DId God Really Say…

February 8, 2024

Read Exodus 23-25, Psalm 39

Justice is a word that is added to a lot of other words in our culture today. Climate justice, trans justice, reproductive justice, racial justice, and on and on.  Do people think by simply adding this word it makes something right or “just?” I heard a pastor say once that “anytime you add another word in front of justice you are perverting justice in some sense.” Justice should be the right thing to do regardless of any circumstances of a particular subject or area. In Exodus 23 we see just how independent justice is from everything else. Justice is independent of; popular opinion – “do not follow the crowd” v.2, economic status – “do not show favoritism to a poor man in his lawsuit.” v. 3, If you don’t like them – “If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him.” v. 4, If they don’t like you – “someone who hates you” v. 5, Any personal benefits – “Do not accept a bribe” v. 8, citizenship – “Do not oppress an alien” v. 9. Justice is dependent on God and his nature.

In Exodus 24 God renews the covenant that He made with Israel (Exodus 19) but this time it is just Moses, a couple of key leaders, and the 70 elders that represent the families of Israel. God reminds them all to carefully pay attention to his law and to follow it closely. He warns them not to worship other gods, participate in their religious practices, and not to make any covenants with the other gods or nations. The people all agree and reply “we will do this!” God then calls Moses up the mountain to receive the stone tablets with the law. What I find fascinating is that Moses goes up the mountain and the Scripture says, “When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, ¹⁶ and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud” vv. 15-16. Moses waited for six days for God to speak. Finally on the seventh day the Lord speaks to Moses. I wonder how impatient Moses was during those six days? We live in such a microwave society today, if we were Moses, would we have turned around and walked back down after a few short hours? When God gives us instructions, we must patiently wait on him for when he will take action.

Psalm 39 is a psalm that has a lot to do with our mouth and our words. David records how hard it was to keep his mouth from speaking in a sinful manner. He knows it is the just thing to do, but he finds it hard to hold in his flesh. “But when I was silent and still, not even saying anything good, my anguish increased” v. 2. In the end of the psalm David finds that he can take his words and direct them toward the Lord. “Hear my prayer, O LORD, listen to my cry for help; be not deaf to my weeping” v. 12 Instead of crying out against the wicked, David will cry out to the Lord and call for help. It was a choice that David made with his words. We have the same choice today. Which will you choose?

What else do you see in these chapters? What words, phrases, or themes stand out to you?
Add your thoughts below.