Day #18
Scripture Reading: Exodus 17 - 20 ...
God is holy! He was
holy in the days of Moses, He is holy today and He will always be holy.
And because He is holy, He is worthy of worship. God had told Moses
to tell Pharaoh to let HIS people go so they could worship Him. Now they
came to Mt. Sinai. The journey had not been easy. A lot happened
between Egypt and Mt. Sinai ... a lot of complaining, a lot of grumbling ...
and a lot of God providing for these people who just a few weeks earlier had
been slaves. Whether it was water from a rock or manna from heaven, or
quail from the sky, God provided for their needs. These were His people
and they had many needs … more than they could possibly understand.
By now the extreme joy of marching out of Egypt
with the spoils taken from the people of the land and the journey through the
Red Sea had been replaced by the reality of a wilderness journey. Even
Moses cried out to God and asked, "What am I to do with these
people?" (17:4). There were so many disputes among the
people that Moses' father-in-law suggested that Moses divide the labors so that
he would not wear himself out. He advised, "Select capable men
from all the people - men who fear God" (18:21). But why should
men fear God? What kind of qualification is that to judge wisely? What does it mean to fear God?
Israel’s God, the only true God, is holy! And
because He is holy, God is the Judge of all that is not holy. The
disputes among the people revealed their sinfulness AND their need for God's
Law. Holiness is perfection beyond what we, in our sinful state, can even
comprehend. Only God is holy. The result of God's holiness and our
un-holiness is separation ... a separation the people of Israel were about to
experience in a way they had previously not understood. As they camped at
the foot of Mt. Sinai God said, "If you obey me fully and keep my
covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.
Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests
and a holy nation" (19:5-6).
God told Moses to consecrate the people and on the
THIRD DAY He would speak to them from a dark cloud over the mountain. God
warned the people not to touch the mountain or they would die. "Put
limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy" (19:23).
God then spoke the Ten Commandments and we read, "When the people
saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in
smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to
Moses, 'Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God
speak to us or we will die'" (20:18-19). They were beginning to
realize something about God ... a very important lesson: God is holy!
Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come
to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from
sinning" (20:20).
As God spoke to the people of Israel through Moses
He repeatedly said to them "Be holy, because I am holy" (Leviticus
11:44-45; 19:2). The writer of Hebrews would say centuries later, "Make
every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no
one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). Isaiah had a
vision of God's holiness and cried out, "Woe to me! I am ruined!
For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean
lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty" (Isaiah 6:5).
The entire Old Testament reveals the holiness and justice of God and the
un-holiness of all of mankind, including Israel. The Law and the
sacrifices pointed out the consequences of sin and the need for a sacrifice.
Only the High Priest could enter into the Holy of Holies, where the Ark
of the Covenant was and where the Presence of God was ...
ALL of this was and is a picture of mankind's need
for a Savior ... and God's provision of the perfect Lamb ... His own Son.
The New Testament reveals the WAY, the ONLY way, to approach God without
fear through faith in Jesus Christ, "the Lamb of God who takes away the
sin of the world" (John 1:29). Peter writes, "Just as He
who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy,
because I am holy'" (I Peter 1:16). Then he goes on to
write, "You know that it was not with perishable things such as silver
or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you
from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without
blemish or defect" (I Peter 1:18-19). God is holy, but He has
made a way for sinful people to approach Him. JESUS!! HE is the
way! And He rose from the dead on the THIRD day, making a way for us to enter
into the presence of God WITHOUT fear!!
Through faith in Jesus Christ believers can
approach God!! Listen to the reference to Exodus that the writer of
Hebrews makes: "You have not come to a mountain that can be
touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a
trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged
that no further word be spoken to them ... but you have come to Mount Zion, to
the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to
thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the
firstborn, whose names are written in heaven!!" (Hebrews 12:18-23).
What a remarkable contrast!
With John we can proclaim, "To Him who
loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a
kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father - to Him be glory and power for
ever and ever! Amen" (Revelation 1:5-6). God is STILL holy, yet
He has made a way for you and me to come to Him without fear through the blood
of Jesus. Therefore, let us come with boldness before Him and WORSHIP the
Lord, our God, for HE IS HOLY!!!
"O Lord, our God, I confess Your holiness and
my un-holiness. I have sinned against You and am not worthy to be called
Your child. Yet, Father, I believe that You have provided the perfect
sacrifice for MY sin in Your Son Jesus Christ and I put my trust wholly and
completely in Him for forgiveness and life. Thank You, Father, for Your
amazing grace. Fill me with Your Spirit that I may be holy, as YOU are
holy, and live my life to worship You! In Jesus' name, Amen"
Amen.
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