Drawing Near

"I am thine O Lord, I have heard Thy voice....consecrate me now...."

  Fannie Crosby

 “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”  Hebrews 10:20

  Following Moses, the people of Israel had experienced redemption and salvation from the bondage of Egypt. They had personally observed the judgement of God against sin. They had learned with Amalek that God would fight for them. Now, they were brought close to the mountain, the mountain of Sinai.  Sinai, by nature, was the highest mountain in the mountain range standing before the people. It is called Sinai because it is covered with thorny bushes. Now was the time for them to look up and see further into the character of the God who had delivered them. Now was the time for the children of Israel to experience God's glory and to catch a glimpse of living on earth as His people. See them there in that desert, at the foot of a mountain.? God has commanded that Moses consecrate the people. That is, they were to understand they were set apart for God. When they came before Him they were to maintain silence and decorum. Looking up to God, understanding they were His, they would worship and hear His voice. It was their destiny(and hopefully yours too) to know the God of Glory and to understand Him. Moses had to make sure the people were ready to be in His presence. They were to understand their part in the covenant meeting with their God. They were His people, bought with a price. They had experienced, redemption, deliverance and Passover. Now, three months after leaving Egypt, remembering all that God had done, they were to "see" His glory.
      Look up today. See Jesus, high and lifted up. See the thorny crown? He has done all for you. Be challenged to consecrate yourself anew. You are His.

Bibledoorajar: Location, Location, Location

     When Moses and Jethro had their famous conversation about how to handle the people's difficulties, it is important to note where it took place. Jethro found Moses at the foot of Mt. Sinai. Sinai was God's covenant mountain. It was where His authority dwelt. The story does not say that Moses told Jethro that they should appeal the matter before them to God, since after all they were sitting right there at the foot of His mountain. Nor, when their conversation was over, does the Bible say Jethro recognized enough of the importance of Mt. Sinai that he was willing to leave his people and go on with Moses and the others to the Promised Land. He went home to his own people. Perhaps he liked making his suggestions to Moses as to how to lead, but he did not want to be involved in the service of making it come about. We all know how easily it is to tell another how to lead.  However, we often leave out the more difficult service part of leading others. Perhaps Jethro had no interest in serving or honoring the God of the Mountain. At any rate, He went home.

     It is interesting to note that when the disciples of Jesus were still trying to figure out everything, that is, how they should serve and lead like Jesus, that He sent them to a mountain (Matthew 28). He was there on that covenant mountain and when they saw Him the majority worshiped Him although some doubted. It was on that mountain that Jesus told them that He had all authority in heaven and earth. They were to go about their serving and potentially leading because of that very fact. Jesus had all authority. If He was honored and worshiped, He would see that their service and leadership would bring people into the Kingdom. Mountains, heaven and earth. Ultimate authority. A call to resist going back to our own people and to keep on serving Jesus. Matthew does not say what happened to the ones who doubted. Maybe they went home back to their own people.

Bibledoorajar: Good Decision or No?

     A sister in the Lord tells the story of the time her father planted a strawberry patch as a means to make money. At the end of the season and the profit versus the work was tallied, her father commented on the situation to a fellow farmer. The fellow listened and then said, "well, Jesse, you will just have to make your own "incision" about that." And that is where I am with the next part of the story of Moses. He was definitely called to not only be a deliverer but also a lawgiver and mediator. When Jethro, his father-in-law showed up, Moses greeted him magnanimously. Jethro had heard of all the wonderful things that God had done for His people and how He had used Moses mightily. He exalted God as the One True God. Looks to some like he became a "believer" at that point even to the point of sacrificing with Moses. and thus he had the privilege as a Midianite of giving Moses counsel on how to problem solve the disputes of the people. Others say no, that the people should have been allowed direct access to Moses himself and that God did not intend a system of judges as a layer between the Lawgiver and Himself.  Or, Moses should have gotten his advice from Aaron rather than a Midianite.
      Today, Christians have access to our Lawgiver and Mediator directly through prayer and supplication, but we are also called to receive help from each other and many are said by the apostle Paul to have the gift of helps (I Cor. 12) . Scholars define this gift as giving relief, succor and support.  The appellation of "father-in-law" in reference to Jethro is mentioned 13 times in the story. Hmn. Good or bad? Clearly it is a reference to an earthly status (some even say evil 13). At any rate, it does reflect that God will be involved to bring about His desires as men try to problem solve how to best handle earthly situations . It might have been a mistake to go with Jethro's solution, but God is ever able to bring about His desired outcome. So on this one, think and pray and reach your own "incision". God bless your thoughts.