Recorded in Exodus 31 are the concluding statements between the Lord and Moses on the mountain. The Lord is speaking of those He has chosen and gifted for certain assignments. He gives specific names to Moses and confirms his provision through these specific individuals that have been thoroughly equipped for the coming tasks, lacking nothing. Verse 3, " I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills - to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of crafts. Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded." Moses's time away from his people wasn't a plush oceanside VRBO with bedside service and bougie accommodations. He wasn't absent to fill and satisfy his flesh. He separated himself out from the others in obedience to the Lord. In that extended time, he was there receiving instruction on behalf of the rest. Whilst he was leading, he was called apart and was provided details of how to manage the people and the days ahead as He sat with the Lord our God. His time apart was not wasted, was not in vain, and was for the prescribed time that the Father set.
And yet, as he laid down his life on behalf of others in obedience, those others grew weary of waiting. Exodus 32:1, "When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said,'Come make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him." Suddenly, Moses who has led them as unto the Lord, set them free by the power of the Lord, and is in the process of returning with life-giving instruction becomes some "fellow."
How quickly they forget the power of God that was displayed through him and he just becomes some fellow. In their forgetfulness of Moses through whom God chose to use to bring about freedom and life, they also forget God. Their faith seems to have been on Moses more than their God who worked through Moses. They forget their mission, their purpose, their vision and the focus shifts to themselves, their perceived fleshly needs, and their ability to do the thing. Except their ability falls short. It falls short of faith, of the Lord's ways, and of the Lord's purposes and timing.
Waiting... It was in the waiting, they shifted. "When they saw that Moses was so long in coming they gathered together" and relied upon the creativity of their own minds and the works of their own hands to create what they thought they needed. As opposed to waiting upon the Lord and serving Him, they with Aaron fashion a golden calf. Their desire was to have a "god" that would go before them. How on earth did they think a golden statue void of life and any ability to lead would be followable. Is that even word? I don't know for sure but I do see how quick they were to just fill a position regardless of its ability or its alignment with the things of the one true God. It appears as soon as this golden calf was completed it was set before an altar. It was here that they laid their offerings and sacrifices and celebrated with food and drink and dancing... They seem to have lost their mind when they could no longer see the one God had chosen to lead them. Apart from Moses, there seemed to be nothing concrete in their hearts, no true conviction of how to proceed except for the ways they had seen in the environment around them. What they saw as reason for celebration, the Lord saw as corruption and the Lord's anger burned against them so much so that he had plans to destroy them in their iniquity (Chapter 32:10.)
We then see Moses seeking favor and forgiveness from the Lord on their behalf and is sent back to this "stiff necked people" who have eyes but cannot see and ears but do not hear. There seems to be no category in their hearts or minds to recognize the things of God and patiently wait upon Him rather than accomplishing the task in their own strength.
Friend, can you relate? When you can't wrap your head around what God is doing? When He seems too long in coming with a solution? When your own intellectual ability can manage the situation just fine without him, what's your response? Have you built or are you building your own golden calf for the sake of checking a box, getting it done, producing the "good work?"
If so, one, there is forgiveness, repent and determine to wait upon the Lord for His way and His timing even if it contradicts human logic! Scripturally, His track record says He usually does. 1 Corinthinans 1:27-31, "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him." As Joan Thomas of Torchbearers International states in "Go A Little Further, "That God frequently uses small things, casual "happenings" and ordinary people to accomplish His bigger purposes is obvious, not only as recorded in God's Word for our encouragement, but in the experience of many of us." Two, pre-decide to obey anyway. Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Ephesians 2:1o says, “For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” If God has prepared good works for us, let us be found seeking Him for what they are and for when we are to walk in them. And finally, Isaiah 55:8-9 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways."
My prayer is that we recognize the gifts and talents that Father has fashioned each of us with and pursue Him for how, where, and when He would have us use those. I pray that we would trust His timing and His ways, and that we would be willing vessels for His glory and not our own. May we not be dancing and celebrating before altars of golden calves that could never accomplish what only our Lord can.
Today's challenge is to pause before the Lord fully transparent and ask Him to search your heart as David did and see if there is any way in you that is contrary to His purposes, plan, and ways? Have you fashioned a golden calf to fill a void? Agree with what He stirs in your heart and repent of it. Set out to dismantle the thing and ask the Lord to show you how to proceed. He will. He promises to give us wisdom abundantly when we ask and to be found when we seek Him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_J8KIklrOg, In the Waiting, Summit Worship
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3TYG7Q_fj4, Wait on You , Elevation Worship
Comments