“HE WROTE!”

Exodus 34:1-9; 28                                              (ESV)

“1 The LORD said to Moses, "Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.

2 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to ME ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN.

3 NO ONE SHALL COME UP WITH YOU, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain. Let no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain."

4 So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone.

5 The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.

6 The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD, a GOD merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but WHO will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation."

8 And Moses quickly BOWED HIS HEAD TOWARD THE EARTH AND WORSHIPED.

9 And he said, "If now I have found favor in YOUR sight, O LORD, please let the LORD go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance."

28 So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And “HE WROTE” on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.”

GOD both was and is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but WHO will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation."  When Moses begged GOD to “show me YOUR GLORY” (Exodus 33:18), he had to cover his face to commune with the Children of Israel because of the brightness glowing from him.  Exodus 34:30 states “Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.”

GOD had told Moses in Exodus 33:20 that “man shall not see ME and live”.  So when Moses asked in Exodus 34:9 “... If now I have found favor in YOUR sight, O LORD, please let the LORD go in the midst of us,...”,GOD did the next best thing for the Israelites.  GOD made HIS Presence known through the outward appearance of Moses.  The Children of Israel couldn’t have stood anything stronger, for “the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.”  

Also, Moses had to “Be ready by the morning”, and “come up” to “ME ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN.  NO ONE SHALL COME UP WITH YOU, and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain.”  Moses prepared the stones as he was instructed, but he also must have given orders for others not to come with him!?!  When Scripture states “let no one be seen throughout all the mountain”, I’m pretty sure that meant NO ONE!  When we go up on our assigned MOUNTAIN to hear from GOD, we must prepare ourselves for the meeting.  All baggage must be left at the bottom of the MOUNTAIN.  Hearing from GOD must be paramount in our lives.  

Today, we have the privilege provided to us by the sacrifice of JESUS to approach HIM, our CREATOR, with no appointment and unannounced, without any arbitrator or other go-between and we neglect and discount this privilege so greatly?  Could it be that we don’t BELIEVE that HE IS actually GOD, able to be “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but WHO will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation?”  If we did, shouldn’t we revere HIS Presence and Authority more?  

Very few have experienced the life changing experiences that I have been Blessed to live through.  My prayer is that I will spend so much time ON MY FACE BEFORE GOD that my life will SHONE for HIM for all the world to see!  Moses had to spend 40 days and 40 nights alone with GOD, writing the WORDS of the Covenant, and the Ten Commandments”!  “HE WROTE” what GOD placed on his heart for others to use to obey.  Could’ve “HE WROTE” whatever he had chosen?  I think that GOD would not have permitted that.  “HE WROTE” exactly what he was supposed to for GOD’s Glory.  My prayer is that GOD is seen in my life as others see the witness I set forth for HIS GLORY!!!