The Pentateuch

In 1982 someone asked me to summarize the Pentateuch. I wrote this poem—a quick romp through Genesis and Exodus—and forgot it. Recently a couple copies surfaced in old files. I had fun revising it and know a few readers will like it. It’s a niche piece, not for everyone. Unless you know Genesis and Exodus, the meaning and impact may elude you. If a passage intrigues you, I hope you’ll get out your Bible and read the whole story. If you’ve got questions, you can email me, ginny@givenword.com.

Abbreviate birth—?
Space spoken into being,
a housing for the Heavenly hosts,
Perfection’s glory charged
through worlds exploding forth
from nothing at His Word?

Emaciate the genesis of faith
creating place for matter’s lively dance
From molecules to man?
From a Living Word to 20-21
and the food I eat today?

Slight the slowly every evening
strolls through paradise,
a man, a woman in God,
a bond-complete by love?

Condense our fall?
The cry of Abel’s blood?
the birth of evil rage?
And Noah saved
as water’s surged across the earth
in fury’s purge?

Omit the dove of peace?
winged silhouette upon a rainbow circled sky,
circling, circling over well-washed earth,
dry land on judgment’s watery graves
for growing grass, seeding second-starts with life?

Forget God’s covenant promise
for the coming days?
Excerpt love’s smoking fire of truth
in Abraham’s escape from Ur?
Stunt the tales of promise tried—
by Isaac bound, knife raised,
above the altar of his flesh
while he laid down to die?
Refuse the awe-filled pause
before his father’s faith?
Or minimize the meaning
of the sacrificial ram?

Delete Jacob’s barter for a bride
and the beddings for twelve sons?
Weaken words God wrote between the lines
before his family’s flight toward home?
Shorten the long night—
his wrestling fight to see God’s face?
Drain the impact of Kairos come
on the daybreak he demanded to be blest?

Why, from the very second Jacob’s name was changed;
and God said, “You are Isra-el” history was not the same.

Should I truncate Isra-el’s pain?
His acceptance of world-sorrow?
Weaned from self,
he turned to Abraham’s God again.

Should I abridge the story
of this broken humbled man?
Refuse to record the shreds of
of Joseph’s many-colored-coat,
held blood stained in his hands?
Can I shorten the impact of loss and lies?
Compress long years
and God’s long silence to his cries?

How diminish the journey to Egypt,
the enslavement of Israel’s sons?
Each verse hides prophetic pictures
of redemption yet to come.

Should I skip over all about Moses?
A shoeless prince of Egypt,
standing on holy ground,
daring the nameless “I Am”
back-talking to God
beside a burning bush that would not burn,
on the backside of an alien wilderness.

Can I pre’cis the power of Pharoah
against the power of plagues?
The Passover’s protection?
The fresh lamb’s blood upon the lintels?

What a dark, dark, night—
families feeding on roast meat
before they fled for freedom—
Then—the screams of death—
the gold and gifts of Egypt—
freely poured upon those slaves—
the pushing out— leave, leave—
go worship Your God,
lest we all die.
Now how could I
cut that short?

Or narrow the Red Sea waters
opening wide like arms,
arched for families to walk through?
Inviting their enemies to death?

Omit the fear at Sinai’s shaking?
The fear of facing God?
The familiar lusts for stuff—the calf of gold?

Reduce how fast these former slaves,
their sentence lifted, forgot about their chains?
Filled their freedom with complaint?
Refused to thank the God who’d heard their groans,
the God of God’s who’d bowed in mercy from His throne?

Abstract the Tabernacle’s plan?
How could I? The beauty—  the gold?
Diminish the glory of God?
The laws, the feasts, God’s kind commands?
His mercy’s provisions? His justice’s demands?

Should I skip recounts of rebellion
and God’s reply to complaint?
Or minimize their human doubts
about His Holy hand?
The paralyzing fear they felt
of giants in the promised land?

Should I neglect the might of God?
The light on Moses’ face?
The miracles—like manna—
the cloud that watched through day,
the nightly fire that lit their way
with the Holy Presence of a Holy God,
Who proffered hope by laying out His plans,
looking far, far, far ahead, beyond the range of man?

The Cross.
The Cross alone condenses,
abstracts, recites, recalls,
reviews, excerpts, reports,
recapitulates it all.

The cross sums up God’s mercy,
The cross retells man’s fall
Jesus’ love met sin’s demands—
The cross fulfills God’s Holy plan.

It’s all fore-told.
Truth hides within the histories
of men who spoke with God
and heard His voice reply—
We can hear His words
to Adam, to Cain, to Noah
to Abraham—
and His prophecies to Moses
as He bowed to God’s commands.
We can learn our story in His book
His Words will turn our minds
to find His glory and believe.