Title: Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!
Exodus 32 describes the incident that after the entire Israelites heard the Ten Commandments through the voice of God, they became too fearful to proceed any further, so asked Moses to go up to the mountain and listen from God and deliver what they need to hear. Moses went up to the top of Mount Sinai and spent 40 days without food and drink. Thus, the Israelites thought Moses either died on the mountain or ran away. So, they asked Aaron to make another god that can lead them to go back to Egypt.
God sent Moses down quickly, when he reached the bottom, he saw that the entire people of Israel were worshipping the golden calf that they have crafted. Thus Moses had to break the two stone tablets that God had made and written the Ten Commandments by His finger (Exodus 3:12). The wrath of God was upon the people and seemed like there is no way for the people of Israel to be re-established as God’s people. However, God is the God who causes all things to work together for good. When Moses saw all of what had happened, he asked “whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And the tribe of Levi came forward and stood by Moses. As we all know, this incident revived the tribe of Levi and made the special tribe, the tribe of priest. This completely ruined tribe received God’s unexpected blessing and re-established as the tribe of God’s priest.
- They departed from the oldself
- The corruption (Exodus 32:7)
We also have to depart from the corruption. What is the corruption?
- To turn aside from the way of the Lord (Exodus 32:8)
It was caused by impatience.
God will do His miracle and His work in His appointed time. Even if it takes longer than we expected, we should not become impatient because impatience could cause us to turn aside from the way of the Lord (Habakuk 2:3).
- To do things for themselves (Exodus 32:8)
Because God was invisible, and Moses was not seen for long time. The Israelites made the visible idol because it gives them comfort and some confidence. Let’s not make things for ourselves or look for the things for ourselves. Our Father God is alive and He will take care of us.
- Obstinacy (Stubbornness) (Exodus 32:9)
- It means the hardness of heart
What does our heart become hard? It is because we forget God’s grace.
- It means pride
Why does our heart become proud It is because we believe in ourselves more than God.
- It means no repentance
Why do we not repent? It is because we don’t know we are the sinners; the man of wrongdoings.
Let’s not be obstinate but humbly seek God’s mercy. He will hear us and heal us.
2. They came to the newself
1) The mountain that was covered by smoke and thunder (Exodus 20:18-19)
After they heard the Ten Commandments through God’s voice. The mountain top was covered in smoke and sounded thunder and trumpet, flashes lightning. It was too good to be true that God was speaking to them directly and they were hearing the voice of God. But at the same time, it was too fearful, so the people sent Moses up to the top of the mountain. On the first time we heard the Word of God, we were shocked and confessed that it is the true Word of God and the Word of Eternal life. We are so joyful but at the same time, we are fearful as well. But as time goes by, this great Word of God is always around us, we tend to become dull about it and say, “is it really the powerful Word of God that heals me or the Word of transfiguration?” Now when Moses came down and cried out “Whoever is for the Lord”, the tribe of Levi was awakened and started realizing again that they have a God who speaks with the sound of trumpet and they have a God who manifests in lightning and smoke
- Foundation of the Word of God
Aaron while he was worshipping the idol, he decorated himself with many golds and jewelries. He looked splendid and fancy. He perhaps had a skill of good speech and good in singing. He had all kinds of beauties.
On the other hand, Moses just came down from the mountain fasted for 40 days. He did not have any gold or jewelry with him. No fancy or splendid look that he had. Only thing he had was his face was shining so that had to cover himself with a towel.
If Aaron was the figure of splendid, Moses was the figure of unseemly. However, there was no Word of God with Aaron, but there was the Word of God with Moses. To come forward to stand by Moses and stand by the Lord means that they are departing from the appearance of the church but moving for the foundation of the church, that is the Word of God.
What do we expect from the church today? A good fellowship, a good social meeting, a good connection with people? Yes, we need all of these, but the main thing we must seek is Jesus Christ and the Word of God (Matthew 11:7-9).
Conclusion:
We must make the right choice today
The choice that the tribe of Levi made on that day pleases God greatly and thus changed the purpose of the tribe entrirely.
Don’t you want to become the church that pleases God? Don’t you want to become the family that pleases God? Let’s make the right choice today and come forward to stand for the Lord.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 