WEBVTT 00:00:12.930 --> 00:00:20.210 The Word of God is God's Word to us, and we must 00:00:20.210 --> 00:00:24.230 treat it as such. And what we're going to read 00:00:24.230 --> 00:00:29.990 in these three chapters is particularly... man's 00:00:29.990 --> 00:00:34.909 heart bent away, really not desiring God's word, 00:00:35.049 --> 00:00:39.890 and that the only way we can really hear God's 00:00:39.890 --> 00:00:44.929 word, truly hear it, know it, understand it, 00:00:44.990 --> 00:00:47.689 is by the Holy Spirit of God. And we'll prove 00:00:47.689 --> 00:00:50.210 this out in a minute, okay? So Father, I just 00:00:50.210 --> 00:00:52.149 ask that you would be with us as we open up your 00:00:52.149 --> 00:00:54.070 word, that you would guide us, that you would 00:00:54.070 --> 00:00:57.119 give us your wisdom. that you would speak to 00:00:57.119 --> 00:00:59.479 us through your word as we go through these three 00:00:59.479 --> 00:01:04.480 chapters, that we would clearly understand how 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:09.079 you work through your word and how you draw men's 00:01:09.079 --> 00:01:11.620 hearts and how you sanctify us through your word 00:01:11.620 --> 00:01:16.219 and how you are the God of all creation who loves 00:01:16.219 --> 00:01:19.219 us and cares deeply for us, Lord. We don't worship 00:01:19.219 --> 00:01:22.299 your word, but we worship you, the God of the 00:01:22.299 --> 00:01:25.390 word. and we praise you and thank you that you 00:01:25.390 --> 00:01:28.230 are the faithful King of kings and Lord of lords. 00:01:28.230 --> 00:01:32.890 In Jesus' name, amen. So that's going to be something 00:01:32.890 --> 00:01:34.609 I think we're going to need to continue to be 00:01:34.609 --> 00:01:37.750 reminded of as we're going through this because 00:01:37.750 --> 00:01:40.930 we have a tendency when you emphasize the word 00:01:40.930 --> 00:01:45.790 all the time, people start to worship the word 00:01:45.790 --> 00:01:49.790 and the written word and not the God of the written 00:01:49.790 --> 00:01:53.299 word. or the word incarnate, Jesus Christ. And 00:01:53.299 --> 00:01:59.439 so remember, this is God giving us what we need 00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:02.640 for life and godliness, and that our very existence 00:02:02.640 --> 00:02:07.980 is completely dependent on God's word itself. 00:02:08.580 --> 00:02:10.659 Man does not live by bread alone, but by every 00:02:10.659 --> 00:02:14.759 word that comes from the mouth of God. So Exodus 00:02:14.759 --> 00:02:18.939 20, Exodus 20. What's interesting here is a lot 00:02:18.939 --> 00:02:22.849 of times we read, these these chapters and we 00:02:22.849 --> 00:02:27.289 have a tendency to think that it's the same event 00:02:27.289 --> 00:02:32.729 just told in like a different way and it's not 00:02:32.729 --> 00:02:38.009 it's three very distinct events and this is very 00:02:38.009 --> 00:02:40.870 important because i want you to understand what 00:02:40.870 --> 00:02:44.849 god is doing here so in chapter 20 we get to 00:02:44.849 --> 00:02:47.729 this point where the people of god have been 00:02:47.729 --> 00:02:52.659 brought to mount sinai And God is now about to 00:02:52.659 --> 00:02:57.500 lay down this clear standard of who he is in 00:02:57.500 --> 00:03:00.020 his character. It's not like they haven't seen 00:03:00.020 --> 00:03:03.259 it coming out of Egypt, but this is a clear declaration 00:03:03.259 --> 00:03:05.659 of God. Now, what God does here in chapter 20 00:03:05.659 --> 00:03:11.099 is he actually speaks his commandments. How many 00:03:11.099 --> 00:03:15.560 of you guys have watched Charlton Heston, Moses, 00:03:15.780 --> 00:03:20.479 and... Everybody thinks that just Moses goes 00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:24.319 up into this mountain and there's fire and then 00:03:24.319 --> 00:03:31.500 Moses watches God. And it's like, whoa. And he 00:03:31.500 --> 00:03:33.360 comes down and there's a golden cap and he throws 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:35.919 it down and he crashes it. And then Moses has 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:38.900 to carry up two stones and then God like, no. 00:03:40.060 --> 00:03:44.180 God tells his people three times. Three times. 00:03:45.060 --> 00:03:49.330 He gives the commands three times. And he warns 00:03:49.330 --> 00:03:52.469 them, and they still don't listen. So I want 00:03:52.469 --> 00:03:56.650 you to notice here, chapter 20. And God spoke 00:03:56.650 --> 00:04:03.030 all these words, saying, I am the Lord your God, 00:04:03.189 --> 00:04:06.370 who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out 00:04:06.370 --> 00:04:08.930 of the house of slavery. You shall have no other 00:04:08.930 --> 00:04:11.789 gods before me. You shall not make for yourselves 00:04:11.789 --> 00:04:15.669 a carved image or any likeness of anything that 00:04:15.669 --> 00:04:18.310 is in heaven above. or that is in the earth beneath, 00:04:18.670 --> 00:04:22.170 or that is in the water under the earth. You 00:04:22.170 --> 00:04:25.829 shall not bow down to them or serve them, for 00:04:25.829 --> 00:04:29.250 I am the Lord your God. I am Yahweh Elohim, am 00:04:29.250 --> 00:04:33.029 a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers 00:04:33.029 --> 00:04:35.850 on the children to the third and fourth generation 00:04:35.850 --> 00:04:39.290 of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love 00:04:39.290 --> 00:04:43.410 to thousands of those who love me and keep my 00:04:43.410 --> 00:04:47.680 commandments. You shall not. Take the name of 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:53.240 Yahweh Elohim in vain. For Yahweh will not hold 00:04:53.240 --> 00:04:58.300 him guiltless who takes his name in vain. Remember 00:04:58.300 --> 00:05:01.879 the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you 00:05:01.879 --> 00:05:04.060 shall labor and do all your work. But on the 00:05:04.060 --> 00:05:07.139 seventh day it is a Sabbath to Yahweh Elohim. 00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:11.879 On it you shall not do any work. You and your 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:15.339 sons or your daughter, your male servant or your 00:05:15.339 --> 00:05:19.899 female servant. or your livestock, or the sojourner 00:05:19.899 --> 00:05:23.519 who is within your gates. For in six days Yahweh 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:26.620 made heaven and earth and the sea and all that 00:05:26.620 --> 00:05:29.800 is in them and rested on the seventh day. Therefore 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:33.139 Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 00:05:34.279 --> 00:05:37.920 Honor your father and your mother that your days 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:41.839 may be long in the land that Yahweh Elohim is 00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:44.800 giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:47.699 commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall 00:05:47.699 --> 00:05:49.379 not bear false witness against your neighbor. 00:05:49.579 --> 00:05:52.139 You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You 00:05:52.139 --> 00:05:55.420 shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male 00:05:55.420 --> 00:05:58.339 servant or his female servant or his ox or his 00:05:58.339 --> 00:06:02.720 donkey or anything that is your neighbor's. When 00:06:02.720 --> 00:06:05.519 all the people saw the thunder and the flashes 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:08.360 of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and 00:06:08.360 --> 00:06:12.139 the mountain smoking, the people were afraid 00:06:12.139 --> 00:06:17.850 and trembled and they stood far off. and said 00:06:17.850 --> 00:06:21.529 to Moses, you speak to us and we will listen, 00:06:21.649 --> 00:06:32.370 but do not let God speak to us. Wow. Lest we 00:06:32.370 --> 00:06:37.829 die. Moses said to the people, do not fear, for 00:06:37.829 --> 00:06:41.149 God has come to you, come to test you, that the 00:06:41.149 --> 00:06:44.470 fear of him may be before you, that you may not 00:06:44.470 --> 00:06:48.040 sin. The people stood far off while Moses drew 00:06:48.040 --> 00:06:55.139 near to the thick darkness where God was. And 00:06:55.139 --> 00:06:58.420 Yahweh said to Moses, Thus you shall say to the 00:06:58.420 --> 00:07:01.879 people of Israel, You have seen for yourselves 00:07:01.879 --> 00:07:08.500 that I have talked with you from heaven. You 00:07:08.500 --> 00:07:12.120 shall not make gods of silver to be with me, 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:18.589 nor shall you Make for yourselves gods of gold, 00:07:18.730 --> 00:07:26.129 an altar of earth. You shall make for me and 00:07:26.129 --> 00:07:28.970 sacrifice on it your offerings and your peace 00:07:28.970 --> 00:07:32.649 offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every 00:07:32.649 --> 00:07:35.009 place where I cause my name to be remembered, 00:07:35.189 --> 00:07:48.769 I will come to you and bless you. For if you 00:07:48.769 --> 00:07:53.470 wield your tool on it, you profane it. And you 00:07:53.470 --> 00:07:57.529 shall not go up to the steps to my altar that 00:07:57.529 --> 00:08:03.370 your nakedness may not be exposed. So what do 00:08:03.370 --> 00:08:06.430 we notice about this chapter? God hasn't written 00:08:06.430 --> 00:08:11.129 anything yet. He spoke to the people of Israel. 00:08:11.610 --> 00:08:17.079 Do you see the response? Of the people of Israel. 00:08:18.579 --> 00:08:24.759 Do not let God speak to us because if he speaks 00:08:24.759 --> 00:08:28.680 to us, we're going to die. Think about the mindset 00:08:28.680 --> 00:08:32.779 you have to have to think that God always wants 00:08:32.779 --> 00:08:36.419 to kill you. He leads you out of slavery where 00:08:36.419 --> 00:08:39.320 you were dying to bring you into freedom where 00:08:39.320 --> 00:08:42.360 you can live, and they say you led us out here 00:08:42.360 --> 00:08:47.220 to kill us, to starve us to death. Then he brings 00:08:47.220 --> 00:08:50.200 them to the mountain. He speaks to them the truth 00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:56.039 of his word, himself, his perfect standard of 00:08:56.039 --> 00:08:59.519 law that is given to them. And they go, don't 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:01.039 talk to us because you're going to kill us if 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:12.000 you talk to us. I want you to grasp that. Principle 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:14.980 number one. God speaks his law and commands. 00:09:15.529 --> 00:09:18.970 Israel to obey. Not only does he tell Israel 00:09:18.970 --> 00:09:25.190 twice not to make any graven image, which he 00:09:25.190 --> 00:09:28.110 gives in the command, which he spoke first. Then 00:09:28.110 --> 00:09:30.549 he tells him again, which he says, don't make 00:09:30.549 --> 00:09:35.190 anything of silver to be with me. In other words, 00:09:35.210 --> 00:09:40.629 don't go and make yourself a God who will be 00:09:40.629 --> 00:09:48.350 me before you. And so, here we are, Exodus 20, 00:09:48.450 --> 00:09:52.690 1 -6. And God spoke all these words, saying, 00:09:53.009 --> 00:09:55.009 I am the Lord your God who brought you out of 00:09:55.009 --> 00:09:58.190 the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 00:09:58.830 --> 00:10:03.809 He reminds them of the God he is. He tells them, 00:10:03.809 --> 00:10:08.029 I did this for you. I brought you out. I led 00:10:08.029 --> 00:10:10.990 you. I am your shepherd, is basically what he's 00:10:10.990 --> 00:10:13.389 saying. And you shall have no other gods before 00:10:13.389 --> 00:10:16.629 me. You shall not make for yourself a graven 00:10:16.629 --> 00:10:19.210 image or any likeness of anything that is in 00:10:19.210 --> 00:10:21.169 heaven above or that is on the earth beneath. 00:10:21.970 --> 00:10:24.370 Or that is in the water and under the earth. 00:10:24.610 --> 00:10:27.049 And you shall not bow down to them nor serve 00:10:27.049 --> 00:10:31.269 them. For I am the Lord your God and a jealous 00:10:31.269 --> 00:10:36.769 God. Visiting the iniquity of the fathers on 00:10:36.769 --> 00:10:38.350 the children to the third and fourth generation 00:10:38.350 --> 00:10:41.240 of those who hate me. I want you to get that. 00:10:42.360 --> 00:10:49.940 People don't love God. They hate God. Why? Disobedience 00:10:49.940 --> 00:10:52.799 and rebellion is a clear act of hatred towards 00:10:52.799 --> 00:10:55.440 them. That's what he means here. They don't want 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:58.500 to obey me because they hate me. And they can 00:10:58.500 --> 00:11:01.500 obey me. And you're going to see that in a minute. 00:11:03.019 --> 00:11:08.759 But showing steadfast love to thousands of those 00:11:08.759 --> 00:11:15.100 who love me. He doesn't say to all the earth 00:11:15.100 --> 00:11:20.039 who will love me one day. It's only to those 00:11:20.039 --> 00:11:23.899 thousands who love me and keep my commandments. 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:29.100 So this is not an issue of legalism here, which 00:11:29.100 --> 00:11:33.919 during the men's conference I was talking to 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:38.399 Pastor Ben there, and there's always this fine 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:43.289 line. Between legalism and grace. But with God, 00:11:43.289 --> 00:11:47.049 there isn't. God is all grace and all truth. 00:11:47.929 --> 00:11:54.169 He's both. He's law and grace. You don't separate 00:11:54.169 --> 00:11:59.269 the two. But because we have grown up in a seeker 00:11:59.269 --> 00:12:06.830 -sensitive environment and a modern -day idea 00:12:06.830 --> 00:12:10.730 of church, We've taken the very thing that God 00:12:10.730 --> 00:12:14.370 says that he is, truth and grace, and we've separated 00:12:14.370 --> 00:12:22.690 saying it's legalism and grace. But Jesus says, 00:12:22.730 --> 00:12:25.970 if you love me, obey me. He says again here in 00:12:25.970 --> 00:12:29.269 Exodus 26, by showing steadfast love to those 00:12:29.269 --> 00:12:35.610 who love me and keep my commands. Obedience is 00:12:35.610 --> 00:12:39.240 the standard. Why do I obey? Because I love him 00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:42.799 by faith. I love him. I want to obey him by faith 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:47.299 because he's my God. That's my drive. That's 00:12:47.299 --> 00:12:55.120 what I want to do. Principle number two. God 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:59.919 warns Israel and says, do not make gods of silver 00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:04.259 or gold to be with me. Don't do it. Like I said, 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:09.259 he told him twice. Verse 18 and 24. Now when 00:13:09.259 --> 00:13:11.100 all the people saw the thunder and the flashes 00:13:11.100 --> 00:13:14.460 of lightning and saw the trumpet and the mountain 00:13:14.460 --> 00:13:16.899 smoking and the people were afraid and trembled 00:13:16.899 --> 00:13:20.679 and they stood far off and said to Moses. Isn't 00:13:20.679 --> 00:13:23.519 that interesting? God not only speaks to them, 00:13:23.720 --> 00:13:26.120 they hear the trumpet, they hear the voice of 00:13:26.120 --> 00:13:32.799 God, the commands of God as thunder. And they're 00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:35.960 so preoccupied with what they're seeing that 00:13:35.960 --> 00:13:45.440 they are not hearing. Words of life here. Two 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:52.419 words of life. And they're afraid. And this is 00:13:52.419 --> 00:13:56.100 what they say to Moses. You speak to us and we 00:13:56.100 --> 00:13:59.620 will listen. No, you won't. If you're not going 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:01.759 to listen to the living God, the creator of all 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:03.379 the universe, there's no way you're going to 00:14:03.379 --> 00:14:06.860 listen to a man who bleeds like you and breathes 00:14:06.860 --> 00:14:09.960 like you and will eventually die like you. Give 00:14:09.960 --> 00:14:16.259 me a break. And Moses knows this. Because as 00:14:16.259 --> 00:14:19.519 you read the rest of the chapters and how Moses 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:23.919 deals with the people, Moses is their ambassador. 00:14:26.539 --> 00:14:30.629 And Moses is their... Shepherd. And Moses is 00:14:30.629 --> 00:14:37.490 their priest. Because as we read later, Moses 00:14:37.490 --> 00:14:45.269 says, I will go before the Lord and ask to make 00:14:45.269 --> 00:14:53.549 atonement for you. That's Jesus. Look what he 00:14:53.549 --> 00:14:57.100 says. Look what else they say. But do not let 00:14:57.100 --> 00:15:04.600 God speak to us lest we die. But yet, the Torah 00:15:04.600 --> 00:15:12.879 and the Talmud, they live and die by that. They 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:16.539 really don't listen to the word though. This 00:15:16.539 --> 00:15:18.179 is the issue here with the people of Israel. 00:15:20.419 --> 00:15:27.990 They willingly not listen. They're afraid. And 00:15:27.990 --> 00:15:32.389 in verse 20, Moses says to the people, such a 00:15:32.389 --> 00:15:38.129 good shepherd. Do not be afraid. For God has 00:15:38.129 --> 00:15:43.289 come to test you. That the fear of him may be 00:15:43.289 --> 00:15:47.450 before you that you may not sin. What's the fear? 00:15:48.129 --> 00:15:52.210 The command. You see the result of God speaking 00:15:52.210 --> 00:15:56.350 to you. This should bring to you a reverence 00:15:56.350 --> 00:16:00.070 of awe and respect to the point that you're going 00:16:00.070 --> 00:16:03.009 to do everything that you possibly can by his 00:16:03.009 --> 00:16:08.470 power in faith, not to disobey and make a graven 00:16:08.470 --> 00:16:12.610 image. He's preparing them. He's letting them 00:16:12.610 --> 00:16:15.850 know, you're going to do this. But I'm giving 00:16:15.850 --> 00:16:20.009 you an opportunity. But look at what it says 00:16:20.009 --> 00:16:22.659 in verse 21. This is interesting. For the people 00:16:22.659 --> 00:16:29.460 stood far off. Their hearts were what? Far from 00:16:29.460 --> 00:16:36.720 me. Their hearts were far from me. Why Moses 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:40.820 drew near to the thick darkness where God was. 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:45.340 Moses draws near because Moses knows by faith 00:16:45.340 --> 00:16:50.200 who God is and by faith believes his word. But 00:16:50.200 --> 00:16:54.580 the rest of Israel? Stood far off. They were 00:16:54.580 --> 00:17:00.960 terrified. So, thus you shall say to the people 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:03.279 of Israel, this is what the Lord says, you have 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:06.980 seen for yourselves that I have talked with you 00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:11.079 from heaven. And you shall not make gods of silver 00:17:11.079 --> 00:17:13.440 to be with me, nor shall you make for yourself 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:17.319 gods of gold, an altar on the earth shall make 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:20.079 For me, a sacrifice on it for burnt offerings 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:22.039 and for peace offerings and for sheep and for 00:17:22.039 --> 00:17:26.079 oxen. This is your opportunity to come and worship 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:39.180 me. But they don't. They don't. Exodus 31. Exodus 00:17:39.180 --> 00:17:48.289 31. I'm just going to do verse 18. Because what 00:17:48.289 --> 00:17:55.569 we read from Exodus 21 all the way to 31, which 00:17:55.569 --> 00:17:57.410 if you've been coming to Wednesday nights, you 00:17:57.410 --> 00:18:03.089 know, is God then has Moses, as he's talking 00:18:03.089 --> 00:18:07.609 with him on the mountain, write out all the rules. 00:18:08.869 --> 00:18:13.130 All the rules. How do you deal with slaves and 00:18:13.130 --> 00:18:17.539 how do you deal with men who are... behaving 00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:20.079 themselves and all these other rules. And it 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:24.700 goes on. And then he tells them what the tabernacle 00:18:24.700 --> 00:18:26.740 is going to look like and how it's made and what 00:18:26.740 --> 00:18:28.700 it's going to be made of and how big it is. And 00:18:28.700 --> 00:18:30.759 he gives all the measurements and what the priest 00:18:30.759 --> 00:18:34.440 is supposed to be wearing. But he gets to 31. 00:18:36.700 --> 00:18:40.359 Verse 18. Principle number three. God gives Israel 00:18:40.359 --> 00:18:44.599 his command written by his own finger. Just to 00:18:44.599 --> 00:18:49.079 prove. Just to prove, again, I don't know if 00:18:49.079 --> 00:18:51.420 God has to prove anything. Really, he doesn't 00:18:51.420 --> 00:18:53.880 need to prove anything. But I'm just making a 00:18:53.880 --> 00:18:57.400 point. To reveal to the heart of the man, not 00:18:57.400 --> 00:18:59.940 only have I told you the commandments, but now 00:18:59.940 --> 00:19:03.099 I'm going to write it with my own finger. I'm 00:19:03.099 --> 00:19:08.539 going to hand it to you from my own hand. And 00:19:08.539 --> 00:19:11.440 he gave Moses, when he had finished speaking 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:15.430 with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets. Of 00:19:15.430 --> 00:19:19.049 the testimony, tablets of stone written with 00:19:19.049 --> 00:19:33.630 his own finger. And Moses comes down. Chapter 00:19:33.630 --> 00:19:40.950 32. Look what it says. When the people saw that 00:19:40.950 --> 00:19:44.049 Moses had delayed to come down from the mountain, 00:19:44.599 --> 00:19:47.920 The people gathered themselves together to Aaron 00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:52.619 and said to him, you make us gods who shall go 00:19:52.619 --> 00:20:00.380 before us. As for this Moses, oh, as for this 00:20:00.380 --> 00:20:04.420 Moses, as for the Moses that you said, you speak 00:20:04.420 --> 00:20:08.900 to us and we'll listen to you, that only took 00:20:08.900 --> 00:20:17.269 five chapters. They abandoned that idea. As for 00:20:17.269 --> 00:20:24.809 this Moses, not my Moses, whose Moses is it? 00:20:27.529 --> 00:20:31.069 The man who brought us up out of the land of 00:20:31.069 --> 00:20:34.509 Egypt. We do not know what has become of him. 00:20:34.569 --> 00:20:36.470 The man who brought you out of Egypt, right? 00:20:36.589 --> 00:20:39.450 Oh, wait a minute. If I remember in the commandment 00:20:39.450 --> 00:20:43.700 that God spoke to you and he had... he was about 00:20:43.700 --> 00:20:47.480 to hand you, it says that I, the Lord God, led 00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:49.599 you out of the land of Egypt. Since when did 00:20:49.599 --> 00:20:54.859 Moses lead you out of Egypt? You remember who 00:20:54.859 --> 00:20:59.160 led him? In a pillar of fire, in a pillar of 00:20:59.160 --> 00:21:05.000 cloud? Oh, it's Moses though. So Aaron said to 00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:09.980 them, man, this dude, when I read, I can't help 00:21:09.980 --> 00:21:13.319 to get upset when I read these. I just, listen 00:21:13.319 --> 00:21:18.519 to what, this is Aaron, Moses' brother, who is 00:21:18.519 --> 00:21:25.799 going to be priest. Okay? This is mind -boggling. 00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:29.079 And then we're going to read to you Aaron's response. 00:21:29.240 --> 00:21:34.839 It's shocking. So Aaron said to them, take off 00:21:34.839 --> 00:21:41.710 your rings of gold that are in your ears. of 00:21:41.710 --> 00:21:43.950 your wives and your sons and your daughters and 00:21:43.950 --> 00:21:51.589 bring them to me. Really? So all the people took 00:21:51.589 --> 00:21:55.809 the rings of gold, rings of gold that were in 00:21:55.809 --> 00:21:59.069 their ears and brought them to Aaron. And he 00:21:59.069 --> 00:22:02.569 received the gold and from their hand he fashioned 00:22:02.569 --> 00:22:05.589 it with a graving tool and made a golden calf 00:22:05.589 --> 00:22:10.950 and said, These are your gods, O Israel. who 00:22:10.950 --> 00:22:13.309 brought you up out of the land of Egypt. When 00:22:13.309 --> 00:22:17.869 Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. 00:22:20.230 --> 00:22:26.549 I mean, did God not say, don't do this? And when 00:22:26.549 --> 00:22:28.609 you build the altar, don't build it with you 00:22:28.609 --> 00:22:34.430 in stone. This is pure, unadulterated hatred. 00:22:35.690 --> 00:22:44.230 A rebellion of a people. Crazy. Let's keep reading. 00:22:50.789 --> 00:22:55.250 And this is what he says, and Aaron saw this, 00:22:55.410 --> 00:22:57.970 and he built an altar before it, and Aaron made 00:22:57.970 --> 00:23:05.309 a proclamation and said, let's celebrate. That's 00:23:05.309 --> 00:23:08.470 basically what he says. Tomorrow shall be a feast. 00:23:15.019 --> 00:23:20.220 To Yahweh. And they rose up. Early the next day. 00:23:20.299 --> 00:23:22.539 And offered burnt offerings. And brought peace 00:23:22.539 --> 00:23:25.799 offerings. And the people sat down and ate and 00:23:25.799 --> 00:23:32.559 drank. And rose up to play. They called the calf. 00:23:33.259 --> 00:23:41.240 Yahweh. And so the Lord said to Moses. Go down 00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:45.309 for your people. Whom brought whom you. Brought 00:23:45.309 --> 00:23:49.069 up out of the land of Egypt. That's kind of cool. 00:23:50.730 --> 00:23:52.470 They're saying that you brought them. So, hey, 00:23:52.609 --> 00:23:55.289 why don't you go and save your people? Because 00:23:55.289 --> 00:23:59.430 I am about to annihilate them. I am going to 00:23:59.430 --> 00:24:03.029 burn them to a crisp. I mean, God, at this point, 00:24:03.109 --> 00:24:07.430 was fed up about here. From a human perspective, 00:24:07.789 --> 00:24:09.589 like right here. You know you have that little 00:24:09.589 --> 00:24:12.509 bit as a parent that just keeps you from destroying 00:24:12.509 --> 00:24:16.799 your children? That's this part right here. Thank 00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:18.640 God you could see mine because if you had hair, 00:24:18.859 --> 00:24:25.480 you'd be guessing. Oh boy. Go down for your people 00:24:25.480 --> 00:24:27.279 whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have 00:24:27.279 --> 00:24:30.440 corrupted themselves. They have turned aside 00:24:30.440 --> 00:24:34.480 quickly out of the way that I commanded them. 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:38.859 And they have made for themselves a golden calf 00:24:38.859 --> 00:24:41.700 and have worshipped it and sacrificed to it and 00:24:41.700 --> 00:24:44.700 said, These are your gods of Israel who brought 00:24:44.700 --> 00:24:48.299 you up out of the land of Egypt. And Yahweh said 00:24:48.299 --> 00:24:51.779 to Moses, I have seen this people, and behold, 00:24:52.059 --> 00:24:54.940 it is a stiff -necked people. Therefore, let 00:24:54.940 --> 00:24:59.559 me alone that my wrath may burn hot against them, 00:24:59.660 --> 00:25:03.519 and I may consume them in order that I may make 00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:08.200 a great nation of you, Moses. Because guess what? 00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:14.619 Nothing will stop my plan. I made a promise to 00:25:14.619 --> 00:25:19.500 Abraham, and that through Abraham I will bring 00:25:19.500 --> 00:25:23.140 the Messiah, and I'm going to do it with you 00:25:23.140 --> 00:25:26.900 now. But look what Moses does. Moses says, no, 00:25:27.059 --> 00:25:33.380 you can't do that. You can't do that. It's not 00:25:33.380 --> 00:25:35.500 like God didn't know he couldn't do that. Of 00:25:35.500 --> 00:25:39.119 course he wasn't. He could have. He wanted. He 00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:44.539 was. He was angry enough to do it. But he's testing 00:25:44.539 --> 00:25:52.940 Moses too. He's testing Moses too. He's seeing 00:25:52.940 --> 00:25:56.680 if Moses knows. He knows Moses knows. But God 00:25:56.680 --> 00:26:02.059 always tests his people. Tests the faith. When 00:26:02.059 --> 00:26:04.799 you go through trials of many kinds, it's the 00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:07.910 Lord testing you. And Moses implored. Yahweh 00:26:07.910 --> 00:26:10.990 Elohim and said oh Yahweh why does your wrath 00:26:10.990 --> 00:26:14.029 burn hot against your people whom you have brought 00:26:14.029 --> 00:26:16.430 out of the land of Egypt with great power and 00:26:16.430 --> 00:26:23.049 with a mighty hand you did it it wasn't me God 00:26:23.049 --> 00:26:28.150 knew he had Moses's heart and why should the 00:26:28.150 --> 00:26:32.349 Egyptians say with evil intent did he bring them 00:26:32.349 --> 00:26:34.809 out to kill them in the mountains and consume 00:26:34.809 --> 00:26:38.289 them with from the face of the earth. Turn from 00:26:38.289 --> 00:26:41.569 your burning anger and relent from your disaster 00:26:41.569 --> 00:26:45.170 against your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, 00:26:45.250 --> 00:26:49.390 and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore 00:26:49.390 --> 00:26:53.250 by your own self and said to them, I will multiply 00:26:53.250 --> 00:27:02.230 your offspring. And God relents. God relents. 00:27:03.009 --> 00:27:08.150 He says, fine, Moses. I don't disagree with you. 00:27:08.390 --> 00:27:12.430 I'm just glad you said it. So let's go do something. 00:27:12.470 --> 00:27:14.150 We're going to take care of this. I'm going to 00:27:14.150 --> 00:27:21.069 take care of this. And what does he do? Fourth 00:27:21.069 --> 00:27:27.329 principle. So what God does is he takes Moses 00:27:27.329 --> 00:27:36.920 down and Moses takes the tablets and he Breaks 00:27:36.920 --> 00:27:42.180 them. Destroys the tablets that God wrote with 00:27:42.180 --> 00:27:48.640 his own finger. And then melts all the gold and 00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:51.039 then grinds it into a powder and forces everyone 00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:54.559 to eat it. And then after they're done, God says, 00:27:54.740 --> 00:27:58.880 now you're going to separate them. The wheat 00:27:58.880 --> 00:28:01.759 from the chaff. This is wonderful. Because this 00:28:01.759 --> 00:28:04.579 is what he does to the church. And he separates 00:28:04.579 --> 00:28:08.150 them. Those who are on God's side stand where 00:28:08.150 --> 00:28:13.670 Moses is. What do you think Aaron does? I'm on 00:28:13.670 --> 00:28:21.450 Moses' side. And if you remember, in chapter 00:28:21.450 --> 00:28:34.529 32, verse 35, it says, Then Yahweh sent a plague 00:28:34.529 --> 00:28:39.289 on the people because they made the calf the 00:28:39.289 --> 00:28:45.990 one that Aaron made. So after he gives them a 00:28:45.990 --> 00:28:54.690 plague, he also, before the plague, goes and 00:28:54.690 --> 00:28:58.329 grabs the Levites and the Levites take a sword. 00:28:59.369 --> 00:29:01.509 And he tells him, take a sword. And the Levites 00:29:01.509 --> 00:29:03.890 annihilate those who are on the other side. They 00:29:03.890 --> 00:29:07.089 just kill them all. And then everyone who's alive, 00:29:07.309 --> 00:29:15.450 who has made a decision, they get a plague. It's 00:29:15.450 --> 00:29:17.289 like, you're not getting out of it. The only 00:29:17.289 --> 00:29:22.450 one who didn't get a plague was Moses. But everyone 00:29:22.450 --> 00:29:30.259 else got a plague. So. What God does now, tablets 00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:34.079 are broken. God writes on the tablets that Moses 00:29:34.079 --> 00:29:37.880 cuts out with his own hands because he broke 00:29:37.880 --> 00:29:40.140 the ones the Lord had made with his own finger. 00:29:40.839 --> 00:29:45.200 So God takes these tablets. He cuts them out 00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:46.740 with his own finger, writes on them with his 00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:49.079 own finger. Moses breaks them, and he's like, 00:29:49.099 --> 00:29:52.279 yo, Moses, I'm not doing that again, buddy. You 00:29:52.279 --> 00:29:54.640 broke the first ones, you're going to cut out 00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:57.500 the second ones. So he goes and he cuts out the 00:29:57.500 --> 00:30:01.160 second ones. And in chapter 34, verse 1 through 00:30:01.160 --> 00:30:04.700 4, it says this. The Lord said to Moses, cut 00:30:04.700 --> 00:30:08.200 for yourself two tablets of stone like the first. 00:30:08.359 --> 00:30:12.140 And I will write on the tablets the words that 00:30:12.140 --> 00:30:17.220 were on the first tablets which you broke. God 00:30:17.220 --> 00:30:24.920 writes the law. Because it's his law. Moses writes 00:30:24.920 --> 00:30:30.240 the rules. Be ready by morning and come up in 00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:32.559 the morning to Mount Sinai and present yourself 00:30:32.559 --> 00:30:36.000 there to me on the top of the mountain. No one 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:40.640 shall come with you. And let no one be seen throughout 00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:44.000 all the mountain. Let no flocks or herds graze 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:48.049 on opposite of that mountain. So Moses cut two 00:30:48.049 --> 00:30:50.410 tablets of stone like the first, and he rose 00:30:50.410 --> 00:30:52.329 early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai 00:30:52.329 --> 00:30:55.069 as the Lord had commanded him. And he took in 00:30:55.069 --> 00:30:57.710 his hands two tablets of stone. You're going 00:30:57.710 --> 00:31:01.869 to carry the burden now, buddy. This is exactly 00:31:01.869 --> 00:31:06.410 what happens. So God gives the law verbally. 00:31:06.910 --> 00:31:10.849 God writes the law with his own hand and gives 00:31:10.849 --> 00:31:13.980 the law. With his own hand through Moses. He 00:31:13.980 --> 00:31:17.380 cuts it all out. And then Moses breaks the law 00:31:17.380 --> 00:31:19.660 that God wrote. And so Moses has to now bring 00:31:19.660 --> 00:31:24.259 up the law on tablets. Which God then writes 00:31:24.259 --> 00:31:26.440 back on the tablet and brings it back down the 00:31:26.440 --> 00:31:29.740 mountain. So whether I give it to you by my own 00:31:29.740 --> 00:31:32.279 voice or I write it with my own finger. Or if 00:31:32.279 --> 00:31:36.940 a man brings it to you. You still won't obey 00:31:36.940 --> 00:31:39.380 me. It doesn't matter how it's going to come. 00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:46.099 It can come in a whirlwind. Man will not obey 00:31:46.099 --> 00:31:50.759 God. They cannot obey God. It's an impossibility. 00:31:51.640 --> 00:31:56.579 What hope do we have? 1 Corinthians chapter 2. 00:31:58.160 --> 00:32:03.849 1 Corinthians chapter 2, 12 through 16. The same 00:32:03.849 --> 00:32:06.730 gift of faith needed and given to believe is 00:32:06.730 --> 00:32:10.430 the same gift of faith needed to obey the commands 00:32:10.430 --> 00:32:13.589 of God. The same faith that is needed to believe 00:32:13.589 --> 00:32:18.009 is the same faith that is needed to obey. Look 00:32:18.009 --> 00:32:22.230 what it says in 1 Corinthians 2. Now, we have 00:32:22.230 --> 00:32:25.049 received not the spirit of the world, but the 00:32:25.049 --> 00:32:28.470 spirit who is from God that we might understand 00:32:28.470 --> 00:32:35.599 the things freely given us. by God. There's a 00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:42.039 clue. What were the people lacking? The people 00:32:42.039 --> 00:32:45.859 were lacking the Spirit of God, their faith. 00:32:46.400 --> 00:32:48.640 I'm going to show that to you in a minute. That 00:32:48.640 --> 00:32:50.859 we might understand the things freely given by 00:32:50.859 --> 00:32:55.519 God, and we impart this in words not taught by 00:32:55.519 --> 00:33:00.500 human wisdom, but taught by the Spirit. interpreting 00:33:00.500 --> 00:33:03.220 spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 00:33:06.059 --> 00:33:09.319 The natural person does not accept the things 00:33:09.319 --> 00:33:12.160 of the Spirit of God for they are folly to him 00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:14.400 and he is not able to understand them because 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:19.140 they are spiritually discerned. But the spiritual 00:33:19.140 --> 00:33:23.680 person judges all things but is himself to be 00:33:23.680 --> 00:33:26.259 judged by no one. Why? Because the Word of God 00:33:26.259 --> 00:33:30.619 judges him. For who has understood the mind of 00:33:30.619 --> 00:33:32.279 the Lord as to instruct him? But we have the 00:33:32.279 --> 00:33:36.519 mind of Christ. No one can come to Christ without 00:33:36.519 --> 00:33:39.880 the gift of faith by which the Holy Spirit brings 00:33:39.880 --> 00:33:41.880 the revelation of the truth of the word of God 00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:44.660 to their hearts and minds and the illumination 00:33:44.660 --> 00:33:46.920 work of the illuminating work of God, meaning 00:33:46.920 --> 00:33:49.819 the doctor of illumination, brings the truth 00:33:49.819 --> 00:33:53.240 to his mind and heart. Now I want you to think 00:33:53.240 --> 00:33:54.799 about that when you're dealing with the issue 00:33:54.799 --> 00:33:57.920 of the gospel. If they can't even understand 00:33:57.920 --> 00:34:01.619 the basic commandment, you should have no other 00:34:01.619 --> 00:34:04.720 gods before me, you should not make any gods 00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:08.000 of graven images, how in the world can anyone 00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:09.920 understand the gospel apart from the Spirit of 00:34:09.920 --> 00:34:14.699 God? Which is the greatest truth we have on the 00:34:14.699 --> 00:34:18.820 planet, that God himself died for his creation, 00:34:18.920 --> 00:34:24.199 for his people. Here's proof. Romans chapter 00:34:24.199 --> 00:34:28.500 9, verse 31 and 32. And I did it. I'm going to 00:34:28.500 --> 00:34:34.119 be done on time. But that, chapter 9, verse 31 00:34:34.119 --> 00:34:39.260 and 32, but that Israel who pursued a law that 00:34:39.260 --> 00:34:43.360 would lead to righteousness did not succeed in 00:34:43.360 --> 00:34:47.420 reaching that law. In other words, the people 00:34:47.420 --> 00:34:51.239 of Israel pursued a righteousness Through the 00:34:51.239 --> 00:34:55.239 law, but they didn't succeed in reaching that 00:34:55.239 --> 00:35:01.239 standard. Why? Why? Why couldn't they, if they've 00:35:01.239 --> 00:35:06.059 obeyed, as the young rich man said, I've kept 00:35:06.059 --> 00:35:08.360 all your commandments. Well, then go sell all 00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:10.559 you have and give it to the poor. He walked away 00:35:10.559 --> 00:35:15.239 and never came back. Why? Why couldn't he obey? 00:35:16.820 --> 00:35:20.880 Because they did not pursue it by faith. They're 00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:30.820 faithless. But, as it were, based on works, they 00:35:30.820 --> 00:35:33.940 have stumbled over the stumbling stone. Christ, 00:35:34.059 --> 00:35:42.619 the law incarnate. The reality of their disobedience 00:35:42.619 --> 00:35:45.480 is because of the condition of what they are. 00:35:47.300 --> 00:35:51.260 Creatures that are corrupt. Creatures without 00:35:51.260 --> 00:35:54.320 faith. You cannot obey the Word of God without 00:35:54.320 --> 00:35:57.119 the gift of faith. And you cannot receive the 00:35:57.119 --> 00:35:59.099 gift of faith unless the Holy Spirit is present. 00:36:01.920 --> 00:36:04.860 And that's the reality when we're dealing with 00:36:04.860 --> 00:36:10.059 the Word of God. Do I really know it? And if 00:36:10.059 --> 00:36:12.920 I know it, am I obeying it? And if the Spirit 00:36:12.920 --> 00:36:15.780 of God is present in me, then I should be pursuing 00:36:15.780 --> 00:36:20.949 it. It doesn't mean that I'm Trying to live a 00:36:20.949 --> 00:36:23.869 life that comes off self -righteously. But I'm 00:36:23.869 --> 00:36:26.610 trying to live a life that's pleasing to my God 00:36:26.610 --> 00:36:30.849 because I have within me the living God who gives 00:36:30.849 --> 00:36:34.010 me the power and the grace to accomplish his 00:36:34.010 --> 00:36:38.329 word. It's called grace. It's not the license 00:36:38.329 --> 00:36:41.710 to sin. But it is the power to do what is right. 00:36:43.789 --> 00:36:45.750 We don't become Christians because we want to 00:36:45.750 --> 00:36:50.639 get out of hell card. We become Christians because 00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:55.059 God in his grace and mercy saves a people. Which 00:36:55.059 --> 00:36:59.539 then he diverts his wrath away from them. He 00:36:59.539 --> 00:37:02.559 doesn't save us from hell. He saves us from himself. 00:37:07.139 --> 00:37:11.039 There is nothing worse than being in the hands 00:37:11.039 --> 00:37:20.860 of an angry God. So. I hope you understand that 00:37:20.860 --> 00:37:25.860 you guys are believers. Men and women of the 00:37:25.860 --> 00:37:30.739 living God. Who he has empowered and gifted to 00:37:30.739 --> 00:37:35.099 walk in newness of life by the grace he has given 00:37:35.099 --> 00:37:42.900 you. And you can obey because he loves you. And 00:37:42.900 --> 00:37:48.550 because he lives in you. That's my challenge. 00:37:48.610 --> 00:37:53.429 As we read the word, that we ask the God of the 00:37:53.429 --> 00:37:55.550 word to reveal himself to us through his word. 00:37:57.369 --> 00:37:59.829 Alright? Father, I want to thank you so much 00:37:59.829 --> 00:38:01.630 for your goodness and faithfulness. Thank you 00:38:01.630 --> 00:38:06.969 for your word. And Lord, may we learn that the 00:38:06.969 --> 00:38:11.750 reality of your revelation of the truth of your 00:38:11.750 --> 00:38:15.590 word to us, through the work of illumination 00:38:15.590 --> 00:38:20.519 by the by the Holy Spirit, and the gift of faith 00:38:20.519 --> 00:38:27.440 that we can know and believe and do is a gift. 00:38:27.500 --> 00:38:31.000 It's just an amazing thing. Thank you for your 00:38:31.000 --> 00:38:32.920 word. Thank you for the examples that you have 00:38:32.920 --> 00:38:38.760 given us to avoid, but also the great power of 00:38:38.760 --> 00:38:41.639 grace for us to do. Lord, we praise you and thank 00:38:41.639 --> 00:38:44.880 you. In Jesus' name, amen. All right, we're going 00:38:44.880 --> 00:38:46.739 to sing. Bible Waits.