February 11, 2024 - Disappointment After Disappointment

Exodus 32:1-33:23

Matthew 26:69-27:14

Psalm 33:1-11

Proverbs 8:33-36

One Year Bible Audio & Daily Reading (oneyearbibleonline.com)

Exodus 32:3 All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

5 Aaron saw how excited the people were, so he built an altar in front of the calf. Then he announced, “Tomorrow will be a festival to the Lord!”

6 The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry.

The Israelites were so short focused on God and became more worried about themselves forgetting all that God had done and promised them. To me they seem impatient and unwilling to wait on God's timing.

Moses is an Old Testament picture of Jesus. I can see that in how he led the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt as Jesus leads us out of bondage from sin. I also saw in today's reading Moses as the intercessory to the Father for the people. But here I see that Aaron and all the people who were waiting for Moses to return became unfaithful. The same thing happens now while we wait for Jesus' return. We to are not able to be faithful to the level of perfection that is needed to be able to be in God's presence.

Exodus 33:3 Go up to this land that flows with milk and honey. But I will not travel among you, for you are a stubborn and rebellious people. If I did, I would surely destroy you along the way.”

I have explained that our sin separates us from God to many people but I never really looked into specific scriptures that supported that other than the fact that when Adam and Eve sinned, they were cast out of the garden where they would walk with God in the cool of the day. Today I recognize God saying that He cannot be continuously in the presence of His people because they are "stubborn and rebellious", and His anger would break out against them. They needed someone to come before God on their behalf and represent them and that was Moses but for us it is Jesus.

Matthew 26:75 Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he went away, weeping bitterly.

The pattern of unfaithfulness continues in the New Testament. Even the most dedicated follower of Jesus when facing exhaustion, frustration, fear, helplessness, anxiety and despair will falter. I imagine that Peter was experiencing all these things and more. He was Jesus' most zealous disciple and the one whom Jesus was going to build His church, and even he falters when tested at times of stress and struggle. But his response was bitter sorrow and not just weeping but an uncontrollable sobbing kind of crying. He was heartbroken. And after Jesus' death he goes on the gathers the disciples together and does not deny Him again.

Unlike Aaron's response who made up excuses and lied.

Exodus 32:24 So I told them, ‘Whoever has gold jewelry, take it off.’ When they brought it to me, I simply threw it into the fire—and out came this calf!”

Matthew 27:3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.”

“What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.”

5 Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.

Judas who also walked with Jesus lived with him and was one of His disciples was not just unfaithful but betrayed Him. I would think that just as Jesus could have defended Himself when He was arrested but He didn't and therefore prophecy was fulfilled, so too Judas could have not betrayed Jesus, but he didn't, and prophecy was again fulfilled. Judas betrayal was selfish. Jesus wasn't living up to his standard and idea of who the Messiah was supposed to be and he used that to justify putting some silver in his pocket. And when the result was again not what he thought it should be he tried to take it back. But it was too late. He acknowledged that he sinned, but it was in betraying an innocent "man". He did not tell the priests that he had betrayed the Messiah. He saw that what they accused Jesus of was all lies and that is what he was feeling remorse and guilt about. He also felt guilty about taking the money so he tried to give it back. Also fulfilling another prophecy. His denial was of unbelief, not like Peter's denial of fear and confusion. It looks like to me at that point the prophecies about Judas were fulfilled and he did not have to kill himself. I have said in the past that I would not be surprised if when I get to heaven that Judas might not be there because he had lived with Jesus and we don't know the heart of someone at the moment of their death only God does. But now I have less hope of seeing Judas there. Even though he walked with Jesus and witnessed all that He had done and taught, when the truth of the plan of the priests and teachers of the law became evident, and all that Jesus said was going to happen did happen he still did not profess Jesus as Messiah. He also witnessed the grace and forgiveness and love of Jesus even for the "worst" of sinners firsthand. Had he really come to believe in Jesus as the true Messiah after all he had done he would have known that he could be forgiven and would not have felt so unable to be forgiven that he would end his own life. I still don't know his heart at the time of His death but it doesn't look good to me.

Thank you Jesus that you came to earth as the God of grace, love, mercy, forgiveness. You are the one who intercedes for us to the Father. You know us, love us and have chosen us. I thank you for your forgiveness for all the times that I have let you down in my unfaithfulness and for your cleansing blood. I Praise you for all that you have done!

"Who understands the heart of a sinner

Showers His grace over all our mistakes

Washes us clean with His blood

Jesus does,"