Office 970-454-3411

Exodus 32

Good Morning “Standing Strong”.  Today we are in Exodus 32.

Understand that all we have been reading about: the construction of the Tabernacle, its furniture and the sacrificial process - is part of Gods instruction to Moses on Mount Sinai.  While Moses was on the mountain, the nation of Israel was down below waiting.  40 days Moses was on the mountain receiving not just the Law, but all the instruction we’ve read about.

They become impatient without a leader to lead them.  Furthermore from other text in Psalm 106, 1 Cor 10 we learn their craving for meat and immorality burn.  Without Moses they press Aaron to make for them a substitute to represent God.  A graven image.  Aaron agrees and fashions a calf and an alter, where they worship, sacrifice, and then participate in mass debauchery.  The calf was a piece of Egyptian pagan worship they would have been familiar with.  They replace Moses with a calf.  Just 40 days earlier, trembling in fear over the descending of God on the mountain, His voice like thunder, they agreed to obey the Law.  40 days and they’ve replaced Moses, twisted their worship of God, and  rebelled totally.  

Moses pleads with God, even offering himself as a substitute for them - further picturing Jesus.  Moses doesn’t get the fact that as a sinful man, he cannot take the place of sinners.  It will require Jesus - the only perfect sacrifice.  

We see here Gods perfect justice.  His character requires He deal with this sin.  That was the condition of the Covenant they agreed to.  Moses is the tool.  He enlists men to help him carry it out.  The Tribe of Levi steps up, and they destroy the 3000 leaders of the rebellion - by sword.  The nation of Israel needed to see the penalty of sin laid out before them. The Covenant with Israel,  is a national Covenant though.  Meaning, further punishment for the nation as a whole would come.  This wasn’t over yet.  

As you dig in, glean the seriousness of Gods expectation for His people.  We are grafted in through Christ.  His Grace through Jesus comes with expectation that we be Sanctified - That we become like Jesus.  This side of Heaven we will never be sinless.  But we can sin less.  

Love you all!  Dig in!