11/12/2024 – Day 142 – Exodus – Chapters 29 – 32/ Tough stuff indeed – Just Trust and Obey THE GREAT I AM! / Thoughts? Reflections?
“Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.” Exodus 31: 15 – 16
As I have noted, the near term vision is to have say seven brothers take a given day for the year for weekly commentary. Seven would make for a richer commentary. But you go with what you got, I’m not giving up, for that would be grieving the Holy Spirit! And by God’s grace, I am not whining here although I am prone to that. haha. Even mentors like Job and Jeremiah, to name just two, were prone to that. You gotta grow though. But, I had a nudge this morning to go back to Tuesday for this commentary note:
So, I felt compelled to look at what Matthew Henry and John Gill had to say about these two verses. Matthew Henry didn’t elaborate much at all, and John Gill’s commentary either, except to point to the first biblical account of someone that was put to death for this very reason. Here is his comment:
whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, [he] shall surely be
put to death;
the Targum of Jonathan adds, by casting stones, and so we find that the first transgressor of this law we read of was stoned to death, ( Numbers 15:35 Numbers 15:36 ) .
C.S. Lewis had a book entitled: “God in the Dock”. God forbid we should put the THE GREAT I AM in the dock. (fyi: English “dock” = “witness stand”)
_____________________________________
Before I close commentary on this reading, I would like to share a Matthew Henry’s excerpt commentary on the Ten Commandments, Chapter 31: verses 12 – 18:
“1. The Ten Commandments which God had spoken upon Mount Sinai in the hearing of all the people were now written, in perpetuam rei memoriam – for a perpetual memorial, because that which is written remains. 2. They were written in tablets of stone, to denote the perpetual duration of it. 3. They were written with the finger of God, that is, by his will and power immediately. it is God only that can write his law in the heart; by his Spirit, which is the finger of God, that is, by his will and power immediately. It is God only that can write his law in the heart; by his Spirit, which is the finger of God, that is, by his will and power immediately. It is God only that can write his law in the heart; by his Spirit, which is the finger of God, he writes his will in the fleshly tables of the heart, 2 Corinthians iii 3. 4. They were written in two tables, being designed to direct us in our duty both towards God and towards man. 5. They are called tables of testimony, because this written law testified both the will of God concerning them and his goodwill towards them, and would be a testimony against them if they were disobedient.”
_____________________________
Insert – my comment:
Only Almighty God can judge ultimately. We read in the New Testament in two of the synoptic gospels: “To whom much is given, much will be required.” Reflect for a moment: These people had recently had front row seats to the Lord’s incomprehensible miracles to deliver them from Egyptian bondage, yet what do they do but turn right around and worship a golden calf idol. I submit that might very well fall under the “one unforgivable sin” that Jesus talked about.
____________________________
Questions for fellowship generation, the lifelong sanctification process:
- What does the text reveal about God’s character?
- How has this reading generated prayer for you and/or us?
- What themes stand out to you in this bible study?
- How does our reading fit into the bigger picture (creation, the fall, restoration, etc.)?
- What verse(s) jumped out at you like never before? Is it explainable at this point?
- Do you have any questions you would like to put before the group as to how to interpret any particular verse(s) in our reading. Let scripture testify to scripture: Share with us where you sense contradiction between passages elsewhere.
- What did you find convicting and inspiring at the same time? Share with us how the Spirit of God is working within you as a messenger, both within and outside of our fellowship group.
- Share with the group how our study is calling or confirming to you a new mission to glorify God in our times.
SolI Deo Gloria!