Part 2 - Day 4
Read Exodus 32.
Well, it doesn’t take long for the Israelites true heart condition to be revealed. It’s as if we are watching a replay of what unfolded in the garden with Adam and Eve. Almost as soon as they received the law, they broke the law. While Moses was still up on Mount Sinai, the Israelites grew restless and convinced Aaron ton build them “gods that will go before us”.
While it’s a little unclear where exactly the Israelites heart was it, Aaron’s heart was clear. The golden calf was supposed to represent God. He says in verse 4 that this is the God who brought them out of Egypt. Maybe the Israelites were tired of waiting while Moses was on top of Mount Sinai, they wanted to move on to the promise land and step into this next season of life. No matter their position, they broke God’s 2nd commandment. We don’t get to choose how we worship God. He is not of our making, and it is impossible for our imaginations or hands to create something that would even begin to encapsulate His glory and majesty.
The Israelites have seriously messed up and because of their sin, they are deserving of God’s wrath and judgement against them. As we discussed in yesterday’s devotional, the Israelites have just entered a covenant with God and acknowledged that their failure to obey will require their blood to be shed. The Israelites sin against God is deserving of death.
As Moses comes back into the camp, he tries to rally the people to turn away from their sin back to the Lord. He says ““Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” We read that all the Levites (this is one of the tribes of Israel, think of a clan or a family group) run to Moses. Although the people have messed up, we see the repentant heart in the Levites that likely saves them from the fullness of God’s judgement that would come on 3,000 of the Israelites in the form of death. The first Israelites had faced God’s judgement after breaking the law.
After all of this, we see Moses go back up to the top of Mount Sinai and plead with God on behalf of the Israelites. In the Bible, this is called “interceding” when you represent a person or a group of people to God. Moses interceded for the Israelites and because of his intercession, God showed mercy and rather than giving the rest of the Israelites the death that they deserved, He struck them with a plague.
As we read Exodus 32, we should be reminded of the sinful nature that resides in us. Just like the Israelites, we fail daily, we fall short consistently and severely. We have idolized the wrong things, we have lied, stolen, dishonored our parents and all of those things are deserving of death. However, we have the great intercessor, Jesus Christ, who pleaded with God for our forgiveness on behalf of His blood. Now, we who are in Christ, live in God’s never-ending mercy, grace and forgiveness because of what Jesus has done for us.
Questions to consider.
What are some small ways that we make worshipping God more about us and our preferences than about Him?
This story highlights how quickly the Israelites went from worshipping God to turning from Him. How have you seen that pattern in your life? How can you grow in faithfulness to God?
Jesus is interceding on your behalf to God, on the basis of His blood that was shed to you. Because of that, God has lavished His mercy and grace on you. Take some time and thank Jesus for interceding for you.
Well, it doesn’t take long for the Israelites true heart condition to be revealed. It’s as if we are watching a replay of what unfolded in the garden with Adam and Eve. Almost as soon as they received the law, they broke the law. While Moses was still up on Mount Sinai, the Israelites grew restless and convinced Aaron ton build them “gods that will go before us”.
While it’s a little unclear where exactly the Israelites heart was it, Aaron’s heart was clear. The golden calf was supposed to represent God. He says in verse 4 that this is the God who brought them out of Egypt. Maybe the Israelites were tired of waiting while Moses was on top of Mount Sinai, they wanted to move on to the promise land and step into this next season of life. No matter their position, they broke God’s 2nd commandment. We don’t get to choose how we worship God. He is not of our making, and it is impossible for our imaginations or hands to create something that would even begin to encapsulate His glory and majesty.
The Israelites have seriously messed up and because of their sin, they are deserving of God’s wrath and judgement against them. As we discussed in yesterday’s devotional, the Israelites have just entered a covenant with God and acknowledged that their failure to obey will require their blood to be shed. The Israelites sin against God is deserving of death.
As Moses comes back into the camp, he tries to rally the people to turn away from their sin back to the Lord. He says ““Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” We read that all the Levites (this is one of the tribes of Israel, think of a clan or a family group) run to Moses. Although the people have messed up, we see the repentant heart in the Levites that likely saves them from the fullness of God’s judgement that would come on 3,000 of the Israelites in the form of death. The first Israelites had faced God’s judgement after breaking the law.
After all of this, we see Moses go back up to the top of Mount Sinai and plead with God on behalf of the Israelites. In the Bible, this is called “interceding” when you represent a person or a group of people to God. Moses interceded for the Israelites and because of his intercession, God showed mercy and rather than giving the rest of the Israelites the death that they deserved, He struck them with a plague.
As we read Exodus 32, we should be reminded of the sinful nature that resides in us. Just like the Israelites, we fail daily, we fall short consistently and severely. We have idolized the wrong things, we have lied, stolen, dishonored our parents and all of those things are deserving of death. However, we have the great intercessor, Jesus Christ, who pleaded with God for our forgiveness on behalf of His blood. Now, we who are in Christ, live in God’s never-ending mercy, grace and forgiveness because of what Jesus has done for us.
Questions to consider.
What are some small ways that we make worshipping God more about us and our preferences than about Him?
This story highlights how quickly the Israelites went from worshipping God to turning from Him. How have you seen that pattern in your life? How can you grow in faithfulness to God?
Jesus is interceding on your behalf to God, on the basis of His blood that was shed to you. Because of that, God has lavished His mercy and grace on you. Take some time and thank Jesus for interceding for you.