This is a hard chapter to read. God seems harsh and people die. What are we to make of this? Two thoughts.
First: here we see God as a righteous judge because justice is what’s called for. God’s people have witnessed the miracles in Egypt that set them free. They’ve crossed the Red Sea on dry ground. Now when Moses is gone longer than they’d like, when they’re a little bored with waiting, they fall down in worship before a golden calf, proclaiming that this is the god who freed them from Egypt. Afterward, it says, (in the more poetic language of an older translation), “the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” And “play” doesn’t mean croquet. What they did was wrong on so many levels. There are times when we all want justice; we know it’s called for. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to watch.
Second: at the heart of this chapter, Moses comes down the mountain with the Ten Commandments, the Law, and before the day was over 3,000 people died. By contrast, the first time Jesus was proclaimed 3,000 people were saved ( Acts 2). The Law tells us the truth about how we should live, but it’s a truth we never live up to. And there are consequences when we break the Law. In the end, the Law brings death. By contrast, Jesus brings life and grace. In him, we don’t find justice, we find forgiveness.
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1). As you read Exodus 32, remember – the same God sent them both.
- Paul Abbott
Yaey to the Levites! The ones who denied the idolatry of mother and father, brother and sister, husband or wife, daughter or son... They were the ones who stepped up to the plate and, as painful as it was, took the stand of obeying the first and second commandments. So many times our idolatry is devoted to a child we wanted so desperately, to a spouse we can not live without, to the comforts of life, to that person who takes the place of our One and Only True God... Will our relationships with our "golden calves" be what they ought to be once we let it go and let God Be? Will we lay our "Isaac" down and follow the Levites' example?
ReplyDeleteI was having dinner with RC Sproul around 1990 and he told me a story about an older women in his church that was very upset about God killing people in this chapter. She accosted him after the service and told him that she does not worship a God that would do such a thing. RC gently responded, "Then what you are worshiping is not God but another golden calf." LOL! His words profoundly impacted me as I realized how many golden calves we create in our lives. Every time I read this story his words flood back into my mind.
ReplyDeleteIf we don't worship the one true God we will find something to worship... a person, money, power or even an ideal. It really shows an amazing truth about how we are all built. We must worship something.
I didn't realize that Moses, upon returning to the camp, physically broke the tablets that contain the ten commandments to pieces! I thought about this and realized that Moses' physical breaking of the ten commandment tablets symbolizes humanity breaking the ten commandments.
ReplyDeleteRomans 3:23 says that all have sinned and fallen short under the glory of God. This is why I am so glad that God the Father sent Jesus to die for our sins to that we can be saved from our righteous punishment!
Okay Paul, and everyone else: The 10 Commandments still apply to us, right? I mean, just because Jesus was sent as an atoning sacrifice for our sins, doesn't mean we can just live our lives according to the notion that, simply put: "God is love/grace." I have had this discussions with a lot of fellow Chrisitians, recently. I believe that we are still to follow the 10 commandments.
ReplyDeleteJesus came not to abolish the law, but to fufill it. Right? I think there is too much emphasis on grace, so much that people forget to repent. When the focus is on grace without law, people don't even know what Jesus saved them from.
I know I accepted Christ as my savior, in my youth...but had no real clue about my sin--and the consequences for it. I just heard, "God has a wonderful plan for your life!" Of course, it was a false conversion of sorts...I fell away from the church. Finally, I became aware of my sin, and the consequences...and truly repented. Only then did God's grace seem so huge...and only then did my faith stick.
Beth, yes the 10 commandments apply to us and our lives will be better if we live by them. The point of grace is two-fold. On the one hand, when we fail to keep the commandments, grace says we can find forgiveness in Jesus' sacrifice for us. And on the other, grace calls us to a higher standard than the law. The Law says, "love your neighbor;" grace says, "love your enemy." The Law says, "give 10% to God;" grace says, "by grace . . . their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity . . . so they gave as much as they were able and even beyond their ability to give (2 Cor.8).
ReplyDeleteBeth, what a great set of questions. I have discussed this chapter with several people in recent times.
ReplyDeleteIt really appears that christians and non-christians refer to this chapter quite often and think of it as being very controversial. I have always seen it as; a stern lesson from God, that there is consequences for sin.
Pastor Abbott. thanks for the insight and helping us to truly understand the message.
Ahhh. I still have a really hard time with this. How do you justify telling people to break commandment six to punish others for breaking commandments one and two.
ReplyDelete@Laura: I don't think I followed your question. You have a hard time believing we are to follow the 10 Commandments? Were you saying that following #6 could cause someone to not follow #1 and #2?
ReplyDelete@Beth: Those are deep questions that entire books have been written about. You also compared your first acceptance of Jesus, how you fell away and then how you really experienced His grace when you came back to the Lord. Entire churches have split over issues like this one like when we are saved and if it is possible to fall away or lose your salvation. Don't limit the power of God that may have moved in your life that first time you came to know the Lord. I totally understand what you mean about when you came back to the Lord and how His grace was so much more real to you then. It sort of reminded me of Luke 7:47 which has always been one of my favs. This page shows the different translations: http://bible.cc/luke/7-47.htm
I guess that is my long way of saying that the longer I live, the more I realize how much in need of God's grace I am.
Thanks Paul. David, I truly appreciate that link. I've never really understood that verse. It helps to see the various translations, as it sheds a whole new light on it. =)
ReplyDeleteLaura, I get it. This is hard. I’m not sure I’d say the Levites broke the 6th commandment to punish others for breaking the 1st. This was God’s judgment – in this case, rendered at the hands of others. It often happens that way. In our own justice system, judgment, even death, is rendered at the hands of other people. For the record, I doubt the Levites relished the task. It was bloody – and heartbreaking. A day of sorrow, not joy. They might have wept; I doubt they cheered.
ReplyDeleteStill, a tough story. But it drives home a crucial point: the wages of sin is death – not b/c God is harsh or vengeful, but b/c the death is the natural and inescapable outcome of the sin.
Sin separates us from others, creates distance in relationships. Your friend lies to you; it creates a bit of distance in the relationship. You discover your neighbor is a pedophile or drug dealer – a greater distance. And you are a sinner yourself, not a drug dealer, but not perfect either.
Now imagine that you are morally flawless. Now the sin of others creates an infinite distance between you. Sin separates us completely from the Creator, and that’s death; he’s the only source of light and life. Sin brings death, not b/c God is vengeful, but b/c he’s holy.
Still hard, I know. I’d be happy to chat about all this more if you think that would help.
That description of God's holiness and how it brings an infinite distance is powerful. Thanks Paul. Really well put.
ReplyDeleteIs this chapter hard to digest because we see God as a genie to bring our wishes to rather than the God of the universe?
ReplyDeleteIn the previous reading of the 10 commandments v.20 says Moses spoke to the people Don't be afraid. God has come to test you and instill a deep and reverent awe within you so that you won't sin.
I like the Isrealites have moments in my life where I am missing that deep reverent awe. Where I forget that the God of the universe loves me and wants only the best for me. Sometimes the best for me is painful.
Thanks for getting back to me, Paul. Yeah, I should probably talk to you about this as I am not a great blogger. I am not too keen on all these good people seeing how argumentative and prideful I can be.
ReplyDeleteI understand consequences, what I am having a hard time with is why, after writing "Do not kill" in stone, did God tell the obedient ones to kill. The fact that the Levites probably didn't enjoy having to massacre their friends and neighbors makes it seem worse - like God was punishing the "good guys". Why not turn the disobedient into pillars of salt or strike them down with a plague?
I will probably have to file this in my "I'm too human to understand file" (it's pretty full already)but thanks again for addressing this. When I became a believer some 31 years ago, I knew I had to commit to bringing good news to others, I just pray I will never have to be a messenger of justice!