Old Testament Lesson 21 Moses' Anger

This is a great message about the temptation of anger and the life of Moses.  Enjoy!

The Journey, His Presence and our Conversion

2 □ Ex. 33; Acts 9:1-19, 31-43

S:  “Now therefore, I pray you, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways so that I may know You [becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, recognizing and understanding Your ways more clearly] and that I may find grace and favor in Your sight …” Exodus 33:13 Amplified

 

O:

1)      The LORD takes care of all the “ites” before us.  (33:2)  “… the Lord knows how to deliver the godly, and will, with the temptation, also make a way to escape …”

2)      Anywhere He leads us is of no use without His Presence, even to the promised land.

3)      Moses had face-to-face time with the LORD (not Facetime or Skype, but face-to-face) as one friend to another.  Matthew Henry put it this way, “God's gracious promises, and mercy towards us, should not only encourage our faith, but also excite our fervency in prayer.”  Just as Moses interceded for the people we now have Christ who ever lives to make intercession for us.  (Romans 8:34)  “What happy tidings are these to all who understand the nature and power of prayer … you may as well find a living man without breath, as a living Christian without prayer.”

4)      Sometimes we think we are going in one direction, but God has different plans and we encounter the LORD. (Acts 9:2-3)  Paul thought he was going to Damascus to work for the LORD by executing believers, but God showed Paul his true calling and work.  “Let us not despair of renewing grace for the conversion of sinners …”

5)      Lastly, in the healing of Aeneas & Tabitha we learn that Christ, by His grace, works in us, but we must use the power He gives us to get up, go and do the work He has for us.  “…we should desire to be full of good works, for the honour of his name, and for the benefit of his saints …”

 

“God's goodness is his glory; and he will have us to know him by the glory of his mercy, more than by the glory of his majesty.” ~ Matthew Henry

 

A:  As I seek the LORD for His direction I can know that He is with me and that He will clear out all the “ites” before me so I can stay on the course He has for me.  Worship is an important part of the journey just as Moses and the people worshipped.    

 

P:  LORD, how awesome to consider Moses talking to you face-to-face.  LORD to have that kind of closeness is what we long for.  It is why I come to you daily to this study to “seek your face”.  Moses wasn’t coming to ask anything of You except to know You more fully.  LORD as I journey through this life help that to be my goal in everything I do.  Whether it is in ministry or serving my family or whatever capacity You choose to use me, LORD, let my goal be to know You more.  Thank you that You clear the way before us.  That we do not have to fear any “ite” that may try to come against us; all we have to do is trust You!  Lead each one that has come to this study today to a closer walk with You throughout this day.  In the Mighty Glorious Name of Jesus, Yeshua, my Savior I pray, Amen & Amen.

 

“If our hearts go forth toward God to meet him, he will graciously come to meet us.” ~ Matthew Henry

 

Study tip:  Find a commentary you like.  After you read and study the Scripture on your own then use a commentary to go deeper. 

 

I like this one:  http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-concise/

 

Intercessory Prayer

□ Ex. 32; Acts 8:1-25

S:  Exodus 32:30 Then the next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. Now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 So Moses returned to the Lord, and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin [against You], and have made themselves a god of gold. 32 Yet now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out of Your book which You have written (kill me)!”

Acts 8:24 But Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me both of you, so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me.”

O:  I find it interesting that Aaron in verse 5 said after he had made the golden calf that the next day would be a feast to the LORD.  I wonder if Aaron really thought he would be worshipping the One True God or what his thinking was in making this statement.

The one thing I find in both passages is the thought of intercessory prayer as seen in Exodus 32:30-32 and Acts 8:24.  Matthew Henry says this:  “Pray to God to give the renewing graces of the Holy Ghost to all for whose spiritual welfare we are concerned; for that includes all blessings.”

In Acts 8 the apostles encountered a man who wanted to use religion to further himself in this life.  This account reminds us that earthly wealth cannot “purchase the pardon of sin, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and/or eternal life.”  “Our hearts are what they are in the sight of God, who cannot be deceived. And if they are not right in his sight, our religion is vain, and will stand us in no stead.”  You see it is so easy to deceive ourselves.  Scripture tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”  (Jeremiah 17:9)  We must pray for godly wisdom and understanding.  We must not only intercede for others, but also ourselves!

“May we abhor all thoughts of making religion serve the purposes of pride or ambition. And keep us from that subtle poison of spiritual pride, which seeks glory to itself even from humility. May we seek only the honour which cometh from God.” ~ Matthew Henry Concise Commentary

A:  Be ready and willing to spend time in intercessory prayer!!

P:  Dear Jesus, May our minds and hearts be right before you.  You alone know the intentions and the secret things of our hearts, even things that may be hidden from us.  It is so easy to deceive ourselves.  Give us godly friends who will keep us accountable to You and to speak truth into our lives and give us hearts open to listen.  Help us to always be intercessing for ourselves and those we care about that we and they might be pardoned of sin and inhabited more and more by Your Holy Spirit.  Amen & Amen 

 

 

Love & Blessings,

  Michelle L. Kirkbride

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