The Renewed Covenant (Part III)
The Renewed Covenant (Part III)
a commentary on Exodus 34
Thank you, Lord, for this day. May it be used for your glory!
Good morning everyone and welcome back to this week’s Biblit, part 3!
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This week, we’ve been walking through Exodus 34. Today, we’re going to touch on some applicable points we can take away from this passage and add to our own lives.
Let’s jump in!
Application
In every passage we talk about there are always going to be more application points than I give you. And even of the ones I give, each point can be different for your own life.
That’s the point of Biblical study. The idea is that the context and interpretation are always constant. The only thing that changes as we study God’s word is the application.
Because our lives are constantly changing. But God’s word is constant.
Now, I say interpretation is constant when in reality I should say that interpretation should be constant. There are obviously some debates throughout scripture of the true meaning a particular author is expressing (especially when it comes to Paul’s writings or apocalyptic texts).
But the truth is, the author had one true meaning behind what they were writing.
And that is what the study of hermeneutics is all about. Trying to help figure out the interpretation so we can accurately apply scripture to our lives.
Anyways, sorry for that tangent.
All that to say, these are 3 application points that were particularly meaningful to me this week. But these are definitely not the only application points you can draw out of this passage.
Rest in the Busy Times
Again, as I said yesterday, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen the Sabbath rest talked about this way.
Adding the stipulation of resting even during plowing and harvest times. Or in the busiest of times.
I want to make sure I do this too! Our lives certainly get way too busy at times. This past September and October have been a whirlwind of travel and busyness.
So much so, that our dog has even had some acid reflux issues because of the anxiety over moving around so much.
And when you’re that busy, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. It’s easy to keep grinding through the to-do list because there is just so much to do. It’s easy to simply not take the proper time to rest in the Lord.
I’m not talking about sleep; although, that is very important too.
I’m talking about true and proper rest in the Lord, studying His word, worshiping Him, and getting to know more of His glory.
We should never underestimate the power of proper rest in the Lord.
Knowing God’s Glory
Speaking of getting to know God’s glory…
I thought it was such an amazing reminder that in order to know more of God’s glory, we simply need to know Him more.
Build a thriving relationship with the Lord, and grow in your knowledge and understanding of His attributes, perfections, and nature, and you will know His glory.
And the beautiful thing is, we have something Moses didn’t.
We have the literal word of God!
Well…ok, Moses did have that too I guess. But we still have the word of God, and it’s a million times more accessible to us than it was for Moses!
The other beautiful thing is that all the mysteries and knowledge and wisdom of God are found in one source: Jesus Christ.
Paul tells the Colossians this encouraging note:
“In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3 CSB).
To know more of God’s glory, we just need to know Him more, we just need to draw closer to Christ.
The beauty here is it is an emphasis on a relationship, not mere academic study.
And when we know God’s glory more, we will shine too!
“We all, with unveiled faces, are reflecting the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18 CSB).
We are being transformed when we behold Jesus; remember, we become what we worship!
Praying for the Lost
Last, but certainly not least, Moses’s prayer is so convicting.
The Israelites had fallen. God told them He was not going to go with them to the Promised Land.
And yet Moses continued to pray for their salvation over and over and over!
Do I pray for my unbelieving friends and family with that much vigor?
Or do I say one prayer every now and then?
Moses understood God. He knew God was a just God. He knew Israel’s sins could not go unpunished. But he also knew God was rich in mercy and slow to anger.
He knew if he prayed long enough, God would restore them. He had faith in God’s mercy.
God will judge and punish sin; either through Jesus on the cross or face to face with God’s judgment.
We should be praying for all our lost friends and family with the same vigor Moses prayed for the Israelites. That they may find the riches of mercy and grace found in Jesus!
And with that, we’ll call it a day! Thank you again for tuning in! Have a great weekend! Remember to take time to rest in the Lord this weekend.