Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 34:10-11.

“Then God said, “Behold, I am going to make a covenant.  Before all your people I will perform miracles which have not been produced in all the earth nor among any of the nations;  and all the people among whom you live will see the working of the LORD, for it is a fearful thing that I am going to perform with you.

“Be sure to observe what I am commanding you this day:  behold, I am going to drive out the Amorite before you, and the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite.”  Exodus 34:10-11. 

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Other doctrine focuses on what man has done.  Other doctrine tells what man has done and puffs up man.

But, Reformed Doctrine carefully observes all that the LORD has done.  Reformed Doctrine declares what the LORD has done and glorifies the LORD.   

“15 My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And of Your salvation all day long;
For I do not know the sum of them.
16 I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.

17 O God, You have taught me from my youth,
And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
18 And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.” Psalm 71:15-18.

“18 Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel,
Who alone works wonders.
19 And blessed be His glorious name forever;
And may the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen, and Amen.” Psalm 72:18-19.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 34:1-9.

“Now the LORD said to Moses, “Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered.  So be ready by morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain.  No man is to come up with you, nor let any man be seen anywhere on the mountain;  even the flocks and the herds may not graze in front of that mountain.”  So he cut out two stone tablets like the former ones, and Moses rose up early in the morning and went up to Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and he took two stone tablets in his hand.  The LORD descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the LORD.  Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;  who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin;  yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.  Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship.  He said, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your own possession.”  Exodus 34:1-9.

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We remember the one central truth at the end of the previous chapter.  The LORD said: “…  I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.”  Exodus 33:19.

And, we see that one central truth continue in how the LORD starts to describes Himself at the beginning of this chapter:  “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth;  …”.  Verse 6.  

This is all the more noteworthy when we consider that the purpose of this encounter was to be the Law.  “Now the LORD said to Moses, “Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered.”  Verse 1.

And, Moses was focused on that one central truth in what he requested from the LORD.  “He said, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though the people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your own possession.”  Verse 9.

Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in Article 9 of the section titled FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of Divine Predestination.  “… election is the fountain of every saving good;  from which proceed faith, holiness, and the other gifts of salvation, and finally eternal life itself, …”.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.  For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;  and these whom He predestined, He also called;  and these whom He called, He also justified;  and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who is against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”  Romans 8:28-32. 

“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, …” 1 Peter 2:9.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 33:12-15.

“Then Moses said to the LORD, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’  But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me.  Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’  Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight.  Consider too, that this nation is Your people.”  And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”  Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.”  Exodus 33:12-15. 

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Moses said:  “Consider too, that this nation is Your people.”

Moses was not satisfied with only himself being favored by God.  Moses sought that the LORD would also favor the other people as well.  

Moses was not satisfied with only the LORD’s presence going with him.  Moses was not satisfied with the LORD’s promise:  “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Moses sought that the LORD’s presence would go with the other people as well.  “Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.”

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.  The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”  James 5:16.

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,”  Ephesians 6:18. 

“Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel,
You who lead Joseph like a flock;
You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!
2 Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up Your power
And come to save us!
3 O God, restore us
And cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.

4 O LORD God of hosts,
How long will You be angry with the prayer of Your people?” Psalm 80:1-4.

“14 O God of hosts, turn again now, we beseech You;
Look down from heaven and see, and take care of this vine,
15 Even the shoot which Your right hand has planted,
And on the son whom You have strengthened for Yourself.” Psalm 80:14-15.

Notice that God’s “Unconditional Election” of His people, “Even the shoot which Your right hand has planted” in the language of the prior verse, is the basis of the Psalmist’s faith and our faith that God will revive us, restore us, and save us.

“18 Then we shall not turn back from You;
Revive us, and we will call upon Your name.
19 O LORD God of hosts, restore us;
Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved.” Psalm 80:18-19.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 33:7-11.

“Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting.  And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp.  And it came about, whenever Moses went out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent.  Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent;  and the LORD would speak with Moses.  When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent.  Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.  When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.”  Exodus 33:7-11.

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In the immediate prior Scripture, we remember the sad word of the LORD to the sons of Israel for their great sin of worshiping the golden calf.  “…  I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way.”  Exodus 33:3.  “When the people heard this sad word, they went into mourning, and none of them put on his ornaments.”  Exodus 33:4.   

But, there was hope for the sons of Israel!

In today’s Scripture, we read that “everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting” where the LORD would meet with Moses and speak to Moses, “face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.”  The people would watch Moses go into the tent and watch the pillar of cloud descend and stand at the entrance of the tent.  The people would “arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent”. 

We too worship idols and commit other great sins even if we do not literally worship a golden calf.  

But, there is hope for us too this Sunday morning!

Today, we too can arise and worship.  Today, we too can seek God.  We can go to church.  We can read the Bible.  We can pray.  

Reformed Doctrine presents the God of Scripture Who makes people alive who were dead in sin, Who grants repentance, Who gives faith, and Who provides all that we need for salvation.  

“11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness,
12 That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.” Psalm 30:11-12.

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.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 32:30-35.

“On the next day Moses said to the people, “You yourselves have committed a great sin;  and now I am going up to the LORD, perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”  Then Moses returned to the LORD, and said, “Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves.  But now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!”  The LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.  But go now, lead the people where I told you.  Behold, My angel shall go before you;  nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”  Then the LORD smote the people, because of what they did with the calf which Aaron had made.”  Exodus 32:30-35.

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“7 But the LORD abides forever;
He has established His throne for judgment,
8 And He will judge the world in righteousness;
He will execute judgment for the peoples with equity.” Psalm 9:7-8.

“Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne;
Lovingkindness and truth go before You.” Psalm 89:14.

“I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart;
I will tell of all Your wonders.
2 I will be glad and exult in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

3 When my enemies turn back,
They stumble and perish before You.
4 For You have maintained my just cause;
You have sat on the throne judging righteously.
5 You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.
6 The enemy has come to an end in perpetual ruins,
And You have uprooted the cities;
The very memory of them has perished.” Psalm 9:1-6.

But, there is hope!

“9 The LORD also will be a stronghold for the oppressed,
A stronghold in times of trouble;
10 And those who know Your name will put their trust in You,
For You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.” Psalm 9:9-10.

“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”  Acts 10:38.

“He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”  Acts 5:31. 

“… for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,” Hebrews 13:5.

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  1 John 1:9. 

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 1:6.

“Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion;
Declare among the peoples His deeds.” Psalm 9:11.

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 32:25-29.

“Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control—for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies— then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me!”  And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him.  He said to them, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor.’”  So the sons of Levi did as Moses instructed, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day.  Then Moses said, “Dedicate yourselves today to the LORD—for every man has been against his son and against his brother—in order that He may bestow a blessing upon you today.”  Exodus 32:25-29.

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Our neighbor can lead us away from God.  Our friend can lead us away from God.  Even our brother can lead us away from God.

We need to be very, very careful to be dedicated to the LORD above our neighbor, above our friend, and even above our brother.

Obviously, Scriptures command us to love our neighbor and honor our father and mother in Matthew 19:19 and to love our brother in 1 John 4:21.  Certainly, we also know from these and other Scriptures that we should not literally hate them nor kill them. 

Today’s Scripture may be shocking, but it helps us meditate on the importance of being wholly dedicated to the LORD.  We also read the strong figurative language that Jesus used to teach us the importance of being so dedicated and disciplined.  “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.”  Luke 14:26.

Today is Thanksgiving, and this Scripture and devotion may seem inappropriate in our rush to count our blessings.  But, let us first remember the importance of putting God first.  The LORD is kind and gracious at the end of this Scripture to add a concluding promise.  “Dedicate yourselves today to the LORD … in order that He may bestow a blessing upon you today.”  Likewise, we read:  “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”  Matthew 6:33.

“One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”  Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL!  THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD;  AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’”  Mark 12:28-30.