Public Service at Surabaya - Sunday, March 02, 2008

The book of Exodus chapter 32 is overall divided into five parts as follows:

1. vs. 1 – 6 about golden calf
2. vs. 7 – 14 about God’s wrath
3. vs. 15 – 20 about the two tablets of stone being broken (signifying redemption)
4. vs. 21 – 29 about the wrath of Moses toward Aaron and the people of Israel (signifying sanctification)
5. vs. 30 – 35 about the prayer of Moses over the people of Israel (signifying the ministry of reconciliation)
   While the Lord commanded Israel not to bow down to any idol, they worshiped the golden calf. If Moses had gone down with the perfect two tablets of stone, all Israel would have been destroyed. For that reason, it was better to break the stones and save the Israel. This is called redemption. The broken stone describes Christ crucified to save His people.

We are learning the second part about God’s wrath. Here are the three things provoking God to anger; they are:

1. (vs. 7) The people of Israel had corrupted themselves.
2. (vs. 8) The people of Israel had turned aside out of the way of the Lord.
3. (vs. 9) The people of Israel had made themselves a stiff-necked / hard-heartened people

Today we are talking about the third reason:

Exodus 32:9-10
9 And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff–necked people!
10 "Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation."

Because of their being stiff-necked, the Israel were destroyed by the Lord’s wrath.

Exodus 32:2, 4
2 And Aaron said to them, "Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."
4 And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!"

The stiffness of Israel was to break off the golden earrings to make golden calf, which means being disobedient.

Proverbs 25:12
12 Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.

As Tabernacle was staged of three places, our obedience is also shown in these three stages:

• Court represents obedience toward parents, guardians, and teachers
• Holy Place represents obedience toward shepherd/pastor
• the Most Holy Place represents obedience toward God/the word of God

What are the impacts of disobedience?

1. God will not listen our prayers
   Zechariah 7:12-14
   12 "Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets. Thus great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.
   13 "Therefore it happened, that just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen," says the LORD of hosts.
   14 "But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations which they had not known. Thus the land became desolate after them, so that no one passed through or returned; for they made the pleasant land desolate."
   The word is the calling of God; if we disobey it, God will not listen when we call Him through prayers. If we cannot pray, which means God does not answer our prayers, we will get no satisfaction until the wrath of God comes upon us.
   
2. God will curse us
   Deuteronomy 28:15-18, 22
   15 "But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:
   16 "Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country.
   17 "Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
   18 "Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.
   22 "The LORD will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching, and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish.
   Living in a curse means to live in sorrows, thorns, and destruction.
   “Cursed shall be the fruit of your body”; children will also get the impacts of parents’ disobedience. If you married by disobeying the word of God or parents or pastor, you must confess and settle it. None knew it, but none could lie to God. If you do not confess it, your children will be cursed.
   
   Adam and Eve were joyful in the Garden of Eden, but in a moment the joy became sorrows because God had cursed them. These sorrows will also come upon disobedient men until dust returns to the earth (until they perish).
   
   Deuteronomy 28:22
   22 "The LORD will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching, and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish.
   The curse also includes fever. Here we talk about the spiritual one. Fever means neither hot nor cold and this is called lukewarm as the condition of the church of Laodiceans.
   
   There was written in the Bible an old woman suffered fever; she was Peter’s mother-in-law.
   Matthew 8:14-15
   14 Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever.
   15 So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.
   Peter’s mother-in-law was the one who prepared a wife for Peter. The wife was taken care and grown up until she became a bride. Thus, the mother-in law describes a pastor/shepherd or the one taught by the Bride Tidings. These people often become lukewarm for the Bride Tidings because other doctrines have influenced them.
   
   This boredom happens not only to young men, but also to old/senior men who have held the teaching word for long. They become lukewarm because of other doctrines confusing them. It is thus no wonder they live in a curse.
   King Solomon in his youth held the sword (the word sharper than any two-edged sword / the Bride Tidings). He was able to settle the marriage problem, which is the international problem. Two mothers were winning a baby. Economic problems have their own experts, but none can settle the marriage problem. No family is passed from marriage problem; from underneath bridge into the palace of king, all must get it. So, Solomon was great with the sword, but unfortunately, in his old days after being a senior, he released the sword and took the idols of his wives. Seeing that, we must be careful because many become lukewarm for the Bride Tidings and they have to live in a curse accordingly.
   
   Matthew 8:15
   15 So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.
   When the mother was lying sick, she could not serve herself, not to mention to serve God. As soon as she was recovered, however, she could serve God.
   Today many people become lukewarm in ministry, neither faithful nor fervent anymore, so that they live in a curse.
   
   Another example is the church of Laodiceans; they became lukewarm because they showed off the worldly matters to cover their spiritual falling.
   Revelation 3:14-17
   14 "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:
   15 "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.
   16 "So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
   17 "Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’––and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked––
   The “works” mentioned in vs. 15 refers to the ministry; neither cold nor hot means neither faithful nor fervent. If a Christian/pastor is starting to show off worldly things, he is sick of a fever, being lukewarm for the teaching and ministry. Teaching and ministry are oneness; both cannot be separated.
   As a consequence, “I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Vomit is something disgusting and unclean. Thus, anyone who is lukewarm will be vomited by God’s Mouth and swallowed up by a lion’s mouth. “God vomits” means God cannot eat his ministry / God gets no satisfaction with his ministry. To converse, we must do the ministry acceptable to God, as if we were feeding God and God would be full and satisfied.
   
3. We will fall into uncleanness
   Proverbs 11:22
   22 As a ring of gold in a swine’s snout, So is a lovely woman who lacks discretion.
   The uncleanness is sexual sins and eating-drinking, both of which are the peak of sins / the sin of Babylon (the woman who lacks discretion).
   Sexual sins include these acts:
   • sexual intercourse between a man and a woman, both of whom are not the married people. It could be that they are an unmarried man and unmarried woman, an unmarried man and another man’s wife, or a husband and another man’s wife.
   • sexual intercourse between two men or two women.
   • sexual intercourse between a man and animal (written in the book of Leviticus)
   • sexual activity to oneself
     While eating-drinking include these two acts:
   • smoking and narcotics
   • being drunk and gambling
   Sexual sins and eating-drinking will continue until being in Babylon, which will be judged in one hour.
   Revelation 17:4-5
   4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.
   5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
   The woman of Babylon / the false church / the bride of Satan is created to stand up to the church of God / the holy and perfect church / the bride of God. The disobedient men will finally become the false church and the bride of Satan.
   
   The woman of Babylon / the city of Babylon stands up to the New Jerusalem, the city prepared for us.
   Revelation 18:9-10, 16
   9 "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,
   10 "standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.
   16 "and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!
   That is the wrath of God upon the disobedient men.
   
   Thus, the wrath of God comes upon those who are corrupt, lost, hard-heartened and disobedient. They will get the following impacts:
   • no answer for their prayers – so that they get no satisfaction
   • curse/fever
   • falling into the uncleanness of Babylon and being destroyed in one hour.
   
   For that reason, as being in Gethsemane with His disciples, God said to Peter, “Could you not watch one hour? The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Thus, prayers and worship are important to tear the flesh and anticipate us falling into Babylon. In one hour the Babylon will be destroyed and in one hour we worship God; God will protect us. We need to worship God with our family at home, also with our brothers and sisters at church, so we will not be destroyed with Babylon.
   Breaking off the golden earrings is the command of man (Aaron), whose consequence is being in a swine’s snout until being in Babylon. Such command results in disobedience. The right command came from the Lord is to bring gold as an offering to Him.
   
   Exodus 35:4-5, 20-22
   4 And Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, "This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying:
   5 ‘Take from among you an offering to the LORD. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it as an offering to the LORD: gold, silver, and bronze;
   20 And all the congregation of the children of Israel departed from the presence of Moses.
   21 Then everyone came whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering for the work of the tabernacle of meeting, for all its service, and for the holy garments.
   22 They came, both men and women, as many as had a willing heart, and brought earrings and nose rings, rings and necklaces, all jewelry of gold, that is, every man who made an offering of gold to the LORD.
   
   Vs. 4 “This is the thing which the LORD commanded”, compare with Exodus 32 in which Aaron commanded to break off the golden earrings.
   Flowing from that, let us be careful when a man, including a priest, tell us to give an offering, lest it becomes an arrogance or an idol. Let the word of God itself stir our heart.
   vs. 5 “whoever is of a willing heart”; if the word drives, there is no compulsion.
   Vs.21 “the tabernacle meeting”= heavenly kingdom
   Not the calf but the tabernacle was built.
   Vs.22 “a willing heart” means giving offering because of being stirred by the word of God.
   Breaking off golden earrings to build tabernacle shows an obedience.
   
   The most important thing needed for the work of the Body of Christ is obedience. Riches or poverty, intelligence or stupidity, old or young, ability, status are all belong to God’s concern for each person, but obedience is always above all for everyone.
   Obedience is a cradle offering of gold to the Lord. So if we obey God, God will cradle us, which means as follows:
   • We will be driven actively in the forming of the body of Christ with our offerings, prayer, or attendance in the visit service and will not be formed into the body of Babylon.
     The body of Christ is being formed in times of economic crisis. Thus, it is wrong if we think that we will join in this forming after being prosperous. It is too late because it is truly in shaken situations in the earth, sea, and sky, God wants to form His body.
     Therefore, we must be obedient and active, as if we were a golden ring in the Hand of the High Priest. If we are passive, however, we are being formed into the body of Babylon as it were a golden ring in a swine’s snout. Let us choose the right one.
   • We will feel the heartbeats of the High Priest (the love of God) all our days and see the beauty of life. Remember when we are babes in mother’s embrace where there are all our needs of food and milk as well as mother’s heartbeat. Being in God’s embrace is much more because we feel His heartbeat (His love).
     In conclusion, we should not be hard-heartened because it means:
     • disobedience – so that the wrath of God will come upon us
     • curse – so that we will get no satisfaction
     • God will not answer our prayers
     • we will live in uncleanness and be destroyed
     If we become obedient, however, we will live in the Hand of God.
     Isaiah 46:3-4
     3 "Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, Who have been upheld by Me from birth, Who have been carried from the womb:
     4 Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.
     • God’s Hands will bear/care our lives now and forever
     • God’s Hands will carry and settle all of our burdens and problems
     • God’s Hands will save and perfect us to welcome Jesus’ second coming and we live with Him forever more.

God bless you!