Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today is taken from the book of Exodus, Chapter 32, verses 11 and 12, “Moses implored the Lord his God and said: O Lord, turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on the people,” (NRSVB). While Moses was on the Mount receiving the Commandments from God, the Israelites were down in the valley, waiting for Moses to return from his meeting with God. Instead of praying to God and seeking the will of the Lord, waiting to receive the Words of God, through the Lord’s servant, Moses, the Israelites made a golden calf. A calf like they saw the Egyptians made, and under the leadership of Moses’ brother, Aaron, they worshipped this calf. They grew tired of waiting for Moses to return from his meeting with God and decided to follow the old practices that God wanted to remove from the hearts and minds of the nation of Israel. God brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egyptian and the bondage of the religious cultic practices, in order to create a new and God-fearing nation. God, because of his righteousness, cannot overlook sin; he cannot pretend that disobedience did not happen and that wrongful doings will not lead to disaster. He has to set things right by calling the people who have offended him repentant. Moses comes to God, and intercedes and repents on behalf of the Israelites. He asks God to rather take his life, as a ransom for the disobedience of the people. God assures Moses that he has heard his intercession and will give the people another chance to receive his word. Sin is to disregard God of his Lordship by praising humans, creatures and images. Creating images and bowing down to them is an act of rebellion against the kingship of God. It presupposes that humans can create gods; however, these gods are only carved from the materials God created. These man-made gods have no power, nor agency, their glory are figments of human imagination. Moses was shocked to think that his own brother could have led the Israelites in idol worship just at the point when they were being given the perfect commandments of the Lord God, Creator of Heaven and Earth. Moses crushed the golden calf to powder and scattered it on the water, demonstrating the powerlessness of the calf idol! Notwithstanding the disobedience of Israel, God listened to Moses’ intercession on their behalf. God turned from his anger at their rejection and rebellion and continued to lead Israel and bring them ultimately to Canaan.
Intercession means to bring a person or situation to the Lord and stand in the gap on behalf of people; spending time with God in prayer requesting deliverance from spiritual and physical danger. Abraham interceded with God for the people around him, so did Noah and the prophets and priests who were obedient to God’s call. Jesus Christ promised, “And I would ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, the Advocate, that He remain with you forever, The Spirit of Truth,” (John 14 verses 16 and 17). Jesus interceded on behalf of humanity with his Father while he dwelled on earth. The ultimate intercession was his death on the Cross, and his victory over sin and death. Jesus promised that he would send the Holy Spirit to guide and intercede for his flock on earth; he will never leave them alone like orphans, without someone to stand in the gap for them. We have the Spirit interceding on our behalf as he dwells in us on earth. Christ Jesus intercedes for us before his Father in heaven. We therefore have this consolation that we are forgiven. God’s condemnation against the sin of humans has been swallowed up by the death and resurrection of our Lord for us. “If anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous,” First Letter of John, Chapter 2 verse 1. Jesus’ plea for us has been heard and granted.
Father, we thank you that you forgive us our sins through the work of your Son, Amen.