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Text: Exodus 32 & 33

Stiff Necks and Soft Hearts

It was not what the Lord intended, nor what Moses envisioned, as the Israelites departed from Egypt under the mighty hand of God. Jehovah’s power had been demonstrated, Pharaoh’s army destroyed, and God’s people delivered from cruel bondage! Now at Sinai the law was given, as well as all the instructions whereby the nation could go on with their God in worship and victorious service. But during Moses’ tenure on the mountain with God, the people fell into idolatry under the compromising leadership of Aaron. Instead of engaging in the worship of God, Israel is now enduring the wrath of God! Celebration turned to trepidation as the nation awaits the verdict of God on their sin. The Biblical context is Exodus, chapters 32 and 33.

The word "stiffnecked" is used three times in these two chapters to describe the Israelites. The Hebrew word implies stubbornness, obstinance and insensitivity, The idea is that of their will prevailing over the will of God. The bent neck signifies genuine worship and surrender of the will. Israel at large would have none of that. Well did Stephen capture the essence of this condition in Acts 7, when he said, "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye" (v.51). This God-anointed assessment of the Jews who had betrayed and murdered Christ cost Stephen his life. Probably within the hour his body laid dead under a rock pile. By the way preacher, what price are you and I willing to pay in proclaiming the truth to sinners? There is perhaps no better word to describe the condition of America today. We are a nation rich in religion, but poor in repentance, and hard of heart toward God!

However, in the midst of these unbending necks there still exists tenderness of heart. All is not lost! In chapter 33 we discover that there are some that still sought the Lord (v.7). Understand this setting! A people who have experienced first hand, and have been the recipients of, the love and power of God are now confronted with a holiness with which they are unaccustomed. The Lord is so displeased with this crowd that He has removed the tabernacle "without the camp, afar off from the camp" (33:6). Why? "Lest I consume thee in the way" (33:3) was God’s explanation. A sense of the awesomeness of God prevailed! For many He seemed unapproachable! And yet there is this remnant, this nation within the nation, that will not be denied. They must have God! They must secure His favor at all costs! If it means being consumed by God’s holiness, so be it! They sought Him in the spirit of Esther--"If I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:13).

Beloved, our God is still worth the pursuit! Moses thought so, and made regular trips to the tabernacle. So insatiable was his hunger for God that he finally cried out, "I beseech thee, shew me thy glory" (33:18). What he got was a cleft of the rock, a covering of the hand, and a glimpse of the back parts (33:22-23). That’s a goodness package I could live with! What about you? Then there is Joshua, a young man who lingered in the tent with God after Moses left for the camp. Is it a surprise to any of us that this man was God’s chosen successor to Moses? And then there is that unidentified group, which surely included the sons of Levi, that went without the camp to the tabernacle, afar off, as far as it took to find a place of worship, and favor with God! May God increase their tribe in our midst today!

Beloved, I believe America is at the threshold of consumption by a Holy God! We have slaughtered the unborn, sanctioned the homosexual, and stripped school classrooms of God’s truth. Corruption is commonplace among our political leadership, which has become a vacuum of moral leadership! There are precious few God-anointed Stephens gracing America’s pulpits. Lord, send a revival, and may the cloudy pillar descend once again!

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