Amazing Meeting

Amazing Meeting

Exodus 33: ⁷ Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who sought the Lord went out to the tabernacle of meeting which was outside the camp. ⁸ So it was, whenever Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood at his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle. ⁹ And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. ¹⁰ All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent door. ¹¹ So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.

 

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Still furious at the people, Moses left the camp and went far away so he could speak with the LORD. He made a tent, or tabernacle, so that he could speak with the LORD.

 

My Observations:

• GOD informally met with Moses and did not require special clothing, a special tent or for him to wash in a special basin.
• The preincarnate JESUS was the one who met with Moses face to face as a friend.
• The pillar of cloud may have been the presence of the FATHER and the HOLY SPIRIT.

 

There seems to be a distinction with GOD being everywhere and GOD interacting with a specific human. When GOD was interacting with Moses, the pillar of cloud would appear. The people could see that GOD was specifically meeting with Moses and they would watch the interaction from afar and worship in front of their own tents.

 

The meeting with Moses was sacred, yet informal. The pillar of cloud would prevent people from seeing the conversation between JESUS and Moses. There are some quiet times with the LORD that should also be a time that is not common. Aaron and his sons had to be formal when meeting with GOD.

 

JESUS’s meeting with Moses was amazing! Very little they spoke about was revealed. JESUS may have filled Moses in on more of the plan than we can imagine. While Moses was not allowed into the first Promised Land, I believe JESUS met with Moses to tell him the plans for ending the world as we know it. Moses later appeared with Elijah in front of Peter and I believe Moses was one of the two angels mentioned in Revelation. Whatever the case, Moses met with JESUS and it was amazing!

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the amazing meetings?
• What purpose has GOD given you and are you living it out?
• Are you living your life for GOD’s purpose and are you meeting with HIM daily to get next steps?

Deal With Stubbornness

Deal With Stubbornness

Exodus 33: Then the Lord said to Moses, “Depart and go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ ² And I will send My Angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. ³ Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”

 

⁴ And when the people heard this bad news, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments. ⁵ For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you. Now therefore, take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do to you.’ ” ⁶ So the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by Mount Horeb.

 

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GOD told Moses to leave Mount Horeb also known as Mount Sanai. HE told Moses to tell the people about their stubbornness.

 

My Observations:

• GOD called the people “stiff-necked” and warned that HE would consume them.
• GOD seemed to be predicting what it would take to enter the promised land and heaven.
• GOD told the people to take off their ornaments.

 

Making a golden calf was the top thing that GOD told the people not to do. Everyone heard it, yet they did it anyway. GOD knew the people were going to be stubborn and not move towards HIM. But even during all of this, GOD said HE would send HIS Angel, the preincarnate JESUS, to be their guide and to drive out those who openly opposed HIM.

 

It is amazing that GOD was trying to save the people, but the people HE was trying to save were opposing HIM. They were acting like the people of Canaan who despised GOD after getting off the ark that saved them. The land flowing with milk and honey represents the Promised Land and heaven. Only those who surrender their stubbornness and who seek the Shepherd will enter the place GOD has provided.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the “stiff-necked” people?
• What stubbornness is GOD pointing out in you?
• Is there a part of your life that you need to surrender to GOD, even if you don’t know how?

Book of Life

Book of Life

Exodus 32: ³⁰ Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” ³¹ Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! ³² Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.”

 

³³ And the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. ³⁴ Now therefore, go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My Angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit for punishment, I will visit punishment upon them for their sin.”

 

³⁵ So the Lord plagued the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made.

 

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Moses returned to the LORD and reported back to HIM what GOD said when HE sent Moses back to the camp. Moses was very disappointed and asked GOD to blot his name out of the HIS “book.”

 

My Observations:

• The book spoken here may be the Lamb’s Book of Life.
• Those who rejected GOD in their hearts would be blotted out of the book.
• The Angel who would lead the way may have referred to the preincarnate JESUS.

 

What is revealed to us is there is a Book where names are kept. I believe the name GOD has given you and me are kept in this book. I also believe that belief in JESUS puts our name in the book. Belief in JESUS also inscribes your name and mine in JESUS’s hand who holds the Lamb’s Book of Life.

 

Those who oppose GOD would be blotted out. This, to me, means we have the free will to choose GOD or reject HIM. By rejecting HIM, our names can be removed from the Book. It actually takes effort to reject GOD. HE starts off with the names of everyone in the book. HE has also written HIS law in every human’s heart. But over time, a human can reject GOD for so long that the heart becomes hard and they believe they are GOD, making their own choices.

 

It is not about sin management; rather, it is about rejecting the relationship with the FATHER, the SON and the HOLY SPIRIT. We all are sinners and will continue to sin, but those who reject the need for a Savior and a daily Shepherd will be blotted out from HIS presence.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about HIS book and the plagues HE sent on the remaining people who praised the Golden Calf?
• What is GOD saying to you about the condition of your heart?
• Will you accept JESUS who is knocking on your heart and asking to come in, not forcing HIS way in?

Consecrate From Being Unrestrained

Consecrate From Being Unrestrained

Exodus 32: ²² So Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. ²³ For they said to me, ‘Make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ ²⁴ And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out.”

 

²⁵ Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), ²⁶ then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. ²⁷ And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’ ” ²⁸ So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day. ²⁹ Then Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother.”

 

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Aaron spoke to Moses, explaining why he made the golden calf. Moses told the people that they brought shame on themselves to their enemies. He then had the people choose whether they would follow GOD.

 

My Observations:

• Aaron tried to say that the calf just “came out,” not taking full responsibility for making the calf.
• About three thousand people spoke against following GOD.
• The tribe of Levi put those who were against GOD, to death.

 

Acting unrestrained was the problem that was exposed by Moses’s absence. There were people who opposed following GOD but had not had the chance to openly verbalize it until Moses was gone for a while. When he went to meet the LORD, the people who did not want to follow GOD, jumped into temporary leadership and influenced everyone to “play.”

 

Moses had about three thousand people put to death who would cause problems with following the LORD. GOD’s mission to save humanity would be threatened by people who would keep JESUS from going to the cross, or even being born. The same happens today metaphorically when people oppose those who sincerely preach the gospel. GOD had Moses deal with the opposition.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD remind Moses about dealing with the opposition in the camp?
• Have you been around people who opposed your relationship with GOD?
• Is there anyone in your circle who is opposing your relationship with GOD who may need to be put out of your circle?

The Sound of Singing

The Sound of Singing

Exodus 32: ¹⁵ And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written. ¹⁶ Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets.

 

¹⁷ And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.”

 

¹⁸ But he said:

 

“It is not the noise of the shout of victory,
Nor the noise of the cry of defeat,
But the sound of singing I hear.”

 

¹⁹ So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. ²⁰ Then he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it. ²¹ And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?”

 

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Moses and Joshua went down the mountain to investigate what GOD told them. As they got near, Joshua questioned the noise, thinking it must be war. Moses realized it was singing.

 

My Observations:

• Joshua was thinking from a warriors’ perspective.
• Moses used discernment to determine the sounds as singing.
• Moses made the children of Israel drink the ground up golden calf.

 

Upon arrival to the edge of the camp, Moses saw the wild party that was going on. He also saw the golden calf that was made. He became furious and threw down and broke the tablets GOD took time to write with HIS finger in the stone.

 

The party stopped when they saw Moses. The singing turned to silence. He then got wood, made a fire, stoked the fire, got a pot, put the calf in the pot, watched it melt, cooled the molten gold and ground it into powder. This took hours. Maybe a word was not said.

 

Moses then made the children of Israel drink the water that was laced with the ground up golden calf. He then questioned Aaron. GOD relented from HIS fury, but Moses did not.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD remind Moses about his reaction to seeing the people partying?
• What actions of yours is adversely affecting other people?
• What would you do if GOD called you to lead stubborn people who will not listen or change?

Ready for Merciful Leadership

Ready for Merciful Leadership

Exodus 32: ⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. ⁸ They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ ” ⁹ And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! ¹⁰ Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation.”

 

¹¹ Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, and said: “Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? ¹² Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. ¹³ Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ” ¹⁴ So the Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.

 

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GOD told Moses that the people made a molded calf and worshiped it and sacrificed to it. Moses replied by quoting GOD’s heart.

 

My Observations:

• GOD could have simply wiped out the people, but told Moses what happened.
• GOD also told Moses that HE saw this coming.
• Moses replied with the grace and mercy GOD wants a leader to have.

 

Quoting to GOD what HE says to us while trying to save someone shows alignment. Moses did not convince GOD to have mercy. GOD had already decided to make Abraham a great nation which included JESUS as the Savior. HE knew JESUS needed to be born as a human to die for the sins of mankind.

 

This strange interchange seems to be for Moses. Abraham had a similar episode when he tried to convince GOD to spare Sodom and Gomorrah. Moses pleaded for a group of people who easily turned away from GOD. His conviction to save the people finally came through. Moses had grown up to question GOD with GOD’s words and HIS heart by asking “How would it look it you killed everyone? And what about YOUR promise?” GOD relented as HE knew HE would.

 

But GOD shows us HE does not tolerate when we make something an idol that we think can give us direction while believing GOD can’t.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the people making an idol and what Moses said to HIM?
• Has GOD given you a mission that seems to be going in a bad direction?
• What promise has GOD made to you that you can quote back to HIM, asking HIM ‘Is this what YOU said?’

Behavior When Delayed

Behavior When Delayed

Exodus 32: Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

 

² And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” ³ So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. ⁴ And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf.

 

Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

 

⁵ So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.” ⁶ Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

 

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GOD turned from speaking to Moses to observing what the people were doing while Moses was gone. They made an idol, ate food and played.

 

My Observations:

• The children of Israel immediately left GOD when Moses was not around.
• Aaron, who saw GOD do amazing things, made an idol when people pressured him.
• The children of Israel did not go anywhere; rather, they sat, ate food and played.

 

Tired of following the rules, the people wanted something to represent a higher being, but did not want to follow one. They did not need an idol to go somewhere else. They could have simply left and went the way they thought they should go. But instead, they chose to ask for something that represented GOD. They also chose to eat and play, not producing anything or going anywhere.

 

Aaron was not surprising in his actions. He was not ready to lead the people. In fact, Moses asked GOD to bring Aaron along. Aaron did not ask to lead the people out of Egypt, nor did GOD ask him. When he thought he was about to lead, he simply pleased the people.

 

Aaron made a golden calf. This seems to represent commerce. The children of Israel came into Egypt tending herds by the advice of Joseph. They could see their economic growth based on this industry icon. We do the same when we celebrate economic success that is not based on GOD’s direction. GOD saw the people leaving HIM in droves.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about what the people did when he was on the mountain?
• Has GOD delayed your dream?
• How do you behave when GOD has delayed your dream and it seems like the leading is gone?