Moses – The Making of a LeaderSample

Day 17:  Moses interceded (part 2) 

Thoughts on the Passage

After Israel worshipped the golden calf, Moses went back up on the mountain to intercede again for Israel. Moses asks God to forgive the people – or to remove his name with the people. It is a dramatic statement – probably well-intentioned. However, there are a couple things that God makes clear. 

First, God does not allow us to take the place of those who face God’s judgment. Only Jesus was allowed by God to take the place of a sinner. No amount of praying will change that. In other words, God has limits on what we can pray for and how we can pray. Moses finds out as he intercedes here. It is an important lesson we all need to learn – we intercede with great effect, but there are limits God has set and we pray within those limits.

Second, God holds individuals responsible for their actions. God will discipline the people for their sin even though He forgives. The plague that God sends on the people lets the people know that there are consequences for disobedience and God never wants this idolatry to happen again. Some see this plague as judgment – there may be a measure of judgment for those who refused to seek forgiveness. However, when God forgives, then anything else He does is for discipline purposes – to correct future behaviour.

This is one last thing that we see Moses do – he moves the tent of meeting (his meeting place with God) outside of the camp. God has just said that if He was in their midst, He would destroy them in a moment. Moses does not take the risk that God would have to do this. So he moves the tent where he meets with God outside of the camp. It is a temporary place. God will show them how He can dwell in their midst safely – there is a tabernacle coming. With the tabernacle, God put rules in place on how He could dwell in the midst of a sinful people and not destroy them. Until then, Moses met with God outside the camp.

Application to our Life

Are my prayers presumptuous? Am I asking things that God says are beyond what He allows me to pray? If we are listening carefully, He will tell us. However, listen carefully to God’s word so that we know how to pray effectively without crossing over the line.

There are times when our prayers need to be away from people. Just like Moses did – and when people wanted to know, they made an effort to find out. That is a wise way to pray for people. Just because we pray does not mean we have to tell it to people.

Time to Pray
Father, as I pray for people, I am reminded to pray with wisdom as well as passion. There are limits that You place on our prayers. I want to operate within those limits – but operate effectively. I know it is easy to let my passion or desires run ahead of understanding. Forgive me when I do that, I pray. Correct me, instruct me and guide me in my time of prayer. In Jesus' name, Amen.