Moses' Intercession

 

Exodus 33:12-23

 

November 4,  2024

 

Moses' Intercession

 Moses said to the Lord, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’  Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider, too, that this nation is your people.”  And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”  And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.  For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”

And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”  Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”  And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.  But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”  And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”

 

It seems to me that those who had earthly dads that they went to for advice may have a leg up on those of us who did not seek our dads’ advice, when it comes to our Father in heaven.  Those who had dads with whom they had built a relationship of trust, on his wise counsel, it seems, would have an easier time doing the same with their Father in heaven.

 

We do not know that much about Moses' dad, in that he was taken away from him at birth, but we do know that Moses' mother poured her wisdom and understanding of God into her son while she cared for him as Pharaoh's daughter's nanny.  One might see this as a hindrance to a close relationship with God, but in Moses' case, God had picked him as his man before he was in his mother's womb to lead a nation out of darkness into the light.  

What is God’s plan for you and me that is worth pondering over?  Could it be that we have, like Moses tried to do things in our own strength, and like Moses, have run away from our calling?  Maybe we need to recall the relationship with the Lord, the promises, and do as Moses did: have a faith walk with God.  I believe you and I would be wise to pray this prayer; please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight.

 

As a member of God’s family by His grace and the faith that He has given us, to understand our calling and identify in Christ.  First, let us address the name God has given us: Saints. The word saint is used 67 times in the New Testament, always in the plural, and it is all about relationships, not performance. “Therefore, scripturally speaking, the 'saints' are the body of Christ, Christians, the church. All Christians are considered saints. All Christians are saints—and at the same time are called to be saints.” (Got Questions)

Next is your real Identity, beginning with birth, as all things, but not from your Mother, but the second birth when you ask Jesus into your life by faith in the finished work of the Cross.  2 Corinthians 5 16-17, make that clear.  ^“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

 

If that old man dies, you are now a new creation, and you must allow the Holy Spirit to break the habits of your flesh.

My friend and mentor Bill Gillham put a list of Scripture on your Identity.

 

Your True Identity in Christ

·      Romans 3:24  You are now justified and redeemed.

·      Romans 6:7     Free from sin’s power.

·      Romans 8:1     Indemnified (God does not reject

·      Rom.    15:7     Accepted in Him

·      1 Cor.   1:30      Have wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption

·      1 Cor.   2:16      Mind of Christ is in you

·      1 Cor.   6:11      Washed, sanctified, justified

·      1 Cor.   6:17      One with the Holy Spirit

·      1 Cor. 15:22      Alive ( formerly dead)

·      2 Cor.   2:14      Always led in His triumph (whether it appears so or not)

·      2 Cor.     3:3      His Laws are written on your heart

·      2 Cor.    3:14     Your hardened mind is removed (mind transplant)

·      2 Cor.    5:17     A new creation (not an old garment with a new patch)

·      2 Cor.    5:21     The righteousness of God (cannot get more righteous)

·      Gal.       2:14     Have liberty (not a peaceful feeling, but a knowledge)

·      Gal.       3:28     All are one (no inferiority)

·      Gal.       4:7       A son/daughter and heir of God

·      Eph.      1:3       Blessed with every spiritual blessing

·      Eph.      1:4       Chosen, holy, blameless before God

·      Eph.      1:7       Redeemed, forgiven

·      Eph. 1: 10-11   Have an inheritance in heaven

·      Eph.      1:13 ​   Sealed in the Spirit

·      Eph.      2:6      Seated in heaven (now)

·      Eph.      2:10    Created for good works (which He can do through you)

·      Eph.      2:13    Brought near to God

·      Eph.      3:6      A partaker of the promise

·      Eph.      3:12    Have boldness and confident access to God

·      Eph.      5:30    A member of His body (not inferior)

·      Phil.      4:7      His peace guards your heart and mind (not a peaceful

                            feeling, but knowledge) 

·      Phil.      4:19    Have all needs (not greed) supplied

·      Col.       3:1      Raised up with Christ

·      Col.       3:3     Your life is hidden with Christ in God (see this by faith)    

 

From our Back Porch,

Bob Rice 

 

 

The Tent of Meeting

  

 

Exodus 33:7-11

 

November 3, 2024

 

The Tent of Meeting

Now​, Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.  Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent.  When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses.  And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door.  Thus, the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

 

My first thought is, do we, the Church, need a pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the building we call a church?  Can we believe the words of our Lord in Hebrews 13:5, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Often, in the dark times of life, I turned to Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

 

Or do we need to not be hearers of the Word, but doers?  Could it be that we as a people need hearing aids to hear the Spirit of God speaking into our lives? 

 

These are words from our Lord: “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.  Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Two Brothers, One Fear God-The other fear People

 

 

Exodus 32:30-35

 

November 1, 2024

 

The next day, Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”  So, Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold.  But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.”  But the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book.  But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”

Then the Lord sent a plague on the people because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.

 

Often, in the Scriptures, we are given two examples. In this case, they were brothers. One was Moses, a meek man who feared God more than the people he was leading. The other was his brother Aaron, who feared the people more than God. Which brother do you identify with? Your pastor deals with this daily. If I do as I feel the Lord is telling me, then this person or group will be offended, or they are the biggest givers, and we need that support.  

 

But you and I have the same issues. If I tell my brother or the guy I work with how bad it hurts me to hear them use the Lord's name in vain, will it hurt our relationship?

 

But we all have the same issue as Aaron when we lie. He may have fooled his brother, but God is not fooled, and unless we confess those lies, such a harsh word for the generation of spin, but God has not bought into spin, and a lie is a lie.

 

​From our Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Coming down the Mountain

 

Exodus 32:15-29

 

October 30, 2024

 

Coming down the Mountain

Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back, they were written.  The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.  When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.” But he said, “It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.”  And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.  He took the calf that they had made, and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water, and made the people of Israel drink it.

And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?”  And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.  For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’  So, I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So, they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies), then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him.  And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.’”  And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day, about three thousand men of the people fell.  And Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day.”

 

I’m sure that we can not grasp what Moses had in his hands, two tablets written by no one other than God.  I would imagine Joshua offered to carry them for Moses, but they were of great value; they were the written words of God.  Do you recall the definition of meekness: “True, biblical meekness is a self-control of strength that makes us lambs in our own causes and lions for the cause of Christ.

 

That day, the people did not see a meek Moses, but a lion.  Is anger always bad? We are told in Ephesians 4:26-27, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,  and give no opportunity to the devil.”  One might wonder if the devil did not believe he had won a great battle when Moses threw down the tablets, and they broke.

 

But God’s power rested on Moses, for his anger was first directed at his own brother, who had allowed this to happen.  And Aaron would have no trouble living in 2024, in that, like so many, it was not his fault, and he lied about how the calf was made by his own hands. 

 

I believe God is still asking, “Who is on the Lord’s side? Come to me.”  If you are a follower of Christ, put on your sword. Do you know where it is? It is not designed to kill but to give life.  Hebrews 4:12: “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”  

 

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Lord do not Your People

 

Exodus 32:9-14

 

October 29, 2024

 

And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.  Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”

In Deuteronomy 9:26-29, we are given this account: “And I prayed to the Lord, ‘O Lord God, do not destroy your people and your heritage, whom you have redeemed through your greatness, whom you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.  Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do not regard the stubbornness of this people, or their wickedness, or their sin,  lest the land from which you brought us say, “Because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land that he promised them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to put them to death in the wilderness.”  For they are your people and your heritage, whom you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.”

We are living in a day where meekness is thought of as weakness, but it is real strength, under control.  Characterized by humility, gentleness, and patience, especially in the face of provocation.

The "meek" are not weak, but rather possess strength under control, trusting God to handle injustice and submitting to God's will instead of asserting their own power aggressively. (Taken from the Internet)

But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, 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? 

 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people.  Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” And the Lord repented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.”

One must understand that this was a test for Moses, in that God does not change His mind. Before there was a Moses, God was all-knowing; He knew His chosen were a rebellious people, and He also knew Moses would plead for the Lord to recall His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel.

One of the fruits of the Spirit is found in Galatians 5:22-23: self-control. Or you might say strength under control.  This is a need in my life, and I would welcome your prayers for me in this area.  My flesh does not enjoy being meek, but when I walk in the Spirit, I have victory over my flesh.  How are you doing in this area of obedience?

 

From our Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

The Golden Calf

 

 

Exodus 32:1-8

 

October 28, 2024

 

The Golden Calf

When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses, who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”

Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons, and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.”  So, all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron.  He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.”  So, the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward, they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.  They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’

 

As you read this account, I’m willing to bet the farm I do not own that you were thinking, no one would be that dumb.  Let me ask you a few questions: have you ever allowed a pastor or priest who had a very close walk with the Lord to die or leave, and another man came in their place who seemed not to have that same leadership, and you quit going to that Church building?  Many of you just quit and have found someone else to follow.  Are you any different from them?  They believed in Moses' God till he was no longer in their presence.  Was it God they were following, or the God that Moses followed?  Following a man will get you to leave God, who loves you.

 

I must keep asking questions of you. Have you gone looking for a god whom you can see, one that you have made yourself?  The Scripture is very clear that anything we put ahead of God has taken his place, and that is a very dangerous place to put yourself or your family.

 

What happens to people who chase after the world’s gods? They worship before them and go out with only one thing in mind: to do as they please. The gods of this world do not have the Holy Spirit to guide you into all Truth, so you buy into whatever the world is selling. 

 

What is the solution to your problem? First, examine who you are following; it might even be yourself.  In 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”  Let me share with you a part of the test: when I am rude, unloving, and unkind to my wife or anyone, the Spirit of God that lives in me not only brings that to my attention but requires me to ask for forgiveness.  I first must acknowledge I’ve sinned, and that is agreeing with God and asking His forgiveness and the person my actions have hurt.

 

If you can do as you please, then the Spirit of God is not in you; you have failed the test.  In my life, I’ve met some People who go by the title of Christian, who attend bible study, and are active at the building, but are some of the most mean-spirited people I’ve ever met. They act as if their Citizenship is earth, and it may be, but many of them will break fellowship with people if they do not agree with them.  Jesus does not tell us to be that kind of person.  They have made a golden calf, and it is them.

 

From ​our Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Life before the Judge

 

Life before the Judge

 

After living what I felt was a "decent" life, my time on earth came to an end.  The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting room of what I thought was a courthouse.   The doors opened, and I was instructed to come in and have a seat at the defense table. As I looked around, I saw the "prosecutor."  He was a villainous-looking gent who snarled as he stared at me.  He definitely was the evilest person I have ever seen.   I sat down and looked to my left, and there sat My Attorney, a kind and gentle-looking man whose appearance seemed so familiar to me that I felt I knew Him.   The corner door flew open, and there appeared the Judge in full flowing robes.  He commanded an awesome presence as He moved across the room.  I couldn't take my eyes off Him.  As He took His seat behind the bench, He said, "Let us begin."   The prosecutor rose, "My name is Satan, and I am here to show you why this man belongs in hell." He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and in the past, when I cheated others, Satan told of other horrible Perversions that were once in my life, and the more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank.  I was so embarrassed that I couldn't look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about.   As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at My Attorney, who sat there silently, not offering any form of defense at all.  I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life - couldn't that at least offset part of the harm I'd done?   Satan finished with a fury and said, "This man belongs in hell; he is guilty of all that I have charged, and there is not a person who can prove otherwise."   When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the bench. The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan and beckoned Him to come forward.  As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in His full splendor and majesty.  I realized why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me, my Lord, and my Savior.   He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, "Hi, Dad," and then He turned to address the court.   "Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned. I won't deny any of these allegations. And, yes, the wages of sin are death, and this man deserves to be punished."   Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, "However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life, and he has accepted Me as his Savior, so he is Mine."    My Lord continued, "His name is written in the Book of Life, and no one can snatch him from Me. Satan still does not understand yet. This man is not to be given justice, but rather mercy." As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at His Father, and said, "There is nothing else that needs to be done."   "I've done it all."   The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down.  The following words bellowed from His lips. "This man is free."   The penalty for him has already been paid in full. "Case dismissed."   As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving, "I won't give up; I will win the next one." I asked Jesus, as He gave me my instructions on where to go next, "Have you ever lost a case?" Christ lovingly smiled and said, "Everyone who has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you, ~Paid In Full~   Passing this on to anyone you consider a friend, (as I have done here), will bless you both.   "Stop telling God how big your storm is.  Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!"   Author unknow