January 13, 2002

Deuteronomy 9-11

v. 3 - “understand therefore” - God has given a revelation,

God has given the mentality.

“goeth over before thee” - “a consuming fire” - He shall bring

them down - you shall drive them out - the commission.

Unfortunately, this is being fulfilled in reverse today. The

secularist is attempting to neuter religion.

“as Jehovah has said unto thee” - What do you think He means?

vs. 4-5 - self-righteousness vs. their wickedness

Righteousness of heart, uprightness - two things that God respects.

v. 6 - “understand therefore” - a stiff-necked people

v. 7 - good at provoking God.

A six weeks religion - In the golden calf they wish for something to strike their senses. The pure conception of an unseen God they

were not cultured enough to retain.

A HISTORY LESSON culminating in vs. 22-24 - Moses advances

from the smaller to the more serious forms of guilt - they have

been rebellious from the very beginning, “from the day that I knew you”

Their vow, thrice repeated, had been ratified in blood, they break in less than six weeks, openly & riotously violating the Law they had sworn to obey.

Well did God say of their children much later in Hosea 6:4 -

“Your goodness is like the morning cloud, it goeth away”.

Collapsing into a moral state more worldly than before the

covenant - the last state being worse than the first.

v. 21 - Symbolic act - this sin will come back to them again,

it will mar their joy for a long time to come.

Here is Aaron, noted for his eloquence, given to Moses for

a mouthpiece, can only utter “there came out this calf”.

He could speak well but broke down when put in charge.

There is no indication that he ever caught a glimpse of

the tremendous crisis he helped bring about. “There came

out this calf” - He can talk well but cannot stand firm.

Abraham & Moses were great intercessors - Aaron, the

worldly Israelites and we today with all the evil around us

can be of no use in national struggles in our prayerless

state.

If you want heroes today, try the power of intercessory

prayer, such power the world does not seem to appreciate

but is recorded in God’s Book of Remembrance.

Moses was full of the Holy Spirit - when he came off the

mount the people had to put a veil on his head.

If our faces were oftener directed towards God in intercessory

prayer, they would certainly beam with new light, and men would

take knowledge that we had been with Jesus!

What is needed is not reformation but REGENERATION

which only comes from God! A new birth, a new heart,

yea, a new creature!

Exodus 32:25-29 - How serious? Better for 3,000 to do

this than 2,000,000!

Moses was an intercessor, Christ is now on the right hand of

God making intercession for us and the Spirit makes intercession

for us with our groanings which cannot be uttered.

God is not indifferent to the homage, praise and prayers of men.

From men He shall obtain more satisfaction than from planets,

stars and suns.

Dan. 12:3 - “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness

of the firmament; and they that turn many to

righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

Moses said that the Lord heard him at that time also. What

genuine and honest intercession ever failed? Is not God waiting

to do the same great things for His Church?

There are more things wrought by prayer than this world ever

dreamed of!

ch. 10

Events produced the movement of the tabernacle - Ex. 33:7

Ezekiel - withdrawal from the Temple, today, from the church???

Though they were forgiven, yet were they chastised. In after

times the Jews were wont to say that never any trouble came

upon them without an ounce of the dust of the golden calf in it.

Only an angel, Ex. 33:2-3, should go with them, vs. 12-14 - God’s

presence with Moses.

Though the tabernacle is without the camp, communication

with Jehovah is maintained - Ex. 33:9

vs. 6-7 - non-priestly duty of Kohathites contrasted with

special function of the priests who “stand before the

Lord to minister unto Him”.

Contrast Moody, Spurgeon with myself. The Lord’s promise

concerning the talents - Matt 25 - “well done thou good &

faithful servant, thou has been faithful over a few things, enter

thou unto the joy of thy Lord”

v. 9 - This commandment & promise was a testimony that God

now was reconciled unto them by the intercession of Moses.

vs. 12-13 - God had showed great favor to Israel - what did He

require but fear, love & obedience.

Receive His truth!

Accept His Law!

Follow a course of conduct which He prescribes!

Love without fear relaxes.

Fear without love enslaves & leads to despair.

There is a fear which torments - “Perfect love

casts out fear” - I John 4:18

“for thy good”

v. 15 - Delight - heard a nice sermon by Dr. Stanley

last Sunday night about delighting in the Lord.

Affection, Love, Choice.

v. 16 - Acknowledge God as Supreme, imitate His

beneficence, fear & worship Him.

“circumcise the foreskin of your hearts” - symbol

of purification & sign of consecration to God.

v. 17 - no respecter of persons, at the same time

a Righteous Judge, the protector of the

helpless & destitute.

“nor taketh reward” - cannot be bribed like men.

I wonder how many administrators in the last 40 years

have taken their salary as a bribe to not rock the boat

of the anti-christian agenda? - I wonder how many have

taken the bait on newspaper staffs, television anchors,

agreeing to the bribery of a one-sided, secular presentation

of facts?

Not so God, He has class!

v. 21 - “He is thy praise” - He is our glory!