TO READ: Exodus 32:15-35
Accepting Responsibility
After that, he turned to Aaron. aWhat did the people do to you?a he demanded. aHow did they ever make you bring such terrible sin upon them?a aDonat get upset, sir,a Aaron replied. aYou yourself know these people and what a wicked bunch they are. . . . So I told them, aBring me your gold earrings.a When they brought them to me, I threw them into the firea"and out came this calf!a Exodus 32:21-22, 24
Even presidents have been known to avail themselves of the chance to duck responsibility. President Nixon left office insisting, aI am not a crook.a President Clinton responded to his accusers by saying, on one hand, aIt depends on what the meaning of aisa is,a and, on the other hand, making a vague admission of guilta"aMistakes were made.a Both men could reasonably have stood up and said, aI did it. I was wrong. Iam sorry. I accept full responsibility for my actions.a Sadly, if men insist that they are not responsible for their actions, they often fail to see that they are making themselves nothing more than helpless victims in a cruel world. Not a very manly posture!
Aaron and Moses present us with a stark contrast in this regard. When confronted concerning his behavior in the golden calf episode, Aaron responded, aDonat get upset, sir. . . . You yourself know these people and what a wicked bunch they area (Exod. 32:22). In other words, while Aaron didnat quite say, aThe devil made me do it,a he effectively said, aThe people pushed me into it!a It was not Aaronas fault; it was the fault of that awicked buncha! But his ingenuousness took a leap forward when he added, aSo I told them, aBring me your gold earrings.a When they brought them to me, I threw them into the firea"and out came this calf!a (32:24). Out came this calf, indeed! So it was the fireas fault!
Surely Aaron must have known that he had folded under pressure when he owed the people leadership. And surely he knew better than to expect anyone to believe that a fire produces, unaided, a golden calf. Unless, of course, he wanted to suggest that the calf made itself! Aaronas dissimulation simply compounded his failure, when a simple acknowledgment of culpability and acceptance of responsibility would have paved the way for healing and restoration.
Moses went to the opposite extreme! He returned to the Lord to plead the case of the people. He did not minimize the depth of their sin, and he did not deny the need for judgment. But he said to the Lord, aPlease forgive their sina"and if not, then blot me out of the record you are keepinga (32:32). Was Moses tacitly suggesting that he believed he bore some responsibility for the failure of the people and should therefore shoulder some of the blame? We donat know, but we can certainly see the difference between a man who will not admit his own failure and one who will go the extreme of taking the failure of others upon himself. We have no difficulty recognizing the real man!
June 23
TO READ: Exodus 33:1-23
Understanding G.o.d
Inside the Tent of Meeting, the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who a.s.sisted him, Joshua son of Nun, stayed behind in the Tent of Meeting.
Exodus 33:11
The universe of which we are a part is full of vast mysteries. We donat know its age, we can only guess at its size, and speculation is rife concerning the details of its generation. Having said that, there is no doubt that in recent years our knowledge of the universe has increased dramatically. Gone are the days when Galileo struggled with the church over the issues of the earthas place in the solar system, and no longer do mariners dread the Straits of Gibraltar for fear they might be approaching the edge of a flat earth. We know the earth revolves around the sun and not vice versa; we know the earth is a globe. But while our knowledge of the universe has grown exponentially, our knowledge of G.o.d has not.
Who can say that modern man knows the eternal G.o.d more intimately than Moses? Moses regularly met with the Lord aface to face, as a man speaks to his frienda (Exod. 33:11.) And which modern man would dare claim to know the risen Christ better than Paul the apostle, who met Christ on the Damascus road?
There may be two reasons for this. Firstly, modern man may not be as eager to know and understand G.o.d as his forebears were. While the advances of science have increased our knowledge of how the world works, and the wonders of technology have greatly enriched our lives materially, the result has been a tendency to worship the creation at the expense of the Creator, to love the material rather than the Maker. Secondly, G.o.d has traditionally and historically set limits on his own self-revelation. To Moses, whom he called afrienda (33:17), G.o.d said, aYou may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and livea (33:20). Mosesa request for a greater vision of the Lord in order that he might be better equipped to serve the Lord was completely understandable. The Lordas response was a reminder that, however intimate a man may become with G.o.d, man is limited in his capacity to know G.o.d.
The full revelation of divine majesty and glory must wait until man is glorified in G.o.das eternal presence. In the interim, modern man should combat a minimal knowledge of the Lord by seeking to know him better, while recognizing that a hunger to know G.o.d is indicative of a longing for eternity and a desire for the ultimate which will never be satisfied in time and s.p.a.ce. In this life, the best we may hope for is to see G.o.d afrom behinda (33:23). In eternity, we will see him face-to-face.
June 24
TO READ: Exodus 34:1-35
G.o.das Autobiography
He pa.s.sed in front of Moses and said, aI am the LORD, I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious G.o.d. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness. I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. Even so I do not leave sin unpunished, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations.a Exodus 34:6-7
A mother and her small son on vacation in a national park suddenly confronted a huge bear on a narrow trail. The mother had recently been influenced by the teachings of a sect that believed that if you exercised enough faith no harm could come to you. So, looking at the bear she told her son, aNow you realize that the bear canat hurt us, donat you?a The small boy replied dutifully, aYes Mother, I know the bear canat hurt us and you know the bear canat hurt us. But what does the bear know?a In such a situation the opinions of mother and child were irrelevanta"only the bearas opinion mattered! (Iam sure youad like to know what happened, but Iave never heard the rest of the story!) Many people today have well-formed opinions of G.o.d. They share them with their friends and workmates and take great comfort in finding agreement. But there is a problem: What really matters is not what I think about G.o.d or what my friends think about G.o.d. The crucial question is what does G.o.d think about G.o.d? Everything else is fundamentally irrelevant. Fortunately, we are not left merely to speculate on this matter.
One day G.o.d published a very brief autobiography to Moses on the mountain. First, he repeated aI am the Lorda (Exod. 34:6). This was a reminder that his name is descriptive of who he is. The t.i.tle, aLord,a which means aI am,a communicates his eternal being and his self-sufficiency. As G.o.das personal name, it also communicates his desire to have a relationship with his people.
If the t.i.tle aLorda conveys his grandeur and awesomeness, the description of him as amerciful and graciousa reminds us that he is approachable and compa.s.sionate, deeply concerned with our well-being and more than ready to reach out to us.
aSlow to angera describes G.o.das justice, mercy, and grace in a fine balance. His justice demands that every infringement of his will and every rejection of his character merit his indignation and divine disapproval. His decision to make humans responsible beings requires that their actions bear consequences. But the aslowa demonstration of his righteous anger is a constant reminder that he gives people ample opportunity to repent and be forgiven.
aRich in unfailing love and faithfulnessa speaks volumes about G.o.das total commitment to his purposes, his unchanging character, and his total reliability.
G.o.das love, which transcends every human idea of love, does not mean that he will aleave sin unpunished.a In fact, G.o.d states that sin will have repercussions for generations (34:7).
Plenty of people will attempt to write G.o.das biography. Too few will read his autobiography. But it is written plainly, and it is easy to understand how good and how gracious the Lord is.
June 25
TO READ: Psalm 116:1-19
How to Say aThank Youa
What can I offer the LORD for all he has done for me? I will lift up a cup symbolizing his salvation; I will praise the LORDas name for saving me. I will keep my promises to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
Psalm 116:12-14
There are times when life is so rich that even surly men smile and the most ungrateful are thankful. Feelings of well-being that well up in the soul demand to be expressed. Such times are difficult times for the atheist, because he has no one to thank. For the believer there is no such problema"he knows whom to thank. But he often wonders what he can do to express his grat.i.tude adequately.
The psalm writer asked the question, aWhat can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me?a (Ps. 116:12). In other words, aWhat can you give a G.o.d who has everything?a Fortunately, the psalm writer was able to answer his own question. First of all, he awill lift up a cup symbolizing [G.o.das] salvationa (116:13). This refers to the psalmistas commitment to partic.i.p.ate in regular formal worship where actions such as lifting high a cup of wine symbolically demonstrated in visual and dramatic ways the deep experiences of the heart. He will say athank youa by making regular worship in the community of believers a priority. A modern man does a similar thing when he pa.s.ses up Sunday morning golf in order to attend Sunday morning worship at church with his family, and when he takes Communion there as an outward expression of the inward knowledge that his sins have been forgiven through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on the cross.
Second, the psalm writer adds, aI will praise the Lordas name for saving mea (116:13). He has already stated, aI love the Lord because he hears and answers my prayersa (116:1). Love demands opportunities for expression, and formal praise affords such opportunities. While the psalmist has no difficulty articulating his own love, many men are not so gifted. So they should know how important it is for them to be in attendance when the people of G.o.d lift their voices in praise as they sing anthems and songs that express their joy.
Third, the psalmist states, aI will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his peoplea (116:14). He knows that men make great promises at times of extreme danger or delight but tend to forget them when the grand moment pa.s.ses away. But not the psalmista"he will keep his promises, and he will do it in such a way that men know he is a man of integrity and devotion.
You can play golf on your owna"but it is better played with friends. You can worship on your owna"but it is better shared with G.o.das people. It is how you say athank youa to the G.o.d who saved you.
June 26
TO READ: Hebrews 11:1-40
What Is Faith?
What is faith? It is the confident a.s.surance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see.
Hebrews 11:1
Everybody believes something. Everyday life is not possible without the exercise of belief, trust, and dependence. An activity as mundane as driving along a road requires belief that the signs are truthful, confidence that other drivers are trustworthy, and trust that when you have a green light the opposite direction will have a reda"and that those coming toward the red will stop! Faith at the level of ordinary living is commonplace. But faith is also exercised at a much higher level.
After the early generations of Christians afirst learned about Christ,a their faith was strengthened so they could remain afaithful even though it meant terrible sufferinga (Heb. 10:32). Their faith showed itself ain confident trust in the Lorda (10:35). Their whole lives could be summed up in the ancient statement, aa righteous person will live by faithaa"a afaith that a.s.sures [oneas] salvationa (10:38-39).
The significance of faith cannot be overestimated and must never be underestimated. But what is faith?
Faith is believing that something you have been told is true. The conviction that it is true is based on the source of the information being trustworthy. Trust is placed in that which is believed to be true, to such a degree that the believer begins to look forward to the actualization of that which is believed. In this way faith becomes athe confident a.s.surance that what is hope for is going to happena (11:1). This confident a.s.surance begins to captivate the thinking of the believer so that even when the consequences of their believing become a challenge, and even a threat, to their physical well-being, they do not wavera"they remain faithful. For those who are full of faith are, by definition, faithful!
Should we be tempted to embrace the common philosophy that aseeing is believing,a we should remember that in fact, much of our aseeinga is determined by our abelieving.a When Jesus walked on the water to the disciples, they did not believe in people walking on water (and who could blame them?!)a"but they did believe in ghosts. So what they believed determined what they saw! Believing was seeing. For faith ais the evidence of things we cannot yet seea (11:1).
No human was present at the beginning of creationa"no one saw what happened. So speculation and scientific exploration continue unabated to this day. But the believer accepts that it is aby faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at G.o.das commanda (11:3). The believeras life is all about believing in every dimension. The big issue is, who and what do you believe!
June 27
TO READ: Hebrews 12:1-13
The Struggle against Sin
You have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
Hebrews 12:4
Every four years, the Olympic Games provide unprecedented opportunities for world-cla.s.s athletes from every corner of the earth to compete against each other for ultimate athletic prizes. So great are the stakes that many have been tempted to cheata"and some have even succ.u.mbed to temptation. Even the venerable Games Committee has been caught in unseemly, if not illegal, practices.
Originally, in ancient Greece, only men were allowed to compete, and only after they were able to show that they had adhered to strict, mandatory training and dietary rules and had prepared themselves thoroughly for the honor of competing. Not only were the games reserved for male athletes, but they also were limited exclusively to male spectators. In addition, the athletes were required to compete naked! They were literally required to astrip off every weighta that would hinder their ability to arun with endurance the racea set before them (Heb. 12:1).
The writer of Hebrews used this a.n.a.logy with great effect as he compared the Christian experience to a race to be run before aa huge crowd of witnessesa (Heb. 12:1). The awitnessesa referred to were probably the amartyrsaa"(the Greek word for awitnessa being martys) who had already laid down their lives for the cause of Christ.
The weight we need to lay aside includes athe sin that so easily hinders our progress.a Sin can and should be stripped off because it hinders spiritual growth very aeasily.a It must be dealt with severely. The Christian is being advised to identify his spiritual Achillesa heela"a vulnerable area in his life that needs careful and constant attention.
In addition, believers need to be reminded about the astruggle against sina (12:4). This struggle can become so intense that it leads to their giving up their lives. When believers resist sin, sometimes those around them who are sinning become violent in their opposition.
Sin will hinder a man while running the racea"athe life of faitha (12:1)a"and can only be dealt with by akeeping our eyes on Jesus.a Jesus suffered, too. He died for our sins, and it is for him and his cause that we are running the race! He is the final umpire, and he alone will keep us on track.
June 28
TO READ: Hebrews 12:14-29
A Bitter Root
Look after each other so that none of you will miss out on the special favor of G.o.d. Watch out that no bitter root of unbelief rises up among you, for whenever it springs up, many are corrupted by its poison.
Hebrews 12:15
Sibling rivalry is one thing. Ongoing, unrelenting, bitter antagonism between brothers is entirely different. The healthy challenges of brothers vying for attention, relishing compet.i.tion, and comparing skills serve to develop a young manas maturity in relationships. But misunderstandings can occur even in the best relationships between brothers. Even the best relationships can quickly sour if rivalry is allowed to fester and settle into noxious bitterness.
Such was the case between Esau and his brother, Jacob. Jacob was no paragon of virtue, but he had spiritual sensitivity that his elder brother lacked. Esau was an aimmorala and aG.o.dlessa man. He was immoral in that he insisted on taking two foreign wives who amade life miserable [the word means abittera] for Isaac and Rebekaha (Gen. 26:35)a"so much so that his mother said, aIam sick and tired of these local Hitt.i.te women. Iad rather die than see Jacob marry one of thema (Gen. 27:46). Esau was G.o.dless in that ahe traded his birthright as the oldest son for a single meala (Heb. 12:16), an action which might not seem particularly significant in our day and age but in his time was a monumental rejection of spiritual heritage and privilege.