Exodus 34 Rewritten
God has called Moses back up to Mt. Sini where the stone tablets are rewritten for the people. God focuses on the covenant made between Him and His people.
We don’t know how much time has passed between Moses and Joshua coming down into the midst of Israel’s sin and Moses returning to the mountain. He didn’t get to go up again until God called him to do so. Moses wasn’t totally without his time with the Lord. They met together at the Tent of Meeting instead. This is where God called him to come up again. And to bring two new tablets so His Laws could be inscribed on them.
Moses has just had THE MOST incredible experience of his life! His encounter with the Lord at the Burning Bush was amazing. Crossing the Red Sea on dry land was a miracle beyond miracles. Mana every morning was something he would NEVER forget. These ALL paled in comparison to Moses being allowed to SEE the Lord. Granted, it wasn’t God’s face, bit it WAS Him!
Right after this encounter, Moses asked that God’s presence go with the people. He wants them to experience God’s presence and protection. God already promised that He would go with Israel. Now, it’s time to work on writing out God’s Laws. Let’s join Moses as he breathes deep the presence of the Lord and rewrites what God once wrote, for the people.
♥ ♦ ♥
Moses lays the two new tablets on the stone that held the originals. God had SO MUCH written on them! God had used BOTH SIDES when He wrote it all out for Moses. There is a LOT of work ahead. God told Moses that he would be inscribing the tablets this time. Moses brought a chisel and mallet along for that very purpose.
Moses settles into the presence of the Lord. Here he is safe and loved. He could rest here forever, but there is much work to be done. “I’m ready Lord.”
“As am I, My son.”
God took a moment, before allowing Moses to begin his work. His eyes were alight as He shared His heart with Moses. “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the Lord, for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.” (Exodus 34:10)
Moses was took in this promise. God didn’t say a “new covenant”, so Moses presumed he wouldn’t be going down the mountain and asking the people to consent. They had already agreed to God’s conditions, even though they already broke faith with Him. God was reaffirming the covenant He already made. A ‘fresh start’ for the people.
“Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” (Exodus 34:27)
God begins giving Moses the words He first spoke to the people. His initial ten commandments. Moses carefully and lovingly begins imprinting them into the stone tablets. This was a MUCH easier process when God did it Himself! Moses had exhausted his skillset with making the new tablets. He was not a stone craftsman. But God gave him the skills he needed. Moses watched as his own hands expertly moved over the stone, leaving God’s words in their wake.
As Moses worked inscribing God’s words into the stone, God chose times of rest for him. During these times, God imprinted His deepest thoughts onto Moses’ heart. One such time, the Lord reaffirmed His intent to make Israel into a great nation.
“Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.” (Exodus 34:11)
Moses feels the warning that these words held. He waited on the Lord to show it to him.
“I am glad you understand this, Moses. Your desire to know the ‘But’ pleases Me.” God now shares with Moses the BIGGEST snare that waits for His people. Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it become a snare in your midst. You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim (for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God), lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and when they whore after their gods and sacrifice to their gods and you are invited, you eat of his sacrifice, and you take of their daughters for your sons, and their daughters whore after their gods and make your sons whore after their gods.” (Exodus 34:12-16)
Moses ears cannot help but hear the strong language God uses when speaking of the people chasing after other gods. The wound Israel already inflicted on Him is still tender. He is making CERTAIN that His people know the depth of that hurt. This is NOT something to be taken lightly.
Even though this was a rest time, Moses felt compelled to include this warning in the tablets of stone the Lord has him engraving. This is a lesson the people MUST remember!
“You shall not make for yourself any gods of cast metal.” (Exodus 17)
“Good reminder God! Thank You for putting that in.”
Moses continued inscribing the Lord’s words. After a time, the Lord moved to the area of coming before Him as a whole people to honor Him. Included in this honor was recognizing that HE is FIRST. The FIRST of everything belongs to Him. As Israel was His first among ALL the nations, so shall Israel give the first, and best, of what the Lord provides; man, beast, fields, and crops.
“You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib, for in the month Abib you came out from Egypt. All that open the womb are mine, all your male livestock, the firstborn of cow and sheep. The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. And none shall appear before me empty-handed.
“Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering at the year’s end. Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the Lord God, the God of Israel. For I will cast out nations before you and enlarge your borders; no one shall covet your land, when you go up to appear before the Lord your God three times in the year.
“You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the sacrifice of the Feast of the Passover remain until the morning. The best of the firstfruits of your ground you shall bring to the house of the Lord your God.” (Exodus 34:18-26a)
Moses diligently wrote. He neither stopped for food or water. The Lord was his strength and rest during their entire time together. Moses knew they were at the end of the Lord’s Law when he heard these words; “You shall not boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.” (Exodus 34:26b) He remembered this conclusion from his first time hearing the Lord’s words. Once he had inscribed these words on the stone tablet, he set aside his tools.
“Lord, this has been an amazing time with You! Thank You for restoring Your words for the people after the damage I did to Your original tablets. We will ALL treasure Your words. Moses looked at the tablets. These words cannot be altered or changed. You have TRULY written them in STONE.
“It’s time to go back and share them with the people, My son.”
“Already? But I’ve only been here a short time. Can I stay longer?”
God chuckles at Moses’ words. “We have been together for 40 days. I think that is enough for now.”
“FOURTY DAYS! I had no idea. I supposed I had better get down there before the people start getting wrestles again.”
“Indeed.”
Moses picked up the tablets and started down the mountain. He felt the weight of the Lords words in his hands and on his heart. He prayed that the people would too.
(to be continued)
Father God, I didn’t even think of Your words being “written in stone” until just now. They had to be because of man’s tendency to change things; to make them more palatable. Jesus came and fulfilled EVERY WORD of what You had Moses write. He was not obligated to fulfil what man added later on; no matter how ‘well meaning’ they were.
You write Your word in my heart. I’m VERY grateful it is not ‘made of stone’, as the children of Israel’s seemed to be at that time. I PRAY that I NEVER change Your word with my ‘musings’ too. I want to honor You in ALL I do. Especially when telling Your stories.
I’m looking forward to the people seeing Moses again! I’m already chuckling at that story. I would have continued with it today, but You know my schedule for today. I have to get busy preparing for my family’s arrival. Bless our time together Lord.
