“The LORD said to Moses, “Warn your brother, Aaron, not to enter the Most Holy Place behind the inner curtain WHENEVER HE CHOOSES; IF HE DOES, HE WILL DIE. For the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—is there, and I MYSELF AM PRESENT IN THE CLOUD ABOVE THE ATONEMENT COVER.” (Leviticus 16:2)
Why was serving God so complicated? God spoke this to Moses, to present to Israel, “Now if you will obey Me and keep My covenant, you will be MY OWN SPECIAL TREASURE from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to Me. And you will be My kingdom of priests, My holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.” So, Moses returned from the mountain and called together the elders of the people and told them everything the LORD had commanded him. And all the people responded together, “WE WILL DO EVERYTHING THE LORD HAS COMMANDED.” So Moses brought the people’s answer back to the LORD.” (Exodus 19:5-8)
So, God came down and spoke to the people, “When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, TREMBLING WITH FEAR. And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But DON’T LET GOD SPEAK DIRECTLY TO US, OR WE WILL DIE!” (Exodus 20:18-19) Why were they afraid? “So, each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracles and obeying His commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors—STUBBORN, REBELLIOUS, AND UNFAITHFUL, REFUSING to give their hearts to God…for they DID NOT BELIEVE GOD OR TRUST HIM to care for them.” (Psalms 78:7-8, 22) Israel has always had a problem believing in God and of course they rejected Jesus Christ…
God offered them grace and THEY REFUSED GRACE so the law was given “…the law was our schoolmaster TO BRING US TO CHRIST, that we might be justified by faith.” (Galatians 3:24) Why didn’t God just choose someone else? Because “God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE (God made this promise to Abraham Genesis 12:1–3) we who have fled TO TAKE HOLD OF THE HOPE SET BEFORE US MAY BE GREATLY ENCOURAGED. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the INNER SANCTUARY BEHIND THE CURTAIN…” (Hebrews 6:18-19) “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world…All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts…because of His GREAT LOVE FOR US, God, who is rich in mercy, MADE US ALIVE WITH CHRIST even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And GOD RAISED US UP WITH CHRIST AND SEATED US WITH HIM IN THE HEAVENLY REALMS in Christ Jesus…” (Ephesians 2:1-6)
AS LONG AS WE ARE SAVED, WE HAVE FREE AND TOTAL ACCESS TO OUR ABBA FATHER, THE ALMIGHTY GOD.
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham