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?

 

Rest Example

Rest Example

Exodus 31: ¹² And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ¹³ “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. ¹⁴ You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. ¹⁵ Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. ¹⁶ Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. ¹⁷ It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ ”

 

¹⁸ And when He had made an end of speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

 

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GOD told Moses to tell the children of Israel to rest on the seventh day. They were to refrain from working and rest, just as the LORD did.

 

My Observations:

• GOD made humans with the limitation of needing rest.
• GOD cursed the earth and caused it to need workers to produce food.
• Humans have a tendency to get nervous or greedy, therefore GOD addressed these mindsets by providing a structure of rest.

 

You would think this would be the easiest law to abide in, but it isn’t. When Satan made humans fall, he introduced anxiousness, lusts and power insatiability. Human accomplishments of creating food, shelter and clothing would cause us to forget GOD when HE was the provider.

 

GOD wanted an entire day where humans would get replenished. Renewing the mind was just as important as rejuvenating the body. Humans were not supposed to think of work on the Sabbath. Their minds were supposed to be focused on GOD and to communicate directly with HIM. GOD allows us to have thing to work on, but HE doesn’t want that thing to have us.

 

GOD also said HE rested on the seventh day. GOD does not need rest, but wanted humans to follow HIS very intentional example. In other words, if GOD, who does not need rest, rested, you should as well.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the Sabbath again?
• What is GOD saying to you about rest?
• Can you take time to rest and to reflect on getting renewed and replenished?

Anointed Skills

Anointed Skills

Exodus 31: Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ² “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. ³ And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, ⁴ to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, ⁵ in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.

 

⁶ “And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you: ⁷ the tabernacle of meeting, the ark of the Testimony and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furniture of the tabernacle— ⁸ the table and its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, ⁹ the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base— ¹⁰ the garments of ministry, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests, ¹¹ and the anointing oil and sweet incense for the holy place. According to all that I have commanded you they shall do.”

 

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GOD told Moses who HE gave special skills to. HE wanted Moses to gather the people together to make the tabernacle and all that GOD told him to make.

 

My Observations:

• GOD appoints humans with a variety of gifts and talents for HIS glory.
• Humans can use their gifted talents for GOD’s purpose or their own.
• GOD is aware of all skills humans have and knows when they are used for HIM or not.

 

I strongly believe that each human has a special giftedness that is given by GOD. There are some that are used in churches, but most of the gifts we have are given to us by GOD to do daily work or to create great works.

 

When GOD made humans in HIS image, HE also meant for us to be able to create things like HIM. We have to use the stuff HE created to create things. GOD chose Bezalel, Aholiab, and many others to use their creativity to follow HIS instructions. GOD wanted humans involved in the atonement process and desired for them to use their artistry.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the people HE gave skills to?
• Has GOD given you gifts and talents you overlook or take for granted?
• How will you use your gifts and talents to bring people to GOD and to raise people up to HIM?

Gifted and Skilled

Gifted and Skilled

Exodus 30: ³⁴ And the Lord said to Moses: “Take sweet spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, and pure frankincense with these sweet spices; there shall be equal amounts of each. ³⁵ You shall make of these an incense, a compound according to the art of the perfumer, salted, pure, and holy. ³⁶ And you shall beat some of it very fine, and put some of it before the Testimony in the tabernacle of meeting where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. ³⁷ But as for the incense which you shall make, you shall not make any for yourselves, according to its composition. It shall be to you holy for the Lord. ³⁸ Whoever makes any like it, to smell it, he shall be cut off from his people.”

 

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GOD gave Moses strict instruction on how to make the incense.

 

My Observations:

• GOD gave certain people gifts and skills to make perfume.
• GOD wanted a smell sensory experience for the priest.
• GOD also wanted the smell sensory experience for the skilled worker and the surrounding people.

 

Anyone near the tabernacle would be able to smell the incense when it was burning. This mixture was sacred to GOD and was to be used as a reminder of the atonement of sins. We forget GOD easily. That is what free will is. GOD used the sense of smell as a reminder to focus on HIS grace and mercy for just a moment.

 

If someone tried to make the mixture for a casual purpose, that person was supposed to lose the protection that GOD provided. They would not die, but their choice would leave them on their own, away from GOD. Everyone had to be warned about this. GOD prepared everyone for HIS presence.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the specific instructions to make the incense?
• Has GOD ever given you very specific instructions to further HIS relationship with you?
• Have you reflected on the great lengths GOD has taken to be with you?

Anointed Recipe

Anointed Recipe

Exodus 30: ²² Moreover the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: ²³ “Also take for yourself quality spices—five hundred shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much sweet-smelling cinnamon (two hundred and fifty shekels), two hundred and fifty shekels of sweet-smelling cane, ²⁴ five hundred shekels of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. ²⁵ And you shall make from these a holy anointing oil, an ointment compounded according to the art of the perfumer. It shall be a holy anointing oil. ²⁶ With it you shall anoint the tabernacle of meeting and the ark of the Testimony; ²⁷ the table and all its utensils, the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense; ²⁸ the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base. ²⁹ You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy; whatever touches them must be holy. ³⁰ And you shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister to Me as priests.

 

³¹ “And you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘This shall be a holy anointing oil to Me throughout your generations. ³² It shall not be poured on man’s flesh; nor shall you make any other like it, according to its composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. ³³ Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on an outsider, shall be cut off from his people.’ ”

 

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GOD gave Moses instructions on purchasing the ingredients of the Holy Anointing Oil.

 

My Observations:

• GOD switched from measurements to purchase amounts when it came to the ingredients of the Anointing oil.
• The priests were expected to pay for the ingredients versus having them donated.
• The ingredients, once mixed together, would be declared holy by GOD and its use was sacred.

 

After GOD flooded the earth, Noah sent out a dove that returned with an olive branch. This represented peace between humans and GOD. The wrath was over. GOD introduced another sensory experience that the priest would experience. The aroma of the anointing oil would keep the priest focused on the task at hand, namely atonement for sins.

 

Each item in the holy of holies location was to be anointed with the special oil. Aaron and his sons would also require Moses to anoint them. The mixture needed a human touch versus being poured over the head. This symbolic touch declared the recipient as holy. GOD took the anointing process seriously.

 

Challenge:

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the anointing oil?
• Is GOD meticulously doing things in your life?
• What is GOD anointing you to do?