King James Daily Bible Study: Challenges As A Child Of God
Date: Friday January 28, 2011
Chapters: Exodus 32-34
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-january-28
Details of Today's Reading: The impatient people cause Aaron to make a golden calf , God's anger, God repents when Moses pleads for the people, Moses breaks the tablets of stone, Moses prays for the people, Moses moves the tabernacle away from the camp, Moses sees the glory of the Lord face to face, God replaces the tablets, God's covenant renewed, and the vail of Moses.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
When I was in the third grade I had a teacher that would punish the entire class if one student disobeyed or caused a disruption in the class. I was never a person who broke the rules, at least in public, so, once in a while I would have to suffer punishment for someone else's disobedience. The Bible says, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” - II Timothy 3:12-15. The second we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are born again, in a sense we are babies all over again. Just like we learn as we grow from a baby to an adult from our parents, we learn as we grow from a babe in Christ to an adult in Christ from our Father through His Word. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” - I Peter 2:2.

Perhaps one of the most challenging challenges as a child of God is waiting on Him, we want Him to answer immediately and when He does not we can lose our patience and try to make things happen ourselves. Now, there are some things we can do to push God along, (pray, faith, obedience) but usually when we try to go above God and do His work for Him we end up making things worse than they were. As Moses was up on the mount receiving instructions from God, some of the people were getting impatient and complained to Aaron, so, he came up with a solution to make the people happy.

“And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD. And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.” - Exodus 32:2-6.

Not only was Aaron wrong in allowing them to persuade him, he was wrong in disobeying God's first and second commandments, then he brought them in deeper sin by building an altar for it amd declaring it as God. You know, you will never make everyone you come in contact with happy. Also, if someone you know is trying to get you to do something you know is wrong to make them happy, you must know it will never make them happy. Take it from someone who has learned it the hard way, if you feel it is wrong, don't do it. It will save you from a lot of suffering later on in life. “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not...My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood...But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” - Proverbs 1:10,15,16,33.

When God saw the people worshiping that calf He got so angry that He was about to destroy them, but thanks to some pleading Moses convinced God not to destroy everyone. However, when Moses came back down and actually saw what what going on he got so angry himself that he broke the two tablets of stone containing the ten commandments and ordered every man that was against God to be killed. Three thousand men died that day, but the next day Moses went before God to make an atonement for the rest od the people.

“And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” - Exodus 32:30-33.

Even in the Old Testament the people knew about the book of life. Sin keeps us from God, He hates sin so much that even the tiniest of sin keeps a person from going to heaven. One of the challenges as a child of God is to give up sin for God, but the only way to be redeemed or to receive the atonement for our sins is through the shed of blood. Jesus Christ paid the price for us, He was the perfect lamb that shed His blood so we do not have to end up in hell for that tiniest of sin. He died once, meaning we only have to ask Him once to save us, once He saves us it is forever. “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” - Hebrews 10:10-14.

An amazing thing happens when you have Christ in your life and overcome the challenges that God places before you. You begin a relationship with Him, one so strong that eventually you will be able to speak to God as if you were standing face to face with Him. Moses literally stood face to face with God, well, he wasn't allowed to see His face directly, but God stood before him while they talked. “And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses. And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door. And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle...And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest...And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. ” - Exodus 33:9-11,14,17.

Moses was not a perfect man, he had to daily offer sacrifices to God as well, he just found favor in the sight of God because he obeyed Him and when he messed up he sought forgiveness. When Moses came back from the mount the second time, as he came down the people saw this glow about him.

“And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.” - Exodus 34:30-32.

When you are living your life for God, there is a glow about you and everyone sees an amazing change in you, some people are even afraid of it, especially if they are living in sin. However, you have found favor in the sight of God because you overcame the challenges that He has placed before you. “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;” - Philippians 2:14,15.

Jesus Christ Revealed: Today Jesus is revealed through God, who would always be present and give rest (33:14). “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” - Matthew 11:28,29.

Thanks and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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