Prayer: Father, help me understand how the actions of the Hebrew nation apply to my life today. Amen.
Reading: Exodus 32 key: vs. 22-24
22 Aaron said, “Don’t be angry, my lord! You know these people yourself, and how they are set on evil. 23 They said to me, ‘Make gods for us, to go before us! As for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what happened to him.’ 24 So I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.’ So they gave it to me and I threw it into the fire—and out came this calf!”
Attention: I used the word “inconceivable” this morning. I could have use “unfathomable” too. When confronted by Moses, Aaron blames the people. “You know these people yourself, and how they are set on evil.” Where had they seen this type of worship before? In Egypt! According to the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (HIBD), “Living bulls were important to the religion of some regions of ancient Egypt, and bull images appear in the art and religious texts of Mesopotamia, Asia Minor, Phoenicia, and Syria.”
The text, however, records little resistance or argument from Aaron at the peoples request. He seemingly gives in and requests to the people, “They said to me,” …. And I replied, “Whoever has gold, let them break it off. So, they gave it to me and I threw it into the fire—and (Shazam) out came this calf!” His answer makes it sound as if the calf supernaturally appeared, “I did not have to do anything, it just appeared!”
According to the HIBD, they surmise that a wooden calf was carved or crafted and gold was overlaid on the image of a bull calf.
Regardless, the man I am fully perplexed by is Aaron. He had no backbone, conviction, or resolve as a High Priest and leader of a nation. He stood with Moses during each of the ten judgements of Adonai. It was Aaron’s rod which was placed in the Ark of the Covenant. Yet, he is not held accountable.
How many of our nation’s pastors have seemingly no backbone or resolve to stand with God over the plague of the past couple of years? Notice, Moses lays it on the line and appeals to the people, “Whoever is on Adonai’s side, let him come to me. Then all the sons of Levi (priests) gathered themselves together to him.” It was the priests whom Moses called together. The consequence of not aligning themselves with Adonai (God), cost “about 3000 men” their lives.
Yeshua is now, our High Priest. His followers become priests. We need no other priest between us and Adonai which they did. We are each accountable.
Action: Today, I will align myself, through Yeshua, to Adonai.
Yield: I give myself to Adonai, all my heart, all my mind, and soul.
Engage: This life must be lived with Yeshua.
Relationship: Adonai demands my all!
Prayer: Father, You demand all our affection, all my love. Unto You alone will I give my worship. Amen.
Memory Verse: Hebrews 4:14
14 Therefore, since we have a great Kohen Gadol who has passed through the heavens, Yeshua Ben-Elohim, let us hold firmly to our confessed allegiance.
Music Video: Ray Boltz—I Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb https://youtu.be/mECQOt2z7mw
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”