Exodus 34 - The Tablets are reissued

 

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The Lord told Moses to cut two stones like the ones God had carved the ten commandments on before and Moses had broken them. He was to bring them up to Mount Sinai the next morning when he went up to visit God and to not bring any others with him. The Israelites were not to be seen in the area nor their flocks. 

God came down in a great cloud to visit Moses. He proclaimed His name as Lord and then said to Moses:

The Lord, the Lord a merciful and a gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity, continuing his kindness for a thousand generations, and forgiving wickedness and crime and sins; yet not declaring the guilty guiltless...verses 6, 7

Moses asked God again  to please remain with them on their trip to the promised land and the Lord made a convenant to him, Moses that the people would see more awe-inspiring deeds performed by God.

God carved out the ten commandments again and as Moses brought it down to the people there was a radiant glow about his face from being in God's presence. Moses covered his face with a veil when talking to the Israelites. Read the ten commandments here.

Thank you so much for visiting me today. May God richly bless you and the reading of His word.

Exodus 33 - Moses' Relationship with God

 

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God spoke to Moses advising him to take the people to the land which he promised to Abraham, Jacob and Isaac. He told him he would send an angel to lead them to the promised land and also drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. All of these inhabitants would be chased from the land so that they could enjoy a rich and fertile land, be fruitful and multiply. God told them to tell the people that an angel would guide them but God preferred not to as the people were stubborn and hard headed. He did not want to be tempted to destroy them.

Moses told the people, just as God told him to. They removed their jewelery and began to mourn. 

Each time as they traveled, that they camped, Moses would put up the sacred tent to commune with God. It was called the tent of the Lord's presence. When the Israelites saw this they would stand in the doorway of their own tents and watch Moses enter. After Moses entered the sacred tent the pillar of cloud would stay at the door of the tent and the Lord would speak to Moses from the cloud. When the people saw this, they would bow down and worship God. 

Moses requested God to continue to lead them as it was God's presence that set them apart from all other people and he was afraid that others would think that God was no longer pleased with them. Because God knew and was pleased with Moses he did as Moses asked and continued with the people. Moses then made another request of God. He asked God if he could see His dazzling appearance. God told him that if he were to witness God's dazzling light He would not live so God would let him see his back only and would shield Moses from seeing His face.

Thank you so much for visiting me today. May God richly bless you and the reading of His word.

Exodus 32 - The Golden Calf

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While Moses was still up in the mountain communing with the Lord the people became restless. They hounded Aaron into helping them create a "god" to lead them. Aaron told them to give him all the golden earrings. He heated them and poured them into a mold creating a bull-calf. The people then said this is our god who led us out of Israel. Perhaps to them it represented God, and they realized it was an inanimate object or perhaps they really were worshiping a false god, but then the situation went from bad to worse. They burned sacrifices and had a feast with eating and drinking which soon became a sexual orgy.

The Lord turned to Moses and told him to hurry down the mountain as the people he had led out of Egypt were engaged in sinful behavior. God told Moses they have rejected me and created a false god which they are worshiping. "Now don't try to stop me. I am angry with them, and I am going to destroy them. Then I will make you and your descendants into a great nation." verse 10

Moses pleaded for the people. He asked God to reconsider reminding Him that He (God) had brought these people out of Egypt. "Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Remember the solemn promise you made to them to give them as many descendants as there are stars in the sky..." verse 13 Good News Bible 

When Moses hurried down the mountain with the stone tablets which God had carved the ten commandments on Joshua was with him. Joshua told Moses that he thought there was a battle going on, but Moses said no, that is not the sound of a victory cry but singing. When Moses saw the drunken melee and the bull-calf he dashed the tablets to the ground in anger. He then took the calf and melted it, grinding the gold into a fine dust. Then he added the gold dust to drinking water and made the Israelites drink it. 

He questioned Aaron as to how this could have come about and Aaron told Moses you know how stubborn and bent to do wrong the Israelites are and told him exactly what happened. Moses was very upset at how they had embarrassed themselves in front of their enemies. Standing at the gate he  shouted to them "Who is on the Lord's side come over here." Once there he told them to take up their swords and to kill those who did not follow. They killed neighbor, brother, friend...

Moses went up into the mountain again to beg forgiveness for those left. They had lost 3000 that day and those lost were removed from the "book of life". The rest were led by Moses to a place that God told him about. Sickness fell upon them in punishment for what they did.

 
Thank you so much for visiting me today. May God richly bless you and the reading of His word.

Exodus 31 ~ Keep the Sabbath Day Holy

 

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The Lord advised Moses that he chose Bezlalel, Uri's son and a member of tribe of Judah. He informed Moses that He had filled Bezalel with His power providing him understanding, skill and artistic abilities for planning skillful designs. He was now able to cut jewels, work with metals and woods creating many kinds of beautiful designs. God also selected Oholiab, son of Ahisamach from the tribe of Dan. The two would create a Covenant Box fitted with a lid, and many furnishings for the sacred tent.

"Keep the sabbath, my day of rest, because it is is a sign between you and me for all the time to come, to show that I, the Lord have made you my own people." verse 13 Good News Bible The Lord

created the heaven and earth in six days and then He rested. He also wanted His people to rest upon the seventh day, to commune with Him and to keep the day sacred. 

At the end of the Lord's conversation on Mount Sinai, with Moses He presented with the two stone tablet He had written containing the commandments.

Thank you so much for visiting me today. May God richly bless you and the reading of His word.

Exodus 30 - The Altar of Incense

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Traditions were established for the burning of incense, hand and foot washing, census  taxes, and anointing oil. God gave instructions for the building of the altar used to burn the incense. It's measurements were precise and acacia wood was to be used. 

Instructions were given for taking a census tax and also for sanitation upon entering the temple.

The Lord prescribed the fragrances to be used and these were only to be used in the temple and not to be worn by anyone outside the temple or they would be cut off by the rest of the Israelites. The aromatic substances were listed in verse 34 along with the recipe to be used. Only the finest and purest substances were to be used.

Thank you so much for visiting me today. May God richly bless you and the reading of His word.

Exodus 29 - Consecration of the Priests

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God prescribed a special rite to be performed to consecrate the priests, Aaron and his sons. A young bull and two unblemished rams were to be procured. Unleavened cakes and wafers were prepared and spread with oil then placed in a basket and taken along with the animals. God instructed down to the letter how to prepare the priests and sacrifices. Several verses tell us how God laid out His instructions then advised that He would be there in His glory residing in the presence of the Israelites. They were to celebrate and remember that God had brought them out of Egypt the land of oppression.

Thank you so much for visiting me today. May God richly bless you and the reading of His word.