READING: Exodus 30-33, Matthew 24:1-31
Today’s another one of those days when the Word just amazes me again.
God had previously told Moses He would give him the tablets of the law and commandments (Exo 24:12), and—as we would expect—God kept His word. Just listen to these words, meditate on them, and be filled with wonder: “When he finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets inscribed by the finger of God” (Exo 31:18). We don’t know exactly what “by the finger of God” means, but it surely shows that God alone is the author of the commandments. The Egyptian magicians had previously concluded that the plagues were from the finger of God (Exo 8:19); now, the God who had judged Israel’s enemies spoke to His people through the Law He had written.
That very gift from God is itself most amazing. The God of the Bible is a God of revelation and relationship. He makes Himself known to His people, and He guides and directs them through His Word. He led the Israelites by first speaking to and through Moses (Exo 30:11, 17, 22, 31, 34; 31:1, 12-13), but the word Moses was to speak was God’s word. God would, after all, write the tablets with His own finger.
What’s also amazing to me is that God’s impatient people turned to other gods when Moses seemingly delayed coming down the mountain. Rather than wait to hear from God, the people instead turned to gods who could neither hear them nor respond to them. That, too, is amazing – and sad.
And, it’s too much like us.
PRAYER: “God, thank You for communicating with us. Keep me from turning to gods who offer me nothing.”
DAILY ACTION STEP: Pause today to consider God’s willingness to make Himself known to you.
TOMORROW’S READING: Exodus 34-36, Matthew 24:32-25:13