A Work in Progress….

Exodus 34:17 “Do not make any idols.

Verse 17 has me thinking about Aaron this morning. Aaron, who collected all the gold from the Israelites and willingly, eagerly, made them an idol, a golden calf. Aaron, who, when questioned by Moses, told him that all he did was throw gold in the fire and out popped a calf (Ex 32:24). 

Exodus 34:18 “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt.

Aaron, who, as a son of Levi, must have repented when Moses called those on the Lord’s side to come to him, to which all the sons of Levi responded (Ex 32:26). But my inner hall monitor is screaming “That’s not fair!!” Aaron should have talked the Israelites off their idol ledge. Instead, he facilitated creating an idol, yet he faces no real consequences for this grievous error?

Exodus 34:19 “The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether from herd or flock. 

Precious Savior, I know when I bump up against this type of conflict that You are trying to show me something, teach me something. Help me to pay attention. Help me to learn, to see, to know. Help me to draw closer to You. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 34:20 Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem all your firstborn sons. “No one is to appear before me empty-handed.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 34:13 Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones and cut down their Asherah poles. 

Verse 14 is a huge stumbling block for me this morning, but as I have been doing some searching and reading, I realize I am looking at the word “jealous” with completely human connotations. Google says that human jealousy arises “from the perceived threat of losing a valued relationship or possession to a rival.” 

Exodus 34:14 Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Google goes on to say that “divine jealousy is described as a righteous, protective, and loving passion for the well-being of the relationship.” God is not jealous in the way that I am jealous. God knows that my following false gods will be detrimental not only to my wellbeing but also to my relationship with Him. 

Exodus 34:15 “Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices. 

Precious Savior, It is always a thrill to be able to study a verse that causes me to stumble and come up with an explanation that makes sense in the realm of who God is and who He is to me. Thank You for the ability to read and study, to seek and understand. Draw me closer always. Amen.

Exodus 34:16 And when you choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will lead your sons to do the same.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 34:9 “Lord,” he said, “if I have found favor in your eyes, then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.”

Holy Father, We are a stiff-necked people, even now. We get so entrenched in our own thoughts, ideas, and ways that we often go merrily along our own path until we are brought up short by our own folly. Thank You that You know us, You love us, You lavish us with grace and mercy and forgiveness which we don’t deserve but are so thankful for.

Exodus 34:10 Then the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. 

Dearest Lord, Forgive us when we get so caught up in castigating ourselves for our past mistakes that we fail to accept and acknowledge Your grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Help us to give ourselves the grace that You give us, that we give those we love. Help us to forgive ourselves for our stiff-necked ways, to give ourselves grace and mercy, too.

Exodus 34:11 Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 

Precious Savior, We can be our own worst critics. But when we fail to forgive ourselves, when we fail to give ourselves mercy and grace despite our failings, we are not acting as Your hands and feet and heart. Help us, Jesus. Help us to be more like You. Amen.

Exodus 34:12 Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 34:5 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. 

Commentary says these verses banish the idea of a “bad God” (I read that as mean) in the Old Testament, and while I will admit that v6-7a is a beautiful picture of a loving, gracious, compassionate God, the latter part of v7 is…off-putting to say the least.

Exodus 34:6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 

The idea of punishing the children and grandchildren to the fourth generation for the sins of the parents is terrible to me. I and my children and my children’s children and their children will all pay for the sins of my parents? Where is the love, grace, or compassion in that sentiment?

Exodus 34:7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

Precious Savior, Thank You that I can wrestle with these difficult passages without fear of being cast out. Thank You that Your love for me is greater than any doubt or fear or misgivings that I wrestle with. Thank You for drawing me closer as I try to make sense of these things that don’t readily make sense to me. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 34:8 Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 34:1 The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 

I know that one of my quirks is that I get hung up on things that happened, or should have happened, or could have happened but didn’t. I have a hard time dealing only with what is and letting the rest go. 

Exodus 34:2 Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. 

I know it is something that God wants me to deal with, and it’s something that I don’t love about myself either. If I’m so busy looking back, I can’t focus on what’s right in front of me. I miss the blessings in the here and now. I hold on to pain that’s been dealt with. He doesn’t want that for me. I don’t want that for myself.

Exodus 34:3 No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain.”

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that letting go is something that I still need to work on. Help me to learn the lessons, forgive or ask forgiveness, and move forward so that I don’t get stuck in the past. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 34:4 So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands.

Have a blessed day. 

Exodus 33:16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

Today’s scripture has me thinking about the Moses we see in Exodus 4, when he asks God to allow Aaron to accompany him to talk with Pharaoh because he, Moses, lacks eloquence. It’s easy to judge Moses as timid, weak, lacking, though, when you think about it, the very act of negotiating with God about the issue is a bold move. 

Exodus 33:17 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

In today’s scripture, we have more of that boldness–Moses has seen God and wants to know more, demands to know more. And God responds favorably to Moses’s bold request, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you….”

Exodus 33:18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

Precious Savior, I will admit that I am more timid than bold, but I never want to be weak or lacking in my relationship with You. Help me to be bold when it comes to knowing You better, knowing You more deeply. Help me, Jesus. Amen.

Exodus 33:19 And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Have a blessed day.