Law – Exodus 33-36

Tonight marks the start of the Mid Year Spiritual Meeting!  I do not know about you, but I have not been so excited and looking forward to a Spiritual Meeting for a long time.  And reading today’s passage has given me greater encouragement and joy.

Bible Passage: Exodus 33-36

Last week we read about the lowest point in the spiritual faith of the Israelites after they left Egypt.  This happened when Moses was in Mount Sinai waiting for God’s instructions and when he was delayed in returning, the people ‘persuaded’ Aaron to make a golden calf for them to worship.  And this act of idolatory almost caused God to completely blot them out of God’s book.

But in today’s passage (from Chapter 33), we read how Moses pleaded with God when God decided that He will no longer be with the people even as they go towards the land flowing with milk and honey.  Moses spoke face to face with God, as a man speaks to his friend and Moses found favour in His sight and God promises to go with them now.

What follows is a series of renewals that God initiates.

In Chapter 34, God once again wrote on the two tablets of stone, renewing the commandments He gave Moses before the Israelites sinned gravely against God.

Next, He renews His Covenant with Israel – promising them that they are His chosen people and that He will fight for them as long as they do not chose to play the harlot with idols. God chooses to remind them again of the various feasts, offerings that the people were to do, including most importantly, the Sabbath of rest – the holy day of the Lord.

What follows is a heart warming sight.  Moses asked for offerings for the tabernacle and garments of the priests.  The people offered generously so much so that they had to stop the people from offering any more and they had more than enough for the work.

Not only did the people offer their possessions willingly, many gifted craftmen gathered together to work together to make the tabernacle.  Just reading through Chapters 35 and 36, one cannot but marvel the careful detail and efforts made by these master craftsmen to play their part for the Lord.

Spiritual Rest Spiritual Renewal

When I read Exodus 34:18-27, I was thinking… didn’t Moses just say these things to Israel recently?  He certainly did (Exodus 23:14-19).  So why was he talking about the need to keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Feasts of Weeks and the Passover Feasts again?

And why mention the Sabbath in Exodus 34:21 amd Exodus 35:1-3 again?

God certainly knew the hearts of men and if there is no constant reminders, we will certainly tend to forget and we will choose to do things our own way.

It is a bit like the Spiritual Meetings isn’t it?

Why do we have 2 Spiritual Meetings a year? Why these 2 Spiritual Feasts?

Why do we constantly receive reminders that tonite’s service is the start of a Sabbath service and we are encouraged to join in all services during the Sabbath?

Spiritual Meetings are very much like the Festivals that God wants His people to remember and observe.  What do you think the Spiritual Meetings are for?

Here is my list and perhaps you may want to share yours as well.  The Spiritual Meeting reminds me of:

1. The salvation grace of God.  For without His mercy and His grace, I will not be His people and be still stuck as a slave of sin of the world.
2. The need to offer our best to God – our first fruits.  For the majority of our time working or studying, we have been giving our best efforts and time to our companies, our bosses and our friends.  But this should not be the case for God deserves our best.
3. The fact that we are sojourners in the world only and that we need to pursue the Sabbath rest – not just the Sabbath day on earth but the eternal rest awaits us in Heaven.
4. The Word of God is life and that His Words are written by Himself for us.
5. The covenant that God has with us – He will be with us and do marvelous things.  But we must keep our side of the covenant and not play harlot with the world.

The result of Moses’ reminders was this:  The people offered willingly not only their treasures, but more importantly their talents and abilities for God to use.

In the past, they struggled with many different problems that prevented them from being a united people.

Thet complained about the lack of meat.  They quarreled with Moses about the lack of water.  They squabbled constantly till Moses almost collapsed trying to judge their problems.  They were impatient and could not wait for Moses to return and turned to idolatory.

But now, they were different.  They worked together.  They used their God given talents not for themselves but for God and His people.

And that I believe should also be our goal after the Spiritual Meeting.

After a few days of Spiritual rest and renewal, it is time for us to work together and no longer complain.  It is time for us to light our zeal and do more for the Lord.

Have a blessed Spiritual Meeting.