May 3, 2012
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

Save Us from Ourselves!

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Opening Prayer

Loving Lord, thank You for giving me new perspectives and opening before me new horizons. I eagerly wait before You.

Read Exodus 32:25-33:6

For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.

[25] Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. [26] So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him. [27] Then he said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.'” [28] The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. [29] Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.” [30] The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” [31] So Moses went back to the LORD and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. [32] But now, please forgive their sin-but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” [33] The LORD replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. [34] Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.” [35] And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made. [1] Then the LORD said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ [2] I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. [3] Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.” [4] When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn and no one put on any ornaments. [5] For the LORD had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.'” [6] So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.

Reflect

“It wasn’t so long ago that you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin…” (Eph 2:1,2, The Message). But Christ set us free!

This “running wild” (25) was serious sinning. The word translated “dancing” (19) implies an ecstatic religious ceremony, which in a bull-cult could have orgiastic implications. In full view of those around, it brought dishonor to Yahweh’s name. Moreover, idol worship always leads to moral decay (Rom. 1:24,25) and so their sin would have continuing consequences for the people themselves, even though as yet they hadn’t heard the specifics of the covenant God was proposing to make with them. We know that when the instructions were again written down and frequently rehearsed in their hearing, they still found it hard to be faithful.

Moses’ act of deliberately breaking the law-tablets signals the breaking of their covenant with the Lord. Still, it is not the punishment that should surprise us, harsh as it looks today, nor the implication that it was okay for brother Israelite to kill brother Israelite; rather, it is God’s amazing offer of a fresh start. So often we take grace for granted when it should always startle us. As Jesus makes clear, we’d all be obliterated if it weren’t for such grace (Luke 13:1-5).

Moses was prepared to be the man in the gap, literally “covering” their sin with his own life. Instead, he is asked to resume the journey as leader of a people whose fallibility is now very apparent. In retrospect, Moses might have thought the 40 years of leading them in their desert preparation to occupy the Promised Land was an even greater challenge than dying for them! This is often God’s way of rewarding faithful service. It was experienced by the Levites who stood by the Lord—they were “blessed” (29) for their obedience by increased duties—and it is the reward Jesus offers to all faithful servants (Matt. 25:14-30)!

Apply

Martin Luther spoke of “continual repentance.” Determine to enter again and again into this cleansing activity of the heart. Start it now.

Closing prayer

Heavenly Father, Your Word has so many lessons to teach me. I do not deserve it, but You constantly allow me to start anew. Thank You.

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