Read Exodus 19:1-20:26 and Exodus 32:1-35.

On Day 9 we considered how God used Moses to deliver His people from slavery in Egypt. He brought them out in order for them to be set apart exclusively to Him. Exodus 19:1-8 outlines how at Mount Sinai God and the Israelites were effectively betrothed to one another.

In the remainder of chapter 19 God told His bride to prepare herself to come and meet Him up close, in the intimacy of the mountain (the trumpets are a traditional part of a Jewish wedding that announce the imminent arrival of the bridegroom). The people were terrified by the noise, smoke and fire and begged Moses to go up and meet God as their representative, which he did.

The people were terrified by the noise, smoke and fire and begged Moses to go up and meet God as their representative, which he did.

Whilst he was there, God gave Moses the terms of the marriage contract – the 10 Commandments (moral and civil guidelines so that Israel could live as the kind of bride He intended her to be) – and the instructions for the tabernacle which represents the marital home where bride and groom would regularly meet together.

Whilst Moses was with God, the faithless people were already committing adultery! At first, God was grieved and angry but Moses pleaded for forgiveness and v.14 of chapter 32 says “The Lord relented”. In chapter 34:5-8 we read how God came down powerfully and met intimately with Moses, again re-affirming over and over His faithful and enduring love for His chosen people. Truly Father God loves forever.

After a period of 40 years wandering in the desert i.e., until the original rebellious group brought out of Egypt had died off, God eventually took His people into the long-Promised Land. Joshua led the people in successive victories but after his death Israel struggled to keep the land they had gained.

We read how God came down powerfully and met intimately with Moses, again re-affirming over and over His faithful and enduring love for His chosen people.

The book of Judges depicts years of cyclical behaviour: the people sinned, God raised up a leader (judge), they repented and turned back to Him for a while; the people sinned, et.al. Eventually we read in Judges 17:6: “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” It seems that without a human intermediary the people were incapable of faithfully following God for themselves.

Additional reading: Judges 17:6 & 21:25.

Prayer Time:

Reflect on all you have learned today.

• In what ways has your perception of Father God’s heart of covenant love grown?
  

Spend some time thanking and worshipping God that forever He loves and that He has, forever, loved you.
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Further devotionals in this series can be accessed here.