We the People of the Land

June 11, 2022Blog, Personal Growth, Sunday SermonsAaron, casting off restraint, Moses, who is on the Lord's sidedebio7 2 Comments

That’s how this story starts – with the people of the land. These citizens, in groups of categorized people and by various means have (after a considerable delay) spotted an opportunity. So they rally together, create their case, and call for the leader in charge to do something! They call on him to break them loose from their religious & political confines, to unbind them from their past restrctions and to release them to enjoy unrestrained “freedoms”.

And that is exactly what their leader does. He calls for the embellishments on their ears to be removed and given to him. With their hearing now affected, he fashions an image that will retune their focus and shift their vision. He willingly fashions this new image for them and the people willingly accept it.

This story, is none other than the acount of the Israelites encounter with Aaron when Moses was on the top of Mount Sinai with God. We find it in Exodus 32.

“When the people saw that Moses was delayed… the people gathered themselves together to Aaron… and said make us gods…So Aaron said, take off the gold that is in the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters…so the people brought them to him… and he received the gold…and fashioned it… and made a golden calf…Aaron built an altar… They said, these are our gods… The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. And when Moses saw that that people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose), Moses stood at the gate…”
Exodus 32:1-7; 25 ESV

Check out some of the meanings of these words and phrases from Exodus 32. It is chilling with respect to its application for our days.

people H5971= a people, tribe; groups of people that can be categorized in various ways. Citizens.
Moses delayed = so the people felt anxious and pressed for action to seize the opportunity
Aaron said, take off the gold on the ears of your family = those embellishments that affect our hearing were removed. Gold. (No godly filters)
Aaron received it and fashioned a golden calf = made by the hands of Aaron, this was their new vision and focus
The picture in Hebrew, at the foot of the mountain was one of wanton sex orgies, and drunkenness
the people had broken loose = they were now completly unrestrained in every perverted desire and passion. Total and unabandon sexual perversion.

In this group of citizens, there arose a domineering voice. (We are told that Israel at this time probably numbered near 2 million people, including women and children.) This voice was one seeking to unleash action in the absence of apparent inaction. This voice coalesced around Aaron and his newfound leadership power. And this voice persuaded Aaron to take these corrupt actions.

Do you see any parallels here with our government in America, it’s leadership, and a group of its people?

It is crystal clear that the American people have “broken loose” and our leadership let them “break loose”. Never wasting an opportunity….

Scripture tells us that,

“Where there is no prophetic vision the people will cast off restraint.”
Proverbs 29:18 ESV

When the vision of God for a people, nation, or individual is cast off, all restraint is let go and all hell breaks loose. God looks at these people as corrupted, having turned away from Him and choosing their own images of worship, rather than Him.

But I would like to suggest to you that the loud voice of this first group was not the only group around the bottom of the mountain that day. Yes, those people did speak loudly and unified themselves around Aaron, but there was another group.

There were (at least) two groups that day. This first one saw:

delay, unity in numbers, opportunity to fundamentally change their restricted lives

The other, we find in this passage –

” 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, “Thus says, the Lord God of Israel, “Put your sword on your side, each of you…”
Exodus 32:26-27 ESV

Here’s the 2nd group in the crowd that day and what brought them together:

Who is on the Lord’s side, gathered around Moses, put on their sword

This group was categorized by their desire to please the Lord and obey His will. These Levites, were in the crowd at the foot of Sinai and saw what was going on, the debauchery, and not yielding to it. When the call came – WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE, they seized the opportunity to stand on the Lord’s side. They strapped on their sword and went to work.

People, of the many and varied groups that we find ourselves divided into these days, we are united as citizens. We are the people of the land. And like those citizens amassed at Sinai, we find ourselves seeing the breaking loose and casting off of all restraints of moral, justice, education and religious values. And our leaders not only allow it but promote it.

It is important to note the end of Exodus chapter 32. For in verse 35, it says, “And the Lord sent a plague on the people because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.”

The leaders of this land will be held accountable for their actions. The people of the land will be held accountable for their actions. And the Lord will indeed judge our land for her actions. Let’s not fool ourselves.

But today, we the people… with which group do ally?

Casting off restraint or strapping on a sword?

The clarion call is being trumpted, “Who is on the Lord’s side?”

We, people of the land, it’s time to strap on your Sword.

Go with God,

Debbie

In Days When God Visits Men

October 16, 2021Blog, Personal Growth, Sunday Sermonsface to face, God visits, lessons from Sinai, Mosesdebio7 Leave a comment

Sunday Sermon 10.16.21

There will be those who say that God no longer visits men as He did in days of old, but I am not one of them. The God I serve is the great I AM, which means that He is in every moment that we live. He is not confined to the pages of the Bible or the times that they reflect. These too, are the days when God is visiting (and wanting to visit) man(kind).

It is my opinion that what lies ahead for us, and I mean imminent, is a powerful, thurderous, outpouring of the presence of God on men and women. His presence brings release, revelation, fear, awe, miracles, judgment, wonder, and so much more. Could it be possible that the Great I AM would again visit people on Earth?

Could we see Him again like this –

” Now when the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightening and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled and they stood afar off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die. Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of Him may be before you, that you may not sin. Then the people stood afar off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.”
Exodus 20:18-21 ESV

It is possible. But what is also possible is that this account has in it some truths for us. Let’s look into them.

We can say without a shadow of a doubt and support it with scripture, that there is nothing more powerful than the presence of God. Scripture is full of ways that His presence is demonstrated, including the description from Exodus 20. We read of thunder, lightening, splitting of cedars and seas, winds of fury, fainted men and women, fallen armies, foes defeated, miracle provisions, and overwhelming awe. People respond to such power by falling down, bowing down, covering their mouth, and crying out for mercy and forgiveness.

The first truth for us to hold onto from this is – God’s presence is real and powerful and we each must come before Him. None will be excluded.

The second truth to chew on is this – God’s presence brings fear. And if we look more closely at Exodus, we see His presence is intended to bring a level of fear to us in order to motivate us to not sin. When we have the proper “fear of the Lord”, we are gripped by it in a respectful and honoring way, so as to desire to please Him, and that we can demonstrate by choosing to not sin.

Scripture is full of what “the fear of the Lord” produces in us and it is all pleasant, peaceful, amd productive.

But there are those, who are like the guys in Exodus 20, who, out of fear choose stand afar off from God. They really have no desire to get close to that thunderous God, they are afraid of Him, and step away from Him, rather that toward Him like Moses did. They fear His voice, don’t want to hear it and don’t want to enter into God’s presence.

This then, is the third lesson. Out of fear, we can choose to step closer to God’s presence or away from God’s presence. And in these days, I am hearing that call… Step closer to His presence, closer to Him, and allow His presence to work in you all that pleases Him. This is a process of constant surrendering to His presence, but in doing so, in choosing to be with God, we are changed. The fear of the Lord does motivate us to live a life that pleases Him. And, by the way – it is a life of abundant joy, provision, happiness and strength. It is NOT burdensome or even close to boring!

Our final lesson from the account is this.

God is looking for more Moses-type people. By that I mean, those who willing choose to move to the place where God is. Those who intentionally mark their steps toward God and not away from Him. Those whose delight it is to be in His presence, be close to Him and hear what He has to say. Those who are not frightened to come near to this powerful God, because they know Him personally to be loving, just, kind, compassionate, as well as powerful, intimidating and holy. God is calling to those who will as a magnet, be drawn to where God is.

Although the book of Exodus was written in 1440 BC, in it we can find plentiful truths that have weight and significance for today. We can still learn from it and we can still be visited by a powerful God in a very personal way.

That Great I Am, who consumed in fire and smoke that mountain in Sinai where Moses met Him, is the same today. He is calling for us to face our fears and come to Him, admitting our sin, yielding it to Him, and allowing His passionate love to consume us and all of our fear. He is calling us to step near Him. He is drawing us to come closer and trust His powerful, lifechanging fire.

In these days, when God visits men, what will you do?

God with God,

Debbie