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February 6th
Our Bible reading for today is in Exodus chapters 22,23,24.
The people of Israel knew where Moses was. They watched from afar as Moses made his way to the slopes of Sinai. The fathers and mothers were, I’m sure, trying to explain what their children were seeing.
You can imagine the questions.
“Is that mountain a volcano that is about to explode?”
“Are the elders going with Moses?”
“Is God going to hurt us?”
“I thought you said that no one could see God and live. Is Moses going to die?”
“Is this the promised land?”
Is God in the fire and smoke?”
“What do you mean we can't touch the mountain or we will die?”
“I'm afraid...God is scary.”
We know that toward the end of the Exodus record, the Bible says that Moses spent 40 days and nights on the mountain with God. Some suggest that number of days were consecutive days and nights. Others say Moses went up and came down several times in that 40-day span.
I'm not going to lose any sleep over that discussion.
What we do know from today’s text is that God spoke to Moses on the mountain and Moses, sometime after that, he came down and told the people “all the words” (that is the 10 commandments) and many other rules for living.
The people responded, “All that the Lord has spoken, we will do.”
By the way...how many times, in my Christian life, have I responded to God exactly like the congregation of Israel did at Sinai? Hundreds of times at least.
“O Lord...whatever You say, I'll do it...” only to find myself days later guilty and discouraged for disobeying Him. Praise God for 1 John 1:9...My father in law’s favorite verse...”If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness.”
So sometime after “this congregational” meeting, our text today says that God called Moses to come back...and bring Aaron Nadab Abihu and the 70 elders. Only Moses would come up to the Lord. The others would worship from afar.
Question: Why did Moses get to go on up the mountain and converse with God while the other elders did not.
Was Moses better than his leadership team? No!
Did the others just not love God enough? No.
Short answer: “God said so.”
Couldn't Moses worship from afar AND couldn't God speak to him from afar? Sure! So why did God have Moses to come closer? God said so.
He sovereignly put one above the others. They all had God-given significance and value. They all were privileged to worship God and do life with him. But God called and invited Moses. Short and simple.
Was Moses a good spiritual leader? I believe so...but he couldn't have influenced so many without the Godly men around him.
So what about those rules that God gave to the congregation?
They would give important parameters for the life of the new nation. But those same good rules could not give them eternal life. Only blood from the perfect sacrifice could do that...
And that is the rest of the story
Have a good day!
