Go Fort Hays State - Year 2

Well I am about to head out on my last GO Trip at Union University. For the second year in a row, I am headed to Hays, Kansas to work with Christian Challenge. Challenge is a BCM type group on the campus of Fort Hays State University. They are a great influence on their campus already, and we get the amazing opportunity work alongside them this week. We have several events planned for the week, as well as many ministry opportunities while on the campus each day. It is exciting to get join God at work in Hays this week, and I cannot wait to see what He does in and through our lives while we are in Hays.

Here are some the things that we will be doing while on campus that you can pray for:

• Prayer Walking the campus
• Looking for opportunities to share the Gospel with students
• Going to classes with Challenge students
• Attending Challenge (worship service) on Tuesday night
• Painting a room in Carin's home (the leader) where the students hang out
• Helping with a party on Wednesday night

Also, please pray for safe travel. It is a long ride, and we are breaking it up into 2 days this year. Also, one of the guys that is going as well as myself are helping our leader drive part of the way. We should arrive in Hays tomorrow night at some point. Thanks for your prayers, and I will be sure to add updates of what God did when we get back!

As you may have already noticed, I have taken a break in walking through the Bible, which had been updated almost daily on this blog. In preparation for the trip, I have not been writing as much as had been earlier in the year. There will also not be any updates while I am in Hays. But hopefully I will be able to pick up in Leviticus on Easter Sunday.

Matt

Leviticus 11-12

Leviticus 11-12

God next goes into a detailed discussion about what animals the Israelites are allowed to touch and eat. He lists the different four-footed animals, birds, insects, and fish that are clean and unclean. He then tells them that when they break one of these commands, they will be unclean until evening. In essence, when they are unclean, they have sinned against God. This listing can almost appear to be quite picky and hard to keep, but God has a reason for these commands. He is not doing it just to make life hard for the Israelites. Sometimes, it is easy to feel that people in authority over us (such as parents, and God in this instance) come up with ridiculous rules just to make our life hard. At times, we do not understand why these rules are given, for no one ever gives a reason for the commands.

The end of Leviticus 11, however, gives a reason for these commands. God wanted the Israelites to be holy before Him. In fact, He commanded that they live in a holy manner. After all He had done for them, in rescuing them from the Egyptians and providing for them ever sense, He expected them to honor Him. He had made a covenant with their ancestors and promised them that they would one day return to the Promised Land, that He was just going to give to them. The least they could do was to show Him respect and honor Him by obeying His commands.

This passage is also important in that it is why the sacrifices and offerings were needed. Some of the offerings were used to ask for forgiveness. To ask for forgiveness meant that there was some sin that needed forgiving. That sin came from breaking one of God’s commands. So in Leviticus 11, God begins a lengthy discussion on how the Israelites were to live. These next several chapters can seem almost pointless to today’s society, because they really do not apply as much today (for they were under the Old Covenant). However, if nothing else, these chapters show us how God expects us to live a holy lifestyle as well. He has not changed in that He still expects His children to follow His commands. We should desire to live a holy lifestyle as well, one that is a life of obedience to God.

Another example of some of these laws can be seen in Leviticus 12. This short chapter deals completely with childbirth. For the Israelites, it was considered unclean to give birth. So in order to be purified and be considered clean again, she had to make a series of offerings after the birth. This may seem odd to a twenty-first century culture, but it does show a mother’s dedication to the Lord. In a way, it becomes a testament that she is willing to follow the Lord’s commands and teach them to her newborn child. From its first days of birth, it will see its mother following God’s commands. Parents should always be living a holy life, setting a positive example for their children, and it must be evident from the time that the child is born. So again, although these laws do not make sense to us today, many of them still have applications for our lives.

Matt

Leviticus 9-10

Leviticus 9-10

Picking up from the events of Leviticus 8, Aaron now offers all of the different types of offerings to the Lord, just as they had been commanded. This continues to show Aaron’s obedience to God, that he is indeed going to be one of God’s priests. It is also evident that Aaron did everything right with these offerings. After offering them up, God came down and consumed them, allowing the people to see His glory once again. It is interesting that this was done in front of the Israelites. Not only did it show them how the offerings were to be presented before the Lord, but it also showed them who they were offering it to (in case they forgot). In a sense, this ceremony was a type of reminder to the Israelites that God is still with them, and He is still looking out for them. He promised not to leave them, and He still hasn’t. The only way they knew to respond to this truth was through worship. All of them fell on their faces in worship before the Lord, for they knew that they were in His presence.

Then, in Leviticus 10 a counter example is given. Whereas Aaron was living in obedience before God, two of his sons were not. To us the different commands and regulations that God had placed on the different offerings seem odd. It can be hard for us to understand why it had to be done in such a specific way. For the Israelites, this was a form of worship before God. In offering up these sacrifices, they were expressing their worship of God through obedience. God had commanded that these offerings be handled in a specific fashion, so when Nadab and Abihu went against God’s commands, He struck them dead. Just as the differing commands can seem too specific, their deaths may seem too harsh. However, God had told them exactly what they were to do. It was not as if God had given them a huge task that was impossible to complete. He had given them a specific set of instructions and only required pure obedience. When Aaron’s two sons could not even follow those commands, God sent down His punishment.

Again, remember that the priests were examples before the nation of Israel. They were the ones who were to offer up the sacrifices of the Israelites. God had chosen them specifically for this task, and demanded that it be done correctly (for their sake and for the sake of the Israelites). If they could not be trusted, then God had no use for them in the tabernacle, the Most Holy place. Furthermore, their deaths also served as an example before the rest of the Israelites. It showed that God was serious about their obedience and expected them to heed to His commands. He had given them great examples in Moses and Aaron, who were continuing to follow God faithfully.

Matt

Leviticus 8

Leviticus 8

After getting all of the sacrifices and offerings in order, God had Moses work on getting it all started. The Israelites had all of their instructions, but they had not yet started the sacrificial process. So God had Moses anoint Aaron and his family, who would be the first priests of Israel. Again, the instructions for this process were laid out in Exodus, and they were repeated in Leviticus 8 when Moses actually anointed the priests. This was an important process, for these were the men that God had specifically chosen to be the ones who in a sense became the mediator between God and the Israelites. As we have seen previously, this is the role from the Old Covenant that Jesus perfected in the New Covenant.

God obviously expected a lot from His priests. If they were sinful and did not handle the sacrifices properly, they were not only hurting themselves but those around them. If someone’s sacrifice was not done properly, they would have to offer it again, which would cost them a lot. Remember that they offered only the best of what they had, which is what would also sell the best. So having to give another offering would be very costly to the average Israelite. But there was also a serious consequence for the priests. By not following the Lord’s commands, they faced the possibility of death. God took this position seriously, especially since He had specifically called these men to serve Him.

This has implications for people in those positions today as well. Pastors and leaders of the church must think carefully about the position that they hold. They are not only in a position that has been given to them by God, but they are also in a position that serves as an example for others. By taking advantage of that position, they will reap serious consequences. Think about all of the scandals that have gone through the church in recent years (although this has been going on since the early church). Think of how the people from their churches probably felt: disappointment, shame, and uncertainty. They probably did not know where to turn or what to believe. It is possible that people will reject the faith after such an instance. Furthermore, people who might already be skeptical of Christianity will have a hard time accepting it when such an instance occurs. Again, Leviticus can seem so far removed from our culture, but there are some interesting applications for our lives. If nothing else, Leviticus 8 can serve as a warning to people in high positions within the church.

Matt

Leviticus 6:8-7:38

Leviticus 6:8-7:38

The rest of Leviticus 6 as well as much of Leviticus 7 look into the second part of these offerings. Whereas the previous chapters discussed what the Israelites were to do when they brought these offerings, and what they were to bring to sacrifice, these chapters discuss the priest’s roles in the offerings. The offering was not just in their hands, it had to go through the priest. Again this showed how in the Old Testament, people did not have that direct link with God as we know it today. Yes, God provided for them, took care of them, and they could go to Him freely, but they had to go through the priest, offering a sacrifice to Him. In the New Covenant, there has only been one sacrifice, and it is good for all sins for all time. Jesus’ sacrifice was given once for all. Furthermore, He has become our eternal priest, and in a sense we go through Him to get to the Father. He is the only way to Heaven, and He serves a similar role as Aaron did, just better.

So in the Old Covenant, the priests had certain responsibilities as well. They had to know the instructions on how to perform each type of offering. They had to know what was considered lawful (or clean) and what was unlawful (or unclean). They were also punished when they broke the laws involved with these offerings/sacrifices. These men were chosen by God for a specific purpose in life, and they were expected to live up to that standard, paying very careful attention to following His commands. Again, the New Covenant has a much greater priest. Whereas the Old Covenant had priests who would unknowingly or willingly break the Law, the New Covenant gave us a superior priest who was perfect. It was this perfection that made His sacrifice so great as well. Leviticus can be a tough book to read through, but there are so many parallels between it and the life of Christ, and it can be helpful to see how these Laws were originally given so that we can understand the New Covenant better.

Leviticus 7 ends with a conclusion to all of the offerings. God gives the Israelites a few final commands about what they are allowed to touch and eat from these offerings, and what they are not allowed to touch or eat. He also told them what they were to offer to Aaron and the priests. Since the priests would daily be involved in sacrificing to the Lord, they would not have time to grow their own food or raise their own flocks and herds like the rest of Israel. So God provided for them through the sacrifice, setting aside part of the sacrifice for them to eat. These are a lot of rules and stipulations and can seem pointless to us today. I have already mentioned how we can see pieces of the New Covenant in some of these laws, but even when those parallels are not evident, try not to get bogged down in Leviticus. It may be hard to read, but it can be a very valuable book to study.

Matt

Leviticus 5:1-6:7

Leviticus 5:1-6:7

Discussion on the sin offering is continued in Leviticus 5. Whereas Leviticus 4 discussed unintentional sins, this chapter takes up cases for when someone knowingly sins or comes to the realization that they have sinned. In the same way, when confronted with that sin, they are to seek forgiveness as soon as possible. To express their knowledge of that sin and the willingness to be forgiven of it, they are to bring a sacrifice for that sin. This chapter also explains how this offering works, the process.

No matter how the sin occurs, whether unintentionally, unknowingly, or deliberately, it is supposed to be handled in the same way. God once again gave them clear instructions on how to perform this offering. They were to bring a spotless lamb to compensate for their sin. By sacrificing something valuable to them, it showed their commitment to God and His commands. It showed how they desired not to sin in that way again. But God understood that all men would not be able to afford a lamb so He made exceptions. For those who could not afford a lamb, He commanded that they sacrifice two turtledoves, and for those who could not afford this, were to give a certain amount of flour. The point was that whatever they sacrificed was something that was hard to live without.

Thankfully, we do not have to go through this process today because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross; however, we should still respond in the same manner when we seek forgiveness. Just because it is “easier” to receive that forgiveness, does not mean that we should take advantage of this New Covenant. We should still desire to set things right with God, feeling guilt over what we have done. We should still desire to change our lifestyles so that we do not get caught back in that sin. We should still try to live a more holy life. Maybe we do not have to respond in the same way as the Israelites did to our sins (through sacrifice), but we should still desire to change our lifestyles after receiving forgiveness.

The end of Leviticus 5 and the beginning of Leviticus 6 describe the guilt offering. The difference between this offering and the sin offering are vague. The difference that some people see between the two offerings is that the guilt offering is for more serious sins. This is seen in the fact that the sacrifice is more expensive for this offering. But one clear difference between these two offerings is the repayment the Israelites were to make. The Lord commanded that they pay back the wrong they have made. If it was a lie, then they were to report the truth. If they had stolen something, they were supposed to make up for what they had stolen. This offering made a point to not only set things right with God, but also with their fellow men.

It is easy to ask God for forgiveness, but think about how hard it is to go up to someone you have hurt and tell them that you are sorry for what you have done. Have you ever gone to someone and asked for their forgiveness personally? Maybe we are not to practice these offerings today, but we should practice the principles they teach us. God apparently thought that it was important to restore the relationships between one another. He commanded the Israelites to fix these broken relationships, and we should do this as well. They should not have to come to us, pointing out our sins (Matthew 18). Instead, we are responsible for going to them, restoring the relationship as soon as possible.

Matt

Leviticus 3-4

Leviticus 3-4

The peace offering expressed sacrifice on the part of the Israelite. They were to bring the best of whatever animal they used in this offering. The animal was supposed to be without blemish, which was the best of the flock. Furthermore, they were to remove all of the fat and blood, for these were two things that they were not supposed to eat. They would then offer up their sacrifice to God in order to remember the covenant that they had made with Him. Again it is not clear as to why this offering was used, but it has been suggested that the reasons ranged from petition to praise.

Leviticus 4 begins the discussion on the sin offering. This text is clearer on why this offering is needed. Although there are many examples presented, there is one common theme that runs through all of them. One of the main reasons for this offering is to deal with unintentional sins. When someone breaks one of God’s commands and does not realize that they did something wrong, and especially when this sin is then later brought to their attention, they are supposed to repent of that sin with this offering. They are then to follow the careful instructions that God gave them so that they show that they are truly repenting of their sins and are seeking His forgiveness.

This offering shows the importance of accountability amongst believers. It says that when they do not realize their sin, but someone else points it out to them, they should repent. Now of course, that does not mean that people should be out in society as police just waiting for someone to mess up so that they can point out their mistakes, for that is just being judgmental. It does mean, however, that if someone happens to see another person sin, they should care enough about them to point it out in a loving manner. Accountability is not being judgmental toward one another; instead, it is living life together, helping each other along through all of life’s difficult times. Accountability is holding each other accountable for their actions, and when a sin is pointed out, then that person should be glad that they have a friend who is not afraid to help them get their life back on track. So one of the purposes of this offering was to help the people of Israel come together as one, living life together, helping each other along through those hard times.

Accountability is a discipline that has been lost in today’s society. Sure, there are many who do practice this discipline, but at the same time, many do not. People play the “judgment” card so much today that people are almost afraid to point out the fault in someone else. People do not want to be told that they are doing something wrong, and this has hindered the practice of accountability. The church today needs to rediscover the importance and usefulness of the discipline. It needs to be seen throughout the members of today’s church, for as it did for the Israelites, it will unite God’s children as we try to live for Him in this fallen world.

Matt

Leviticus 1-2

Leviticus 1-2

Although Scripture is not clear as to how much time has passed between Exodus and Leviticus, it is clear that this occurred after Exodus. In the opening verses, Moses is instructed by the Lord from the tabernacle, which was built at the end of Exodus. He then goes through another series of laws for the Israelites. Whereas Exodus’ laws were primarily about the construction of the tabernacle, Leviticus’ laws deal with the people of Israel. The first few chapters are God’s instructions about the different offerings that the Israelites will bring to Him.

Leviticus 1 is not clear as to the purpose of the burnt offering. It does not mention why the Israelites had to give this type of offering. Some have speculated that it is for thanksgiving, penitence, vows, and self-dedication. The only clue to this offering’s purpose is the fact that the Lord is pleased from it. However, that could go either way. He could be pleased that His children are coming to Him for forgiveness or He could be pleased that His children are coming to give Him thanks. Whatever the true purpose is, it is clear that this offering puts humans in a position of submission and humility before God. It is a way of recognizing God’s reign over the entire world.

The next offering that is mentioned is the grain offering. Again speculation suggests that this offering’s purpose was to be given alongside either a burnt offering or a peace offering. There were strict regulations on this offering as well, and it showed a person’s submission to God, their willingness to sacrifice something of their own. The regulations on all of these different offerings were very specific, much like the instructions God had given them for the tabernacle. God gave them these instructions for a reason, and even if they appear to be insignificant details, God had a reason for following them. He expected complete obedience. These offerings not only taught the Israelites how to sacrifice to the Lord, but it also taught them daily obedience. It is not enough to be obedient to God in one instance alone.

We may sometimes feel that we have done so much for God and been so careful to follow His commands that we can take a break. But God never gives His children a free pass on obedience. He hates sin, and disobedience is sin. So God expects daily obedience from His children, even in the smallest details of life. So those little thoughts or little lies that we think nothing about must be recognized as sin. We must monitor our lives carefully and make sure that the way we live should reflect God. We are to be holy before Him.

Matt

Exodus 40

Exodus 40

After construction had been completed, God instructed Moses to actually erect the tabernacle itself. He also commanded him to put all of the different pieces inside so that it would be ready for worship and service. Part of this process was placing Aaron and his family in the correct position as well so that they could serve as the priests. Finally, the tabernacle was anointed with oil, consecrated all to God. They had all followed God’s instructions carefully and had completed the tabernacle. So on the first day of the second year of their escape from the hands of the Egyptians, the Israelites put it all together.

It is hard to imagine that they had only been out of Egypt for a year. During that time they had seen God do countless miracles, mainly in His provision for their basic needs. They had also met with God at the base of the mountain, receiving the Ten Commandments. They also spent 80 days total in Moses’ two trips to meet with the Lord on the mountain. During his first visit, they turned away from God and created the golden calf, making the calf their new “god.” After Moses interceded for them, they finally decided that they would obey God’s commands and had now completed a major construction project for God, the tabernacle.

Upon completion, God indwelt the tabernacle by allowing His cloud to inhabit it. This cloud had led the Israelites from Egypt to Sinai (a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of cloud by night). It had always been used for their direction, and with the tabernacle’s completion, that did not change. God now indwelt the tabernacle, and as long as His presence was inside, the Israelites were not to leave. But when He allowed His glory to go outside the tabernacle again, He would once again lead the Israelites to their next location. God’s presence was still with the Israelites, and He continued to guide them in the way that they were to go.

So Exodus comes to an end without the promise of the Promised Land being fulfilled. Although God had not yet fulfilled this promise, He had met several others. He promised Jacob and Joseph in Genesis that the Israelites would not always be in Egypt. One day He would take them back to Canaan to inhabit the Promised Land. But it was over four hundred years later before the Israelites saw this promise come to pass. God then promised to protect them and be with them all the way. Since He had not yet fulfilled His promise to return them to their land, He made sure to protect them along the way so that they could inhabit it one day. God never failed in taking care of His children, protecting them from dehydration, hunger, and war. Now He had a system of worship developed and expected complete obedience from His children as He continued to lead them home. God’s promise still remained, and at the end of Exodus, the Israelites are still in the process of traveling to the Promised Land.

Matt

Exodus 35-39

Exodus 35-39

It may appear as if a large section of Scripture is being taken up in this discussion; however, these chapters are mainly a repeat of God’s instructions to him during his first forty days on the mountain. God had previously given Moses all the instructions for making everything that would be associated with the tabernacle. He also gave Moses instructions on how the Israelites were to be involved in constructing these pieces. Some were to give what they could so that they would have the materials to begin the construction. Others were commanded to be the ones who built the tabernacle. Still others, such as Aaron, were chosen to work inside the tabernacle after its construction.

So after Moses returned from his second trip on the mountain, he found that the Israelites had not turned their backs on God this time. Unlike the first instance when he came back only to find them worshipping a golden calf, Moses found them dedicated to assist him in anything he needed. So Moses told them all that God had commanded, and they responded immediately. They had already had their rounds of disobedience, and this time they were sure not to be found disobeying God. They brought forth all the materials that would be needed to begin construction, and the amount that they brought was more than was needed. Moses had to put a restriction on their giving, requiring them to keep some for themselves for they had received too much.

What a problem to have when the people of God are giving so much that the leaders have no idea how to handle the excess. It seems that today’s society is so selfish that even the church sometimes suffers monetarily from our self-centered ways. At times, churches suffer because its members refuse to be obedient to the Lord in giving their tithes to Him. Sadly, most churches never have an opportunity to experience these joys of having too much. The people of God today should be just as willing as these Israelites to give all that they have over to the Lord. The Israelites finally understood all that God had done for them and realized that the least they could do was give all they could back to Him. Our society (our churches) need to realize this truth. God continues to work in this world, doing miracles in our lives every day. He continues to provide for us in ways that we do not even realize, and yet we are selfish and refuse to give back to Him. We must learn to give in obedience.

The rest of these five chapters revisit the specific instructions that God had given Moses. Moses and the Israelites were careful to follow even the smallest details. Lengths and measurements along with the amounts of the different ingredients were followed exactly. It is easy to get bogged down in all of the details of these chapters, but these details express the Israelites’ obedience to God. They show how closely they were paying attention to all of God’s commands. It is so easy to miss out on the details of God’s commands and plans for our lives. We must take the time to sit still and listen to God as He lays out His plans, careful not to miss each and every detail.

Matt

Exodus 34

Exodus 34

After things were settled between God and the Israelites, God instructed Moses to make two new tablets for Him. He then told Moses to come up on Mount Sinai the following morning, and God promised to rewrite the words on these new tablets. But God also told Moses to make sure that no one or nothing else came up on the mountain with him. Remember that the last time he was on the mountain, God told the Israelites that anyone who came up on the mountain would be killed (except the few that God made an exception for). So Moses did as he was commanded and met with God the next day. It was there that God made His intentions clear. He told Moses that He was indeed a loving God, but when His people sinned against Him, future generations would pay for their mistakes. We saw this in Genesis when children were punished for their parent’s sins (such as Cain or Esau). However, God is also a God of forgiveness, and He promised to renew the covenant that He had made with the Israelites and continue to go with them as they traveled to the Promised Land.

It appears as if most of this chapter is just a summary of what had already been stated throughout this entire book. God summarizes many of the commandments that He already made: the Ten Commandments, the different feasts they were to observe, and some of the laws that He had made about how they were to live. It then says that Moses spent a second set of forty days and nights on the mountain with the Lord. This makes me wonder if this chapter is purely a summary of the commands since they had already been given previously. Maybe Moses actually heard it all again, from the Ten Commandments to the other commands to the instructions for the tabernacle within these forty days. He had not yet had the chance to tell the Israelites all that God had said for he was having to deal with their disobedience. Therefore, it seems possible that God just began anew and went through the entire lists of commands a second time so that Moses would be sure not to forget or mess them up when he went back to speak with the Israelites.

But what might be even more amazing than this is the fact that Moses had the opportunity to spend another 40 days alone in God’s presence, with no distractions. Sure the circumstances were not the best, but it did allow Moses that one-on-one time with God for a second time. Moses returned to the Israelites to share with them all that the Lord had said, and they were all afraid to come near him because of his shining face. After spending so much time with God, Moses’ physical appearance was beginning to reflect God’s glory. We say today that we want to be the “light of God” in a dark world. Moses literally lived out this idea. He thus became an example to all the Israelites of how their lives should appear to others. Moses veiled his face when he was in the presence of others, but whenever he went back to meet with the Lord, he always took the veil off. Moses was God’s messenger to the Israelites, and he continued to deliver God’s messages to Israel.

Matt

Exodus 33:7-23

Exodus 33:7-23

The next section of Exodus 33 shows a very real, personal experience. It shows the relationship that Moses had with the Lord. God would meet with Moses in the tent of meeting, “as a man speaks to his friend.” Despite the times that Moses had messed up in his life, and despite the mistakes that he would make later on, there was a very close relationship between God and Moses. Furthermore, it was obvious to all of the Israelites. They saw Moses meet with God, and they too worshipped God when Moses would enter the ten. Also it appears as if Joshua desired a similar relationship with God after seeing his mentor Moses meet so personally with Him. As Christians we can have this same type of experience with God. He offers us the gift of salvation, and part of that is having that personal relationship with Him. But in that, our lives should also reflect Him in such a way that others take notice. Our relationship with God should cause others to desire to draw close to and worship God as well.

At the beginning of Exodus 33, God had told the Israelites that He would not be going with them on the next leg of their journey. Instead, He would send one of His angels to show them the correct path. The people were rightfully disappointed, realizing that their stubbornness and sin was the reason that God was making this decision. But now at the end of this chapter, Moses is pleading with the Lord to go with them. He tells God that he does not want to go anywhere without Him. If God is not going to be leading the way, then Moses wants no part in it. Furthermore, Moses wonders how people will know God’s true power if He is not the one exhibiting His power through an instance such as this. This situation is similar to when they had first escaped Egypt and Moses requested that God not kill the Israelites as to not hinder His glory. Moses wanted God’s name and reputation to be known throughout the entire land. He did not want God to be a fading thought in the corner of people’s minds; rather, he wanted everyone to know that Israel’s success was all because of the Lord.

So God once again agreed with Moses and promised him that He would continue to be with them on their journey. Moses then made one more request of God, asking to see His glory. God made it clear to Moses that anyone who looks upon God will die. God is so great, that our human bodies cannot physically take in all that He is. He is so perfect, that our minds cannot understand Him. God knew that Moses could not look upon Him and live, so He formed a plan that would allow Moses to see His back only. How bold of a request is this that Moses makes? It almost seems to be a ridiculous quest. I do not think that I feel close enough to God to even think about making such a request, but that is where I find that I am at fault. Why don’t I feel that close to God? The relationship that Moses had with the Lord was amazing. He walked with God daily, met with God, requested many things of God, and God listened carefully, even granting many of Moses’ requests. Moses’ life was completely focused on God, and for the most part, he did not allow any of life’s distractions to interfere with their relationship. Really this request should not seem that ridiculous. Yes we need to have a healthy fear of the Lord, but we should also have such a relationship with the Lord that we are not afraid to ask Him for anything, as long as it does not contradict His commands. Moses’ relationship with God is a great model for how our lives should look.

Matt

Exodus 32:15-33:6

Exodus 32:15-33:6

Although Moses knew what he was about to walk into, it was still a bit of a surprise for him when he came down the mountain. With Joshua by his side, they were both stunned to find that the people were rejoicing and singing around this golden calf. Rightfully, Moses became angry, and he then expressed his anger in a very extreme measure. Not only did he break the tablets that God had given him on the mountain, but he also destroyed the golden calf, getting rid of the idol. He then confronted Aaron on what he had done, and Aaron immediately played the blame game. As humans, we naturally do not want to take the blame ourselves, and we always try to pass it off on someone else. Now while it was true that the people came up to Aaron to make this golden calf, he could have resisted. He did not have to go along with their suggestion. He knew what God had done for him since they had left Egypt, and he knew God’s true power. So he was at as much fault as they were. But v24 is the worst part of his excuse. It is not bad enough that he passed the blame on the people, but he even blamed the fire. Instead of saying that he is the one who made the calf, he just casually says that the calf just came out, as if it was the calf’s fault. This is just another example of how when we are not careful, we will let one sin lead to another. In an attempt to cover up one mistake, we end up making several more.

But God had promised forgiveness, and He was committed to keep His end of the promise, so Moses immediately got to business after dealing with Aaron. He gathered the Levites together (those willing to follow God) and sent them out to kill one of their brothers. Now I am not sure if this was to be a form of punishment for their idolatry or just a way to show that these men were committed to the Lord’s service. Either way, God was still drawing His people unto Himself, and He was beginning to put the Law into place.

Moses once again spoke with God about forgiving the people for what they had done, and the Lord agreed. He told Moses to continue on the journey, heading to the Promised Land. But he also promised that there would be punishment for their sin. So He sent a plague down on all those who had worshipped the golden calf. The intent of this plague was to bring about repentance from the Israelites, hoping that they would recognize their sin and seek God’s forgiveness. So in Exodus 33, God sends them on the journey once again, this time leaving Mount Sinai. Although God is still promising protection for His people, protecting them from the different people groups along the way, He is also protecting them from Himself. He was still angry for what they had done, calling them “stiff-necked.” He knew that because of their stubborn ways, He might decide to wipe them out (as He had almost done anyways). For that reason, He sent an angel with them instead to lead the way. The people were grieved that God saw them in this fashion, which shows that they might have been coming to some sort of repentance. Again, this shows that when we sin, God is hurt. He does not want to see His children falter. At times, consequences will come, to grab our attention and draw us back to Him. But in the midst of it all, it should cause us to seek repentance.

Matt

Exodus 32:1-14

Exodus 32:1-14

After several chapters of instructions for the Israelites, the text shifts back to the next major event in Israel’s history. Exodus 32 parallels the previous section of chapters, giving readers a glimpse into what was going on at the base of the mountain, where Moses had left the Israelites as he went up the mountain. Remember that at this point they did not know all of the commands about their future tabernacle, and Aaron did not yet know what role he was about to play in the life of Israel; however, they had already been given the Ten Commandments. Therefore, they knew that God had commanded them, the God they saw descend on the mountain and who had provided for them so much since they left Egypt, to not worship any other god. He alone deserved their worship. Yet in a time of uncertainty, they panicked. They had been without their leader for several days at this point, for Moses was on the mountain with God for 40 days, and they demanded that Aaron make them a new god to worship.

But what is worse than making this new god is the fact that Aaron then tells them that this man made object is the “god” that delivered them from the hands of the Egyptians. I do not understand how Aaron, the one who had stood by Moses’ side the entire time and had been following God faithfully for so long could have done this. It is easy for me to get upset at the Israelites, especially Aaron, over this tragic mistake. Yet I know that I do this in my life as well. Like those mountain top experiences (summer camp), once they are so far removed, it becomes easy to forget about them and to move on in life without God. So realize that the Israelites were wrong in their actions, but also understand that we do this very thing any time we put something in our lives above God.

Understanding that God is all knowing, He knew what the Israelites had done while He was still with Moses. So He told Moses that He was ready to go down and basically wipe out the entire nation of Israel, similar to the flood. He was rightfully upset that His people had turned from Him so quickly, forgetting all that He had done for them. Noticing the anger and disappointment He had towards them, brings conviction on me to make sure that I never find myself in a place in life where He would feel this way toward me. He deserves all of our life and all of our worship, not just a part. Although God felt this way towards the people of Israel, He remembered His promise that He had made with Abraham and spared them on account of him. He was still planning on making a great nation out of these people, but that did not mean that He was not disappointed. The same is true for us. Nothing can separate us from His love when are truly His children. He will not strip us of our salvation and condemn us to Hell. However, that does not mean that He will not convict us. He will remind us of our sin, and He will be disappointed in our choices. But because of His great love, He will also continue to draw us back to Himself.

Matt

Exodus 30-31

Exodus 30-31

The next piece of the tabernacle was the altar of incense. After establishing Aaron and his family as those who will be responsible for the priestly duties, God explains what one of those duties will be. Aaron was responsible for making sure that the altar of incense was used properly with the different sacrifices that they would give. Also, Aaron was to make atonement once a year from this altar. This was another of way of showing future generations that entire God had done for the Israelites that had lived in Egypt.

Next God wanted Moses to take a census of the people of Israel. The purpose of this census was not to necessarily see how many Israelites there were (for God knew that number) but to see how many of them were willing to say that they were going to follow the Lord. To take part in the census, and be included in that final number, each person had to pay a half shekel. What is interesting is that no one was to try and pay and more or less than the required amount. God wanted them to give so much in order to identify themselves with Him, but He did not want them to give more than was required as not to brag. This tax would show who was willing to follow God.

The next piece of the tabernacle was the bronze basin, and it served as another one of Aaron’s priestly duties. It was to be used before every sacrifice, so that they would not die. In making these sacrifices, they were coming into the Lord’s presence. Using the basin would show that they were coming to God with a pure and clean heart. It was a symbol of them washing away their own sins before God. Many of the practices we have seen in these chapters have no relevance for us today. However, there are practical applications from these practices (and we have seen some already). Here, I think it is important that we see how Aaron was supposed to come to the Lord, clean. We should always be in an attitude of humility before the Lord, never thinking too highly of ourselves. Even though we are Christians, we still sin, and we do need to come to God with forgiveness, but that is how we should always come to Him. Before we begin requesting of God we need to make sure that we have repented of any sins in our life. The idea of repentance is similar to Aaron’s use of this bronze basin.

Finally, God instructs Moses to make some oil for anointing and some incense. He wanted all the different pieces of the tabernacle to be anointed with this oil, making it holy before the Lord. He also wanted Aaron and his sons to be anointed so that they would be seen as holy as well. This made a distinction between any ordinary man made construction and the tabernacle in which the Lord would dwell. He deserves nothing less. Also, no one other than the priests was to be anointed with this oil, for they were the ones who would make the sacrifices. So it is clear that there was some sort of distinction in the people of Israel, even if it was by position and responsibilities. Again there is a difference in this Old Covenant practice and the New Covenant. Jesus is our priest, and He is definitely most holy. There is a clear distinction between His position and ours, and He made Himself a sacrifice for our sins. But as for us, God’s children, we are all seen equally before Him. Jesus perfected this Old Covenant practice, and gave us access to the Father.

After giving Moses all of these instructions, Moses was probably wondering how he would accomplish this great task. So God not only gave Moses the task, but also the means to complete the task. He had already given two men, Oholiab and Bezalel the abilities to make everything required for the tabernacle. So God told Moses to make sure that he told these two men exactly how it was to all be made, and they could make it. It may appear that God’s plans for your life is more than you can handle. But remember that He never gives us more than we can handle, for He will always provide the means by which we can accomplish it. We just have to be ready to work.

Exodus 31 closes with a reminder of the importance of keeping the Sabbath. Notice that God has continuously told the people to keep His Sabbath: when they left Egypt, during their journey, through the 10 Commandments, and now with the instructions in building the tabernacle. God was serious about keeping His end of the promise, giving them the Promised Land, and He wanted them to be serious about their obedience to His commands. Keeping the Sabbath was one of those ways in which God expected them to show their dependence on and obedience to Him. So as Moses got ready to head down the mountain, 40 days later, he left with two tablets, written by God, which contained His commands. These tablets were a sign of the covenant that God had made with Israel.

Matt

Exodus 28-29

Exodus 28-29

Next God begins developing the priesthood, setting up Aaron as the first priest. Once more, Exodus 28 offers a specific list of instructions, this time discussing how to make the garments that the priests will wear. One of the pieces to their garments was two stones that would have the 12 tribes of Israel listed on them. Aaron was to wear these two stones on his shoulders, bearing them before the Lord. Remember that in the Old Covenant there was not this sense of direct access to God as we know today. Exodus 26 already illustrated this point by making the distinction between the people and the Most Holy Place. But now God has given them a sense of access, through His chosen priests. They are the ones who will make intercession on part of the Israelites. Although this chapter does not explain their roles, for that is coming later, it does begin to set up the priesthood.

Aaron’s role is more clearly seen in the development of the breastplate. It too was to bear the names of the 12 tribes. God tells Moses that Aaron will be the one who will enter the Holy Place (not the Most Holy Place) to bring them to remembrance before the Lord. So although the priesthood itself has not been completely outlined, God is showing what specific role Aaron will have before the people. He is a major leader of the people of Israel right alongside Moses. The rest of Exodus 28 continues to explain how his garments are to be made, but it also stresses the importance of Aaron following God’s instructions. These garments are not only to be made in a certain way, but they are also to be used in a certain way. God had a specific plan for the priesthood, and He laid the guidelines out carefully. Just as it was important for Moses and the people to follow God’s instructions carefully in constructing all the necessary parts of the tabernacle, Aaron was to follow God’s instructions about his role as a priest carefully as well. Once again it all comes back down to obedience, a key aspect of the life of the child of God.

Exodus 29 discusses how the priests are to be consecrated. God developed a ceremony that He wanted the Israelites to go through in consecrating the priests. It began with a sacrifice, which is a sign of giving God their best and showing humility before the Lord. They understood that it was God who had given them this opportunity and it was nothing that they had done. It later explains how this ceremony will last 7 days. While there may be significance to the number 7 in this passage, I think it is important to note that this is not a simple ceremony. It does not last for just a few minutes; rather it lasts for 7 days. It takes sacrifice to give up the different items for the offerings to God, but it takes just as much of a sacrifice to give up an entire week for such a service. Could you imagine if such ceremonies were required for certain positions in the church today? I wonder how many would be willing to give up that much of their time and their money or possessions to serve the Lord. Although sacrificing things in life is hard, I feel like the sacrifice of time might be the hardest for us today. We may actually find it easier to write a check than to give up a few hours of our week to serve God. Here, God required both, money and time.

Matt

Exodus 26-27

Exodus 26-27

All of Exodus 26 is a description of how the tabernacle shall be made and what it should look like. The end of the chapter ties it into the previous chapter, showing how all the pieces fit together. One of the more interesting portions of the chapter is the end where God designates a separation between the Most Holy Place and the Israelites. Just as they were not allowed to go up the mountain with the Lord (except for Moses), they were also not allowed to enter this section of the tabernacle. Remember that this is the Old Covenant, and the New Covenant has now granted us access to God. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, there is no longer this barrier, for He ripped that very veil (symbolically) to grant us access into God’s presence.

In Exodus 27, God describes the bronze altar that will be placed in the tabernacle as well. Once more this section ends with God reminding Moses that he must be careful to follow these instructions carefully in making these different pieces of the tabernacle. This once again shows the importance of remaining committed to God even when life gets hard and those mountain top experiences seem so long ago. In describing what the court will look like, God makes note that all the utensils used in the sacrifices shall be made of bronze. The first few items, which were placed in the Most Holy Place, were made of gold, and now these items are bronze. In our culture there is a distinction of significance between these two metals. I am not sure how big of a distinction was made then, but I am assuming that gold was worth more than bronze. If that be the case, this distinction in the use of metals may be expressing how God deserves the best. Gold, in this case, being the best was to be used to make the items in the portion of the tabernacle where He would dwell. So one lesson we can learn from this is that God always deserves our best. He does not want the leftovers of our lives, nor does He deserve anything less than our best.

The end of Exodus 27 shows how the tabernacle would be open around the clock. Aaron and his family were to be the ones who would work at the tabernacle from evening to morning. This is where the Israelites would eventually bring their sacrifices in order to receive forgiveness. By the tabernacle always being open, and a priest always being present, God was telling them that He was always available. They did not have a once for all sacrifice as we do today, but they did have the hope of one to come. But in the Old and New Covenants, God has always been present around the clock. He never takes a break or tires from His job. He is always available for us whenever we need to come to Him.

Matt

Exodus 25

Exodus 25

The next section of the book of Exodus has been a section that I commonly skim over, and many times do not really pay much attention to. These next several chapters describe the plans for God’s tabernacle. One reason that I have skimmed them in the past is probably because all of the specifics can appear dull and boring, and what do these details mean for us today? However, in just reading the first few verses of Exodus 25, I am already seeing something new. Maybe the details themselves do not have much application for our lives today, but they do illustrate an important aspect of our relationship with the Lord, obedience.

God was going to dwell in the midst of the people of Israel, a new kind of relationship with His children. He had just revealed His glory on the mountain, and they had all stood on the base of the mountain to see it. Now He wanted Moses to explain to them that He was going to dwell within their camp. So He needed all of them to pitch in with certain materials in order to prepare for Him a tabernacle in which He would dwell. This demanded sacrifice on the Israelites part, and they had to be willing to give up their best for God. Likewise, God dwells within us as Christians, and we are to sacrifice the best in our lives for Him. He demands obedience, and we are supposed to keep our lives clean, for our bodies are the temple of God.

God begins by describing how the Ark of the Covenant shall be made. It is on the ark that God will speak with Moses in the future. That is where His presence will be. Therefore, He gave them specific instructions on how each piece of the ark is to be made, even down to which position the cherubim should be facing on top. God gives us clear instructions in life as well, but many times we are too busy to stop and listen to what He has to say. Moses was completely in tune with the Lord at this point, and He listened carefully to all of God’s instructions. When are obedient to God, and when we take time to sit still and listen for His voice, we too will be able to discern what His will is for our life. But again, it takes commitment, obedience.

Next, God explains how to make the table for bread and the golden lampstand. Like the Ark of the Covenant, these pieces of the tabernacle are to be made exactly as God commanded. This part of the story is so important that God even stresses it once more at the end of Exodus 25, telling Moses to make sure that they follow the instructions he is being given on the mountain. God does not want him to forget the exact details when he gets off the mountain and gets to work. Once more, I think this applies to our lives as well. There are those times in our lives when we feel as if we are on a “spiritual high” or “up on a mountain with God.” We are living in obedience to God’s commands and we are sensing God’s presence in our lives daily. At those times, it is hard to imagine that we would ever stumble again and turn from away from God’s commands. But those spiritual highs never last forever. Something usually comes up in life and we find that remaining committed to God is not as easy. A perfect example is the difference in living for God at church camp or on a mission trip and then trying to put that into practice when we return home. It is never as easy as we thought it would be. Just as God told Moses on the mountain, we must remember the instructions God gives us in those spiritual high moments so that we will be sure to live them out when life gets tough again. The Christian life is not easy, but just as we can feel God’s presence in those spiritual high moments, we can still feel God’s presence when life gets hard.

Matt

Exodus 24

Exodus 24

After God had given Moses this initial set of commands, Moses went back down the mountain to share God’s laws with the Israelites. In the process, God told Moses to bring with him a select group of men with 70 of the elders onto the mountain. Now if you remember back before the Ten Commandments were given, only Moses was allowed to step foot on the mountain. Now God wants these other men to come a little closer while Moses meets with the Lord alone. So Moses gathers these leaders together, builds an altar to the Lord, and begins sharing the Lord’s commands with the Israelites. It is beautiful scene of the Israelites responding in obedience. They commit to keep God’s commands and follow Him, and the covenant is established between God and His people.

After this scene with the Israelites, God calls Moses and the elders up to meet with Him, and they eat and drink with the Lord! Even in the Old Testament we see how God is personal. He walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve. Now He is eating on the mountain with Moses and the elders of Israel. He has always been calling His children unto Himself, demanding obedience from them so that they can have right standing before God. Even today, we have this amazing opportunity to have that close relationship with the Lord. It comes through salvation and is expressed in our lives through our obedience. Although the Old Covenant has been replaced with the New Covenant, and we are not commanded to necessarily abide by these old Israelite laws, we are still to remain obedient to God’s commands. The call to obedience has not changed.

After spending time with some of His children, God then calls Moses on up the mountain to receive the laws written on stone, a physical manifestation of God’s commands. This would allow the Israelites to have a physical copy of the Law that they could see and thereby obey. Similarly, we have the Law written down for us as well, through the Bible. It has been given to us so that we may know what God expects and obey His commands. So Moses went up the mountain with Joshua to receive these commands. He left the rest of the elders behind with Aaron, telling them to wait for his return. He told them that they should also handle any dispute that arose while he was gone. Again, remember that Moses’ father-in-law had suggested that he appoint elders in Israel to help him handle the different disputes that would arise, knowing that Moses could not physically manage the hundreds of thousands to millions of Israelites by himself.

So Moses went up the mountain to meet with God, and it is interesting to note that he was not allowed to meet with the Lord right away. For six days Moses stood right outside the Lord’s presence, and then on the seventh day, God called out to Him to enter into His presence. The text is not clear as to why he had to wait. I think that a possibility might be to cleanse himself before entering the Lord’s presence. Maybe he needed to get rid of some of the sins in his life and be in right standing with the Lord before he met with Him. Or maybe Moses spent that time worshipping the Lord. No matter the cause, how awesome would it be to be right there in front of the cloud where the Lord was? When Moses did enter into God’s presence, he met with Him for 40 days and 40 nights. During that time, God gave him more laws and instructions on how to build the tabernacle.

Matt

Exodus 22:16-23:33

Exodus 22:16-23:33

The rest of Exodus 22 as well as the first few verses of Exodus 23 wrap up the section on how to live with others. The commands in this section range from how you are to treat virgins, sojourners, and neighbors to more commands about restitution to taking care of animals. There are also a few more commands that deal with how to treat God. God clarifies yet again that they are to have no other gods before Him and that they should not sacrifice to any other god. He stresses the importance of them living completely for Him, which carries over into the next part of Exodus 23.

After explaining how the Israelites should treat one another, God discusses the Sabbath. He has already told them how important the Sabbath is, for it is an image of the six days of Creation with one day of rest. God tells them that not only are they to rest on this day, but they should also allow their servants and animals to have rest on the Sabbath as well. Furthermore, there is also a “Sabbath year.” After six years of hard work, they were to leave their fields alone in the seventh year, living off of what they had made in the previous six years. This day of rest, and even the year of rest illustrates complete dependence on God. Just as Joseph worked hard for seven years so that they could survive the seven year famine, and the Israelites collected manna for six days, collecting more on the sixth day for the day of Sabbath, God wanted them to understand the importance of resting and relying on Him.

He then told them about a series of feasts that they were to have throughout the year. The first feast was that of Unleavened Bread. This was to remind the Israelites of their rescue from Egypt. God had already given them commands on how to remember this event with Passover, but this was just another way that they could remember how God had protected them. As humans, we need these reminders. We are prone to forget how powerful God is and what He really can do. There are times when we limit God’s power, and this served as one of those reminders to help keep the Israelites on the right path. The other two feasts appear to be feasts of worship. They mark the beginning and end of the harvest season, thanking God for His provision.

At the end of Exodus 23, God promises to send a guide as they continue on their way. He is going to send an angel to lead them into the Promised Land, and they are to obey his voice as if it is God, for God is going to work through him. When they do this, God will reward their obedience by making sure that they have safe passage to Canaan. Any who stand in their way, God will take care of. Just as God had protected them from the hands of Amalek, He promised to protect them the rest of the way. In the midst of this promise, however, He also warned them about making alliances with or working alongside the different people groups that already possessed Canaan. They worshipped other gods, and God warned Moses of the danger of making covenants with them and their gods. He commanded complete devotion from His children, and after all that He promised to do for the Israelites, He deserved no less. This should speak to us as well about who we align ourselves with in life. When people see us, is it obvious that we stand for God, or does it appear as if we live a double life? We cannot serve both God and the pleasures of this world; it is one or the other.

Matt

Exodus 20:22-22:15

Exodus 20:22-22:15

Right after giving the Israelites the Ten Commandments, God began laying out the rest of the Law. The first set of laws He gave dealt with the first two of the Ten Commandments. It is obvious that God is serious when it comes to worshipping Him. We do not have to worry about all of these specifics laid out in the rest of Exodus 20. We no longer make sacrifices or build altars that fit these guidelines. However, the principle still applies to us. We are to have no other gods in our lives. So even if we do not physically make idols like the Israelites did on several occasions, we still are not to put the things in our lives before our devotion to God.

Exodus 21 begins a discussion on slaves. Coming to this passage with a twenty-first century perspective will cause us to miss what is being commanded here. We of course no longer believe in slavery or practice it. But in this time, slavery was practiced. However, even then God placed specific commands on how the slaves were to be treated. They were not to be dehumanized. For instance, if they were set free, they were supposed to leave with their entire family. Unlike the slave problem that America faced, where slaves were generally treated as property, the slaves for the Israelites did have a certain amount of rights, and they were expected to be treated correctly.

The next section of Exodus 21 talks about the consequences of another one of the Ten Commandments. Specifically some of these verses seem to speak on the command not to murder, stating the consequence for murder is murder. But God takes it further in these verses stating that even through dishonor or striking a father or mother, the punishment can be death. He then goes into a discussion on how we should treat others, slave or free. Think back to the Greatest Commandment that Jesus gave on loving God and others. We are to love our neighbors as ourselves. God placed heavy consequences on those who did anything to harm their neighbors. The consequences ranged from death to repayment to the loss of a slave. The point God was trying to make was that there have to be a certain amount of restrictions or limitations in a society. If there are not, then people will be free to do whatever they want and the world will turn back into it what it was in the days of Noah. God understood the importance of man treating each other fairly and placed restrictions on us for our own good.

The end of Exodus 21 and the beginning of Exodus 22 covers a fairly new topic, that of restitution. This topic has already been covered slightly, but the discussion is more extensive here. The law God gave the Israelites basically told them that whenever they (or even their livestock) harmed someone else in any way, they were expected to pay for the costs. Depending on how serious the act was or if it was a repeat offense, they were at times expected to give back more than was taken or destroyed. The basic point of Exodus 22 appears to be humility and responsibility. We should be man enough to admit our mistakes, be willing to fix a wrong that we have caused, and try to work things out with the one we wronged. If we are not willing to mend those broken relationships then we are not truly showing love to our fellow men. God new that this would help keep the Israelites unified, and that is one reason He gave commands such as these. Another reason He gave such commands was so that we could show others the love that God has showed us.

Matt

Exodus 20:1-21

Exodus 20:1-21

When I was a kid and I thought of the Ten Commandments, my mind tended to think of the poster hanging in the Sunday School room. It was a neat listing of ten short commands. Now while there is nothing wrong with the posters we have of the Ten Commandments, if this is all that you know about them, then you are missing out on so much more. Most of Exodus 20 is composed of the Ten Commandments along with some explanations for a few of the commandments. So for this chapter let’s just take a look at these commandments:

• “You shall have not other gods before me” – this commandment is introduced by a reminder of all God had done for the Israelites up to this point. In essence, this command should be our reaction to God’s presence in our life. If we truly say that we are going to follow Him, then our devotion should be solely fixed on Him and no one or nothing else.

• “You shall not make for yourself a carved image” – this second command is an extension of the first. Idols in our lives, whether they be other deities that people have made (which we should not have anyways) or our own hobbies and interests should never have more importance in our lives than God. God should be our first priority in life.

• “You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain” – notice that this command has a consequence associated with it. Those who dishonor the name of the Lord are considered guilty before Him. Now of course all sin has a consequence, but this one is pointed out in particular in this listing.

• “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” – again, this commandment has much explanation in the following verses, showing us how to organize our weeks. Furthermore, it makes the connection between our work and worship with the creation account. It shows how our lives should mirror God’s commands.

• “Honor your father and your mother” – whereas the third command had a consequence associated with it, this command has a promise associated with it. God has placed authority in our lives for a reason, and we are expected to honor and obey those who are placed over us. They have experience and can help better our lives if we listen to their advice.

The next set of commands has no other explanation, but they are pretty self explanatory. These four commands show us how we are to treat those around us. Think of the greatest command that Jesus gave us in Mark 12:29-31. He told us that we are supposed to love God with all that we have and then love our neighbor as ourselves. Just as you would never willing do any of these things to yourself, you should not do them to anyone else.

• “You shall not murder”

• “You shall not commit adultery”

• “You shall not steal”

• “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor”

• “You shall not covet…” – this command is lengthier for it gives us a series of examples. It really falls into the category above for it too shows us how we are supposed to treat others.

Notice that the people of Israel were still at the base of the mountain at this time, standing in fear. God was laying out His law that He expected all of them to follow. Think of how intimidating that must have been to be standing right at the mountain where God had descended in a cloud of smoke. But also notice how Moses was set apart from the people in verse 21. They stood far off from the mountain, afraid to approach it, but Moses began walking into the smoke toward God. He was going to meet with the Lord, as He gave the Israelites the rest of His commands.

Matt

Exodus 19

Exodus 19

As the Israelites arrive at Sinai, Moses heads up the mountain to meet with the Lord. This is where Moses (over the course of the next several chapters) will receive the Ten Commandments as well as many other laws given by the Lord. The first command that God gives the Israelites is a command that is associated with a promise. He first reminds the Israelites of how He has protected them so far and promises that He will continue to protect and watch over them as long as they obey His commands. If they fall away from His standards and choose to live in disobedience, He does not promise that He will protect them from their troubles.

Moses relays this message to the Israelites, and they all promise to follow God and keep His commands. If you know the story from here, you know that they do not uphold their end of the deal. However, we are just like these people. We hear from the Lord in mighty ways each Sunday at church when a particular message speaks to us. While sitting in the pew or kneeling at the altar it is easy to tell God how we will change, but when the next day comes and temptation hits us dead on, it is not as easy to keep that promise. That was the struggle the Israelites faced each day. It was easy when they were speaking with God, but when they had to actually live it out (after the spiritual high wore off), it became much harder.

This next part of Exodus 19 is something that I must have skipped over when reading through Exodus. When I think of Mount Sinai, I think of Moses meeting with God by Himself with no one else around. However, God wanted to make Himself known to all the people, not just Moses. So on the third day, after consecrating themselves, Moses led all the people to the base of Mount Sinai. He commanded that none of them touch the base of the mountain or they would die. Moses was the only one allowed to go up the mountain to visit with the Lord. I never realized how close the people were to the mountain at the time, and this makes the rest of the story of Exodus even more disturbing. Having had such a personal encounter with the Lord in Exodus 19, how could the people have turned away from Him later on with the golden calf? I know that we can compare our encounters with God with this passage, but I cannot imagine being that close to the Lord and then turning my back on everything He commanded.

In the end, God also allowed Aaron to come up on the mountain with Moses. Having two people there was probably better than just having Moses. When Moses went back down to relay the message to the Israelites, he had a witness in Aaron to back him up on all he said. Also, think of all that Aaron had already been through, sticking by Moses’ side from the time they first went to Pharaoh through the battle with Amalek. Like Moses, Aaron had been faithful to God, and as a result, God was allowing him to have this same encounter.

I cannot get away from the imagery in this scene. God descended on Mount Sinai, which makes me think that in some sense it was God in physical form. But it also says that He descended in fire so that the entire mountain was wrapped in smoke. The only time I have seen a large area of smoke is when there has been some type of forest fire. This was so much greater than a forest fire, for the entire mountain was covered in smoke. This had to be a frightening scene. The Israelites knew that this was the Lord, yet they approached the mountain in fear, knowing that they could be killed. Moses, however, went up the mountain in confidence when God called out to him. When God call us, it can be frightening. We many times do not know what He has specifically called us to. We do not know how much it will cost to follow Him. Many times we are not given clear instructions or guidelines as to what He will have us do. But we should still approach God in confident fear, respecting who He is, but not doubting what He has called us to. That is how Moses responded in this situation, and it is a great picture of how we should to respond to His call in our lives as well.

Matt