Whose Side Are we On?

O. T. #244  "Whose Side Are we On?"
March 12, 2014
Exodus 32-Part 4
Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD's side? let him come unto me. and all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.   Exodus 32:26

LET IT GLOW

Who wants to be on my side? I remember as a child, before playing any game at recess, we had to decide on whose side we were going to play. Sometimes two people would be the captains and pick their team. Sometimes we would just start playing on a team with out picking. Either way, we had to decide whose side we were on. Moses posed the same question to the children of Israel, his family. Are you ready to listen to it unfold?

Who is on the LORD's side?
Apparently Aaron repented of his sins. Only he and the tribe of Levi responded to this call and rallied to Moses' side. Moses gave the people an opportunity to make a stand for the Lord, to repent, choose which deity they would serve.

Then came judgment to the sinning people. Neutrality could not exist in this open confrontation between good and evil. To do the Lord's will superseded family and national ties.
About 3,000 men died that day; those who persisted in idolatry and immorality (Numbers 5:6-9) The sword of God's judgment preserved His honor and glory.

Are we on the Lord's side? Even to the extent that others are not with us? No matter whose sins are revealed, will we stand?

LET IT GROW

What have you done? What did these people do to you? How could you let them persuade you to do such a thing? How is it that you led them into such great sin? After all that God has done for us!

Aaron knew the answers. He and Hur were left in charge while Moses and Joshua went up on the mountain (24:14) to converse with God. Aaron must have been very fearful as Moses questioned him about his part in the sin. What was the sin? Worshiping an idol, a golden calf, a substitute for God; the sin of unbelief; the people became impatient while waiting for Moses to return to them.

Instead of confessing his sins, Aaron made excuses.
He played the blame game and blamed:

• the people for their depravity (verse 22);
• Moses for his delay (verse 23);
• the furnace for delivering a calf (verse 24). (Wiersbe)

Really? The calf just popped out of the fire inn form by itself?

Isn't that the way we do-blame others for our sinning?
If this hadn't happened, I wouldn't have...
If they had not... I would not have...

Verse 25 NIV says: Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and  so become a laughingstock to their enemies.
KJV says: And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies.)

Naked, in Hebrew, is the word para' (paw-rah'), which means to loosen; to expose; dismiss; uncover.

Israel's sins were bare before the LORD. He saw them loving a thing they made out of gold instead of loving HIM.
Do we worship gold or things it can buy? How much time do we spend polishing that car or truck, things in the house that collect dust?
How important is money to us? Are we spending our spare time wheeling and dealing for more instead of with our family, or in worship serves?
How important is God to us?  Looking in our checkbook and at the way we spend our time will reveal the answer.
Are we spending a part of our spare time in the Word of God, sharing it with others, in Bible study and worship?

LET IT GO

Be content with what I have.

Love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Take time to love people to Jesus.

Set my priorities in the manner that pleases God.