Episode Transcript
PRAYER OF CONSECRATION
Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
Abba, I belong to you.
I lift up my heart to you.
I set my mind on you.
I fix my eyes on you.
I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice.
Today, I receive afresh in my inmost being the transforming gift of your Son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
Exodus 32:7–14
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’
“I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 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 your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
CONSIDER THIS
God heard the prayers of the Israelites, but it was Moses he knew personally. By this point, God is severely disappointed in the Israelites. Did you notice how, in verse 7, he refers to them in conversation with Moses as “your people”? That was intentional. He even goes so far as to say Moses was the one who brought them up out of Egypt. In verse 9, he calls them “these people.”
Contrast that with how he referenced them back in chapter 19: “‘Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel” (vv. 5–6 ESV).
Here’s what arrests me. The Israelites all witnessed the plagues, the Passover, the Red Sea, the cloud by day and fire by night, the water from the rock, the defeat of the Amalekites. They saw the thick clouds, the thunder and lightning, the black billowy smoke, and the blaring trumpet blast. Despite all of this, they seemingly had no fear of God. In fact, after all this, they were the ones running low on patience.
The real story here is God’s waning patience with the Israelites. “‘I have seen these people,’ the Lord said to Moses, ‘and they are a stiff-necked people.’”
This is the one thing you never want God to say about you. What does it mean to be stiff-necked? It means to be stubborn, willful, high-handed, imperious, and, at times, even supercilious. (I threw that last one in there for the logophiles among us!). Stiff-necked is the twin brother of controlling. They are not identical twins, mind you, but fraternal twins. A controlling nature and a stiff-necked disposition work in concert. The way a controlling person keeps control is through some form of being stiff-necked.
Here’s the most dangerous thing about being a stiff-necked person: Of all the things you are certain of the most, you are most certain you are not a stiff-necked person. This makes one impervious to repentance. Here’s how God feels about that:
Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them.
There’s something really special going on in today’s text. God has ever so subtly provoked Moses into his school of prayer. Observe the spirit of godly intercession rising up in Moses, the man of God. Watch it unfold:
But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God.
I don’t think I have ever thought of prayer in this fashion—of seeking the favor of God. I think I mostly assume I have the favor of God. Repentance #1 for me.
“Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?”
Notice the pronouns here. Moses corrects God’s grammar, referencing the Israelites as “your” people that “you” brought up out of Egypt. It is as though Moses says, “God, this is your rodeo, not mine.” He even questions God’s anger. This is bold intercession. Next, he makes an honor/shame appeal before God.
“Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’?”
He follows this with a piercingly straightforward petition—a demand even:
Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people.
And if that weren’t enough, he makes his closing appeal by reminding God of his own Word and covenant.
“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 your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’”
Just wow! After breaking this down, it occurs to me that God has outwitted Moses. I think the whole thing was a test for Moses. Would Moses abandon God’s people, or would Moses dare to take up God’s own interest in his people? Here's the most amazing thing about God in the face of controlling idolaters and stiff-necked people. He loves us anyway.
This is what God is looking for in us—someone who will not give up on God’s people even when it seems like God has given up on them himself. God is looking for someone who will love them anyway.
And isn't that the secret of intercession—not our reluctant tolerance of people we don't prefer—but participating in the movement of the unswerving, relentless, jealous love of Jesus (who indwells us) for them?
Moses loved them anyway. Will I?
THE PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE
Lord Jesus, you are my Deliverer.
Thank you for this powerful exchange you had with Moses on Mount Sinai. In the midst of outright rebellion, you disciple Moses after your own heart. Train my heart to love like this and believe like this and to not let go of your people. Remind me how you have done the same thing for me.
I receive your deliverance from my easy willingness to walk away from people who have hurt or offended me. I receive your deliverance into your mind and heart to "love them anyway." I receive your deliverance from my reluctant tolerance of difficult people and into your transformational love for them. I receive your deliverance from my prayers and into your praying.
It will be for your glory, for others' gain, and for our good.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be. World without end, amen! Amen!
