This is one of the most remarkable passages in all of Scripture in my opinion, and wildly underreported. We often hear about how God places Moses in the cleft of a rock and God's glory passes over Moses, but we don't think about the earlier part where Moses and Aaron, along with 70 other elders of Israel, go up on the mountain with God and eat and drink. They dine with God, and they're clearly overwhelmed by God's glory, for their own language falls short in efforts to describe what is under God's feet. Even the ground is too glorious for words -- they think it's like sapphire, but clearly superior to that.
And I will never stop being amazed that after seeing this incredible thing, Aaron and the others allowed a false altar to be built by the people while Moses was up on the mountain. They witnessed something incredible... and then came down the mountain and presumed God had forgotten about them. How could they do that?
It's easy for me to assume that faith was easier back in Old Testament days, when God seemed more real. But I don't think it was any easier. People were just like you and I -- impatient and uncertain, always wondering if they were betting their life in the right direction. So take heart -- it's not just us that have questions and anxiety and uncertainty. That's been a constant theme of humanity, and God remains faithful still, gracious in the midst of our broken humanity. God continues to reach out and make a way forward, thanks be to God!
No comments:
Post a Comment