Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 33:1-6.
“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ I will send an angel before you and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way.”
When the people heard this sad word, they went into mourning, and none of them put on his ornaments. For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are an obstinate people; should I go up in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you. Now therefore, put off your ornaments from you, that I may know what I shall do with you.’” So the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.” Exodus 33:1-6.
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We first notice how the LORD now spoke about the sons of Israel to Moses as “the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt” (emphasis added), which is very different than how the LORD spoke about the sons of Israel previously. Now, the LORD spoke as if He did not want to have anything to do with them now.
Previously, here is an example of how He spoke of the sons of Israel. “They shall know that I am the LORD their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD their God.” Exodus 29:46. Notice how He previously spoke to emphasize that He was the One Who brought them out of the land of Egypt. This way that He spoke seemed to indicate that He was pleased to dwell among them and be their God.
But now, we also notice that the LORD commanded Moses to go with the people alone: “I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way.”
How sad!
“When the people heard this sad word, they went into mourning, and none of them put on his ornaments.”
But, there is hope in mourning and humility.
“2 It is better to go to a house of mourning
Than to go to a house of feasting,
Because that is the end of every man,
And the living takes it to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
For when a face is sad a heart may be happy.
4 The mind of the wise is in the house of mourning,
While the mind of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to listen to the rebuke of a wise man
Than for one to listen to the song of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:2-5.
“But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.” Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” James 4:6-10.
There is a lesson for us to humble ourselves. Above all, we should not take credit for our salvation. So to speak, using the language of today’s Scripture, we should not think that we brought ourselves up from the land of Egypt. We should continually credit God and praise God for providing all that we need for salvation.
Reformed Doctrine humbles us and teaches us the truth of “Total Depravity”, that we were dead in sin, and that our only hope is that God makes us alive and provides all that we need for salvation: from the beginning of “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” to the end of “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation, as more fully taught in the Reformed Confession called Canons of Dordt.
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:4-9.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. …” Ephesians 1:3-8.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.
“… for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” Hebrews 13:5.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 