Exodus 18-20: Come Follow Me with Sam

 Welcome!

The summum bonum of Exodus.

Exodus 20 is in a way the summit point of the entire book. This is where God offers to the people of Israel everything, even to come back into his presence. It was also a fulfilling moment of the promis of Abraham that through this people the whole earth would be blessed. This had deep ties to the priesthood. I talked about this year during our reading in Section 84, check it out to understand better the connection.

In Chapter 19, God, through Moses, warns that this cannot be taken lightly. To approach the presence of God when not ready is to risk one's life. This can be very intimidating to those who understand it, but it misses the point. God wants us and is preparing us for this moment, and is hastening the day that we can do this. It is up to us to be part of this hastening ourselves, so that God can 'quicken' us, so that we can endure His presence. In the temple ceremony, where we ritually enact this, it is not a process to test us so much as it is to prepare us. Once the candidate has entered the doors with a contrite heart and a broken spirit, the sacrifice Christ asks, there is no doubt that the candidate will not be able to overcome all the challenges, barriers, gates, and trials set before him or her. This is played out in the Egyptian endowment as well in even more dramatic manner, as the candidate needs to go through the great wrestle or struggle, and defeat his enemies before breathing as the Gods, and yet, the process of the the temple is to arm him with all things so that his victory is assured.

Unfortunately, the people of Israel did not understand this. At the point where they were prepared to be welcomed, they instead turned away back in fear from God's presence. Here are the two most important verses that help us to navigate the situation ourselves.

19 And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God aspeak with us, lest we die.

20 And Moses said unto the people, aFear not: for bGod is ccome to dprove you, and ethat his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

In vs 19, the Israelites say ' you go ahead Moses, we can't, its just too scary'

In vs 20, Moses says 'I can see you are afraid but you don't need to be. This is all part of the refining process, and if you do what God tells you, you will be able to take the steps that will assure your victory' 

 

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