Exodus 31-32 Psalm 41 Acts 16
Today’s reading starts with God making clear to Moses that He
has called others to the work that Moses has been instructed to carry out. God
has gifted them to do the work that in the end will bring God glory. They are
also told that rest is an important part of the cycle of life and was modeled
in the creation story. Through Moses the people are commanded to make rest for
themselves and all those that live in their midst a priority.
As Moses sits in the presence of God being instructed what
they will have to do to experience the full blessings of the promised land we
find the people below impatient and demanding from Aaron, the leader left
behind in charge, to make them a God they can see like others around them have.
This is one of those very thought-provoking stories we should not pass over
quickly. Aaron appears to quickly decide that he should meet their demand,
calls for a contribution from them, shapes an image they can look to for
worship and builds an altar. The people respond with joy and create a feast because
they have got what they want. The problem is it is in complete disobedience to
God.
The interaction between God and Moses is also worth reading
slowly and considering the arguments presented. God is angry because the people
have turned away from what he commanded them to do and tells Moses he will
destroy them. Moses argues that will not make God look good in the eyes of
others. There is a common finger pointing here as God holds Moses responsible
for those he has placed under his care and Moses points out God selected them
and sent him to lead them.
Moses is returning to the people with the stone tablets that
God had written his basic commandments on. He first meets Joshua and as they descend
together toward the people, they can here the noise from camp. The discuss what
that sound might mean. Before you read on remember the interaction that just occurred
as God modeled for Moses how to respond to sin. Now Moses approaches the camp
and sees the sins of the people. His response is one of explosive anger. His response
to Aaron is to demand what Aaron had done to bring this great sin on the people,
after all, he was in charge while Moses was gone. Aaron points to the demands
of the people. Moses can apparently see how easily the people got out of
control while Aaron was in control and he had allowed that to happen. He
demands vengeance for their sin, and it is carried out.
Moses then tells the people he is going to return to the
Lord and see if he can offer atonement for their sin. When he approaches the Lord,
God tells him he will blot out those that have sinned. He then puts Moses back
on the road toward the promised last as he had promised. As they begin the journey,
we are told that the Lord smote the people because of what they had done under
Aaron’s leadership. Accountability still comes in the end.
In Psalm 41 we are reminded that our call is to consider the
helpless, those that cannot speak for themselves. When we do the Lord will
deliver us and protect us and we will be called blessed. We are still to
continually call upon the Lord to forgive us and be gracious to us. When the
Lord is gracious to us we are lifted up. It is the Lord that upholds our
integrity in his presence. The Lord be blessed.
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