3113 This is what Shabbat (the Sabbath) is all
about: that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
3118 Written with the finger of God. God communicates to man in a way man can
understand. Such is the case here. Do you think it was “Egyptian hieroglyphics”
because Moses was raised in Egypt?
No. Not a chance. I won’t go into detail but there are recent
archaeological discoveries that indicate the Hebrew language, in an early form,
was usable in the time of Moses. Could
it have been that Joseph, an intelligent man, a man with authority, could have
developed the Hebrew language? Could it
be that what God wrote was in that language, and that Moses could read it
because he was not only Egyptian but Hebrew?
I recommend a movie on the subject, “Patterns of Evidence: the Moses
Controversy.”
3206 Burnt and peace offerings were offered to the
Golden Calf. Typical religion! No place for a sin offering. Just the offerings that lend themselves to
feasting on the “barbeque.”
3207 32:7,11-12.
Don’t you just love this? The
LORD says to Moses, your people whom you brought out of the
land of Egypt have corrupted themselves (v7). Moses responds, why does Your wrath burn
hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of
Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand (v11). This intercession shows the fruit of God’s
training of Moses into a wonderful shepherd/leader for Israel.
3211 32:11-13: Look at the humility of Moses in
his intercessory prayer. He recognizes
that he is not the top dog, though he has been called by God to lead Israel out
of bondage. His prayer is based in God’s
promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We
also see that humility in 32:32 when he asks God to blot him out from the book
in favor of the nation.
3211 Note how Moses immediately places the glory
of God (shown in his mighty acts in delivering Israel from bondage) above his
own as their leader.
3214 “Relented,” to be sorry, console oneself,
repent, regret, comfort, be comforted.
This is interesting. The root
idea is to groan, lament, grieve. The
first use of the term is in Gen. 5:29, of Noah who would be a “comfort” to
humanity.
3214 The LORD relented because there was a
mediator, an intercessor, someone to “stand in the gap.”
3225 “Unrestrained.” Religion can claim to forgive. You might not know it was a farce until you die and stand naked before the Creator. What you can know about idolatry and religion now is that it cannot restrain sin. It has no power for day-to-day living.
3226 The Levites answer the call of Moses to do
what was very difficult, to take the lives of fellow Israelites (v27, brother,
companion, neighbor) as part of God’s judgment. Verse 29 indicates a connection between this
and God’s choice of the Levites for the temple service.
3226 What a great question: Who is on the
LORD’s side.
3230 Yes, atonement is by the blood. But can the intercessory prayer provide a “covering” for the people?
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