I am making a trek through the Bible this year starting out with reading a couple chapters in the Old Testament and about 1 chapter starting with Matthew per day. It's amazing how many times they coincide with eachother. I just got to thinking about the truth that God keeps telling us about. If only we would learn to lean on this fact instead of being stubborn and thinking we are all excempt from life happening, our lives would start to shape up the way they were intended. About three and a half thousand years after the fall of man in Genesis, a nation arises out of Exodus. The main theme behind God's Word is redemption. People back then are not so different than they are today. Chapter 32 tells about the impatience of the Israelites while Moses went up to Mt. Sinai to get the Commandments from God. God had already done miraculous events to prove Who He was, but after a short while promising they would be faithful to follow all His commands, they grew impatient. They had convinced Aaron to make for them a golden calf in which to honor. God saw all that was happening and was set to destroy them all, but Moses pleaded for God to change His mind. (Ex.32:12) He did turn from the evil which He thought about doing to them (vs. 15) When Moses returned with the tablets written by God, Joshua told him there was a noise of war in the camp. (vs. 32:17) But it wasn't a war, it was a celebration of the most brazen kind. Moses saw that the people were singing and dancing around the molten calf, acting like crazed maniacs. (vs.32:19). Moses got so angry that he melted the calf and broke the tablets from God. Since Aaron was left in charge, Moses asked him why did he let this happen? (vs.32:21) And like so many of us, Aaron blamed it on the people being set on evil. He did not show any authority. We see this alot even in the churches themselves today. There is such a passive role among Pastors and Preachers and Teachers. They don't want to hurt anyone's feelings and so they preach messages of "sin managment" instead of telling everyone how it really is. But God is a God of order and will not put up with compromise in the least bit. God will bring condemnation upon those who are as He called a "stiff-necked" people. He gave them consequences to pay for. "And when Moses saw that the people were unruly and unrestrained (for Aaron had let them get out of control, so that they were a derision and object of shame among their enemies). Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Whoever is on the Lord's side, let him come to me. And all the Levites (the priestly tribe) gathered together to him." Ex. 32:26-27 (Amplified) God demands order in our lives and if we don't pay heed to His direction, He will let us be an object of shame before our enemies. Our church families are out of order and we are seeing the result of this today. Why can't we get this right? God is a Man of His Word and He ordered for those who were on His side to kill all the others that weren't, including brothers and friends and neighbors. (vs.32:27) About 3,000 men fell that day under the sword of the Levis. Because of their obedience, God had consecrated them and set them apart as priests to the Lord. God could now restore their blessings that He had already bestowed on them through Abraham. Moses wanted to make atonement for the evil that these people had done, but no one except Christ can do that today. Moses asked God to blot his name from the Book of Life. But God spoke this; "Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot Him (not you) out of My Book. God still promises to do that today. No one can save us except the blood of Christ. We can not ride on someone else's coat tails for redemption. If we know the truth, why then do we tempt it? Do we think God doesn't really care, that He will forgive us just because He thinks we're so special? Don't be deceived by any false doctrine being taught. There is only One Way to salvation and that is through Jesus Christ, other than that, you're on your own. God can not look upon sin of any kind and unless you are covered in the blood, God can not look upon you. He will have no choice but to crush you into dust one day. "And whoever falls on this Stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom It falls will be crushed to powder (and It will winnow him, scattering him like dust)." Matt. 21:44 Jesus is the Stone on which we should fall. God will break us of our human nature and reshape us into a work of pure gold. But for the one who refuses to be broken by Him will end up being crushed by Him when He will judge the evil works of their hands. This is the Truth and these are the consequences. If you haven't come to Christ as your Rock of Salvation yet, or may have back slidden, it's never too late to ask for repentence. It's all that God requires of you. It's not how badly you've behaved in the past. He can throw all that out in an instant and give you a clean slate. Since we know that Christ will return one day, we just don't know exactly when, why would you let another day go by without coming to Him? God is slow to anger and shows His loving kindness to all who come to Him for forgiveness. Perhaps He's waiting for you to come today? When you fall on the Stone, you can then stand firm! |
