Exodus 32 -- I Hate This Chapter

I hate this chapter.  It's terrible to watch a people, who saw with their own eyes the miracles God performed in Egypt which we can only envision, self-destructing because of impatience.  They'd heard God speaking to them!  And yet 40 days had passed while Moses received further instructions from God and they began to act like kids who are bored while their dad is changing a flat tire on the car during vacation!  

Adding to that, Aaron doesn't appear to have even objected to their request for idols!

To cap off their idiocy, they say, "Israel, these are your gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!" when they know full well that God had caused the Egyptians to give them the gold and they'd carried the gold out of Egypt!  

It's way too easy to see their sin and condemn it, while at the same time not wanting to mention how we, too, sin against God.  We sin against a flood of light which He's already shown us through his Son.  So would that make our sin even worse?

Father, stop me before I sin.  Shake me up and remind me of this chapter, then call me to Yourself in love.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 31 -- Able. Ready And Willing?

I marveled at what the scene must have looked like.  Over a million people waiting at the foot of Mt. Sinai for Moses to return.  He couldn't possibly know every one of them, but they of course knew him.  He's been up on the mountain a long time.  God tells him that He's prepared and gifted two guys in that large crowd with the artistry and engineering skills needed to produce everything He's already described.  Not just for metalwork and carpentry, but even in weaving cloth!  And He's already filled one of them with the Spirit of God!  Those two guys are back in the crowd at the base of the mountain.  They probably have no idea that their names are about to be called.  Some of the items they'll make will be around for millennia!  Somewhere on this planet today, the Ark of the Covenant likely still exists!  And yet they have no clue that God's about to use them.

Our lives may be right on the cusp, too.  God may have prepared us to meet someone today or tomorrow and turn their heart towards Him so that He can change the world again.  It's not about our ability, but about our availability.  Will we be ready and willing?  He'll make us able.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 30 -- Must

The word "must" sure shows up a lot in this chapter.  In fact, I had to read it yesterday and then ask God to give me insight I didn't feel I had at the time.

Here I saw God, who owns everything and lacks nothing, God who made the universe, not out of any need, but because He wanted to.  He called this people to Him, brought them into Egypt to save them, and then out of Egypt to save them from a life of toil, and prepared the Promised Land for them.  At Mt. Sinai, this group that would traipse through the wilderness on foot for 40 years is given the task of making all of this, without a factory or even a workshed, and transporting it through the wilderness and into the Promised Land.  When they stop for a few days, it sounds like all of it was set up for use -- possibly daily, since God commanded daily sacrifices.

I knew God wasn't lacking anything, so He doesn't therefore need the sacrifices.  More than anything, I think He set this all up for the Israelites.  Perhaps they too easily forgot His miracles in Egypt and at the Red Sea, and needed the discipline of daily communion with Him through Moses and Aaron.  On the mountain, they hadn't even wanted to hear His voice!

Perhaps we today have the same tendency to forget, only rather than killing sheep, rams, and bulls, and waiting outside the tent while someone else speaks to God for us, we're given His finished Word and the Holy Spirit to interpret it for us.  Our sacrifices aren't animal, but time, service, and quiet times.  Since we've got it so much better, we ought to be cherishing that time instead of occasionally remembering to spend time with Him.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 29 -- Ear, Thumb, and Big Toe

This chapter explained the very involved process of consecrating Aaron and his sons as priests.  Thee were at least seven stages in this service, according to my commentary.  The priests were washed, clothed, anointed, then forgiven and completely dedicated to God, marked by the blood of the lambs that were sacrificed.

Perhaps a very telling part of the service involved taking blood from the slain lamb and marking each man's right earlobe, right thumb, and right big toe.  At first glance that seems very strange, but my commentary said, "This was a token reminder that they must listen to God's Word, do God's work, and walk in God's way.  The blood speaks of sacrifice, so the priests became living sacrifices in the service of the Lord."

Father, help me every day to listen to Your Word, do Your will, and walk in Your way.  I want to reflect Your love to others, not distract from what You're doing.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 28 -- Clothes Don't Make A Man

God established the Aaronic Priesthood, naming Aaron and his four sons.  The clothes they were to wear were fashioned by craftsmen who volunteered at God's call.  He had given them wisdom to create the cloth, and they were to know that He'd gifted them and to use what He'd given them.  The clothes were "clothes to show that he belongs to Me."  That was a great reminder for us today -- what we wear must show the world that we are Christians.

The design of Aaron's robes and vest and chest piece were meant to remind the Israelites of the 12 sons of Jacob who began the 12 tribes of Israel.  My commentary said, "The images of the jewels reminds us that the Lord bears His people on His shoulders and carries them over His heart."

When Moses received the instructions to anoint Aaron and his sons with olive oil to appoint them as priests, it said, "Make them belong to Me so they may serve Me as priests."  God could appoint them, but the freedom of choice He gave us made it quite difficult to "make" them belong to Him.  After all, it wasn't long before Aaron led the people in idolatry while Moses was on the mountain, and two of his sons were killed by God for using improper fire.

Father, thank You for choosing me as Your own.  Thank You for pursuing me even when I was against You.  Thank You for equipping me with the gifts You wanted me to use.  Thank You for calling me Your own.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 26-27 Just A Reminder

Through Moses, God gave them instructions for turning the jewels, jewelry, and valuables that He'd caused the Egyptians to give them into a movable worship center.  The details for constructing it are given to us, but we as Christians are not called to make animal and crop sacrifices.  We have no need for a screen to hold burning wood, or pans to remove the ashes.  God sent His Son as the perfect sacrifice, not just to cover our sins, but to remove them completely and take them upon Himself.  He would experience the dirtiness of our sins in His sinless body and mind and accept God's wrath as the punishment for our sins.

We don't need heavy four-layer curtains to separate God from us because He cannot abide our sin, for in His eyes, when He looks at us, He sees His perfect Son, who advocates for us with the father.

Thank You that we do not have to bear the burden of keeping up all of the stands and frames and curtains and other items You detailed here.  But thank You more for the incredible sacrifice You made when You gave up Your only Son for our sins.  I love You!

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 25 -- Giving God Back What He Has Given Us

God told Moses to tell the people:  "Bring Me gifts," but God was not some despot trying to either reassure himself that his subjects loved him, or trying to fill his suitcases with loot before leaving the country.  God wanted to stir their hearts to give freely of all they had to create the worship environment He would be directing them to construct.

God had provided them with the very wealth they gave back to Him.  In Egypt, they'd only been slaves with some livestock, but on the night they left, He'd caused the Egyptians to want to give them their riches and they'd carried the wealth of Egypt from the banks of the Nile to Mt. Sinai.  He was simply asking them to give back some of what He'd given them.  

Father, help me not to hold on too tightly to what You give me.  Remind me that everything comes from You, including my health and ability to work, and cause my heart to want to always give back to You.

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 24 -- How High Up The Mountain?

God called 74 men to come partially up the mountain (this is connected to 20:21, my commentary says).  The people had agreed to covenant with God, and young men were assigned the task of sacrificing bulls, then sprinkling half the blood on the altar and the other half on the people to seal the covenant.  Moses said, "This is the blood that begins the Agreement ... ", not knowing at the time that Christ's own blood would complete it centuries later.

The 74 men proceeded up the mountain.  "Worshiping God is the highest privilege and the greatest responsibility of the Christian life, because God is the highest Being in the universe and the One to whom we must one day give account.  Everything that we are and do flows out of our relationship with the Lord.  God created us in His image so we might love Him and have fellowship with Him, not because we have to but because we want to," my commentary said.

The people stayed at the base of the mountain while the 74 went part way up.  The 74 "met with the Lord" then Moses and Joshua went even higher.  Moses alone ascended all the way to meet personally with God.  "All of this is an illustration of the important truth that we must grow in our worship experience with the Lord, and we are the ones who decide how high we will go ... How tragic it is when God's people settle for the lowest level when there are new heights of blessing for those who seek God with their whole hearts," my commentary added.

Father, continue to draw me closer to You,  Purify my thoughts, speech, and actions as You do.  I want to experience more of You and I know You cannot abide sin.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 23:20-33 Wow, What News!

These words from God sound awesome when I think that He's saying them to me, too!

"I am sending an angel ahead of you (Jesus Christ), who will protect you as you travel.  He will lead you to the place I have prepared.  Pay attention to the angel and obey Him.  Do not turn against Him; He will not forgive such turning against Him because My power is in Him.  If you listen carefully to all He says and do everything that I tell you, I will be an enemy to your enemies.  I will fight all who fight against you.  My angel will go ahead of you and take you into the land...."

Wow, Father!  I love You for loving me!

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 22:1-23:19 But What About ....??

God knew they'd start coming up with "But what about .... ???" questions, and He added some additional guidance to help them get a sense of where He was headed with all of this.  He couched much of it in terms of the societal development of that time ... Yes, there was slavery, but slaves should be treated well.  They were being furnished places to live and food, rather than welfare checks and food stamps.  There were compensation laws for injury.  My commentary said, "It takes more than confession of guilt for an offender to make things right; it also demands effort on his part to compensate the people who were hurt.  Only then can the torn fabric of relationships be mended and society be made whole."  There were "warnings not to endorse falsehood and promote injustice because of what the crowd is doing.  Nor should God's people be influenced by the wealth or the poverty of the accused," my commentary added.  "Moses also reminded them to be kind to their ENEMIES and to the enemies' animals!  Our goodness shall be the result of obeying laws but practicing love."

Wow, Father!  Our society sure needs to hear this today!  It's become all about hate and perceived injury or inherited injury and making enemies rather than what You so wisely set up here!

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 21 -- We Need More Believers

"This section includes basic laws that deal especially with the protection of human life and property.  By accepting 'the book of the covenant', the people entered into a special relationship with Jehovah and obligated themselves to obey Him.  These laws were not arbitrary; they're based on the character of God and the unchanging moral principles expressed in the Ten Commandments," my commentary said.

I was glad to read this in the middle of my commentary's thoughts on all these laws:  "When Jesus prohibited His disciples from retaliating against those who hurt them (Matt. 5:38-44), He was dealing with personal revenge ("I'll get even with you!") and encouraging personal forgiveness.  He wasn't criticizing Moses or interfering with the legal system, because He came to fulfill the law and not to destroy it.  As believers, we have the privilege of waiving our 'legal rights' to the glory of God and not demanding compensation (1 Cor. 6:1-8).  However, a judge has to see that justice is done and the law is respected."

Father, our nation needs more believers.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford

Exodus 20:18-26 A Problem Of The Heart

God further clarified through Moses the rules of society that will produce righteousness and justice.  My commentary said, "These laws were not arbitrary; they're based on the character of god and the unchanging moral principles expressed in the Ten Commandments.  Law is powerless to change human nature; it can only protect life and property by regulating human behavior."

"As a case in point, it mentioned the events that occurred in the tribes while Moses went back on the mountain to receive more instructions from God:  "In spite of their enthusiastic promises, Israel quickly disobeyed these commandments.  While Moses was with God on the mountain, the people made a golden calf and engaged in an idolatrous orgy that led to the death of 3,000 men.  Anything in religious liturgy that encourages the sensual instead of the spiritual cannot be from God or be blessed by God."

Father, it's so crazy that our sin nature causes us to want to go around whatever law we are given.  Please continue to change my heart to conform to Yours.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford