Exodus 32:1-7

The Golden Calf

32:1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. 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.” 2 So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden¹ calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.” 6 And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.

7 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.

Footnotes

[1] 32:4 Hebrew cast metal; also verse 8

(ESV)

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Exodus 32:21-35

21 And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” 22 And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. 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.’ 24 So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

25 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies), 26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the LORD’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. 27 And he said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.’” 28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell. 29 And Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for the service of the LORD, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day.”

30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.” 33 But the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. 34 But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”

35 Then the LORD sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.

(ESV)

Exodus 28:1-14

The Priests’ Garments

28:1 “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 2 And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. 3 You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. 4 These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash. They shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons to serve me as priests. 5 They shall receive gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.

6 “And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and of fine twined linen, skillfully worked. 7 It shall have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together. 8 And the skillfully woven band on it shall be made like it and be of one piece with it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. 9 You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, 10 six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. 11 As a jeweler engraves signets, so shall you engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel. You shall enclose them in settings of gold filigree. 12 And you shall set the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders for remembrance. 13 You shall make settings of gold filigree, 14 and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; and you shall attach the corded chains to the settings.

(ESV)

Exodus 4:10-31

10 But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”

Moses Returns to Egypt

18 Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.

21 And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”

24 At a lodging place on the way the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. 25 Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’¹ feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” 26 So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.

27 The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which he had sent him to speak, and all the signs that he had commanded him to do. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel. 30 Aaron spoke all the words that the LORD had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.

Footnotes

[1] 4:25 Hebrew his

(ESV)

Going Deeper

Moses (1-2-16)

Happy New Year, everyone!  I am praying for all of our Soldier family and friends who are studying with us.

A God ordained adoption

In Exodus 2, Moses’ story begins with his birth.  His parents had to send him down the river in order to try to keep him alive.

If they only knew what God had in store for him.  The Daughter of Pharaoh makes him her own. (v. 10)  Moses looked to use his status in Pharaoh’s house to look out for his people ( v.11).   In his defending a Hebrew man who was being beaten, he killed an Egyptian soldier and fled to Mideon to avoid the wrath of Pharaoh. (v. 12-15). He married and had a son in his time away from Egypt.  At the end of Exodus 2, we read that Pharaoh died and the Israelites cried out to God to remove them from their bondage in Egypt.  “Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew”. (Exodus 2:23-25)

An Unlikely Leader

In Exodus 3 we read about the incredible encounter Moses has with God at the burning bush.  God making himself known through this kind of encounter is what is called a Theophany.  Moses shows great reverence and righteous fear at the presence of God. God tells Moses that he has seen his people’s affliction and heard their cries and that he will deliver them to the Promised land.  Then God says something Moses would have never expected.  He says you will be my mouth piece before Pharaoh and chosen leader. Listen, to Moses’ response.

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt –Exodus 3:11

“who am I?  I am a nobody! “

Too often we get caught up in only looking at the horizontal. Meaning, we are only worried about what other people think of us, how they will respond and what we are capable of.   But realize, when we do this, we are missing something very critical.  What God thinks about us and what he can do in and through us.  This is the vertical truth we must walk in every day.  Yes, by the world’s standards, we are often very insufficient and unqualified.  But that is not how God works. He most often takes the least of these and raises them up to do mighty things so that he is the one who gets the glory.

Notice as we read on…. God doesn’t give Moses a pep talk… he doesn’t slow down and say.. “You can do it”

What God doesn’t say to us in response to our feeling defeated or ill-equipped, Is   “You just have to believe in yourself”. 

God’s response to Moses is a statement of TRUTH.. of assurance of the one who is in POWER!-   5 life shifting words…..

Exodus 3:12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.

God isn’t the guy who wants to cast you in his epic story because he is desperate for anyone who will show up.. this is the author, perfector, designer, creator, director and sustainer of all things… “I WILL BE WITH YOU!”

God has given the life shifting statement to everyday, average, unlikely people time and time again… it was those same words Jesus told his previously cowardly, failed and scared disciples.  After experiencing the risen Christ and hearing the promise that he would be with them all the way… And what did they do?  They rose up and gave all they had to their faith as they gave birth to the church.

The ? for us is:    What have I done with those words? 

God says: “I will be with you” … how did you wake up and live life this last week as a result of those words?

“Thank God… having you around will make things easier and more convenient”

OR  “Ok God, I’ll remember that when I can’t seem to do it on my own”

OR   “God, I recognize it is all from you and for you… I trust you will lead me, sustain me and use me for your purposes….let’s go!”

I AM

One of the things that helps us is to rightly know and remember who God is to understand what his name is.  In our text we get one of the most important insights into who God is as he describes to Moses his name!

Exodus 3:13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name? ’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “ I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘ I am has sent me to you. ’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. ’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. 16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, 17 and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ 18 And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days ‘journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. ’

What you need to understand about the religious system in Egypt in that day is a belief in many gods.

These are “Little g” – little pretender gods-  a god of soil,   of fertility,     of the sun,    of death

So Moses is asking,  “How do I describe you to those who believe in many gods?  Which god will they think you are?”

Now listen to God’s answer….

¹⁴ God said to Moses,   “I am who I am . ”    Now you might be thinking,  ‘Well that just clears it up!”

But really pay attention to what he just said. “ I am who I am” is taken from a Hebrew word that means, “to exist”

What God is telling Moses is…. I exist, I am REAL!

IN this he is Totally slamming the entire religious system.   And putting to correct shame all the little g man made gods.

He makes no excuses, no explanation.  He is as straight forward and he can be.  I AM!

Whether you figure me out or not or whether you acknowledge me or not!  I AM

Next God says: This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”

So, God’s name is I AM.

¹⁵ God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD,  the God of your fathers-the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob-has sent me to you.’   This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation.

The LORD (all CAPS)     L   O   R    D

The LORD = Four Hebrew consonants (YHWH) This was so sacred the Jewish people wouldn’t even pronounce them

• Our modern word for God’s name is “Yahweh”
• So, anywhere you see the LORD in all caps in the bible this is a sign that it is in reference to the One true God.

This is the Name of God!  YAHWEH!

It is not a name to be taken lightly!     It is full of power and wonder!

It is a name describing his eternal power and unchangeable character.

*In a world where values, morals, and laws change constantly, we can find stability and security in our unchanging God.

This name is used 6800 times in the Old Testament!

Now think of the difference between knowing him as GOD verse knowing him as Yahweh–  “HE IS”!

When God’s reveals his name is not only letting us get to know him, He is proclaiming who he is

So when he says, I AM he is saying,   “I am huge,   I am it,   I am Vast,   I am who I am!”

No matter what you think or have been told.  I AM

I will put my power on display for all to see and talk about

Exodus 3:19-22 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, 22 but each woman shall ask of her neighbor and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.

God raised Pharaoh to power and then hardened his heart to not let his people go so that God could put his power on display.   In each interaction with Pharaoh and each plague to follow, Moses remained faithful.   He led the Israelites to the mouth of the Red Sea where God would put his power on display again.   God used Moses for so many mighty works in delivering a Nation out of bondage. Surly Moses could have tried to make his new leadership and fame about himself but instead he remained faithful and continued to make it about God.

In Exodus 20 we read about God giving this law to Moses and his people.  The 10 Commandments were the cornerstone of God’s expectations of his creation.  They were God’s moral law for how mankind should honor God above all else and love and honor one another before yourself.   These were moral expectations God had on his creation from day one but God personally wrote them into stone so that the people would be clear on his expectations.

At Moses’ death, this was said about him:

And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, 12 and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

Deuteronomy 34:10-12

Moses thought the Israelites would not obey him and that he was too “slow of speech and of tongue” to lead Israel out of Egypt (Ex. 3:1–4:17). Yet the Lord, in His patience and grace, remained with Moses and strengthened his hand. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Moses stared down the mightiest king on the planet (4:18–14:31), led the Israelites against the Midianites (Num. 31), and did many other mighty works.

Despite years of serving the Lord, however, Moses never stepped foot in the Promised Land; rather, Joshua led Israel into Canaan (Deut. 31:1–8).   Even though Moses did not enter the land, God granted him a vision of it, reminding Moses that the promise to the patriarchs (Gen. 15) would come to pass. Moses died on Mount Nebo after seeing Canaan, and God Himself buried him (Deut. 34:1–8), probably to guard against the people later building an idolatrous shrine to Moses. Being buried by the Lord, of course, was also a great honor.

Death before entering Canaan was earthly discipline for Moses, who failed to trust God at Meribah-kadesh (32:48–52; see Num. 20:1–13). Even the greatest old covenant prophet had to learn his place in the kingdom is through a grace that covers all his failures. No less than all the other saints of God, Moses had to recognize the truth of the old hymn Rock of Ages: “Not the labors of my hands can fulfill the law’s demands; could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone; thou must save, and thou alone.”

What I love about the testimony of Moses is that it is far more a testimony about God.  I want my life to be that way.  I want the people who walked with me and heard my preaching and followed me to have way more to say about all that God did in and through me in that time then what I did.    Soldiers, may we keep our eyes on the vertical and not just the horizontal.  May we never forget that we are utterly dependant on the great I AM who is with us always.   May we never lose our gratitude or trust in God, even when what stands before us seems insurmountable.

By His grace and for His glory,

-Shepherd

Soldiers for Jesus MC

National Chaplain

Acts 7:1-48

Stephen’s Speech

7:1 And the high priest said, “Are these things so?” 2 And Stephen said:

“Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3 and said to him, ‘Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.’ 4 Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. 5 Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot’s length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. 6 And God spoke to this effect—that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. 7 ‘But I will judge the nation that they serve,’ said God, ‘and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.’ 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

9 “And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him 10 and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. 11 Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. 13 And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. 14 And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. 15 And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, 16 and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

17 “But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt 18 until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. 19 He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. 20 At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God’s sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father’s house, 21 and when he was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. 22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.

23 “When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. 25 He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. 26 And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?’ 27 But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’ 29 At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.

30 “Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: 32 ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. 33 Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.’

35 “This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. 37 This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, ‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.’ 38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. 39 Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, 40 saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. 42 But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:

  “‘Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices,
    during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43   You took up the tent of Moloch
    and the star of your god Rephan,
    the images that you made to worship;
  and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.’

44 “Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. 45 Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, 46 who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.¹ 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,

Footnotes

[1] 7:46 Some manuscripts for the house of Jacob

(ESV)