Is there a path to God?
What if He gave us a roadmap that led straight to Him?
Would you follow it?
We saw in the first 10 commands that:
These are the “Laws” of the son. Relative to Abba, we are called to be sons.
These are the “Laws” of the servant. Relative to others in the earth, we are called to be servants.
Most of us have been under the impression that the commands ended here. But a little more careful examination of what happened that day will show that Abba had even more to say:
Exodus 20:15 (18) All the people experienced the thunder, the lightning, the sound of the shofar, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled. Standing at a distance, 16 (19) they said to Moshe, “You, speak with us; and we will listen. But don’t let God speak with us, or we will die.” 17 (20) Moshe answered the people, “Don’t be afraid, because God has come only to test you and make you fear him, so that you won’t commit sins.” 18 (21) So the people stood at a distance, but Moshe approached the thick darkness where God was.
This experience was so intense the people asked that God stop speaking and let Moses relay the information instead.
Which means the full covenant continues on.
Let’s see if we can extract the overarching path through to the end. After all, don’t you want to know what you’ve signed up for?
Exodus 20:21 (24) For me you need make only an altar of earth; on it you will sacrifice your burnt offerings, peace offerings, sheep, goats and cattle. In every place where I cause my name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you. 22 (25) If you do make me an altar of stone, you are not to build it of cut stones; for if you use a tool on it, you profane it.
The altar is in a natural state. No changes are made before you bring the sacrifice.
That means we are not to get ourselves “fixed” before coming to him with our own sacrifice. Come as you are, repent, then learn His ways.
This has always been the model.
We begin our journey as slaves.
Then we have two opportunities presented before us:
As a bondservant, we are essentially taking on two roles: a son and a servant.
Within the household, and relative to our Master, we are treated as a son. We love living with Him and want to make His home our home.
When we go outside the home, we are then a servant to all. We represent the master’s house and act accordingly. We are to look like Him in all of our dealings and become a true representative of who He is.
Another opportunity is to become the Master’s Son’s bride.
This is most certainly our call collectively within the Body.
So we move from slave to: son, servant and Bride.
Which means we have new behavioral traits.
Do not behave as the Amalekites. They would always seek the opportunity to sneak in and attack Israel from behind or when they were weak. They are essentially hyenas.
Death comes when you attack others:
Accidental Death
Result: City of Refuge (you essentially have a form of death since you are removed from life)
Intentional Death
Result: Death
Attacks or curses father or mother
Result: Death
Kidnapping
Result: Death
The new you no longer seeks to attack others. You learn to honor life.
While death doesn’t necessarily come from fighting, it does lead to everyone hurting:
Brothers
Servants
Pregnant Women
Servants again
The new you can control your anger. You learn to live peaceably.
You are responsible for that which is in your home.
If your ox gores someone:
First time - kill the animal
Second time - kill the owner or pay restitution
Negligence- Restitution
Theft - Restitution + damages
The new you takes responsibility for your household. No more blaming something else when bad things happen.
You must restore others regardless of whether it is accidental or deliberate:
Theft - Restitution + Damages
Something in your house destroys something of someone else - Restitution
Poor stewardship over possessions - Restitution
When borrowing and losing - Restitution
Taking of a bride - Marry or pay restitution
The new you takes responsibility for yourself. You go over and above to restore people and bring them back to completeness (shalom).
Evil cannot exist within your community:
Sorceress
Sexual relations with animal
Sacrifices to other gods
Oppressing foreigners
Abusing widows or orphans
Money lending
Cursing Abba or leaders
The new you eliminates evil from your midst. You recognize there is no room for these things in the Kingdom.
Bring pure offerings:
Do not delay
Firstborns are His
Be careful what you eat
The new you is holy. You are now set apart for something far greater than you ever knew.
You are to bring justice
Exodus 23:1 “You are not to repeat false rumors; do not join hands with the wicked by offering perjured testimony. 2 Do not follow the crowd when it does what is wrong; and don’t allow the popular view to sway you into offering testimony for any cause if the effect will be to pervert justice.
If this doesn’t describe our culture today, I don't know what does.
Instead of going along with what others are doing to pervert justice, we are to act differently:
Help your enemy
Return your enemy’s possessions when found
Help your enemy when you see they are struggling
Give justice to the poor
Give justice to the foreigner
The new you understands true justice and is not swayed by the culture. Pay close attention to who deserves justice -- everyone.
Let the land rest
You rest
The new you understands things others do not. There is a bigger picture here than most people can even begin to recognize.
Pay close attention to what is written here: We do this for Him.
Festival of Matzah
Festival of Harvest
Festival of Ingathering
(Passover)
Do not offer the blood sacrifice with leavened bread
Burn up the fat all night
And…Do not boil a young animal in mother’s milk???
(We will look at this another time)
The new you does these things FOR Him. You realize there is actually something you can do for the Creator instead of just asking for Him to do for us.
Exodus 23:22 But if you listen to what he says and do everything I tell you, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.
I will destroy your enemies
Do not worship their gods
Destroy them
The new you will listen to the Messiah and do what He says. No questions asked.
He will keep sickness from you
Your women will reproduce
You will live a long life
You will life in safety
I will drive your enemies away from you
Do not allow the enemy to live amongst you
The new you knows there is only one Master. And it is not your lifestyle, work, hobbies, etc.
Exodus 24:3 Moshe came and told the people everything YHVH had said, including all the rulings. The people answered with one voice: “We will obey every word YHVH has spoken.”
4 Moshe wrote down all the words of YHVH. He rose early in the morning, built an altar at the base of the mountain and set upright twelve large stones to represent the twelve tribes of Isra’el. 5 He sent the young men of the people of Isra’el to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice peace offerings of oxen to YHVH. 6 Moshe took half of the blood and put it in basins; the other half of the blood he splashed against the altar. 7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it aloud, so that the people could hear; and they responded, “Everything that YHVH has spoken, we will do and obey.” 8 Moshe took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant which YHVH has made with you in accordance with all these words.”
The blood was “cut” and split in two -- a covenant is established
You are now offered the opportunity to enter into a covenant.
Exodus 24:10 and they saw the God of Isra’el. Under his feet was something like a sapphire stone pavement as clear as the sky itself. 11 He did not reach out his hand against these notables of Isra’el; on the contrary, they saw God, even as they were eating and drinking.
You are now in a position to see God. Did you just read that?
Exodus 24:12 “Come up to me on the mountain, and stay there. I will give you the stone tablets with the Torah and the mitzvot I have written on them, so that you can teach them.”
Now go teach others how to live.
As a son,
Know your Father,
Do not look to other things for provision or identity,
Honor the family Name,
Mimic your Father,
Honor the earthly stewards your Father has given you
As a servant,
Protect and value life,
Protect and value the sanctity of marriage,
Protect and value the things of others,
Protect and value the reputation of others,
Be content and value yourself
Build an altar
Recognize You are a Slave
Be Careful Not to Attack Others
Avoid Fighting
Watch Your Ox
Bring Restitution/Restoration when you make mistakes
Eliminate Evil Actions
Be Holy
Exercise Justice
Observe Sabbath
Keep Festivals
Listen to His Messenger
Serve Only Him
Do not allow the enemy to live amongst you
If you agree, a covenant will be established
Then you will see God
And you will be invited into His presence
Now go teach