Exodus 34
Broken (Law) Stones - Replaced by God
1. What did the Lord ask Moses to do? vs. 1a
2. What was the Lord willing to do all over again after Moses had shattered the original stones given him written by the finger of God? vs. 1b
3. Moses was to be ready by morning to come up to Mt. Sinai and present himself to the Lord there again on top of the mountain (vs.2). Joshua had gone up the mountain with him before although not to the very top, but he was with him when they came back down into the camp and found the golden calf Aaron had made. This time, what are the very specific instructions of God to Moses about anyone coming near with him? vs. 2-3
4. So Moses cut 2 stone tablets like the former ones and rose early the next morning and went up to Mt. Sinai as the Lord commanded with the 2 stones in his hand. (vs. 4) ... I bet that was a difficult climb... Who descended in the cloud and stood there with him this time as he called upon the name of the Lord? vs. 5
Note: Interesting to note the differences of this ascent to the summit of Mt. Sinai compared to the previous ones of Exodus 19:23-24 and Exodus 24:12-18. These are the differences I found:
- God provided the stone tablets the first time, but now Moses must cut the stone tablets himself.
- No one is allowed to accompany Moses as Aaron did in 19:24 and as Joshua did in 24:13.
- No animals are to be permitted to graze at the base of the mountain as they had apparently been permitted to graze in Moses' first 40-day absence.
- There is no display of fire at the summit.
- In the Glory Cloud. the Lord descended to the summit, and stood with him as He called upon His Name.
5. I personally see this as the glory no longer being in the fire on the mountain, but the glory being with Moses as Jesus was with His disciples, and made the promise of the Spirit saying, "I am with you, but will be in you." Write the verse out from John below and see if you agree with me in this.
- John 14:16,17 -
Note: Therefore, I see that God's glory has been manifested to Moses through seeing Jesus, the mediator of the better covenant to come. By the characteristics of grace that God gives in His self-description to Moses we see the grace that came through Jesus as well. This is such an intimate time for Moses and the Lord !
5. What are the 7 things that God revealed about Himself to Moses when He passed by? vs.6-7 - Name 7 ... stop before the word 'yet'... we will cover it in the next question.
Note by fpjackson.org: The children of Israel are perfectly aware that they deserved to be blasted into oblivion, and in precisely this context God says, “You are now ready because of what you know about yourself, and because of what you know about your deserving judgment, now, you are ready to learn something else about Me. And that is that I am more gracious than you could ever possibly imagine.” It’s absolutely impossible for the children of Israel, based upon God’s words about Himself, based upon their display of faithlessness and loyalty in the whole experience of the golden calf, based upon God’s unfolding disciplinary providences, to think that they have been chosen or redeemer or kept by anything other than God’s grace.
6. When Jesus was revealed to the disciples, and they saw His glory, what did they realize concerning grace?
- John 1:14 -
- John 1:16 -
- John 1:17 -
- John 1:18 -
7. What is the definition of grace? Use your Bible dictionaries and share it with us.
8. Now, let's talk about the last part of verse 7 ... "Yet..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." ... God will definitely continue to punish sin that is repeated through generations because the guilty are guilty without the relationship to God to make things right. What did David say as he prayed to the Lord concerning the sins of his fathers?
- Psalm 106:6 -
Note: There is a sense of realiizing the tendency we have in repeating the sins of those who have raised us. However, it does not mean that children are punished for their father's sin for they always have a choice to repent and break the cycle in their own life and generation. Let's see some passages to help with this.
- Deuteronomy 24:16 -
- Ezekiel 18:19-23
- John 9:1-3
- Galatians 3:13-14
9. Back to Exodus 34. Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship. (vs.8.) Moses realized he had found favor (grace) in God's sight and therefore he prayed that the Lord would go in their midst , in spite of the fact that the people were so obstinate. What did Moses request of the Lord at that point? vs. 9b - Name 3 things
10. How can we get back in fellowship with God after we have grieved His Spirit with our sin?
- 1 John 1:9 -
11. Back to Exodus 34. God brought Moses back to the covenant language they had spoken of before, but He seemed to reveal even more of what ws to come in saying that there would be even greater miracles than had been seen before. Wow, greater than the parting of the red sea? This will be an amazing thing that God is going to perform with Moses (vs.10). His part is to be sure that he observes all that he is being commanded that day. Again, who are the ones that God will drive out for them to possess the land? It is good for us to review these nations. vs. 11 -
12. Moses and the people are to watch themselves that they make no covenants with the inhabitants of the land that they are going. What will happen to them if they do? vs. 12
13. Instead, what are they to do concerning their altars and pillars made to other gods, specifically their "Asherim"? vs. 13
14. Take a moment and look up what you can about the "Asherim" and the pagan worship given her in those nations at that time.
15. God reminds Moses that they are not to worship any other god but the Lord. He reveals another one of His Names to him, which is Qanna, which means he is a "Jealous God". (vs.14) ..If they worship aother god, they might make a covenant with the inhabitants and play the harlot with their gods and sacrifice to them and even eat of their sacrifice... (vs.15) ...What might happen as well? vs. 16
16. What have we been told in New Testament living to be sure of as well?
- 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
17. God reinistates that they are to make no molten gods, such as Aaron had made on the prior trip up for Moses. (vs.17) Next, the Lord mentions the feasts that will be required to be kept as well as the fact that the firstborn of livestock and in their families belong to Him. This meant that they ransomed them from the Lord; they were required to "redeem" them and not come empty handed in their offering for them. (vs.19-20) What is the first feast mentioned and what are we told about it? vs. 18
18. The Lord reminds him of the 7th day to be rest for them after they work for 6 days each week. (vs.21). What are the other two feast that the Lord say are to be celebrated each year? vs. 22
19. These 3 times each year, all the males were to appear before the Lord God. (vs.23). They were not to worry that the land would be coveted during the times they were missing to come and appear before the Lord. (vs. 24). What were the final notes that God wanted Moses to write down and share with the sons of Israel? vs.25-27 - Name 3 things
20. How long was Moses there with this Lord this time and what did he have to eat or drink? vs. 28
21. What had happened to the face of Moses that he realized after Aaron and the others were afraid to come near him when he came down the mountain with the tablets of stone? vs.29-30
22. Moses got them to come to him and hear all that the Lord had spoken to him on Mt. Sinai. When did Moses put a veil over his face? vs. 33
Note: So this was not because it was so bright, but because what he was telling them in the Old Covenant was fading away in its glory to be replaced by the New Covenant of Glory - the Lord Jesus Christ - as we know today through the promise of the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer!
23. When would Moses take the veil off? vs. 34-35
Application:
24. The glory of the Lord affected Moses physically. He was glowing from God's "radiation." The people saw him shining and backed off or ran away! He called them back and reviewed all that the Lord had spoken, then he put a veil over his face. Why did Moses cover his face?
- 2 Corinthians 3:12-13 -
25. Read 2 Corinthians 3:7-4:6 and answer the following questions:
- What did Paul call the covenant that Moses received on stones? vs. 7
- Why did he saw Moses had to cover his face at that time? vs. 7
- What did Paul say the ministry of the Spirit would have? vs. 8
- What did Paul call the ministry of the law? vs. 9
- What did Paul call the ministry of the Spirit? vs. 9
- How does he compare the two? vs. 10
- The one fades; what does the ministry of the Spirit do? vs. 11
- Because of the hope of a ministry that will never fade, what can we be bold about? vs. 12-13
- To this very day, what causes their minds to be hardened when the old covenant is read? How is it removed? vs. 14-16
- What happens where the Spirit of the Lord is? vs. 17
- We who have unveiled faces are beholding the glory of the Lord. What is happening to us? vs. 18
- 2 Corinthians 4....Because we have this ministry in the Spirit received by mercy, what are we encouraged to do? vs. 1
- What have we renounced? vs. 2
- Who is the gospel still veiled to? vs. 3
- Who has blinded the minds of the unbelieving? vs. 4
- Who do we preach? vs. 5
- Where does the Light of the knowledge of God tell us His glory is? vs. 6
26. Who do you know that has a veil over their eyes for the Gospel right now? Let's stand together in prayer for them that the veil be lifted in Jesus' Name. Leave the name of those we can all pray together for. Although my sons have acknowledged and lived for the Lord, they are currently not living as they should. My younger son definitely needs to have some scales removed from his eyes. I will give their names for prayer today: Brandon & Aaron
27. Summarize the chapter and post a prayer if you would like.
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