Daily Scripture Reading Exodus 32:25 - 33:6
Many modern churches do not talk about sin. They think sin is too negative and will turn people away from church. They only want to preach happy sermons.
The passage we will read today is part of a section that illustrates the severity and consequences of sin. We will learn that Yahweh cannot allow and tolerate sin. Therefore, we have to ask what obstacles a church creates between itself and God if it does not talk about sin and ends up allowing sin to persist and perhaps flourish in its midst.
The 32nd chapter of Exodus records a failure. Moses was up on the mountain, and after he was there a long time the Israelites gave up hope he would come back down. They asked Aaron to create gods for them. Aaron gathered a collection of gold jewelry and fashioned it into a golden calf. The Israelites began worshipping the calf.
Yahweh sent Moses down from the mountain to deal with the idolatry. When Moses came within sight of the camp and saw the idol worship, he threw down the stone tablets which recorded the law of Yahweh. The stones shattered. Moses destroyed the golden calf, put the gold powder in the water, and made the Israelites drink it.
Ex. 32:25 ¶ Now Moses saw that the people were out of control—for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies—
Notice the word “enemies”. The Israelites were out in the middle of the wilderness, and yet their enemies knew what was happening.
Humans have a tendency to think the only people who know what we are doing are people we can see. However, news travels by word of mouth. If we do something sinful, people will find out about it.
Ex. 32:26 so Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Whoever is for Yahweh, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him.
Take note it was men of the tribe of Levi who came to Moses. The Levites were the priestly tribe.
Ex. 32:27 And he said to them, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘Every man among you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother and every man his friend and every man his neighbor.’”
Look at the word “kill”. We don’t usually associate the priestly tribe with killing people.
Ex. 32:28 So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day.
Ex. 32:29 Then Moses said, “Be ordained today to Yahweh—for every man has been against his son and against his brother—in order that He may bestow a blessing upon you today.”
Notice the word “blessing”. Even though the Levites killed many Israelites, Yahweh bestowed a blessing upon them.
Ex. 32:30 ¶ Now it happened on the next day, that Moses said to the people, “You yourselves have committed a great sin; but now I am going up to Yahweh, perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”
Ex. 32:31 Then Moses returned to Yahweh and said, “Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made gods of gold for themselves.
Ex. 32:32 But now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!”
Ex. 32:33 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.
Ex. 32:34 But now go, guide the people where I told you. Behold, My angel shall go before you; nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”
Ex. 32:35 Then Yahweh smote the people because of what they did with the calf which Aaron had made.
Look at the word “smote”. Sin has consequences.
Ex. 33:1 ¶ Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go! Go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘To your seed I will give it.’
Take note of the phrase “to the land of which I swore to Abraham”. The land had been promised to Abraham over 400 years before Israel left Egypt and took possession of the land. This illustrates for us that Yahweh looks at time quite differently than we do. Just because Yahweh had not fulfilled a promise for hundreds of years does not mean He has forgotten about it.
Ex. 33:2 And I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
Ex. 33:3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst because you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you on the way.”
The word “consume” speaks of the gravity of sin. The Israelites were stubborn; thus, they sinned frequently. Their sin demanded punishment. If Yahweh was among them, they would be in danger of being consumed.
Many churches today do not talk about sin. They do not want to confront sin because they do not want to give people a reason to leave church. That means they end up tolerating sin and allowing it to flourish.
What they don’t think about is the danger they may be creating by allowing sin in the church. There are consequences for sin. If a church tolerates sin, they are creating a barrier between themselves and God, and perhaps drawing punishment upon themselves.
Ex. 33:4 ¶ Then the people heard this sad word and went into mourning; and none of them put on his ornaments.
Ex. 33:5 So Yahweh said to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; should I go up in your midst for one moment, I would consume you. So now, put off your ornaments from you, that I may know what I shall do with you.’”
Ex. 33:6 So the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.
Many churches only preach happy sermons. They don’t want to say anything that may give people a reason to avoid church. However, in doing that, they condone sin. Sin has serious consequences.
Does your church preach about sin?
If not, what sins are they allowing to fester in the church?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”