Israel & New Breed

I'm not a man, I cannot lie. I know the plans for your life, I'm asking you to dream again, believe again and take the limits off of me.

No I'm not a man, I cannot lie. I know the plans I have for you they're my design, so I'm asking you just to hope again and trust again and take the limits off of me.

All I'm asking is take the limits off, take the limits off, release me to accomplish what I promised you, take the limits off me, take the limits off release me release me

Exodus 33-34

The LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing of which  you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight and I have known you by name."

Now the LORD said to Moses, "Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered. [...] The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD. Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving-kindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations." Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship.

Wow. GOD reveals Himself and His true, everlasting character to Moses. First thing that hit me was the impossibility of this exchange. One short day after the Israelites convinced Aaron -- the man who was to be consecrated before GOD as His priest -- to melt their gold -- set aside for GOD's tabernacle -- and craft a golden calf for them to worship as the "god who brought them out of Egypt," one short day and GOD is willing and ready to forgive and show His glory (a priviledge I cannot fathom) to their leader. 

They betray Him in every way possible, after witnessing firsthand the greatest miracles done on the earth, and after being physically shown His power at the Red Sea and His care with manna, birds, and sweet water. 

GOD burns with righteous anger, deciding to smote these people and wipe them off the face of the earth.

Not harsh at all.

Especially considering that in doing so GOD ensures that His covenant with Abraham is kept -- He tells Moses He will spare him and create a mighty nation out of him. 

But Moses intercedes for the people, begging GOD's forgiveness. And, as He does for me, He gives it freely. Without qualification or hesitation. I've never understood this. Why pardon me, a sinner? Why not simply wipe all of humanity off the face of the earth -- the liars, the cheats, the whores and harlots, the murderers and child molesters, the abusers and gamblers and lustful sinners. We do not deserve the magnificence of this earth, much less the magnificence and overwhelming joy of a relationship (a relationship!) with GOD Himself. 

He pardons the Israelites, as He pardons all of us. It is in the nature of this pardon that GOD's character and perfection is revealed. He is not a weak-willed GOD. He is a just and loving GOD, a combination impossible for humans to mimic. GOD completely pardons the Israelites, moving back into a relationship with them, guarding them (He never once took away His promised warrior angel's guard, btw) and reestablishing the covenant that they broke. Yet he promises, and knows, that they will be punished  for their sin. How His heart must have hung heavy at this thought -- knowing that the wages of sin is death, in one form or another, and wishing that His chosen people had simply listened and so escaped those consequences! GOD is a GOD of complete love and perfect kindness, of compassion and righteousness. He burns with anger at our foolishness, desiring us only to live the wonderful lives He has set aside for us if we would simply follow Him.

My favorite part of this passage is the beginning of Exodus 34. Moses smashed the Commandments of God in response to the Israelite's actions. In a fit of fury he lashes out against them (as GOD did not) and throws down the words written by GOD Himself. A precious treasure, meant to guide these people, destroyed. 

"Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered."

I cannot imagine a more perfect picture of the loving father. No recriminations, no anger at all the wasted work and the sacriledge. Only, "Let's start again, My love. I will help you start again..." 

Thank you, Father, for showing me a portion of Yourself... 

The First Covenant

Genesis 8:21 - 22

"The LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for thei ntent of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.

While the earth remains,

Seedtime and harvest,

And cold and heat,

And summer and winter,

And day and night

Shall not cease."

This verse strikes me as saddening-- the moment Our Father realizes that His creation, Man, is hopeless. From our beginning we have been filled with corruption and a craving for evil. He harbored hope for our redemption, ever and always. How many times could the LORD Our God have struck down Man? It is impossible to imagine. Every second we commit another crime that saddens His heart-- and yet never hardens it. 

In the sweet sadness of this moment, God acknowledges that His people will stray and will not love Him as He so desires. He promises to love them regardless, establishing a covenant with Noah (who later becomes drunk and parades around naked, whose sons war against and enslave one another, and who is the grandfather of Nimrod -- Ninevah's king) that never again, no matter how deep His sorrow and how vast man's transgressions, will He destroy them. He has promised to love us and maintain us, the prodigals... can you not feel His heart breaking?