February 9-15, 2025

Heart Preparation:
As you read, ask God to show you the timeless truths in these chapters of Exodus & Leviticus, and to help you through the mundane of the detailed readings and see the God that they point us to. 


Weekly Reading

• Sunday, February 9: Exodus 30-32
• Monday, February 10: Exodus 33-35
• Tuesday, February 11: Exodus 36-38
• Wednesday, February 12: Exodus 39-40
• Thursday, February 13: Leviticus 1-4
• Friday, February 14: Leviticus 5-7
• Saturday, February 15: Leviticus 8-10

What to Expect
This week, we start out with Moses on Mt. Sanai with God. He is receiving instructions from God about the tabernacle. Meanwhile, the Israelite people talk Aaron into making them a golden calf to worship in place of God. God is not happy about this,and sends Moses back to deal with them. God suggests wiping them out and making a new nation out of Moses, but Moses stands up for them. Moses breaks the stone tablets that God made when he sees the people worshipping an idol and breaking the commands of God. Moses grinds up the calf and puts it in the water for them to drink (the first DE CAF). Moses makes them choose sides and ends up sending the Levites to kill those who choose to serve the idol. About 3000 men were killed that day. Moses continues his conversation with God and tells God to kill him if he plans to wipe out the Israelites. Moses spends 40 days and Nights with God on the mountain, where he gets to see the back side of God. He returned to the people with his face so bright from God's presence that he had to wear a veil. We see the people start the journey to the promised land. As we wrap up Exodus, we see the tabernacle being constructed exactly as God had designed it, and God's presence filling it with a cloud over it by day and a pillar of fire over it by night.

We start Leviticus out with instructions on the different offerings that need to be made to make restitution for the sins of the people. Moses consecrates Aaron and his sons as priests to serve in the tabernacle. Not long after the priests were consecrated, two of Aaron's sons offered incense to God without following their instructions, and were consumed by fire from God. Aaron and his remaining sons continue to serve in the tabernacle, while Moses does his best to keep things moving in the direction that God laid out for them.


Things to Look For
As you read through this portion of Moses and the Israelites' journey, keep an eye out for how God tests how committed Moses is to the people. In Chapter 32 v. 7, God calls them "your people, whom you brought out of Egypt", and Moses calls them "your people, who you brought out of Egypt" to God. It sound s like my wife and I, when one of the kids is in trouble. Moses intercedes for the people more than once in this section which builds up his commitment to the people of God. Also be watching in this section for how many times it mentions things being done "to The Lord". This signifies the importance of what God is laying out as instructions for the people. They aren't merely things to keep themselves busy, but they are things to do in order to keep their focus on God and what he has done and continues to do for them.


Personal Insights
My mind keeps going back to the goodness of God, as I think about this section of scripture. The constant up and down of the Israelite people would have been enough for me to wipe them out if I was God. Thankfully, I am not God. God continues to forgive and work with these people in spite of how they continually turn their backs on Him. He continues to use Moses and Aaron after they make mistakes and don't get things right. God had every right to wipe these people and any memory of them off the face of the earth at any time, but He chose not to. He also recorded it in His Holy Bible for us to read. Here is why I believe that He did it that way. 

God knows everything about every person that has been and will ever be. He knows our shortcomings and how evil we can be, but His desire is for us to love Him like He loves us. Any father who has had a young child that meets him at the door with a big hug and an "I Love You",  has had a glimpse of what God desires from us. God cares for us and wants what is best for us so much that He is willing to give anything for us to come into a right relationship with Him. The perfect example of this is Jesus giving His life as payment for our sins on that cruel Roman cross. 

Whether you are on the mountain top or in the dark valley this week, remember that God still loves you and wants a relationship with you. Keep Him first in your thoughts, prayers and actions this week and make sure that everything you do this week is done "to THE LORD"!


Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for being such a loving Father. Your patience and love for your people and for us is incredible. We are so undeserving of any good thing from You, but You continue to bless us beyond belief. Thank you for the salvation that you offer to us and the eternal life that we look forward to. Please help us to keep our focus on you this week in everything that we do. Help us to be patient with others and show them the love that you continually show us. Help us to point others to a relationship with you and be good examples to those that we deal with. In the Holy Name of Jesus, Amen
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This week's devotion was prepared by Todd Lacen. Todd is an elder at Center Christian Church, teaches an adult Sunday school class, and serves in the sound-booth as well as other various ministries at Center.