From the Mountaintop into the Valley - Day 41 Through the Bible

Into the Fog - Hiking on top of Mt. Mitchell - near Mt. Celo Church

What do we do with revelation from God?  From the mountaintop down into the valley...

1) God's Written Word - the 10 Commandments (Exodus 31:18) "...written with the finger of God."  God still speaks to us through His written Word (2 Timothy 3:16,17) "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
My Lesson and Application - Dr. Stanley reminds us that from our study of the Bible we know that God has spoken directly with people through dreams, direct revelation, prophets and others.  Now, it is primarily through His written Word.  I must know what the Bible says but, more importantly, I must do what the Word says - apply it to my life.  I must also learn to hear and follow God's Holy Spirit within me - to discern the Spirit's leading in my life.

2) Out of God's Presence - Into Sinful Idolatry - The people had sworn to listen and follow God as His covenant people (Exodus 19:8). Yet within a few days of Moses being alone on the mountaintop with GOD for God's directions, the people demand another god, an idol.  And...God's appointed priest enables them in this idolatry in making the golden calf and then lying to Moses about doing it!
My Lesson and Application - This is why I must stay in the Lord's presence - daily in His Word, in constant prayer with Him.  Keep my eyes upon Jesus, not my gaze on the world.  Trust in God, not in the world.

3) Intercessory Work of the Godly/ Forgiveness and Consequences  In this Exodus reading we see Moses standing in the gap for sinful man - a type of Christ.  He pleads for God to remember His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants, to not give the enemy a reason to speak against God.  God relents from destroying the people - but not from punishing them for their idolatry (Ex. 32: 33-34)
My Lesson and Application - My prayer life is essential as a Christian - for my sake as well as for that of the world.  2 Chronicles 7:14 is one of numerous promises about God's reward of our faithful prayers: ..."if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."  Unfortunately and disastrously, we see the consequences of our sins, as individuals and as nations.

4) Faithfulness - Standing for God in the Midst of Evil - "Whoever is on the LORD's side - come to me!"  The people in this Exodus account may have numbered about 3 million.  God destroys 3,000 of them that were evidently involved in this idolatry (v 28).  (Aish.com)  The tribe of Levi - all of them - according to v. 26 - crossed over to stand with Moses for the Lord.  God punished the wicked, and he blessed the faithful. The Levitical tribe will be made the priestly tribe because of this steadfastness. (v 29).  This faithfulness is carried over into our Matthew reading and the great separation of people at the coming of Christ - the sheep from the goats - the faithful from the unfaithful (Matt. 25: 31-46.)  And... note that Christ bases this separation on our actions - as with the Levites.  Here it is also doing something for the Lord - doing service for "My brethren" - giving food, drink and clothing for the needy, visiting the sick and those in prison.  Note also that the kingdom was prepared for these servants before the foundation of the world.  Matthew 7:16.."and ye will know them by their fruit."
My Lesson and Application - Is my stance for the Lord obvious to all - especially to Him?  Am I more concerned with what people think, or with God's glory?

“After every time of exaltation we are brought down with a sudden rush into things as they are where it is neither beautiful nor poetic nor thrilling. The height of the mountain top is measured by the drab drudgery of the valley; but it is in the valley that we have to live for the glory of God. We see His glory on the mount, but we never live for His glory there. It is in the sphere of humiliation that we find our true worth to God, that is where our faithfulness is revealed. Most of us can do things if we are always at the heroic pitch because of the natural selfishness of our hearts, but God wants us at the drab commonplace pitch, where we live in the valley according to our personal relationship to Him. Peter thought it would be a fine thing for them to remain on the mount, but Jesus Christ took the disciples down from the mount into the valley, the place where the meaning of the vision is explained” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest).