Say No to Stubbornness
ICS Daily Devotions
Exodus 33:5-6 (NKJV) For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you. Now therefore, take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do to you.’” So the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by Mount Horeb.
In this passage, the people of Israel had just left the land of Egypt after years of slavery, and they did not know God. God had given them the Ten Commandments through Moses so they would know what sin is and that God is a Holy God. However, even though they had left Egypt physically, their hearts were still in Egypt because they had gotten so used to the lifestyle despite being slaves there. As a result, they were not thankful for the manna and quails provided for them daily.
There is a parallel between the Israelites leaving Egypt—a place of slavery—to enter the Promised Land, and believers leaving a lifestyle of sin to take possession of the abundant life in Christ. While the Israelites had to abide by the law to enjoy the blessings and protection of God, today, to have our prayers answered and be blessed holistically (John 15:7), we must abide in Christ and His Word.
Sin is self-centredness and the desire to live independently of God. Having the sin nature in us means that every one of us is naturally stubborn and resistant to being told what to do but wants to do things our way because we think we know best.
God had a good plan for His people in the Old Testament, but the Mosaic covenant is a conditional covenant where blessings only came if they obeyed the law and there would be curses when they rebelled. God had to operate this way with them because He is holy and righteous. When Moses was away from the crowd to be in the presence of God, the people created a golden calf and built an altar for worship, something that they could see since they did not know God or had seen Him. It was an outright violation of the Ten Commandments. Just like there were consequences for violating the law of Moses, today, we will also face the consequences of sowing into the flesh instead of walking in the Spirit (Galatians 6:8).
God has created us to be free moral agents who can choose to submit or rebel against Him. Compared to the Old Testament saints, believers in the New Testament are in a much better position because we are “new creations” who are born again, have the nature of God in us, and are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Nonetheless, we must still yield to the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Even though God has a good plan, purpose, and good intentions for us, the key to taking hold of the abundant life in Christ still lies in our obedience.
Sermon Series: Unless Your Presence Goes with Us
