SCRIPTURE: EXODUS 34
IMPORTANT VERSE:
THE NEW STONE TABLETS (vs. 1-28)
The Lord said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the firs tablets, which you broke. Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain.”
Soi Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished’ he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourthj8 generation.”
Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. “O Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes,” he said, “then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff -necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance.”:
The the Lord said: “I am making a covenant with you. Before all your people I will do wonders never before done in any nation in all the world. The people you live among will see how awesome is the work that I, the Lord, will do for you. Obey what I command you today. I will drive out before you the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Be careful no to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you. Break down their altars, smash their sacred stones, and cut down their Asherah poles. Do not worship any other god, for the lord, whose name is Jealous is a jealous God. “Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices. And when you choose some of their daughter s as wives for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will lead your sons to do the same.
Do not make cast idols.
Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in that month you came out of Egypt.
“The first offspring of every womb belongs to me, including all the firstborn males of your livestock, whether form herd or flock. Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but it you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem all your firstborn sons.
“No one is to appear before me empty-handed.
“Six days you shall labor, but on the seventy day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.
“Celebrate the Feast of Weeks with the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year. Three times a year all your men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord, the God of Israel. I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory, and no one will covet your land when you go up three times each year to appear before the Lord your Gold.
“Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast, and do not let any of the sacrifice from the Passover Feast remain until morning.
“Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the lord your God.
“Do not cook a young goat in it’s mother’s milk.”
Then the lord said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant – the Ten Commandments.
THE RADIANT FACE OF MOSES (vs. 29-35)
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leader of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.
When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. Ando when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would pout the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.
THOUGHTS: (From Life Application Study Bible)
God’s glory is his character, his nature, his way of relating to his creatures. God’s glory is revealed in his mercy, grace, compassion, faithfulness, forgiveness and justice. God’s love and mercy are truly wonderful and we benefit from them. We can respond and give glory to God when our character resemble his.
Sin will affect grandchildren and great-grand-children because they will suffer for the sins of their parents. Sins of child abuse, alcoholism selfishness and greed can be passed along with dire consequences. be careful not to treat sin casually but repent and turn from it. The sin may cause you little pain now but it could sting in a most tender areas of your life later – your children and grandchildren.
God told the Israelites not to join in religious rites with the sinful people around them, but to give their absolute loyalty and exclusive devotion to Him. Pagan worship simply cannot be mixed with the worship of the holy God as “No one can serve two masters”. Love of money is the god of this age, and many Christians attempt to make a treaty with this enslaving god. Are you worshiping two gods at the same time? Where is your first allegiance?
Sacred pillars called “Asherah poles” were wooden poles that stood by Baal’s altar. they were used to worship the goddess who was the wife of Baal. She represented fertility and good luck in agriculture.
Moses’ face glowed after he spent time with God. the people could clearly see God’s presence in him. How often do you spend time alone with God” Although your face may not light up a room, time spent in prayer, reading the Bible, and meditating should have such an effect on your life that people will know you have been with God.