31 So Moses went back to the LORD and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin--but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written."
33 The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin."
35 And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made. NIV
Now they were talking about the book of Life. And Moses asked God to forgive them for their sin, in creating for themselves a golden calf to worship. But God spoke, and He asked Moses to lead the people to the place He had told him to take them. And God said His angel, will go before them. That angel was Jesus. God continued, when it comes time to punish them, I will punish them for their sin.
Instantly, He struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf, and yes at the hands of the priest Aaron.
When we look back up to Exodus 32 and verses 1-2......we find the people gathering around the priest Aaron and complaining. They had seen Moses delayed from coming down the mountain. They now wanted to make up their "own gods" because we do not know where this man was at who brought them out.
Exodus 32:1-2
32:1 Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." NKJV
Oh, how quickly people forget what God has done for them!
Exodus 32:7-10
7 And the LORD said to Moses, "Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!' " 9 And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! 10 Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation." NKJV
God tells him to get down the mountain quickly for "your people", whom you brought out of Egypt have corrupted themselves. God told him that they had worshiped it and sacrificed to it...........speaking "this is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!" And God told him that He would bring wrath upon them, that which would burn hot that He may consume them, and make Moses a great "nation"!
In Exodus 32:11-24 we find Moses pleading with LORD his God. "LORD, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
It is interesting that in verse 12, Moses is speaking about the Egyptians left in Egypt.......why have them speak evil of God. Moses speaks this then:
"Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.' " 14 So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.
Moses had to have had some kind of heart for these people. He was trying to persuade God to relent. He was asking God? Would we be willing to pray for another, who continually got into mischief and much wrong-dong as well?
Moses had to have had some kind of heart for these people. He was trying to persuade God to relent. He was asking God? Would we be willing to pray for another, who continually got into mischief and much wrong-dong as well?
15 And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were written on both sides; on the one side and on the other they were written. 16 Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets. 17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a noise of war in the camp." 18 But he said:
"It is not the noise of the shout of victory,
Nor the noise of the cry of defeat,
But the sound of singing I hear."
Yes, Moses knew this group of people even in their multitude and heard their singing. And Joshua, his servant, heard as well!
Yes, Moses knew this group of people even in their multitude and heard their singing. And Joshua, his servant, heard as well!
19 So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses' anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 20 Then he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it. 21 And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?" 22 So Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me, 'Make us gods that shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' 24 "And I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.' So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out." NKJV
Moses now is very angry with the people. He has cast the tablets (ten commandments) onto the ground at the foot of the mountain. Moses asks Aaron about what they did and he willingly told him, that the people are set on evil. He told Moses that they wanted him to make them "the gods who would go before them."
Aaron had not restrained the people ( verse 25) who were running around "naked" or better stated they were stripped of their dignity. Ever seen anyone who has acted in this manner?
Moses who then stood at the entrance of the camp said, "Whoever is on the LORD's side, come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.
Unity is always important for the "right thing". Are we held together by the Word of God to obey?
Are we not to live by justice and righteousness that Jesus delivered to us?
27 And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.' " 28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day. 29 Then Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother."
Moses who then stood at the entrance of the camp said, "Whoever is on the LORD's side, come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.
Unity is always important for the "right thing". Are we held together by the Word of God to obey?
Are we not to live by justice and righteousness that Jesus delivered to us?
27 And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.' " 28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day. 29 Then Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother."
By verse 30, we see Moses speaking on the next day to the people......... "You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." 31 Then Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold! 32 Yet now, if You will forgive their sin--but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written."
Luke 10:20
20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
NIV
33 And the LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. 34 Now therefore, go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My Angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit for punishment, I will visit punishment upon them for their sin."
35 So the LORD plagued the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron made.
NKJV
No, no man could stop what they had in serving sin and creating for themselves a calf of gold.
People are known by their deeds.
Luke 6:43-45
43 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn-bushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
NIV
Amplified speaks this: 43 For there is no good (healthy) tree that bears decayed (worthless, stale) fruit, no on the other hand does a decayed (worthless, sickly) tree bear good fruit. 44 For each is known and identified by its own fruit, for figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor is a cluster of grapes picked from a bramblebush. 45 The upright (honorable, intrinsically good) man out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart produces what is upright (honorable and intrinsically good), and the evil man out of the evil storehouse brings forth that which is depraved (wicked and intrinsically evil); for out of the abundance (overflow) of the heart his mouth speaks.
Aaron was to be "in charge" when Moses was not there. But he was "weak". He held no authority and came under the same name of evil as the rest, yet he chose to blame them, the people! Evil will kill, steal and destroy you. It holds no mercy or regard. Those who practice in it, find themselves with more than they bargained for. It is like those who leave home, live in the world, in the world's ways.......leaving home healthy but return home sick with a disease that is finding it's way into those lives of people who rather throw "caution to the wind."
Moses felt responsible since they were in his "keeping". And was willing to ask God to blot out his name out of the book of Life. Would we desire to do that? No, everyone wants to go to heaven, but all will not go to heaven. All would like to participate in the things of God and have good every day, but rather they choose to serve themselves. YIKES!
Moses had those removed who did not want to be on the LORD'S Side! Those on that side were those who wanted to follow God. Though the road look less traveled, wilderness and solitude many miles from any form of civilization, yet surrounded by a least a million or two million people. Still, God could not have the sacrifice of Moses for man's sin.
It is God who decides judgement. Our part is to pray and speak a blessing on all who are "made in His image". The sacrifice was taken by Jesus.
Roman 6:8-10
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
NIV
Hebrews 9:11-15
11 When Christ came as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance-now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
NIV
1 Peter 4:7-11
7 The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. NIV
We must be the clear minded and the self-controlled to pray.
We are to love our neighbors and when we see them do something we may not understand, we certainly pray for them. May the very words we speak be those of God that is in love. May we serve others in the strength that God provides and in all that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
We are to love our neighbors and when we see them do something we may not understand, we certainly pray for them. May the very words we speak be those of God that is in love. May we serve others in the strength that God provides and in all that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
For we may have our moments with an "Aaron" but our Shepherd is Jesus. Our hearts are to hold His thoughts and purposes for us and for others. In expressing love to others may we always remember that love covers a multitude of sins. For the end of all things is near.
Can we lead our family and stay in obedience to the Lord? Do we follow the pattern that He laid down for us to follow?
Those who came out of Egypt were following the things that would ultimately lead back to Egypt! We are to be transformed in the renewing of our minds. We are to have that daily dose of God's word that HOLDS US IN PLACE.......SO that we fear not, but walk in faith by believing, trusting, adhering and understanding His ways and His thoughts. His ways are not burdensome, but a delight!
1 John 5:3-5
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
NKJV
In closing: Moses was an Old Testament Apostle. In his relationship with God, God had given him a plan to produce a community. He was to lead them, out of slavery and to regain freedom. They needed to be delivered from themselves. Moses had heart for the nation. He suffered through their unbelief. In his life to minister God to them: he had to pull rubbish, and much debris out of their hearts to see what God had wanted. Even more than that though, Moses kept his relationship with God. He had kept the voice of God, by keeping covenant with the Father Who gave it!
We too, give voice to leading our children and grand-children back to the Father of the Covenant through Jesus Christ. But even more, we reach those who desire to be sons, who desire to hear and receive the blessing that was promised. A lot of idolatry worship was in Israel, but Moses sought to deliver them and give voice in establishing governmental foundation to them.
Father, our beginnings are in You. In the name of Jesus......we know You have given us Your Holy Spirit and according to John 3:34,35 " for since He Whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaims God's own message], God does not give Him His Spirit sparingly or by measure, but boundless is the gift God makes of His Spirit!" The Father loves the Son and has given (entrusted, committed) everything into His hand." By this Holy word, You gave to us Your Holy Spirit without measure. We loose Him into our lives. It was for order and righteousness that You set up Your kingdom. When Your Word is given to us O Lord, we pray You are seated on the throne of our hearts to help us receive that which is not only truth but power to prevail. For Jesus the Prophet prevailed to gain for us the victory we need to have a fruitful life of power in HIM. Help us to speak against evil, and any oppression against the weak. It is YOUR Word that brings restoration back to our lives in harmonizing with YOU! Help us to dig through any accumulation of that which was done away when we received Jesus, knowing that Christ dwells in our hearts through our faith. Help us to be those [deeply] rooted and [securely] grounded in love, being the fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God's people) the width and length and height and depth of His love and come to know through personal experience the love of of Christ which far surpasses mere knowledge, that we be filled throughout our being to all the fullness of God [so that we may have the richest experience of God's presence in our lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself. Amen.
(Amplified Bible:Ephesians 3:17-19)
You can also visit my Youtube channel The Voice of Prayer for more teaching at http://bit.ly/1tNyBhV
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