EXODUS
CHAPTER
24
1. Then he said to Moses "Come up to the Lord, you, and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship at a distance. 2. Moses alone shall come near the Lord; but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him."
(Exodus chapter 24 verses 1 to 2)
As Christians as a community we all have a special calling to be united with God in His presence, however due to our sins we do so always at a distance. It is only when God gives us the grace to overcome this barrier of impurity and sin that we are able to fully commune with Him. Moreover when God wants to communicate with us both as a community and even on a personal level, He is able to break any barrier in order to heal and talk with us. The Holy Spirit of God can be conditioned by no such boundary or hierarchy, however in order to restore order and harmony in the Roman Catholic Church and I imagine even in other churches there is a structure apparent or transparent, which for particular reasons, sets boundaries between those that lead the community as ordained by God and those that follow meaning the community.
3. Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the ordinances: and all the people answered with one voice: "All the words that the Lord, has spoken we will do.
(Exodus chapter 24 verse 3)
Time and time again we have given our consent to the Word of God and chanted our 'Amen's and Hallelujahs and after the celebration was over we immediately go back from our word or pledge to God. The people of God in the location of Sinai were terrified when God's presence rested on the mountain and it started smoking. Fear could have been the driving force that persuaded them to utter such a response. Today God is inviting us again without fear but in a Spirit of Faith to take Him at His word and seriously proclaim that we are ready to fulfil all the Words that god wants us to obey, words that are declared by His Holy Word in the bible and also any word that the Holy Spirit would consider to share with us by means of other sources such as the Roman Catholic Church and maybe even other churches. God is not limited his boundaries and outlets are infinite therefore we are to foster an attitude of obedience to His will even if at times it goes against the values and logic of the world, even if others will not want to be our friends any more because of what we believe, even if we have to lose our jobs for what we believe. Our Yes is either genuine or false. The decision is ours, however those who obey and place their trust in God have never been disappointed, while those who have placed their trust in other humans have experienced hurt, betrayal and even great depression. Thanks be to God there are also other people who are of support to us, however our trust is always to be primarily be focused on god and His people for God is the Way, and the Truth and the Life, anybody who walks in His ways is never forsaken or betrayed.
In order to refresh our memories of what took place at mount Sinai please click on the following link:
God's people at Mount Sinai
(Exodus chapter 24 verse 3)
Time and time again we have given our consent to the Word of God and chanted our 'Amen's and Hallelujahs and after the celebration was over we immediately go back from our word or pledge to God. The people of God in the location of Sinai were terrified when God's presence rested on the mountain and it started smoking. Fear could have been the driving force that persuaded them to utter such a response. Today God is inviting us again without fear but in a Spirit of Faith to take Him at His word and seriously proclaim that we are ready to fulfil all the Words that god wants us to obey, words that are declared by His Holy Word in the bible and also any word that the Holy Spirit would consider to share with us by means of other sources such as the Roman Catholic Church and maybe even other churches. God is not limited his boundaries and outlets are infinite therefore we are to foster an attitude of obedience to His will even if at times it goes against the values and logic of the world, even if others will not want to be our friends any more because of what we believe, even if we have to lose our jobs for what we believe. Our Yes is either genuine or false. The decision is ours, however those who obey and place their trust in God have never been disappointed, while those who have placed their trust in other humans have experienced hurt, betrayal and even great depression. Thanks be to God there are also other people who are of support to us, however our trust is always to be primarily be focused on god and His people for God is the Way, and the Truth and the Life, anybody who walks in His ways is never forsaken or betrayed.
In order to refresh our memories of what took place at mount Sinai please click on the following link:
God's people at Mount Sinai
4. And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD. He rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mount, and set up twelve pillars corresponding to the twelve tribes of Israel.5. He sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed oxen as offerings of well being to the LORD.
(Exodus chapter 24 verses 4 to 5)
Moses was so obedient to the will of God, that he set as priority the building of the altar on which to offer sacrifices of thanksgiving to God. Moses set up twelve pillars that represented the twelve tribes of Israel. If you had to offer a person in your life to God at this moment, who do you think it would be. Every day is to be am offering of thanksgiving to God because if it was not for Him we would not even wake up to see the light of the new day.
In order to remember the word of God Moses wrote all the words that God had told him. These were to be the guidelines for their every day lives. As in the case of Moses we are also to make more and more people aware of the Word of God and its message that is valid for all people and times, so that they will come to know and make an experience of God that will change their life forever.
(Exodus chapter 24 verses 4 to 5)
Moses was so obedient to the will of God, that he set as priority the building of the altar on which to offer sacrifices of thanksgiving to God. Moses set up twelve pillars that represented the twelve tribes of Israel. If you had to offer a person in your life to God at this moment, who do you think it would be. Every day is to be am offering of thanksgiving to God because if it was not for Him we would not even wake up to see the light of the new day.
In order to remember the word of God Moses wrote all the words that God had told him. These were to be the guidelines for their every day lives. As in the case of Moses we are also to make more and more people aware of the Word of God and its message that is valid for all people and times, so that they will come to know and make an experience of God that will change their life forever.
6. Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basins; and half of the blood he dashed against the altar.
(Exodus chapter 24 verse 6)
Moses places before God our portion of the covenant and also God's portion. During mass the celebrant also offers the body and blood of God as an offering of reparation for our sins, in order for us to commemorate that great day when God by means of Jesus offered the sacrifice that supersedes all other sacrifices.
(Exodus chapter 24 verse 6)
Moses places before God our portion of the covenant and also God's portion. During mass the celebrant also offers the body and blood of God as an offering of reparation for our sins, in order for us to commemorate that great day when God by means of Jesus offered the sacrifice that supersedes all other sacrifices.
7. Then he took the book of the covenant, and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said: "All that the Lord has spoken, we will be obedient" 8. Moses took the blood and dashed it on the people, and he said; "See the blood of the covenant, that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words.
(Exodus chapter 24 verses 7 to 8)
(Exodus chapter 24 verses 7 to 8)
We all are bound to God when we are baptised, or when we accept God in our life and, we are bound to him forever. We become one with God and in doing so, God gives us a better understanding of life with Him and therefore even a better view of the world as seen from the perspective of God which is more positive than that of the world.
9. Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abiu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up 10. and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there was something like a pavement of sapphire stone,like the very heaven for clearness.
(Exodus chapter 24 verse 9)
God manifested himself to to His people in all his splendour and glory. Although they made this experience in contrary to common held beliefs they remained alive to experience, recall and record such a grand experience. God challenges the grand theories and beliefs of our lives and is able to either prove them and or disprove them.
11. God did not lay his hand upon the chief men of the people those of Israel; also they beheld God and they ate and drink.
(Exodus chapter 24 verse 11)
Although those present made an experience of God, the experience differed from one person to another. Those who like Moses were spiritually close to God made a full experience of God, while others who were not as close were simply present and just ate and drank without a particular meaning. During mass this can easily happen. There are those of us who really make an experience of God and leave the Church fulfilled with the presence of God and there are also those who would not receive this blessing because there agenda was simply to be present and satisfy the social beliefs norms and values in order not to become part of the public discourse. On reflecting it is a good time to reflect on which group we may belong to, either the one of believers or non believers or just passive spectators who came to eat and drink without any meaning.
(Exodus chapter 24 verse 9)
God manifested himself to to His people in all his splendour and glory. Although they made this experience in contrary to common held beliefs they remained alive to experience, recall and record such a grand experience. God challenges the grand theories and beliefs of our lives and is able to either prove them and or disprove them.
11. God did not lay his hand upon the chief men of the people those of Israel; also they beheld God and they ate and drink.
(Exodus chapter 24 verse 11)
Although those present made an experience of God, the experience differed from one person to another. Those who like Moses were spiritually close to God made a full experience of God, while others who were not as close were simply present and just ate and drank without a particular meaning. During mass this can easily happen. There are those of us who really make an experience of God and leave the Church fulfilled with the presence of God and there are also those who would not receive this blessing because there agenda was simply to be present and satisfy the social beliefs norms and values in order not to become part of the public discourse. On reflecting it is a good time to reflect on which group we may belong to, either the one of believers or non believers or just passive spectators who came to eat and drink without any meaning.
12. The LORD said to Moses; "Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there there; and I will give you the tables of stone, with the law, and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction."
(Exodus chapter 24 verse 12)
God is loving and generous in His interactions with humanity. He never stops giving us what we need. In order to help us in keeping in line with His Holy will God gave us a set of commandment which He strictly ordered us to keep and abide to. In themselves they are a challenge because they require us to overcome our sinful selves and start loving others as they are and not as we wish them to be. Once we have overcome ourselves and our sinful habits or deeds we are then in an ideal position to help out others. Although for humans this may seem impossible to reach, with God's help we can accomplish this aim.
(Exodus chapter 24 verse 12)
God is loving and generous in His interactions with humanity. He never stops giving us what we need. In order to help us in keeping in line with His Holy will God gave us a set of commandment which He strictly ordered us to keep and abide to. In themselves they are a challenge because they require us to overcome our sinful selves and start loving others as they are and not as we wish them to be. Once we have overcome ourselves and our sinful habits or deeds we are then in an ideal position to help out others. Although for humans this may seem impossible to reach, with God's help we can accomplish this aim.
13. So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God, 14. To the elders he had said, "Wait here for us until we come to you again: for Aaron and Hur are with you: whoever has a dispute may go to them."
(Exodus chapter 24 verses 13 to 14)
For some reason God chose Joshua as the new assistant of Moses. Previously it was Aaron who had assisted Moses, however God is able to manipulate our reality for our own good, even if this means making radical changes in his original plan, even if this means choosing a new leader manager or pope who would be better to handle the reality of the given time or period. However although God may appoint many leaders, He is and always will be our ultimate point of reference in the solution of our problems.
(Exodus chapter 24 verses 13 to 14)
For some reason God chose Joshua as the new assistant of Moses. Previously it was Aaron who had assisted Moses, however God is able to manipulate our reality for our own good, even if this means making radical changes in his original plan, even if this means choosing a new leader manager or pope who would be better to handle the reality of the given time or period. However although God may appoint many leaders, He is and always will be our ultimate point of reference in the solution of our problems.
15. Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16. The glory of the LORD had settled on Mount Sinai and the cloud covered for six days: on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. 17. Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD, was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain, in the sight of the people of Israel. 18. Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.
(Exodus chapter 24 verses 15 to 18)
It seems that God spoke to Moses after six days, which may have been as long as eternity for him. One of the most difficult things for humans to endure is that of waiting. While in a state of waiting fear and doubts may harass us. As in the case of Moses who was in constant contact with God, spending almost seven days without communicating with God may have been a trauma. On reflecting may it be also for us a feeling that stimulates a greater want and need for God in our life. As humans we cannot afford to spend one second away from God because temptation moves in to rob us of our inner peace and relationship with God. On the other hand at times in order to grow closer to God trials and tribulations that keep us at a distance from God, may be more of a help than a hindrance, because after we have experienced this period of tribulation we will have experienced spiritual growth and personal development
The author of this chapter Mr. Deevain Ajit Pawar chose to end this chapter with the following prayer:
(Exodus chapter 24 verses 15 to 18)
It seems that God spoke to Moses after six days, which may have been as long as eternity for him. One of the most difficult things for humans to endure is that of waiting. While in a state of waiting fear and doubts may harass us. As in the case of Moses who was in constant contact with God, spending almost seven days without communicating with God may have been a trauma. On reflecting may it be also for us a feeling that stimulates a greater want and need for God in our life. As humans we cannot afford to spend one second away from God because temptation moves in to rob us of our inner peace and relationship with God. On the other hand at times in order to grow closer to God trials and tribulations that keep us at a distance from God, may be more of a help than a hindrance, because after we have experienced this period of tribulation we will have experienced spiritual growth and personal development
The author of this chapter Mr. Deevain Ajit Pawar chose to end this chapter with the following prayer:
God thank you for being my companion. Thank You also for being my source of love and support especially during moments of trials and tribulations. Thanks for providing me with the solutions to my problems. I am sorry if at times I rebel and take matter into my own hands instead of waiting for your reply and or intervention
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Thank you God for everything
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