Thursday, February 11, 2010

Shine


Exodus 34: 29-35

…he wasn't aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the LORD. …

Please read this entire daily ready for yourself. (February 11 reading from Chronological Bible) I am truly awed by this reading today. So much information, so many awesome things. I am going to touch on several things that spoke to me today.

First, the passage above. Moses was radiant. So radiant that the commentaries stated that Moses probably looked like he did in the transfiguration story in Matthew 17. He shined out it was like two horns of rays coming from his head. It was so glorious that people were in awe or afraid because they knew Moses had been with God. He was shining with God's glory. Imagine!

The word tells us that Moses wore a veil. Do you know why? The people could not bear the brightness, but he uncovered himself with the veil when he would go to meet with God. Again, do you know why? Because he still paled in comparison to God. It doesn't matter how good you are you will always pale in comparison to God.

Next point was how quickly we fail. Moses and God were on the mountain and the people became impatient. So what did they do? They demanded Aaron make them a god…Yeah, right. How could they think this so soon after their time with God? I wrote to the side of this passage ~ out of sight, out of mind…don't we do this?

Did you catch that God wanted to let His anger blaze against them? Moses interceded with trying to pacify the Lord. I'm thinking he was begging for forgiveness. Imagine Moses proceeds down the mountain hear the celebrating and his anger begins to rise. Enough that when he sees the camp he throws down the tablets God wrote with His own finger…

It goes on to tell us that the Levites had to kill their own brothers, friends, neighbors because the Lord ordered it. They obeyed.

So much in the reading today that I just can't stop…

Look in Exodus 32: 8-11..

When Moses would go into the Tent of Meeting all people would go to the entrance of their own tent. They would watch Moses disappear inside and pillar of cloud would come down over the entrance of the tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face like a meeting with a friend. Moses would leave and the young man, named Joshua would stay behind in the Tent of Meeting. What do you think God was talking to Joshua about? Was he already preparing Joshua? Imagine this next leader was staying behind in the tent…Wow!

The last thing that grabbed me was in Exodus 34: 1…The Lord told Moses to chisel two stone tablets like the first one. This time he told Moses to prepare the stones. Last time God had them and did everything. This time God will still write them, but Moses would work and bring two new stones with him. Do you think this might be because Moses smashed them? After all, God pointed out you smashed them…

Don't you just love God's word? Don't you love the fact that truly He is very much alive in this world? He is alive and at work in this dark world we reside in, but HE brings the LIGHT, HE is the LIGHT and we are to let HIS LIGHT shine through us!!!


 

Let it shine,

Debbie

3 comments:

Bill's Friend said...

It was awesome reading today!!...

I don't know what was wrong with Moses' speech, but he sure did do a good job changing God's mind from "wiping them (the Israelites) from the face of the earth."

Moses tells God, "But now,if you will only forgive their sin-but if not, erase my name from the record you have written." Ex 32. My commentary said that it is believed, in the Old Testament, that this is a list of those on the earth who are part of God's covenant. It's know wonder why God loved Moses so much. Moses was a man of high integrity.

Debbie, I did catch where God told Moses that you smashed them. He had to chisel the stones and then carry them up the mountain.... I bet they were heavy.

The Lord said "I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest-everything will be fine for you." That had to be a tremendous comfort to Moses....

Unknown said...

Debbie, Bless you this day for the time and energy you give to us as you share the Word and your own perspective. In reading about Moses, how he would go to the Tent of Meeting and the Lord would speak to Moses face to face. Amazing. Also note that it said all the people would go to the entrance of their own tents. I have been under the weather the last few days so it has given me the opportunity to read Defy Gravity- Healing beyond the bounds of Reason, by Caroline Myss. Caroline also has written Entering The Castle. Both of these books are monumental in helping one begin to go to the entrance of ones own tent and begin turning inward or as Moses did entering one's own tent to come in contact with the Divinity and Presence of God. In Entering the Castle Caroline Myss guides us through the timeless path of wisdom passed on to us by St. Theresa of Avila St. Theresa lived in Spain in the 16th century and as a way to teach the Carmalite Nuns about the mystical and personal spiritual experiences she was having, she wrote Entering the Castle. Both of these books have given me direction, hope and joy in knowing surely we all can have the experience of Moses when we turn inward facing not only our dark shadows but also the beautiful grace of knowledge, wisdom, and glory which shines so brightly that our own understanding is left with simply a feeling of awe beyond all reason.

Frankie said...

Debbie, I could feel your excitement over the reading today.
I feel the same.

Can you imagine that all of God's goodness cannot be looked upon? I looked up goodness and it means, the best, positive, desirable qualities, pleasant, enjoyable, virtuous, etc.... It is radiant and it is who He is. His glorious presence, who can fathom it?

Thankfully for the Israelites they had an intercessor in Moses and thankfully we have the Intercessor, Christ The Lord.

Thanks to everyone for sharing their insights today. It is a blessing to read what spoke to each of you.