Deuteronomy 10:1-2
“At that time the Lord said to me, ‘Hew for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and come up to Me on the mountain and make yourself an ark of wood. And I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke; and you shall put them in the ark.’
Every generation likes to think of themselves as more advanced than the one before them. I recall one of my children, when he was about four, asking what life was like back when things were in black and white. He really thought color was only seen by his generation and the rest of us had grown up in the gray hues of a silent movie.
This vantage point on life may be the force behind people thinking that the Bible is antiquated. They might say, “while the Bible might be filled with some fascinating stories, it certainly cannot be relevant for a modern 21st Century world. The problems we face are so much greater than the problems a wandering tribe of nomads had to endure in the Sinai Peninsula thirty-five hundred years ago.”
I think the passage of Scripture before us speaks to that kind of thinking. When Moses came down the mountain and found the nation violating the very laws he had received from God, he reacted by throwing the tablets on the ground. The breaking of the tablets symbolized the people’s behaviors and the breaking of the law of God. When Moses met again with the Lord, he did not get an updated version of the Word of God that would fit into an ever changing dynamic world. Instead, he was given the exact same commandments written on a new set of stones.
The word of God will not change as the world changes. New advancements in medicine and science, or a changing viewpoint of what is right and wrong, will not alter the Word of God. The Bible was never designed to be molded by culture, but to shape it. In a time when things seem to be changing before our very eyes, we need a firm foundation for our lives, and no bedrock is more solid the the Bible.
Pastor Jim
The veil of the Temple was designed by God; and it was beautiful. Moses describes it for us in Exodus 26:31
While it is clear Moses is being instructed regarding the role of the priests who would care for the articles within the Tabernacle, this statement is also a beautiful picture of the ministry of Jesus. He takes care of everything that happens behind the veil. Just as the curtain would serve as a divider between the outside world and what happened within the holy chambers of the Tabernacle, so we have a veil that separates heaven’s proceedings from our view. Paul spoke of the fact that our vision of God is marred by the experiences of life.
Everything in the life of Christ was working toward His final hour. A moment in time when He, through His death, would provide life for all who believe. Prior to the events of the cross unfolding, Jesus took time to have a last meal with His closest followers. It was at this meal that He established the sacrament of communion. He told his disciples the bread was to represent His body which would be broken to provide healing, and the fruit of the vine would represent His blood, that would be shed for the removal of sin.
Unintentional sin is sin committed simply because we’re sinners. The term “sin” is an interesting word. It actually means “to miss the mark.” The sport of archery is a good illustration of missing the mark. A few years ago, I took a group of high School students to a summer camp where, along with Bible studies and worship, they had a number of activities that would teach spiritual lessons. I decided to join a few of the young men as they were learning how to handle a bow and arrow. I watched as they pulled back on the bow and released the arrow. With all of their might, they were trying to hit the bull’s eye, but they missed. So, I decided to try my hand at it. I aimed, pulled back the bow, and shot the arrow clear over the target and into the hillside; the students all laughed at my terrible marksmanship. I was able to teach them a lesson on sin. I missed completely, some of them missed slightly, but we all missed. None of us were perfect, and all of us came up short. This is a good illustration of unintentional sin; attempting to do the right thing, but failing. Here, God tells the people who are seeking Him, they can offer a sin offering that would cover unintentional sin.
As the world approaches the end times, difficulties will increase. The believer is reminded that these difficult situations are the perfect backdrop in which to share Christ with the world. This is a principle to live by. We do not need to wait until the end to have an impact upon the lives around us. The present circumstances which you face have been designed by God as the best conditions for you to grow as a Christian, and have an impact upon others for the kingdom of Heaven. In addition to reminding the disciples of the opportunities He will provide for them, Jesus also gives a promise of success:
When Moses chose the men to spy out the land, he chose the leaders. Sadly, we know how that turned out. These supposed leaders, came back with an evil report, and stirred the hearts of the people against the mind of the Lord. I think there is a danger for someone who is naturally a leader; that danger is when they are not subject unto the Lord. I talk to my kids often about leadership. “Guys, you need to be leaders.” Then I’ll ask them, “What’s the most important thing about a leader?” I’ve trained them to respond, “To follow Jesus, Dad.” That’s the most important thing about a leader.
We are introduced to a group of men who are examining Jesus. They have taken the time to carefully observe Him in action, dissect His teachings, and even quiz Him on a variety of difficult subjects. Their conclusion is worth noting. We read, “they marveled.” The word “marveled” means to be amazed by, and even to admire. It is a word that would commonly be used of a person standing in a museum observing a beautiful work of art. In that case, the proper response would be to admire the work and protect it from being harmed.
As the cloud begins to move, the Children of Israel take their first steps toward the Promised Land. It does not take long before they begin to complain about their circumstances. In response to their complaints, God sends a burning fire upon some who dwelt in the outskirts of the camp. Why is God so upset by their complaints? Why does He treat complaining so harshly? Keep in mind, God was in charge of their wilderness expedition. He was in the lead. He controlled the cloud, the fire, and the blowing of the horns. They were following His orders. They were not in the wilderness by accident or happenstance, but by God’s direction. By complaining, they were actually saying, “God, we gave you the lead and You’re simply not doing a good job.” or perhaps, “If I were God, I wouldn’t do it that way, I wouldn‘t treat my people like that.” And as a result of their complaining, the anger of the Lord is aroused and they get burnt.
Jesus rebuked the leaders of His day for being able to discern weather patterns, yet failing to recognize the signs of the times. He also exhorted His followers to carefully observe the condition of the world, and to live in anticipation of His soon return.
Jim Gallagher 