Lion of Grace

Paul asked people to pray for him because he knew the power of prayer. He was undergoing severe trials and suffering and was seeking to be delivered of them. He was setting his hope of continued deliverance and asked the people to partner in prayer in this. He goes on to say, "Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." So many times we think prayer is only about getting an answer to our "wants" but Paul saw this as opportunity for encouragement for many, for God's glory to be revealed and a witness to many people of what prayer can do and how it is God's character to respond to prayer. I think too, that our "fellowship" is important in prayer as we are united to the Father with Christ and with Christ in fellowship with each other. Our prayers can and do have the same multiple purposes. I know in my life, I have been saved from the depths of despair, addictions, unresolved grief and abuses in my life. I am very called to intercessory prayer for people in those same circumstances. I know many prayed long and hard for me in my battle to overcome. I am deeply grateful for those prayers and enjoy a changed life. I know God calls me to pray with a heart of compassion for those often labeled "hopeless" or "too far gone." I was a person many gave up on or wouldn't touch to begin with, but I know God has a plan for redemption and that there is no one too low for Him to reach down for, and to rescue, and that prayer is a vital part in the Spiritual battle for anyone's soul. My salvation was for His glory and I hope to pray so others can become free and become witnesses to His power, might, mercy and miracles in lives that were formally destitute. Praise Him!

Facing a harrowing crisis helps us grow in the Lord because we learn we, in ourselves, are powerless and we need Him. They open our eyes to how many lies we believe about being in control or advancing our own happiness or how prideful we are in our doings. I've had many crisis's in my life and have learned different things from them. When my daughter died, I learned I did not have control of anything in life. I learned to rely on God to hold on by a thread to just keep living myself and I learned I couldn't go through a day without Him. He became my salvation. When my husband couldn't work for 6 months and I was chronically ill myself, I learned God was my provider and I found He was my strength for the day to do what I needed to do. When friends leave, when we are are unjustly accused, when all the best laid plans fail....He's there. I learned He will never leave us or forsake us and He never has. He's been everything to me and I'm so grateful. He's so faithful if we look to Him and trust Him. We could never do enough to serve Him once we know how good He has been to us. Not for works alone, but in deepest love for Him. Even when we stray in our prideful ways, our crisis can bring us back into submission again, reminding us "our" way just doesn't suffice and we seek Him again for His way and we are content in the rest He gives us wondering what could we have possibly thought we were doing in the first place!

" But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you." That was my comfort for today! My comfort in my Faith in God comes from knowing HE is in control. He knows everything, sees everything and knows just what to do. I can rest in His care and believe in His love and promises. When I get confused and lose the way, I can call to Him and He directs my paths. It's trust in Him that brings comfort. Trust in His love and in His ultimate wisdom. When I know of others suffering, I can share my experiences in suffering and His comfort to me in those times and I can encourage them to turn to Him for help. I can be loving and compassionate towards them, just as He is loving and compassionate towards me. I cry with them and then rejoice with them too. I can share how He directed my steps and though theirs may be somewhat different, I can convey how He walked with me, step by step until my pain was past and that He never leaves us. Ever. I can point to His promises from His Word and share how faithful He IS to those. The best thing we can do is show them WHO to turn to. People are well meaning but they are human and can't always do the right things. God on the other hand, is 100% reliable and right and His love and light are way beyond anything here!

The greatest strength that I learned about Moses, was his ability to make intercession for the people. I was really inspired that through all the stubborn rebellion of the people he was given to lead, he for the most part tried to intervene for them. I've been able to pray more for those who hurt me or who won't listen to Biblical instruction but ridicule the truth. I have more of a heart of compassion. This, coupled with the words of Jesus in another study, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do..." showed me that Jesus heart was in that same place as He hung in agony on the cross. So together they were very inspiring. His weakness, that was a warning to me was to not act rashly and out of frustration, but to be still and know what God is instructing me to do. To wait and to know that I am in His will in any circumstance. The one primary thing I learned from Moses life, is to step out in faith. To know that if "I can't" "He can" and to trust in God's faithfulness. And, for me to be committed to God to do His will and to fulfill my purposes in life. The ones He gives me. Whether anyone agrees or not or expects other things from me. I can be confidant in what God gives me to do. Thanks so much for another wonderful study!

When Jesus says, "Father into your hands I commit my Spirit" He is giving His entire being into His Fathers hands. There is a complete trust in the face of death that in the spirit, He will be in His Fathers care. This saying comforts us, because we too, have this blessed assurance. When we reach the point of death, we need only to look beyond what our earthly eyes can see and fly into the spiritual realm of God's Kingdom, where our Beloved waits for us.

Jesus had finished the purpose He was given to do. He completed the purpose in His life. That's why He came. We are to learn from this, that we also, have been given a purpose and we are to fulfill that in our lifetime. We need to be in close relationship with our Father and do as He directs. I like the thought mentioned in the study, that we can become scattered in this. Sometimes we confuse our God given purposes with what "people" think we should be doing. This can really lead us astray and into chaos, confusion and weariness. We need to seek God every day on what He would have us do and we need to stand firm in the face of others who think we should be doing things we aren't called to do!

I learned from the fifth word, "I thirst" that Jesus was, in his human state, fully suffering in his body. In spirit, His Father had forsaken Him and now, He cries out in thirst. I don't know how many here have suffered from extreme thirst, but it's very agonizing. To need a drink and not have any liquid available is body wrenching as well as mind wrenching. He wasn't just thirsty at this point either. He had thorns jabbing Him in the head, blood running into HIs eyes. He had excrutiating pain from nails in His hands and feet. He had bled so much, His body was totally depleted. The whip marks on His back were being gouged by splinters of the wood at His back. His friends (most of them) had run away. His Father left Him alone. He was slowly suffocating and had searing pain trying to push His body up on the cross enough to take a semblance of a breath. He was exposed on the cross and people laughed at Him. And He was innocent. It would have been a hard way to die guilty, but He didn't deserve it. He did it quietly as a lamb before it's shearers, for us. I see Jesus in full suffering, physically and spiritually. I see the full extent of His suffering for me. I'm glad of this study....it is a remembrance of what He did for us....without the sterile surroundings we so often have today when we think of the cross.

Balaam counseled the Moabite women on how to turn the Israelites away from the Lord. We find in Numbers 31:15-16 Moses questioning the officers of the army after their victory over the Midianites, if they had "Allowed all the women to live?" because, "They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the Lord in what happened at Peor, so a plague struck the Lord's people." Balaam counseled the women that sexual immorality would turn the men away from the Lord. Balaam's counsel led into sin in many ways. First, sexual immorality is a break from God's law and the purity He desired for His people. Second, the immoral sexual practices involved religious fertility rites in honor of a Moabite god. So, they were worshiping false gods in the practice as well as practicing immoral behavior. To top it off, even though the people were warned of such practices, an Israelite man, in full view of Moses and the whole assembly, while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting, deliberately brought a Midianite woman into his tent! It was "in your face" rebellion! Aaron's grandson Phinehas was honored for his actions because, "Phinehas, son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my (God's) anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them..." His reward was a "Covenant of peace with him. He and his descendants will also have a covenant of a lasting priesthood..." Today everything is about our "rights". The right, unfortunately, to do anything anyone pleases, and if any one person doesn't go along with that mentality, we become targets of disdain, anger, rejection....anything to make us disappear so the truth is hidden and postmodern thinking can have reign. It's about individuals thinking whatever they want to, and making those thoughts into their own little individual truths. They don't want God's truth....because that convicts of sin and they don't want anybody to ruin the party or rain on the parade or burst their own bubbles. They don't want any conviction on anything and get stubborn in showing they CAN do anything they want. Open rebellion.

Why does Jesus make John responsible for Mary? I think it goes back to him saying "Who are my mother and brother and sisters? Those who do the will of God." Who was at the cross? Who remained? Who called himself "The one that Jesus loved"? John. John remained and Jesus, wanting to provide for Mary after his death, gave her into the safe keeping of his true spiritual brother. This incident shows us that though Jesus was in terrible pain and near death, he was still thinking of others. He spoke of his mother to John and as we read the other day, he spoke of forgiveness for everyone. What does it say about Him? Love that we cannot understand. Obedience we can not understand. Forgiveness we cannot understand. He, as the perfect Lamb is worthy. We, should be examining our lives in these areas. We will fall short, but we can ask for help from the Holy Spirit to be better. We obey, love and forgive so little.

The plague of snakes was visited on the people for their complaining against God and His provisions for them. I think being impatient for God's provisions is a sin because it shows mistrust in Him and in His divine wisdom in how He is directing our lives. God WILL provide. It may seem as though He is slow in coming or it may not even be how we "thought" it would be given, but He is faithful and HIS way is divine so we can trust in that. The comparison between the snake lifted up for healing and Christ lifted up on the cross, is that both show faith as what is needed for healing and life. In the case of the Israelites and the snake bites, by faith they were healed. It was a lesson in really trusting God that if they looked on the snake they would be delivered. For us, looking to the cross of Christ and believing by faith we will be healed of our sins and delivered from death is our declaration of faith.

God told Moses to "speak" to the rock for the water to come out. Moses actually struck the rock (as he had before) for the water to come out. Moses was angry and frustrated at the people and was inpatient with them. He did not listen to God's instructions nor follow them, so he sinned in disobedience and he sinned in anger and in doing things his own way. When leaders sin in these ways, we must confess our sins to God, ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance in how we can overcome those areas in our lives, apologize for any damages done and in humbleness admit our own wrong doing or our part in it if it was involving a group, with more than one wrong, as is so often the case.

I think the thief's faith is so astounding because most of his adult life he had been against the things of God. I don't know his personal story, but something or some circumstances made him turn to robbing and maybe even murdering people. He didn't have any "Spiritual" principles active in his life and yet, when he is punished on the cross, hanging there dying with Jesus, he recognizes Jesus innocence and declares himself guilty, admitting to a sinful life. He even defend Jesus. At some point, astoundingly, he embraced truth and faith and asked Jesus to remember him when He gets to His Kingdom. He KNEW he wanted to be there with Him and he KNEW there was such a place. The thief received forgiveness, acceptance and his salvation that day. It was by his faith he received it, not because of any merit of his own. To Jesus, this must have been one of those moments of deepest joy and gratitude because He knew at His most "alone" time, that someone got it. He doesn't desire any to perish and to snatch the thief from Satan's and deaths hands just moments before they "could" have claimed this man, must have been very emotional and a cause for deep thanksgiving and encouragement while Jesus suffered there amid the taunts and the injustice of it all. There's nothing worse than doing something good for someone and having them taunt you, revile you, use you and hate you in it. To have someone come along side and say "I believe in you" must have been somewhat a reprieve, and to know salvation was secured for this man a deep joy. My Father-in- Law had a death bed conversion. After so many, many prayers and asking for his eternal life, to see it happen by the power of the Holy Spirit was just overwhelming and filled with gratitude and relief and just joy!

I'll answer with a song: It was my sin that was responsible for Jesus death and Jesus was praying for mercy for me when I didn't deserve any. When He should have been pardoned, I was. When I should have been punished, He was. The chosen one was put to death, so I could come. How Deep The Fathers Love For Us How deep the Father's love for us, How vast beyond all measure That He should give His only Son To make a wretch His treasure How great the pain of searing loss, The Father turns His face away As wounds which mar the chosen One, Bring many sons to glory Behold the Man upon a cross, My sin upon His shoulders Ashamed I hear my mocking voice, Call out among the scoffers It was my sin that held Him there Until it was accomplished His dying breath has brought me life I know that it is finished I will not boast in anything No gifts, no power, no wisdom But I will boast in Jesus Christ His death and resurrection Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer But this I know with all my heart His wounds have paid my ransom

The root cause of Korah's rebellion was believing a lie. They believed that because God had declared the whole of the people a Kingdom of Priests, that it meant they could now perform High Priestly duties of sacrifice. This wasn't true. Though God had declared them priests, He had specific duties for each person and tribe. Korah was to minister in the temple with the utensils etc. and carry the holy items when camp moved, but they were not to offer the sacrifices. That was for Moses and descendants of Aaron. Korah thought to do something that God had not given them to do. The truth they believed was that Israel was to be a Kingdom of Priests, but the untruth they believed was what part they had been given in that. They thought it meant they could do ALL priestly duties. Challenging the authority of a Spiritual leader is dangerous because one really challenges God's authority. I'm careful here though, as I don't want to encourage following anyone who just "appears" to have spiritual authority. That leads to Jim Jones and David Koresh. We have to test what is truly from God, but if we are convinced the leadership is, then no matter what, we are to listen to the authority placed over us. We do have God to appeal to if we disagree on anything. He is faithful. We can be content in our part and be thankful for the direction and guidance of a truly Godly leader. Intercession is vital for sinful people because so often, what is needed is spiritual warfare prayed over them. Satan wants to claim many, but it is our business to be about God's work. We shouldn't focus on the sin so much as to be concerned for salvation for souls and changed lives through the power of The Holy Spirit. We need to speak truth with love, but another vital part of winning souls is intercessory prayer!

The failure to enter the promised land was so serious because the people actually refused what was to be given to them. They had been led through the desert and now were on the doorstep of entering the land and once again, not trusting God took it's toll. It wasn't that God didn't have them there....He did! They themselves refused to enter the land. This represented unbelief at the core. They had fear too, but fear is always a secondary emotion. If they had trusted God, they could have gone in maybe "feeling" afraid, but KNOWING they would be OK. What did it represent on God's part? I don't know what the failure of the people represented on God's part. Their decisions were their own, but in the end, it showed His integrity. He was fulfilling his end of the promise and still ultimately did. Have you ever heard "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink?" I think this shows God's character that he gives free will. He did not force them to take the land. But also, I think it showed Him as Sovereign and just. The people made their own decision, but it wasn't the right decision. He's still in charge and is to be respected and trusted, so they were punished. Was the punishment too severe? Why? Hard question. I think of my mess ups and it gives me more respect for God knowing of these events. We should all have a healthy fear of God and the Word as reminders. But I also know of His love and that brings about trust and obedience. There is a difference in outright rebellion vs. our human side that can't be perfect, but we continually give ourselves to Him in faith and that's the difference. The trust is there. The Israelites never trusted Him. I guess it just grieves me mostly that the people never came to love or trust God as opposed to me judging God's work. The judgment obviously was right. God did it.

Miriam and Aaron's motivation for speaking against Moses seems to be discontent and jealousy. It comes out first as a criticism against his choice of wives, complaining he married a Cushite, but this wasn't the real problem. This was just nit picking that always comes out from an underlying issue. The real problem comes out when they voice wanting to be God's spokespersons. They are jealous of the relationship Moses has been given and the authority in it. It's rebellion. They want their say. They want to share in his place instead of being content in their own. People seeking power need to discredit those in power so they can look like a better option. They want the place of the one over them, so the pecking begins. They can always find people of spiritual immaturity, who believe anything without finding out for themselves the truth of anyone or any situation and they use these people as a gossip mill to spread discontent and lies. I believe this always demonstrates false power because real power is from God. He raises His people up and if any have to get there by getting someone out of the way by deceit and lies....well then we know who the father of all that is. Real leadership is established by God and takes time to cultivate in humbleness. But His will for them will prevail. Any leader in God's will, knows to wait. Wait on the Lord. He's their strength and shield. How did Moses handle this provocation? I find it interesting that Aaron turns to Moses and pleads for mercy for Miriam and asks for his help. Ah Ha! Now he turns, confessing their sin. He HAS to plead to the authority given to Moses by God. He recognizes this. Moses in turn, asks God to heal Miriam. This shows his concern for the people. He could have worked out his own feelings at their rebellion in a negative way. It's frustrating to not be listened to when you know you have good for the people. But his ultimate concern here is forgiveness and restoration. God though, says she must go outside the camp for 7 days because she is unclean. She can come back, but she must have consequences. He has her follow the law given to her and only then will she be restored. This reminds me of how important truth with love is. Without truth, rebellion flourishes, but truth spoken without love damages. When the two are combined, truth flourishes in a loving way.

Why is Moses frustrated in prayer? Complaining, complaining, complaining. There is nothing so heavy and frustrating as always looking at the negative. Or being stuck in the past! That's what the people were doing and Moses felt like he was under a burden too great for him. So, what does he do? Complains to God! It is true that whatever we are around the most, we have a natural tendency to adopt as behavior for ourselves if we don't remain aware in it. What is going on with Moses, emotionally and physically at this time? Drained. He was totally drained and at the point of feeling like his frustration was too great and the burden of the people was too great. He actually relates to physically carrying them around! He's getting tired of caring for people who are not in the least grateful and he's feeling like it wasn't his "choice" in the first place. I wonder if he (like we sometimes do) was thinking God should have helped him have an easier way with leading the people. After all! It WAS God's idea....not his! That sounds familiar! Sometimes, though we are being truly obedient to do some glorious work...we are expecting the easiest way possible under God's direction...but then it turns out harder than one thought and even has to do with dealing with "self" issues too. Then we wonder in it. We get frustrated that reality didn't meet expectation. Does he have grounds for the complaints? I think so. It is a reality happening to him and though his prayer wasn't one of absolute faith in God, God honors when one bares their heart. David did that also and was helped. Is it a model prayer? If anyone wants the "perfect" prayer, this one probably wasn't it. Jesus gave us the model of that one and this one doesn't sound like it. Moses didn't just quietly and with complete trust, honor God, then ask for discernment and direction, but he did turn to God in his frustration instead of acting out, so I think it was an honest prayer. Why are we shown this prayer? To know that God sees us and does honor heart felt, honest prayers and to relate to the humanity of Moses. We tend to start thinking of our "Bible Heroes" as someone different than ourselves and they were really only humans, following God, acting like humans, finding faith and walking a journey with Him. We also see God's character through this prayer. He is just, but also loving and caring for our needs. How did God answer him? By directing him to appoint leaders to help him. He counseled him in supreme wisdom on how to handle the situation and make Moses's job more manageable. It's sure frustration when any one leader either TRIES to do anything by themselves or does not have others to help them. God also is going to send food, but food that will eventually leave them sick, so a disciplining action is seen here also.

In the burnt offering , the significance of the offerer laying his hands on the head of the animal to be sacrificed was one of transferring his sin, onto the animal, who would shed blood as an atonement for the sin. This is an example of the lesser being sacrificed for the greater. In contrast, Jesus who was the greater, was sacrificed for the lesser (us) but the same concept of Sacrificial Lamb/Paschal Lamb and the substitute for sin is the same. Jesus took our sins on Himself and paid for them by His blood. Our deliverance is through Him and because of Him. The offerer himself, was to slay the animal, because it helped bring the reality of the consequences of his sin directly before him. To take part in the sacrifice, is much more personal than just watching. I feel we have made the cross so sanitary today in this way. We don't really see the gruesome, cruel slaughter that Jesus suffered on our behalf. We should remember the pain and the blood He shed for us. It's so profound. We should count our suffering in our small part in Kingdom living a joy when we know we share in His suffering. What we do is really so very small. The animals blood was significant in that there is life in the blood and that there is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood. Then, the blood was required over and over as an atonement for sin. Today, we have the blood of Jesus as our atonement once and for all. Through His blood we receive life. We should remember the cost and live in reverence and gratefulness.

The arrangement of the furniture, the tabernacle and the courtyard show us a progression in worshiping God. Our first form of worship is coming before the Lord in prayer, then we confess our sin (bronze altar) and are washed clean of our sins, confessing the blood of the Lamb.(Laver) We then can enter into he Holy of Holies which is the very presence of God. Confession/Repentance of sin is important for our cleansing because we must confess we are sinners to accept the blood of the Lamb as forgiveness for our sins. Anyone who won't say they are a sinner, doesn't think they need cleansing or Jesus. But we, know we do, and confess that and repent of our sins. Accepting our salvation through His blood.

The significance of the Ark in the Holy of Holies was that it was set apart as holy. It was the equivalent of an Earthly throne of God and was the mercy seat and seat of reconciliation. The Ark housed most holy items. The ten Commandments, manna from Heaven and Aaron's Rod. Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies and only once a year, so it was a dedicated place for that which is very Holy. It represented God's presence with His people and God's mercy. It was considered most Holy because it was representative of God's dwelling place in Heaven. Even if no person sat on it, God's spirit was there and He offered mercy and reconciliation to the people through the Hifh Priest there.

The camp was laid out as it was because God commanded it to be that way. I'm in agreement, God is a God of order. He has an exact and perfect way of doing things for the peoples own good. He had exact instruction and an exact order of things and ways to carry it out. It wasn't for the people to question, but to obey. It was for meaningful lives in meaningful relationship with Him. In the same way today, we are to take instructions from Him and will live better, more meaningful lives through Him. The layout taught the people their place and purpose, that God has a specific design, and that He was in the midst (the very center) of them. The Levites and Priests were camped closer to the middle because they were chosen by God to be there, but they were also instructed to be more ceremonially consecrated and declared holy in their service to the Lord. They were anointed into this service.

Moses and the tent of meeting was important to his ministry because it was the place he met face to face with God. In it, he was in relationship with God. It was also a witness to the people of God. They saw him go into the tent and they saw the glory of God on Moses when he came out. It is called the tent of meeting because that's what it was.....a place to meet with God. What does it take for me to spend longer periods of time seeking God? I usually do seek Him often and every day, but some days, when I've been very busy for the day, I just have a sense of loss by the end of the day. I become restless until I take that time.... and every time.... I realize how much I missed just resting in Him or talking to Him or hearing from Him. I'm thankful for that feeling I get that says, "It's just not right without you God, every minute of every day. I'm in desperate need of You." I love the song I Need Thee Every Hourbecause it reflects so much truth. My ministries are greatly affected without that constant abiding in Him. For one, if I don't, the worldliness of living creeps in way to easily. I tend to be less prayerful about things and start walking by sight and not by faith. I can tend to feel alone (though it is I who would have left HIM) and I can get more frustrated. When I am abiding, I can trust in Faith in any circumstance, I can keep going forward trusting He is in everything and I can just wait on Him. I receive more instruction in spiritual wisdom and accomplish more by the power of the Holy Spirit. I am a better witness to others that way.

Why is interceding for the people so important for Moses? Because He was their caregiver. God had given him the role of leading and guiding the people. He was to take them to the promised land. It turned out to be a long journey, but his purpose was to lead them where God was telling him to take them. God was giving Moses instruction for the people, their lives and conduct and direction in where they were going. Moses was God's spokesperson to the people. I love the "heart" of Moses in his second prayer, after the slaughter, but don't want to loose the power of his first prayer. The prayer Moses offered first, was appealing to God's character and faithfulness and honor. God wanted to utterly destroy the people and Moses reminds God that He had brought them out of Egypt, with great power and a mighty hand. He says, "Why should the Egyptians say it was with evil intent that You brought them out to kill them on the mountain and to wipe them off the face of the Earth?" He then reminds of God's promises. "Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel to whom you swore by your own self, I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give all your descendants all this land." At this, the Lord relented. Moses appealed to God's faithfulness in promises and in preserving God's honor to a doubting outside world. He was submitting and honoring God, not just asking for the people to be spared. God did not destroy the people at that time, but He did call for a turning back to Him and obedience from the tribe of Levi to slaughter the people. Sin still was not tolerated. The second prayer was offered more in a "heart" for the people. "But now please forgive their sin-but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written." Here, he identifies in relationship with the people. He is offering self sacrifice for them. But God does not relent in this request. He just says, "Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. Now go lead the people....." Then He sent a plague. They were punished, but not destroyed as the others had been. The sin of no one was excused, those who turned back to God and were obedient to His command were spared the slaughter, but received the plague. We too today as leaders, need to know the character of God. He is sovereign and our direction is from Him. Our hearts should be in relationship with the people in our care....but first and foremost it should be that they know truth and obedience to God. Our whole purpose is in relationship with God to lead the people to God. That should be our prayer. To appeal to His character, in His purposes, so they may know Him. You can't lose with God first! In this world it might seem we are.... but only losers to things that don't matter, that will all pass away.....but just wait! Wait for the REAL promises. How does that song go? All the losers get a crown!

Aarons sins were many. He did not lead the people in the way of God. He did not instruct nor encourage them to wait on God (and Moses) reminding them of God's faithfulness in the past. He not only allowed the people an idol, he made it himself and partook in worshiping it with them leading them into compromise and the untruth that somehow they were having a festival for the Lord. In reality, it was an indulgence and revelry for themselves and the idol they had made. He let the people get out of control in every area whether spiritual or of the flesh. Then, when confronted, he still passed off his own responsibilities in it by blaming it on the people and their attitudes. He himself, had made the idol and the altar before the calf and proclaimed a festival and then allowed the party to get wild. But he confesses none of this, blames the people and shrugs it off in a "What was I supposed to do?" attitude. Why didn't he face his own sin? For one, he didn't want to face Moses anger (vs.22)and passing the blame seems sometimes the quickest way to defuse that. Only, rarely does that work on someone who knows truth. Moses knew the truth about sin and those who follow God's way and he knew Aaron had failed in leadership. Only God knows why Aaron got off so easily. Probably some was Moses prayer offered. I know God has great mercy on all He has made, but why He chooses to treat each one differently....I don't know. He just does and He's God and His ways are higher than ours....so we probably just won't get it. We just have to trust Him. Why must leaders be accountable for our actions? Because we need to have integrity. We need to be honest with ourselves and others and to live a higher standard. It is difficult to see in oneself a flaw that must be corrected and lived out and to have a deep sense of responsibility for the whole church to be faithful in that. And when we have failed, to say so. In those ways, we either demonstrate our commitment to Christ and living His way, or our faith in action confessing and accepting forgiveness in our human tendency to sin. We must learn from our mistakes in humbleness. We live our hope in Christ Jesus that way and bring Him honor as well as testimony to others struggling to find hope in Him and the truth of their salvation. We can't just "act" perfect. We must live out our faith in front of others.

Why were the people of Israel so quick to make idols after hearing the monotheism of the ten commandments that forbade worshiping graven images? The answer is found in verse 1 of Chapter 32. When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, come and make us gods who will go before us. As for that fellow Moses, we don't know what happened to him! The people know they need a "god" and a leader, that's inherent, but now, the leader (and his God)who led them out of Egypt seems gone, out of sight, and doesn't seem to be coming back any time soon. So, they are quick to turn to anything that will fill that core need. They ask Aaron who is second in command to "give then a god." No matter it's not the REAL God. They just want a god to go before them. Someone or something to fill that need. Why did Aaron facilitate their sin? For one, he had let the people get out of control (vs. 25) and he was weak in character as shown in vs. 22-24. He did not own up to his sin in leading the people wrongly, he blamed the people for his own sin. I see it as "the natives got restless" and he appeased them any way he could. He really didn't stand on any faith himself or he would have instructed waiting on God (and Moses return)and would have trusted in God for controlling the people. He just didn't want any trouble and took the easy way out. How did the golden calf make God feel? Fierce anger. So much so, He wanted to be left alone and have his anger burn against them and He wanted to destroy them. What are idols today? I think the number one idol is self. Just as the people of Israel tried to substitute a golden idol for what they truly needed,(God)we do the same today. Instead of having God as number one and provider of all things GOOD for us, WAITING for Him in all of it, accepting it may not look like what WE thought it would be, we turn to many things to fill up. Money, power, position, success at all cost, society standards and self importance in them, postmodern thinking (that one says we can make anything up as we go! If we think it, it must be true.) There is no standard there! We compromise truth, twist truth, justify going away from truth....all for self. We turn from God and His teachings that are the opposite, that could cause us to be humble, selfless and giving, instead of taking.