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