Exodus 32 & 33 -- To Hear God Say THIS

With Moses gone for so long, the people apparently wanted a leader present.  They told Aaron to “make” them gods who would lead them.  It’s the height of idiocy to think that man can make a god, but they chose to try it anyway.  The golden calf Aaron made was thought to be a representation of God in lieu of the cloud and fire, for they announced a special feast to honor the Lord.  Had they not believed this, then their feast would not be one to honor Him.  However, with the eating and drinking came drunkenness and then sexual sin.  No “God-honoring” was occurring.

God alerted Moses to what was happening below.  Moses interceded for the people an unbelievable number of times.  When he and Joshua arrived at the camp, he broke the tablets of the law “as a witness of what the people had already done,” my commentary said.  Moses didn’t do it in a fit of anger, but in righteous outrage.

After those still carrying on in sin were killed, the people’s reaction to God’s presence was noticeable.  God had told Moses that He would send an angel to lead them to the Promised Land, but He would not go Himself.  That was very bad news, and the people realized it.  I think they wondered what might happen next.  Moses went out to the Meeting Tent, outside the camp, and the pillar of cloud moved down to the entrance of the tent.  The people witnessed God’s presence, and this caused them to stand and worship God. 

Verse 12 in chapter 33 records a very touching conversation between God and Moses.  Moses said, “You have said to me, ‘I know you very well, and I am pleased with you.’  If I have truly pleased You, show me Your plans so that I may know YOU and continue to please You.”  That request caused God to reply, “I Myself will go with you, and I will give you victory.”

God’s presence with them was everything.  Moses said to Him, “If You don’t go with us … these people and I will be no different from any other people on earth.”  God replied, “I will do what you ask, because I know you very well and I am pleased with You.”  WOW!  To hear God say that!  I think deep down in our hearts, that’s what we all crave!  I wonder if we often don’t trust God enough to ask as Moses asked here.  Then again, perhaps we may not please God as much, due to our sinfulness, and we decide we might not should ask.

Father, it’s such a fine line between feeling able to ask, and being too prideful in assuming we can ask for whatever we want.  Keep me on the side of that line that leads me to acknowledge Your Lordship and my need of Your grace.  Yet how I want to be able to regularly hear You say, “I will do what you ask, because I know you well, and I am pleased with you.”

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford