his mercy towers over those who fear him. 12As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us. 13As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.

36The Explanation of the Parable of the Weeds. Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, 38the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40Just as weeds are collected and burned [up] with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. 42They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear. More Parables.