Worship God as One

Worship God effectively by adopting personal mode and collective mode.

In Exodus 35 – 40, children of Israel heeded God’s instructions and worked them out faithfully. The same purpose – do what God required -- begot an outstanding unity that guaranteed effectiveness. The LORD granted them HIS presence for their journey to the Promised Land.

Personal worship:

Children of Israel learned God’s laws from Moses, whom HE gave the honor to talk with HIM. People nowadays learn HIS precepts from the priests, family members, teachers, friends, or read the Bible by their own.

Just hearing and understanding God’s word are not enough to worship HIM. We ought to take helpful actions in our daily life consistently and persistently, suggestions given as below:

1)      Choose to believe the true God.

2)      Observe HIS commandments.

3)      Pray to HIM.

4)      Praise HIM.

5)      Love God and sacrifice for HIM.

6)      Tell others about the salvation of God.

Children of Israel acted with a willing heart to sacrifice their personal belongings for making the articles of the tabernacle. They loved God by obeying HIM strictly and putting aside their self-interest.

Though we are not asked to make the same things, we must discipline ourselves to keep God’s commandments, to build and increase our faith, and stay with the LORD every day.

Personal mode is necessary but limited. We should go further by participating in the collective mode to maximize the desirable outcome.

Collective worship:

There were many varieties in the list of articles to be made. A person couldn’t complete all the jobs sole. Children of Israel worked together, each contributed according to what he had and how gifted he was, for the same purpose – serving the only living God wholeheartedly and exactingly.

With God’s help, the artisans were filled with the spirit of God. They knew what and how to design, how to cut jewels and carve wood, etc., and not just knowing and doing alone, they taught others to increase the labor force. The joint effort brought forth satisfactory result.

One free giving or effort is inadequate and restricted. But same goal and belief result in unity. Substantial collection and works are achievable under oneness. Selfishness and individualism have been put aside to make the worship more effective than ever.

Thus, always seek cooperation in worshipping God and be supportive to one another. We could multiply the positive effect to a more remarkable level, for example, helping more non-believers come to know the LORD. Church is an ideal place for people to extend their participation by joining in the collective force to worship God, spread the Gospel and transmit HIS grace to others.

God blessed children of Israel through Moses for their well-done. HE will bless us according to our deeds.

Let’s pray to God:

The Most High, help us do our best as an individual and work together as oneness to worship You more effectively, with more good deeds done. Don’t let selfishness and individualism hinder us from loving You and our neighbors. Amen.

Importance of God’s Presence

Moses implored God to go with them. HIS presence carried great significance.

In Exodus 33 – 34, God refused going with stiff-necked people for fear of consuming them. People feared God and yet they knew HIS presence was vital. Moses tried his best to beseech the LORD. HE agreed finally, with the covenant renewed before setting out.

The precious values of God’s presence:

1)      God’s grace is bestowed, a sign to distinguish HIS people from other people dwelling on the earth. HIS people don’t have to fear humans no matter how strong other parties are.

2)      Nothing is impossible to the LORD. HE is the infallible source of protection from enemy, hunger, thirsty, evilness. HE never runs short of wondrous works and is generous with help to HIS people.

3)      God is full of goodness and refuses to go with wicked people. HIS presence suggested mercy and forgiveness given to children of Israel because they committed idolatry not long ago.

4)      God could check man’s corruption effectively through severe punishments or wondrous works. HIS presence will remind people to fear HIM and walk in a circumspect manner.

The LORD’s presence was remarkable indeed. To the majority, HE came in the form of a cloud. To Moses, they could talk like friends and he could see HIS back. No man can see God’s face and still be alive; HIS caution is an act of love, to spare life.

Same as children of Israel, we ought to believe in God, know HIM and receive HIS graces without seeing HIM. Always count our blessings and be thankful to the LORD. Never be a stiff-necked people, forgetting HIS loving-kindness to us.

Moses and children of Israel knew that they couldn’t do without God. Fear not to be with God but strengthen ourselves not to sin, HE will keep us safe without consuming us. Learn from Moses to stay friendly and rewardingly with God. He knew the LORD well, glorified and worshiped HIM properly. His virtues were worthy of imitating.

God is merciful and gracious, slow to wrath, and abound in love, goodness and truth. HE shows mercy to those who repent and ask for forgiveness, and yet HE won’t skip the punishments to sinners. HIS people must keep the renewed covenant to maintain a harmonious relationship with HIM.

Moses received God’s instructions 40 days and 40 nights, neither ate nor drank, and passed them to HIS people faithfully. His health did not deteriorate. In addition, his face shone and he had to wear a veil in front of other people. What a marvel result from talking with God!

Though God is omnipresence, we must make our effort to seek HIM. Fear the LORD, pray to HIM, praise HIM and observe HIS laws strictly forever. With faith growing stronger, we will earn HIS presence gradually.

Let’s pray to God:

Savior Jesus, have mercy on us. Please remove our sins, help us regain God’s presence and cherish it steadfastly throughout our life. Amen.

The Gold Calf

No idolatry, this is God’s forever command, but children of Israel violated it.

In Exodus 32, children of Israel made a gold calf to sin against God. They were punished severely. We have to learn from their mistake and avoid committing the same sin.

While Moses was getting the instructions from God, people lost patience. They didn’t wait uprightly but wanted a quick fix according to their own will by asking Aaron to make them gods to worship. Man could neither make nor assign God. Since nobody saw God, any image would misrepresent HIM. This is definitely not a proof of love towards the LORD. But they didn’t care because they believed their will was more important than God’s. They lost respect and fear to God, violating HIS rule openly.

God appointed Moses to communicate between HIS people and HIM. The LORD would take care of Moses and appoint a successor after his death. God never forsakes HIS people, but keeps being with them as long as they don’t sin against HIM. On the contrary, man is forgetful and unreliable. The refusal to wait for God’s instruction is a lack of faith in HIM. They didn’t believe in HIS protection and love, and they didn’t return love by obeying HIM strictly.

When Aaron burned the gold and got a calf, children of Israel accepted it with utmost stupidity. Calf is to be killed and eaten, an inferior to man. How can it be God? They overlooked God’s omnipotence and belittled HIS power as if they could mold HIM. This is a serious transgression. The gold calf is a dead thing; it has no will and couldn’t save itself when Moses burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder.

The sinners indulged themselves into the wrong worship, joy, eating, drinking and dancing. They were killed; the rest were plagued. People had to kill their own brothers, friends and relatives for this great sin. Punishments are necessary to stop the evil thoughts and practices spreading all over causing more people to sin in the same manner.

Aaron was blamed for letting God’s people going astray. Being the authority during Moses’ temporal absence, he should restrain them with an absolute refusal and proper exhortation to reassert God’s commandment. His failure to do the correct things upon people’s wrong pressing led to terrible consequences.

Man corrupts easily. Thus, we must correct one another with exhortation. We ought to repeat studying God’s commands and monitoring our daily life practices to make sure that we haven’t forgotten HIS word but keep acting godly. Deny the self for any decision that doesn’t conform to HIS rules. Don’t let weak mind and limited wisdom cause us violating God’s will; otherwise, we would lose HIS grace and couldn’t afford to pay the price of offending HIM.

Let’s pray to God:

The Admiralty God, please give us wisdom to discern the right and the wrong, be diligent in learning more about You and Your laws, trust You and love You forever. Amen.

Exactness to God’s Commands

Understand why it’s essential to follow God’s orders exactly.

In Exodus 24 – 31, God gave HIS people many commands to help them worship HIM properly. Exactness is absolutely important because it means a lot and affects our relationship with God.

Scope of God’s commands:

1)      Collection of specific offering for the sanctuary

2)      The style of the sanctuary

3)      The ark of the Testimony

4)      The table of the showbread

5)      The gold lampstand

6)      The tabernacle

7)      The altar of burnt offering

8)      The court of the tabernacle

9)      The care of the lampstand

10)  Garments for the priesthood

11)  The breastplate

12)  Other priestly garments

13)  Consecration of Aaron and his sons

14)  The altar of Incense

15)  The ransom money

16)  The Bronze layer

17)  The holy anointing oil

18)  Incense

19)  Artisans for building the tabernacle

20)  The Sabbath law

God’s commands gave specific details on each requirement. Humans have no right to make any change without HIS consent. The specifications have control over the following areas:

1)      Materials

2)      Colors

3)      Measurements

4)      Styles (e.g. two cherubim of gold at the two ends of the mercy seat…)

5)      How to make it (e.g. incense)

6)      Special care and handling (e.g. the burning of the lamp continuously)

7)      Obligatory laws, practices and arrangements (e.g. for the priests and the non-priests)

8)      Quantity (e.g. the amount of the ransom money)

Why God introduces such strict requirements? Man’s faithful executions carry significant meanings and HE wants us to learn important lessons.

Importance to obey God exactly:

1)      Exactness strengthens our belief in the LORD as HE knows what the best is for us.

2)      God’s will comes first. It brings forth unity. We shouldn’t act according to our own will to sin and drift away from God.

3)      We serve and respect God wholeheartedly.

4)      Full accuracy helps us learn to love, obey and trust God entirely.

5)      God will help us stretch our ability for HIS approved projects. For example, HE filled people with spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship.

6)      HIS people would have to cooperate, work together as one.

7)      Exactness ensures us to treat God’s laws and requirements properly, e.g. the priest’s duty, power and responsibilities.

8)      Meticulous care is required as some practices could endow things to become hallowed because the instructions are given by the Almighty LORD. For example, priest’s holy garment, and holy food.

9)      Avoid death penalty. For example, in Exodus 30:20, wash one’s hands and feet with water is a must.

Keep God’s commands precisely is an important education to man. We ought to learn full obedience and loyalty to the LORD, devoting our consistency and persistence to serve God heartily, the only way we can return love to HIM.

Let’s pray to God:

Dear God, help us deny the self and fulfill all the details of Your instructions, obey You faithfully and keep all Your commands without hesitation, carelessness and casualness. Amen.