August 12

EXODUS 32

²⁵ And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies), ²⁶ then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. ²⁷ And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.’” ²⁸ And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell. ²⁹ And Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day.”– Exodus 32:25-29

EXODUS 32 MOSES CHALLENGES GOD’S PEOPLE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When Moses witnessed that the people have gone against God

He challenged the Israelites to declare who was on the Lord’s side

The whole clan of Levi went to side with the Lord and the rest didn’t

So, Moses asked the Levites to kill all those who were not on God’s side

The Levites followed obediently and killed those against God

Whether they were their son, neighbor or brother, they were executed.

This account may sound harsh but I think Moses was led by God to expose those who were truly for him and those who were against him. God is a God of order and clarity. It is either you belong to him or not. Sadly, even in our current days, we see so many people live compromised lives. They say that believe in God but their lives do not seem to match their beliefs. This is why we are warned in the bible that we should never conform with the world, but to be transformed by the renewal of our minds. We are also warned against following the world systems which to not glorify God but focuses on self-pleasure and gratification. Just like the Israelites decided that they will create their own gods when they couldn’t wait for Moses’ return from the mountain. It is good that Moses confronted their loyalties.

REFLECTION

• Why do you think the Levites didn’t have second thoughts to kill those even their closest family and friends who went against the Lord?

August 11

EXODUS 32

¹⁵ Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. ¹⁶ The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. ¹⁷ When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.” ¹⁸ But he said, “It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.” ¹⁹ And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. ²⁰ He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.²¹ And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” ²² And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. ²³ For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ ²⁴ So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” – Exodus 32:15-24

EXODUS 32 MOSES’ ANGER OVER THE GOLDEN CALF

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Coming down from the mountain, Moses brought down God’s tablet

Then he witnessed the golden calf they built

Moses’ anger grew and he threw the tablet and burned the calf

Then he threw the calf’s ashes in the water

Then he made the people drink the water with ashes

Finally, he confronted his brother Aaron who actually made the idol.

Was Moses’ anger righteous? Wasn’t he very harsh with letting them drink the water with the burnt ashes of the golden calf? I think that his anger was appropriate because the people of God actually broke their covenant promise to God in just those 40 days that Moses was gone. God tested them and they didn’t pass that test.

REFLECTION

• How was Moses’ anger towards the people building the calf justified?

August 10

EXODUS 32

⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. ⁸ They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” ⁹ And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. ¹⁰ Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”¹¹ But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? ¹² Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. ¹³ Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” ¹⁴ And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people. – Exodus 32:9-14

EXODUS 32 MOSES INTERCEDES FOR THE ISRAELITES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When the Israelites made the golden calf, it angered the Lord

He wanted to annihilate the Israelites for making an idol

But Moses interceded for the people of God

He reminded God of covenant promise to them

So, the Lord yielded to Moses’ request

He spared them the disaster they were to receive.

The Israelites deserved all the punishment for building that golden calf, and yet, when Moses implored God to spare them from his wrath, God listened and didn’t do as he planned. We often do not realize how God values our prayers. Because Moses had a big role to play in God’s salvation plan, he found favor from God.

REFLECTION

• Share whom you have interceded for and prayed to God for mercy and favor?

August 9

EXODUS 32

When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” ² So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” ³ So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. ⁴ And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” ⁵ When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” ⁶ And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.

                                                             – Exodus 32:1-6

EXODUS 32 THE GOLDEN CALF

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When God’s people became impatient waiting for Moses

They began grumbling and feeling hopeless

So, they asked Aaron to make them an idol

With their gold, they asked Aaron to make a calf

Aaron built an altar before it and rose up early the next day

They offered burnt and peace offerings to it then they rose up and play.

Moses was gone 40 days and the Israelites became restless and hopeless. It is interesting what “waiting” can do to us. In the bible the number 40 is a symbol of testing. Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights and was tempted by the devil. It is a good reminder for us that when things are taking longer, it could be a time of testing our faith for us.

We also witness how Aaron, who was given the responsibility to look after the Israelites when Moses was gone, was swayed to please the people of God who were getting restless and complaining. He gave in to their whining and so as not to look bad, he complied and entertained their requests to fashion a golden calf whom they can worship. He became a people pleaser and forgot his priority to please God. He wasn’t able to stick to the role of looking after God’s people so that they don’t grow weary and hopeless.

REFLECTION

• How can we avoid impatience and people-pleasing in our Christian lives?

August 8

EXODUS 31

¹² And the Lord said to Moses, ¹³ “You are to speak to the people of Israel and say, ‘Above all you shall keep my Sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I, the Lord, sanctify you. ¹⁴ You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you. Everyone who profanes it shall be put to death. Whoever does any work on it, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. ¹⁵ Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the Lord. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall be put to death. ¹⁶ Therefore the people of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, observing the Sabbath throughout their generations, as a covenant forever. ¹⁷ It is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.’”¹⁸ And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. – Exodus 31:12-18

EXODUS 31 ON KEEPING THE SABBATH

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The Lord gave us days so we can live our lives fully

He gave us six days to toil and one day for worship

Because he himself rested from work on the seventh day

He requires us to give that day to him to give him praise

Anyone who doesn’t keep the Sabbath is dishonoring him

That person is going to be cut off from among his people.

In our current world today, we are plagued with “busyness” and “workaholism.” It’s as if it is abnormal to rest and normal to just keep on and on with our work and whatever preoccupies us. These following verses remind us how God requires his people to keep the Sabbath day holy. It is easy for us to justify working on the Sabbath day and say to ourselves that “I am providing for my family.” But as Christians, are we not supposed to honor this stipulation that God expects from us? Why would anyone who claims they believe in God disregard this very important law? Why did God place a very harsh consequence against whoever will not keep this day to worship and praise him?

REFLECTION

• Why is it important for Christians to keep the Sabbath day holy?

August 7

EXODUS 31

The Lord said to Moses, ² “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, ³ and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, ⁴ to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, ⁵ in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. ⁶ And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: ⁷ the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent, ⁸ the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, ⁹ and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, ¹⁰ and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests, ¹¹ and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.”– Exodus 31:1-11

EXODUS 31 GOD’S DESIGNATED CRAFTSMEN

When God instructed Moses with very detailed and specific materials to use for the artistic design of the altar, the tent of meeting, the ark, the mercy seat and all the furnishings of the tent, table and its utensils and the altar of incense and burn offerings, the holy garments, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense, he already had two people in mind to have the abilities to execute the design. He appointed Bezalel and Oholiab to do all the execution of such intricate and detailed designs.

What a great God we serve! He thinks of everything, every detail and measurements of everything that was in his Holy Place. He provides for every design plan he thinks of. I am amazed at the details that the Lord specified in the building of all that is in his most holy place. There is always a symbol that would eventually all point to Jesus and what he is about to do to save mankind from sin and be reconciled with him.

I am so blessed with so much creativity. God has given me musical, painting, decorating, cooking, writing, communicating and teaching abilities. The Lord gives us an overflow of his gifts so that we can spread love and give him the glory. Bezalel and Oholiab were so blessed to execute God’s own designs.

REFLECTION

• How have you used your gifts/talents to bring glory to the Lord?

August 5

EXODUS 30

¹⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ¹⁸ “You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, ¹⁹ with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. ²⁰ When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. ²¹ They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations.”

                                                                                           – Exodus 30:17-21

EXODUS 30 THE BRONZE BASIN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Revelation 1:15 mentions bronze: “his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.” It gives us a glimpse of God’s footstool. His bronze feet would crush Satan.

According to some commentaries, this allows followers into the outer court of the temple but no further into the holy places where higher levels of purification were required. When a priest enters the Holy of Holies without washing his feet, he would die (verse 20). Hebrews 12:29 tells us that God is a consuming fire that destroys any unholy thing in His presence. In Exodus 27, the altar of judgment was covered in bronze.

The washing of the hands and feet in these following verses would also foreshadow Jesus’ warning his disciples that they were to wash their feet before they approach him. When Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, it was an act of washing away their sins so that they could be in relationship with the heavenly Father through his humble act of cleansing.

Although some religious denominations literally follow the ritual of doing the physical cleansing of their hands, feet or bodies when entering their places of worship, they are following old traditions that devalue Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for everyone to be cleansed when they believe in him. It is the spiritual cleansing of our hearts that can only be purified by the Holy Spirit through the conviction of our sins through the precious word of God.

REFLECTION

·       How can we prepare ourselves to be worthy of God’s presence when we meet with him personally and corporately?

August 4

EXODUS 30

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹² “When you take the census of the people of Israel, then each shall give a ransom for his life to the Lord when you number them, that there be no plague among them when you number them. ¹³ Each one who is numbered in the census shall give this: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the Lord. ¹⁴ Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord’s offering. ¹⁵ The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord’s offering to make atonement for your lives. ¹⁶ You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to remembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.” – Exodus 30:11-16

EXODUS 30 CENSUS & ATONEMENT

A census is the numbering or registration of people. It’s generally done for the purpose of taxation or military recruitment. Censuses are reported in the Bible in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In these following verses, the reason for the census was to ensure that all God’s people, rich or poor from twenty years old and over must pay for a ransom for their lives which is also called “atonement.” The instruction to Moses was that when they are numbered in the census, they have to pay a tax of a half shekel when they give the Lord’s offering. The money paid will be a service done for the tent of meeting. According to gospelcoalition.org the function of atonement is ultimately the repairing and restoring of the relationship between the sinner and the Lord. It leads to peace and initiated by God himself.

Inspiredscripture.com comments that This was the first of three census counts that God would order for His people in the wilderness. While the second two counts were focused on men of fighting age, the first count included both men and women aged 20 or older. From these passages, we infer that 20 is the age of adulthood under God’s Law.

Why was it important to God for us to be numbered and pay atonement? I would say that it shows that God wants us to be aware of our role in his church and why our contribution matters in the building of his church. It is a way of being accountable to be in relationship with our Maker.

REFLECTION

• What lesson does the census and atonement teach us as Christians?

August 3

EXODUS 30

“You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. ² A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it. ³ You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it. ⁴ And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. ⁵ You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. ⁶ And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you. ⁷ And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it. Every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, ⁸ and when Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations. ⁹ You shall not offer unauthorized incense on it, or a burnt offering, or a grain offering, and you shall not pour a drink offering on it. ¹⁰ Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year. With the blood of the sin offering of atonement he shall make atonement for it once in the year throughout your generations. It is most holy to the Lord.”– Exodus 30:1-10

EXODUS 30 PRAYER IS THE FRAGRANT INCENSE FOR THE LORD

The psalmist says in Psalm 141:2 “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! Revelation 5:8 describes the prayers of the saints as incense, and the church is called a garden of spices. What a great picture that looks like! When we pray from our hearts fervently, we are lifting up a sweet fragrance of incense to the Lord and he is pleased with that.

Why was God very detailed in instructing the building of the altar and why did he require Aaron to burn fragrant incense on it every morning and at twilight? We may not have a literal altar of incense in the churches that we go to right now, but these are symbols that God reminds us that when Jesus died on the cross, he was the perfect sacrifice that appeased God’s wrath from our sins. Jesus’ death resulted in the physical temple to be a spiritual one, where the Holy Spirit resides in all the hearts of believers. We do not have a literal sense of an altar of incense, but our bodies are the temple and altar which need to be kept pure and holy so that we can pray and be in constant relationship with God.

REFLECTION

• What does verse 9 translate to us as believers after Jesus gave up his life for us?