WE NEED AN INTERCESSOR
Susan Murray
Today’s Scripture: “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.’” Exodus 32:30, ESV
Theme: Like Moses, a godly leader continues to intercede on behalf of the people he was called to lead, recognizing wrongs and seeking to help atone for them.
GLORY
Glacier National Park in Montana is full of nature's beauty. As we drove slowly along Going-to-the-Sun Road, viewing snowcapped mountains, glaciers, and towering waterfalls, I found myself in tears worshiping God. His creation was so overwhelming, and it felt like it was crying out His glory. (Psalms 96:12-13). We were created and designed to worship; we are specifically called to worship God because of His glory. (Isaiah 43:7, Psalms 96:8).
IDOLOTRY
But sin in the heart of man twisted worship toward created things instead of the Creator. We see this in our story today. God brought Israel out of slavery in Egypt and by grace alone saved them from sure destruction by parting the Red Sea - what a great salvation. Shortly thereafter the people became anxious waiting for Moses, their leader, who had been up on Mount Sinai 40 days receiving God’s Word. They forgot, or lost faith in, God’s salvation and rebelled, demanding Aaron make them a god. He took some of the gold articles which were gifted by the Egyptians (Exodus 3:22) as God had planned and formed a calf. The people then said,” These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” Aaron then built an altar for worship. (Exodus 32:1-6 ESV). They worshiped an idol made by their own hands, using gifts provided by God through His grac,e and called it “savior." It was a lie robbing God of His rightful glory as the true Savior. God became angry and, in justice, was ready to immediately destroy them--except for Moses.
ATONEMENT
Moses stepped in the gap between God and His people to make atonement. In other words, he attempted to make amends for their “great” sin to satisfy and appease God’s righteous anger. Moses offered himself as a substitute to be “blotted out” of God’s Book of Life in place of the people. Moses asked God to destroy him for all eternity instead of them.
SUBSTITUTE
Moses was a great leader and servant of God, but according to Hebrews Chapter 3, we see that Moses was a foreshadow pointing us to Someone who is greater - Jesus. In the greatest act of love, Jesus not only offered but truly gave Himself as our substitute. He took our sin and its just punishment on Himself, though He never sinned - making atonement and forever satisfying the wrath of God’s holy justice on the cross. By standing in the gap between a holy God and rebellious people, like you and me, Jesus frees us from slavery of sin and sure destruction and gives us eternal life - what a great salvation. Please don’t rush past this just because it's familiar. Pause, think, ponder till your heart worships God Himself, filling you with praise.
Make It Personal: You may be thinking, "Wait, I don’t bow and worship golden idols." Idols are reflective of a culture in their respective times. All ancient cultures at Moses' time worshipped idols made of wood, stone etc. to gain for themselves prosperity, security, significance and identity – abundant life. Our culture is different and so therefore our idols are different, yet our hearts are the same. Consider God’s gifts like money, family, career success, religion, polities, popularity, etc. In the day to day concerns, it’s easy to forget about God’s salvation and instead take gifts provided by God’s grace and create for yourself security, significance and an identity - idolatry. Can you identify your idols? Mine is people's approval, so I bring to mind and remember that Jesus bought me God’s approval (the Gospel) which trumps all other approval or disapproval. So do not despair; remind yourself again repeatedly that Jesus is standing continuously in the gap for you (1 John 2:1-2).
Pray: God, You are the Creator of all things and worthy of all my praise. Please show me the idols of my heart and how great my sin is. Help me see how great the cost was to Jesus to save me, giving me a heart of worship. “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here’s my heart; O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above.” (Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing by Robert Roberson 1758) Amen.
Read: Psalms 96:1-13; Ephesians 1:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-6; 1 John 2:1-2
Weekly Memory Verse: "What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?” Romans 3:3, ESV