Pure Worship--Ex 34

If you ask someone for descriptive names of God, most will give you names such as —He if Faithful, He is Just, He is Kind, He is Loving, He is Powerful.  These are all so very true and found throughout Scripture.  But there is one name of God that is often left out when his attributes are listed with his name and that is the name Jealous.  Exodus 34:14 says this:  “For the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”

He is not jealous in the exact way we understand jealousy.  Our jealousy is often rooted in a lack of trust and possessiveness.  Lace it with even but a small dose of envy and this type of jealousy Scripture says “rots the bones” (Prov 14:30).  But there is a jealousy that is actually  righteous.  It is the jealousy of when a covenant relationship is violated by the bringing in of another—an adulteress relationship. 

Interestingly when one looks at God’s jealousy throughout Scripture, it is always found in the context of worship.  “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Ex 20:5; Deut 5:9).  “Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Ex 34:14).  God is jealous for our undivided worship.  And worship in this context is more than just singing songs.  It is the unadulterated obedience and the singleness of our affections to Him alone. 

God, in covenant relationship with his people, is jealous of any other lovers.  He does not share himself with other gods and/or other loves.  This is not a popular understanding.  It is contrary to a culture that is increasingly moving toward ‘all roads lead to God’ and ‘it doesn’t matter what I do and how I live as long as I’m a good person.’  But God makes it clear—‘if you want me, there must be no other lovers nor will I tolerate flirtation.’  And isn’t this what every committed, covenant relationships asks?  That when there’s an “I do” in a relationship that there’s an “I don’t” to all others?  It’s not bondage, it’s freedom—freedom that can only be found in the context of commitment.   How much joy is there in a relationship when there are secret others on the side? 

God is a perfect gentleman.  He does not force himself on others.  He gives all mankind the choice to love him or not.  But one thing is for sure, if we choose Him He wants all of us or none of us.  There is no other option.

Training

There are times when it seems like there's a lot of wandering and not a clear direction.  It's the sheep who asks the shepherd, "Where are we going again?  Is there any way you can send some encouragement this way?"

And then there is wisdom in the life of Moses.   Perhaps he thought his mission was over.  He had left the halls of the princes for the sheep in the desert after he had killed a man.  He married.  He had children.  And I doubt he expected anything different than raising a family and living the shepherd's life.

But "God's gifts and his call are irrevocable" (Rom 11:29).  While Moses thought he was just chasing sheep in the desert, look at what the Lord God Almighty was doing:

1)  Moses knew nothing about desert life.  He was an Egyptian city boy.  Worse, he was a royal palace kid.  Translation--he knew nothing about surviving in the desert.  Now he was an expert.

2)  Moses had never really learned about leading people.  He had driven them yes,  but leading them?  Perhaps not so much.  But now he was a father and learning to be a leader to his children.  The requirement for elders even in the New Testament. 

3)  In the first 40 years of his life he knew his call but trusted himself to make it happen by killing a man.  Now he was trusting God.

4) He started out what in the palace being a bit proud.  Now he was so humbled he wasn't quite sure he was the one.

The years that Moses might have thought he was wandering were actually years he was in training.  Had he lead his people when he was a young man it probably would've been disastrous.  He needed that dependency on the Lord, the knowledge of the desert, the training to be a leader and so much more.  It was essential to his call, even when others and perhaps even himself may have thought the mission was one of wandering.

God's Second Best--Ex 33

It's kind of disturbing actually to think about.

God was super angry at the Israelites.  The Golden Calf drama (Ex 32-33) was more than He could take.  They traded Him, God Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth for a golden statue?!  The God who delivered them so dramatically from such horrific oppression?!  There had been unending grieving of God, but this was the ultimate.

'Moses,' he said,  "Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants.'  I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites"  Only one thing, "Tell the Israelites, 'You are a stiff-necked people.  If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you" (Ex 33:1-5).

God keeps his promises.  Even when He's unbearably hurt.  If He said He will do it, He will do it.  And this is exactly what he said to Moses.  'You go, but I won't be going with you.  I am too angry and I might destroy them.'  Instead, he said,  'I will send an angel in my place to see that all my promises are fulfilled.'

The Lord ached to be their Presence.  Their God.  Their King.  But the Israelites were in constant rebellion and so he gave them the next best thing, his angels.  Moses could have left it at that.  It would've been easy and the promises would be fulfilled.  But it wasn't enough.  Nothing against angels, but there is NO comparison to the Presence of God.  Not for God.  And not for Moses.

"Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.  How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?  What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" (vv. 15-16).

"And the Lord said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know  you by name" (v. 14).

I believe God relented because He honored Moses' friendship.  God is no push-over God.  He will not be treated disrespectfully forever.  But He does have a soft spot for those who love Him and walk humbly before Him.  Thank God for men like Moses who are those kind of men.

When I think of this Scripture I sometimes wonder how often in our ministries we work with the power of angels instead of the Presence of God.  God is so good and faithful that He will fulfill His promises no matter what we do.  But are we content with angels instead of God's Presence?  Are we willing to say to God, if your Presence does not go with me, please don't send me?

We are in the same boat.  If the Presence of God does not go with us, then we are no different than the Boys and Girls Club or the Gardening Association or other organizations that are doing mostly good things to serve their community.  If God's Presence does not go with us, there is nothing to distinguish us because there are many who do good who have nothing to do with God.  We become just another do-good organization.  If not for your Presence, then "What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"

I don't know about you, but I don't want to be one who is Ok with angels.  It might seem appealing because the promises of God still are fulfilled but for me, if Your Presence Lord does not go with me, then Lord, please do not send me. 

The Rest for the Poor--Ex 23:11 (Study on the Poor #2)

It's hard enough to work 6 days and take the 7th off.  Ok, so it's not hard.  We just don't do it.   I actually do try although it is tricky to figure out what one is to actually "do" on the Sabbath.   Read books?  Watch TV?  That's fun for a bit but then gets boring.  Regardless, God says rest.  I rest.

But now the harder challenge.  Can you imagine gaining your income from farming and told you were to work the land 6 years and then let it rest for 1 year?  A whole year?!  How would you eat?  How would you pay bills?  How would you provide for your family?  God says we need rest.  And also the land.   Rest.

I wonder how this worked.  Did they save up double in the 6th year like they did with the manna that fell from heaven?  How would provision come for year #7?  Did they find other work?  If so what did they do?  I don't really know and neither does Google.  Now that's a real crisis.

But there's another reason for letting the land rest.  It was not just for the Sabbath.  It was also for the poor.

^{Ex 23:10} “For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, ¹¹ but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

The land would produce a little based on what accidentally fell in the soil.  And vineyards and olive groves would continue to produce.  This is what belonged to the poor.  

It may be worth mentioning that the farmer did not do all the work and then give it directly to the poor (although we will read later that there is this kind of provision as well), but the year of the Sabbath rest made provision for the poor to find work.  This preserves the dignity of the poor and that is priceless.  

So how does that look today?  We don't exactly know how to make bread from grains and if we did, not all of us have a grain mill on our kitchen counter.   Nor is our sustenance mainly from farming anymore.  We are more of an industrial culture.

One way that has grown tremendously that carries this same sort of spirit is making provision for the poor to find work is microfinance.   It is about empowering those who need hand up with a small sum of money to develop a business.  Microfinance, although slower than direct hand-outs is having tremendous payout.  Here is the story of one ministry and how it works for them:

Or how about this story from the book I've been reading, "Hole in Our Gospel":

"I met this remarkable woman named Lida Sargsyan a few years ago in Armenia, a country still recovering...  A talented seamstress, she had approached World Vision several years earlier for a loan of a few hundred dollars to buy a sewing machine.  She repaid that loan quickly and took additional loans to buy more equipment and supplies, each time a bit larger and each time paying them back with interest.  She was building and growing an apparel business specializing in tailored suits for men, women, and children.

As we walked into her factory, I was astonished to find large sewing and cutting machines, a warehouse full of supplies, a shipping room filled with orders soon to be shipped, and forty employees!  She was virtually bursring with pride as she showed me what had been able to create with her own talents--and a few strategic loans form World Vision.

We ended the tour in her office, where she pulled our printed proofs of her fall catalog.  In it were photographs of all of her new styles and products for the coming season.  This catalog would be distributed not only throughout Armenia but also in several neighboring countries--she had gone international.  The point is, years earlier, World Vision could have simply given her handouts to address her poverty, but instead we chose to believe in her--and to give her a hand up.  As a result, she and forty others were drawing paychecks to support their families.

As I was leaving, I told her that while I had been the CEO of two American companies, I had rarely met anyone as talented as her in business.  Obviously delight, she smiled at me and said, "Not too bad for a woman, eh?"

Empowering the poor to provide for themselves is what I believe we can take from this text.  The poor aren't dumb or all lazy as we would like to believe, but some just need an an opportunity.  In an agrarian society, this was one system in place that provided opportunities for the poor to find work. 

Keep Justice Just--Ex 23:2,6 (Study on the Poor #1)

The heart leads us all over the place and this can happen in particular with lawsuits.  I remember reading a missionary story about a man who had a legal dispute with his brother-in-law.  The two men went before the missionary woman who somehow had become a judge in their village.  The man who owed his brother-in-law but couldn't repay was clearly in the wrong.   He wasn't able to make things right but he was also angry with the brother-in-law because nightly this man beat the pulp out of his sister.   He couldn't stand this abuse and felt it was unjust to pay his brother-in-law when he was treating his own flesh and blood sister to terribly.  So the missionary had to decide what was just.  Should the abusive brother-in-law win the case because he was in the right?  Or should the brother win because while he knew he was in the wrong, he wanted to protect his sister?  In our culture we would separate this offenses and deal with each one accordingly, but in group culture and village life these issues are not so easily separated.  Legal matters often relationship based.  (In one village I know about unforgiveness is the most serious crime you can commit--worse than murder, adultery, etc...)  So if you were in this woman's shoes, how would you make a decision?

Justice is important and no one is exempt.  The very first verse in the Bible regarding the poor talks about two sides we can sway to in regards to the poor.  Our compassionate and tender side would like to extend grace and mercy to the poor man when a lawsuit is brought against him.  Yet our people pleasing side would like to side with the crowd.  Which one is correct?  Which is more like God?  Neither of them.  God expects justice. 

^{Ex 23:2} “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, ³ and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.

 ⁶ “Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits

^{Lev 19:15} “‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. 


So the poor man is neither above justice or below it, like any fellow human being he is subject to it.  If he is guilty then we must not show him favoritism no matter where our heart strings are tugging.  If he is in the right, then neither we do not deny him/her justice.  Decisions are not based on the money in their pockets or the crowds at their back, but by the righteousness or unrighteousness of their actions.   This is the heart of God

So how did the missionary woman respond?  The brother was handed the verdict that he was in the wrong and had to make amends to his brother-in-law.  The brother-in-law smugly rejoiced over the brother.  The crowd was disappointed but knew the woman had done the legally right thing.  But the missionary woman didn't stop there.  She then issued another verdict.  She told the brother that at an appointed time he was to beat his brother-in-law harshly in front of the village elders for what he had done to his sister, and if for any reason he showed any mercy to his brother-in-law, he himself would be most severely punished.   The people were amazed at the woman's wisdom. 

My God is Jealous--James 4

"He is jealous for me...loves like a hurricane, I am a tree bowing beneath the weight of his wind and mercy..."

So begins a very beautiful song by well-known group.  And it is reflective of something I've been thinking about the last month--the jealousy of God.

In the Old Testament we read that one of the names of God is "Jealous" (Ex 34:14)  And pretty much when God's jealousy is referred to in relation to God, it is in the context of worship.  God is jealous for our worship and he will allow no other lovers.  None.


We find this reality again in James 4:5.  People were envying the ways of the world and it was causing fights and arguments among them.  But God makes it clear--he will not tolerate any other loves.  "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God" (Jms 4:4)?  "Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely" (Jms 4:5)?  Other translations render this "jealousy."

God is jealous.  Not only does he not want me to engage in immoral activity outside of this covenant relationship, he has no toleration for flirting.  To be a friend of the world is to have "hatred toward God and to be his "enemy" (Jms 4:4).  Strong words.  I have no desire to be an enemy of God.   That's a rough day.

And yet in the church I see greed openly manifest, envy to get ahead wrecking relationships, couples living together, etc...  Is there any other way in which we could more befriend the world?  And I look at my own heart.  The reality is that I too find myself envying what the life of the ungodly.  And that's dangerous ground.  Fortunately one of the most beautiful pictures of repentance and God's heart towards the repentant is right here in James 4:5-10--"He gives us more grace...come near to God and he will come near to you...humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up."


And at the end of the day the reality of God's jealousy is something I find comforting.  It tells of his fierce love for me.  Fierce enough that he has no tolerance for flirting, and at the same time will offer grace and forgiveness when needed.  That's a safe place to be.


As the song goes...

"He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all"

Pure Worship--Ex 34

If you ask someone for descriptive names of God, most will give you names such as —He is Faithful, He is Just, He is Kind, He is Loving, He is Powerful.  These are all so very true and found throughout Scripture.  But there is one name of God that is often left out when his attributes are listed with his name and that is the name Jealous.  Exodus 34:14 says this:  “For the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.”

He is not jealous in the exact way we understand jealousy.  Our jealousy is often rooted in a lack of trust and possessiveness.  Lace it with even but a small dose of envy and this type of jealousy Scripture says “rots the bones” (Prov 14:30).  But there is a jealousy that is actually  righteous.  It is the jealousy of when a covenant relationship is violated by the bringing in of another—an adulteress relationship. 

Interestingly when one looks at God’s jealousy throughout Scripture, it is always found in the context of worship.  “You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God” (Ex 20:5; Deut 5:9).  “Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Ex 34:14).  God is jealous for our undivided worship.  And worship in this context is more than just singing songs.  It is the unadulterated obedience and the singleness of our affections to Him alone. 

God, in covenant relationship with his people, is jealous of any other lovers.  He does not share himself with other gods and/or other loves.  This is not a popular understanding.  It is contrary to a culture that is increasingly moving toward ‘all roads lead to God’ and ‘it doesn’t matter what I do and how I live as long as I’m a good person.’  But God makes it clear—‘if you want me, there must be no other lovers nor will I tolerate flirtation.’  And isn’t this what every committed, covenant relationships asks?  That when there’s an “I do” in a relationship that there’s an “I don’t” to all others?  It’s not bondage, it’s freedom—freedom that can only be found in the context of commitment.   How much joy is there in a relationship when there are secret others on the side? 

God is a perfect gentleman.  He does not force himself on others.  He gives all mankind the choice to love him or not.  But one thing is for sure, if we choose Him He wants all of us or none of us.  There is no other option.