Go throughout the people

DEVOTION

EXODUS

GO THROUGHOUT THE PEOPLE

Ex 32:25-35

25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, "Whoever is for the LORD, come to me." And all the Levites rallied to him. 27 Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.'" 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, "You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day." 30 The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." 31 So Moses went back to the LORD and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin — but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written." 33 The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin." 35 And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

NIV

It is a strange thing that Moses would have the Levites kill their own brother, friend and neighbor. Did the Levites keep themselves from worshipping the golden calf? Here is what we know. When Moses returned to the camp and saw the people running wild, he called out to them that whoever us for the LORD come to him. He did not say whoever is with me, come to me, but whoever is for the LORD. Now we have a distinct two groups of people. Those who are for the LORD and those who are for the golden calf, which then would be not for the LORD. Those who came to Moses were from the tribe of Levi. That is interesting because Aaron and Moses were Levites. Nevertheless, Aaron went along with the sin of the people who wanted that god, the golden calf to go before them instead of Moses and the LORD. Several eternal lessons are before us today. The people sinned against the LORD and they were punished by those who were for the LORD. The Levites went throughout the camp killing some three thousand people. This is due to the wrath of God against their sin. We know God is not pleased about sin, we could even say he hates it. But Moses was going to make intercession for their sin. Here again he shows us Jesus. But God responds to Moses intercession with the fact that those who sin against him will be blotted out of his book. This certainly takes us straight to the Revelation given to John.

Rev 3:4-6

 5 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

NIV

Today we still have the two groups of people. Those who are for the LORD and those who are for the golden calf, some false god, even the god of self. There are many religions throughout the world, and if they are not about the LORD God, the creator of all that is created, they are false religions and thus against the LORD. Despite what some people might say, that there are many paths to God, there is only but one. That is the Lord, Jesus Christ.

John 14:6

6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

NIV

So we who have accepted this path, this way to the Father, Jesus as our Lord and Savior are those people who are for the LORD. Those who refuse to accept Jesus as the one and only way to God are those who are against the LORD.  Although the Levites strapped on swords and went throughout those against the LORD and killed many of them, we do not and have not been called to kill our brother, friend or neighbor. However we have been called to strap on our sword and go out among the people who are not for the LORD.

Eph 6:13-17

13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

NIV

The armor of God is for the main purpose of standing our stand against the devil, however the sword being the word of God is also to be used to bring people to Jesus. Again we have the division of people, those who have the sword, the word of God, those who are for the LORD and those who are being held captive by the devil, or by their own choice are in league with him, against God. There is no question a plague is coming to them as it came upon the children who were against God in that camp. However, this coming plague is an eternal one. It is the plague of perishing. At the Day of the Lord judgment will be made. Those whose names are in the book of life will enter into his rest. Those who names have been blotted out will perish.

John 3:16-21

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.   19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

NIV

Throughout the course of time, God has been showing his creation this truth. That statement by Moses, the call for those who are for the LORD went out to the whole camp. But only a few came, only the Levites responded, making the choice to be for the LORD. They came out of the darkness into his light and they were saved from the terrible wrath of God upon those how chose to not be for him, but for the golden calf. It is a wonderful thing that we have responded to the call, and are for the Lord. Are we perfect because of that? Far from it, nor were the Levites. No one is without sin, but the fact we have a Savior, we have Jesus who paid the price for our sin, we do not have to worry about the wrath of God being poured out upon us. Yet there are those who will experience his wrath unless they too respond to the call of God. How will they hear the message?

Rom 10:5-18

5 Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: "The man who does these things will live by them."   6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 "or 'Who will descend into the deep?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."   12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."   14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"   16 But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our message?"   17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. 18 But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:

NIV

We have been given the sword, the word of God, the message of salvation. Let us go about the camp, among the people, but instead of killing them, let us bring them the good news about Jesus.