One of the things I enjoyed during my sabbatical was spending time in Washington, DC.  Janet and I were able to attend National Community Church, and I got to spend time with Pastor Mark Batterson and his staff.

While in DC, we arranged for a private tour of the U.S. Capitol through Congressman Mac Thornberry’s office. Since Congress was not in session, we were allowed onto the floor of the House of Representatives where our tour guide pointed out a number of interesting facts.

One of the most interesting to me was the 23 marble relief portraits that line the wall of the House Chamber. Each marble portrait depicts a historical figure noted for their work in establishing the principles that underlie American law.

When the Speaker of the House stands at his platform and looks straight ahead there is one marble portrait facing him. The other twenty-two marble portraits face left or right toward this one portrait that’s in the direct line of sight of anyone standing at the Speaker’s Platform (including the President of the United States). That portrait is of Moses. Our tour-guide told us Moses was centered this way because he brought us the ten laws on which all our other laws have been based.

Moses being the centerpiece of these lawmakers was awesome even though our nation seems bent on moving away from the values, principle and commands of Scripture.  In spite of the fact that many in modern culture suggest our nation didn’t have a Judeo-Christian foundation, the evidence everywhere we went suggests otherwise. One great representation of this is that Moses is in the House.