Intercession on the Mountain
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Intro
Intro
We just had an election last week. Did you make it out to the polls? Who lined up for an hour to get in? Who took the easy way and did a postal vote like me?
I love our political system. I don’t think it’s perfect, but when you consider the alternate options to representative democracy I feel blessed to have the governmental system we have. The best kind of government would be to have a good, righteous king who is holy and trustworthy. But the problem is that kings are merely human; they sin. They mess up. SO next best option is that we get together and pick someone from our area to go to Brisbane on our behalf and work together as a council or assembly to get stuff done.
That’s what our local member for parliament is meant to be; our representative who will be on our side, fight for our needs, plead our case and influence decisions for our benefit. Our local member should be our voice in government.
Our local politician is both sent on our behalf, but we also hope that they will return having won something for our benefit, whether it be a Second Range Crossing, or bigger police force or better laws or improvements to education. Whatever it is we send them out on our behalf, and they return for our benefit. They intercede for us. They mediate for us. Whether or not they do a good job will affect how you vote in a few years time!
Why am I talking about politics from a pulpit? Because it provides an excellent example of the text we are looking at today; not the idea of voting, but the concept of a representative, a mediator, and intercessor.
We’re covering . Steve covered the surrounding chapters on the Tabernacle and Laws last week. We’ve almost come to the end of our Exodus journey, with only one more week to go before we get into the Christmas series.
So where have we gone? We’ve followed the Israelites from their plight in hundreds of years of slavery in Egypt. We saw that God sent them a messiah to free them from Slavery; his name was Moses.
Moses, under the direction of God, and by God’s power, led the budding nation of Israel out from Egypt in triumph. God destroyed their religion. He decimated their army. He dethroned their King. He plundered their wealth.
Then, Moses brought Israel to the Mountain of God. They have come out of their bondage to meet God at the mountain, and there He entered into covenant with the nation. He gave them rules about how they ought to live, what it meant to belong to him. He reiterated his promise to take them into Canaan, and give them the land. He promised to bless them if they remained in the covenant, and he gave them very precise instructions on how to worship.
privilege it is to have this system of governance
This is where we are up to today, and unfortunately we run into the first major stuff up in this book. Up till now there’s been a few bumps in the road, but nothing like this. Here things look like they are about to fall apart!
Here we are faced with the question: Will God reject these people?
There is lots of fun and interesting little quirks in these chapters, like Moses veil and the fashion of ancient Israelites and what the deal is with Joshua camping out in the Tent of Meeting. But amongst these fun rabbit trails it is easy to loose sight of the message of the passage. The overriding theme in these chapters is Moses intercession.
Moses is the representative of the people. Moses is the mediator between The Lord and Israel. Moses is an Intercessor.
This passage contains at least 4 distinct moments of Moses interceding. He intervenes on behalf of Israel.
This morning I want to tell you 4 effects of Moses role as a mediator, 4 ways that he acts as the go-between with God and Israel. But I wont stop there, we need to understand how this affect the Christian. I’m not an Old Testament Israelite, Moses isn’t my intercessor. Who will intercede for me and for you?
1. Intercede to Bring the Word
1. Intercede to Bring the Word
Let me set the scene for you in the opening part of our passage in 32. Moses has been away yet again, on the top of the mountain meeting with God. Presumably it has been both joyful and terrifying. But while Moses has been away for over a month, the folks of Israel down at the base of the mountain are starting to get a bit antsy.
Moses has been gone a fair while. People are starting to wonder what’s happened to him. What’s taking so long?
Well, he’s been talking with God. The people had entered into a binding covenant with God in Ch24, agreed to abide by the terms of the agreement, then Moses had gone up the mountain to get copies of the Law and further instructions on worship. So Moses, on behalf of the people was acting as a messenger. He was bringing the divine messages for them. After all, they said they couldn’t take it;
Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.”
Ex 20:18-19
So Moses had faithfully been running up and down the mountain as an 80-something year old man on behalf of the people, and on behalf of God to bring God’s word to them. He was their conduit to hear from God. This is where he is at the opening of our passage, but throughout ch32-34, Moses is the one who report to Israel what God has said.
God is terrifying. Don’t let that escape you. God’s presence among humankind means death. Every time someone is called into the presence of God they freak-out and do strange things like fall flat on their face. Even His voice makes people shake in their boots. Moses kindly acts as their intermediary, so that the people don’t die.
What a beautiful privilege, to have someone who first hand has met with God, and tell you exactly what you need to know, without the terror and fear.
What a beautiful privilege, to have someone who first had has met with GOd, and tell you exactly what you need to know., without the terror and fear.
But what about you and me? We’re not ancient Israelites. Who will bring God's words to us?
We too have a beautiful privilege, of someone who has come from the Father and brought to us His message.
His name is Jesus.
I bet you didn’t see that coming!!
He brought the Good News of God, the Gospel to broken humanity. He brought to us what we need to hear from God. He says;
For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
John 12
Jesus brings commandments that lead to eternal life. Jesus brings the words of God. Jesus acts both on God’s behalf, and on our behalf. But he is not alone in his task of bringing God’s words. Jesus came and left the earth, but he still delivers God’s words to us by the Holy Spirit. Jesus says;
Jesus says;
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
John 14:29
Jesus words are delivered to us today by the Holy Spirit, causing the Gospels and letters to be written that combined with the Old Testament have become our Bible. This written word is enlivened and applied to our heart and minds by the Holy Spirit.
While Israel had Moses to run up and down the mountain for them, We have Jesus and the Holy Spirit who deliver to us the words of God.
2. Intercede to Plead the Case
2. Intercede to Plead the Case
Alright, so Moses is up on the mountain and things are staring to go awry in the camp.
The people are having trouble accommodating the new religious order. They had just been told, with booming words from heaven a month or so ago,
Ex 20:
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,
The Eerdmans Companion to the Bible 34 The Covenant Renewed
2 Cor. 3:12–18
But the people think they know better. They think that the way you worship a god is by creating a symbolic image of it and worshiping the image as a conduit to the god.
SO the folks tell Aaron, who was in charge at while Moses was away, to create an idol so that they can get on with their journey. Aaron caves in to the mob mentality and takes up a collection of gold (the very same gold that God had given them from the Egyptians), and made an idol with his own hands. A Bull.
Then he said;
2 Co 3:12-18
English Standard Version Chapter 32
“These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”
Then Moses set up an altar and called a feast to start a thoroughly “pagan”, or ungodly, celebration.
Now, remember, these folks were not trying to worship a different God. They had seen with their own eyes the Lord’s power. They had heard his voice from heaven. They were trying to worship God, but they were going about it entirely the wrong way.
What they were doing, was importing the ideas of the cultures around them into their worship. They were copying what the Egyptians did. They were trying to do worship their own way, despite the way that God had said it should go.
So, unsurprisingly, God is quite angry. They have just recently entered into a covenant with Him, with strict terms on idolatry, and it has be broken. It has been broken like the two tablets that Moses smashes in anger at when he sees the sinful mess with his own eyes.
The people have disobeyed God in a big way. And he is ready to wipe them from the face of the earth. God says he will wipe them out and start over with Moses;
Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”
Now instead of Moses stepping back and saying “Ok God, you know best, I’ll trust you” he did something that blows my mind; he “implored God”, be begged for the Lord to relent and not to do what he said. Not only that, he has the gall to return and do it three more times! Who does that?
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
Well Moses loved his people. He was not disinterested in them. He may have tried to wriggle out of the leadership responsibility, but he genuinely desired that his countrymen and family be freed and prosper in the Promised Land, so much so that he is willing to give up his relationship with God;
But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.”
Moses would rather lose himself than to let his people be rejected by God.
He pleads on the basis of God’s past promises to put away his anger. Moses brings up the covenant promises with the forefathers of Israel, and he brings up God’s glory saying that it will reflect poorly on God if he wipes out his own people.
Moses interceding works;
English Standard Version Chapter 32
And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.
This is a man who loves his people. He desires their good. He wants them to freed from the guilt of their sin, to have atonement, to have life with God. He knows they deserve death. He knows that the arrogance of the idolatry is worth the death penalty, but he seeks to find a way around it! By him advocating for Israel God responds with mercy.
This is a man who loves his people. He desires their good. He wants them to freed from the guilt of their sin, to have atonement, to have life with God. He knows they deserve death. He knows that the arrogance of the idolatry is worth the death penalty, but he seeks to find a way around it!
God is not sitting around being mean and grumpy until a nice advocate comes along to cheer him up. God is being Just and Righteous. He wants the people to get what they deserve. Like criminals who have committed crimes, Israel deserves to be wiped out. Yet God allows Moses to plead on theri behalf. To intercede for them.
This is a man who loves his people. He desires their good. He wants them to freed from the guilt of their sin, to have atonement, to have life with God. He knows they deserve death. He knows that the arrogance of the idolatry is worth the death penalty, but he seeks to find a way around it!
Who will intercede for me and for you?
It will come as no surprise that this too reminds us of Jesus. Moses intercedes for Israel so that their sin will not prevent access to God. Jesus is our intercessor, who advocates for us, and deals with our sin. John reminds us;
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ”
ex
It will come as no surprise that
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
3. Intercede to Stop Judgement
3. Intercede to Stop Judgement
Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”
Ex
Moses pleads on behalf of the people for God’s mercy, and he appeals to God’s promises. He asks God to fulfill his promises:
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ”
God ought to smash us for our rebellion, our sin, our poor worship. But instead Jesus steps in as our propitiation and our advocate. He intercedes on our behalf.
Aside about God “changing” His mind
Paul says in Romans;
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
We are
3. Intercede to bring God’s presence
3. Intercede to bring God’s presence
Even though Moses had interceded to save their life, God appears to be unwilling to accompany them by his presence into the Promised Land because of their sin;
Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”
Ex33:
God knows that Israel will continue in rebellion. There will be more sin. There will be more grumbling. There will even be more idolatry. He implies that if his presence goes with them he will be brought to anger again and wipe them out. But once again Moses intercedes in 33:12. And once again, God listens and He says:
And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
For Moses it is not enough to simply save Israel from death, he knew they would be worth nothing if God didn’t come with them. If God din’t go with them into the promised land, they would be pretty much like everyone else, just another tribe of people.
But God favors Moses, and grants him his desire. They will not leave God behind at Sinai, but he will go with them.
Moses used to go into a tent that was outside the camp to meet with God, but when the tabernacle is completed, God will actually dwell in their midst, and lead them by his presence, and it will not just be Moses how gets to deal with God, but the priests will be able to serve him and help mediate the worship of their God.
In their midst and before them, Gould dwell with Israel and lead them into Canaan, yet it appears this is only because of the pleas of righteous Moses. Israel would dwell in God’s presence because their mediator interceded on their behalf.
Tabernacle
Who will intercede to bring God’s presence to us?
Christ too brings his people into the presence of God. Since Adam got us kicked out of the Garden one way or another human kind has been unable to dwell with God in peace. Even now through Jesus this is not a physical reality, other than to say we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The work of the Spirit now guides us, but evetually we will meet God face to face. says;
English Standard Version Chapter 4
he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence
Through and with our Messiah we will be brought into the very presence of God in resurrection. There we will rejoice! We will join him on a mountaintop like Moses did, but we will never have to leave or fear in that place of security and peace.
4. Intercede to Reveal God
4. Intercede to Reveal God
Lastly we see that Moses interceding reflects God. You see Moses acted on behalf of the people, but he also acts on behalf of God. Even though he revealed God by bringing the word of God to Israel, he also reflects some of the glory of God to them;
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 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.
The way that Moses meets with God impacts even his physical apperance. He litterally glows with God’s glory.
The way that Moses meets with God impacts even his physical apperance. He litterally glows with God’s glory.
It’s kinda like radiation, your body absorbs it as you approach a source of radiation, but then you can become a small source of radiation yourself.
Moses, who sits with God and talks with him and mediates for the people reflects some of that contained glory out on people. But, this was a fading glory. It wasn’t permanent. It has a half life. Moses shining face would dull, and so he would cover it to hide the fact that the glory would fade. He would need to go back to the source to be revived.
Moses would go to God to be glorified, and then he would loose his glory as he was away from God’s presence.
If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Who will reveal God to us?
In the opening chapter of John it says;
English Standard Version Chapter 1
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
You see Jesus came to humankind as the reveler of God's glory. He didn’t run around with a shining face, but he was thoroughly God in his very being. God’s glory leaked out from him all over the place with healing and miracles and teaching and commands of God.
Jesus even says of himself;
If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
If you see Jesus, you have seen God the Father. He was not merely a man who like Moses who could be warmed up by God’s presence like zapping something in the microwave, but he was a man who was God in his essence and a source of the glory of God.
Yet for some reason, not everyone when the hear about Jesus, or read the story of God in history is able to see God’s glory in Jesus. The Old Testament reveals God’s glory, but that finds it’s fulfillment in Jesus. Some folks seem to be blind to seeing how God’s glory drips from the pages of Scripture into our hearts. Paul will explain this to us.
Paul reflects on Moses fading glory in 2 Corinthians and uses it to illustrate that unless Jesus and The Spirit are the true revelers of God, the veil of ignorance blocks us from seeing God.
Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
What a promise! Where God’s spirit is at work, we are being transformed into people who can go into the very presence of God and behold him ourselves! By having the veil lifted from our eyes we can see God, and his glory can affect us to transform us into the image of God.
Not like Moses who's glory would fade, but like Jesus who “is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” .
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .
If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Used the gifts of God for false worship
Wanted to worship God, but in their own way.
Bringing it All Together
Bringing it All Together
Representative democracy reference
The story of 32-34
Jesus as a greater intercessor than Moses
Brings the Word
Pleads the case
Brings God’s presence
Reveals God
Are you going to try to be your own intercessor?