Word on the Web/9 August - Talk Jesus

ladylovesJesus · 11-20-08

9 August 2008

Word on the Web

Pray First
Approach God's holy presence, praise in prayer.

Exodus 24:1-18

The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on this mountain. Bring along Aaron, as well as his two sons Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel's leaders. They must worship me at a distance, but you are to come near. Don't let anyone else come up."

Moses gave the LORD's instructions to the people, and they promised, "We will do everything the LORD has commanded!" Then Moses wrote down what the LORD had said.

The next morning Moses got up early. He built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up a large stone for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. He also sent some young men to burn offerings and to sacrifice bulls as special offerings to the LORD. Moses put half of the blood from the animals into bowls and sprinkled the rest on the altar. Then he read aloud the LORD's commands and promises, and the people shouted, "We will obey the LORD and do everything he has commanded!" Moses took the blood from the bowls and sprinkled it on the people. Next, he told them, "With this blood the LORD makes his agreement with you."

Moses and Aaron, together with Nadab and Abihu and the seventy leaders, went up the mountain and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something that looked like a pavement made out of sapphire, and it was as bright as the sky. Even though these leaders of Israel saw God, he did not punish them. So they ate and drank.

The LORD said to Moses, "Come up on the mountain and stay here for a while. I will give you the two flat stones on which I have written the laws that my people must obey." Moses and Joshua his assistant got ready, then Moses started up the mountain to meet with God.

Moses had told the leaders, "Wait here until we come back. Aaron and Hur will be with you, and they can settle any arguments while we are away."

When Moses went up on Mount Sinai, a cloud covered it, and the bright glory of the LORD came down and stayed there. The cloud covered the mountain for six days, and on the seventh day the LORD told Moses to come into the cloud. Moses did so and stayed there forty days and nights. To the people, the LORD's glory looked like a blazing fire on top of the mountain.

Main Point

There can be a lot of things that get in the way of meeting with God - responsibilities, pressures, distractions, the noise and hubbub which surround us day in, day out.

But when God wanted to speak with Moses, he called him to come up the mountain alone - just as when Jesus went up the mountain, he left the crowds behind (v 2). Moses couldn't just dash off at the drop of the hat - special arrangements had to be made.

This was an extraordinary mountaintop experience. The altar, sacrifices, tablets of stone, vision of God, the cloud over the mountain - all emphasised the seriousness and holiness of the covenant God was making with his people (v 7).

Unlike Moses, God does not call most of us to take 40 days out of our schedule to meet with him (v 18). But whilst this was a particularly momentous meeting between God and his people, it presents us with a challenge.

If we are serious about renewing our commitment to him (vs 7,8), if we understand the holiness of our relationship with God and want to know him more, then we need to make time for him in our lives - even though that may be costly.

Daily Question
Thinking of the sight of the transfigured Jesus and then of this account of God seen as a 'consuming fire', in what sense or senses have you 'seen' God?

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