Mon.’s Devo - The Innocent Lamb

Read: Exodus 34:1-35:9; Matthew 27:15-31; Psalm 33:12-22; Proverbs 9:1-6 Moses went back up the mountain to get another set of the Commandments. God proclaimed his mercy and forgiveness, but he said he by no means cleared the guilty but he visited the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation. *** God covenanted with them to do marvels such as on one had never seen before in all the earth. He would be with them to drive out all the “ites” of the land. They were to destroy all their altars, pillars and sacred images. They were not worship any of their gods; He was to be their only god. They were to not make any covenants with any of the people of the land either. Their covenant was with God alone. They were not to intermarry with them. *** They were to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread every year in the month they came out of Egypt. All the first born were the Lord’s of humans and animals. Only a donkey could be redeemed back with a lamb. If they didn’t redeem him back his neck was to be broken. The donkey was the most stubborn of animals and he stood for the spirit of rebellion which had to be broken. *** They should always observe the Sabbath and rest on that day. They should also observe the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) and The Feast of Ingathering (Feast of Tabernacles). During these three feasts the men were to appear before the Lord at the place where he set up to come. *** For the second time it tells us not to boil a young goat in its mother’s milk which means that the sins of the mother were not to be passed down on the children. *** After 40 days with the Lord, Moses came back down and didn’t realize that his face shone. It made the people fearful of him. He told the people what the Lord had said and then he covered his face from then on with a veil. He would take it off when he talked to the Lord. *** On the Sabbath they were to do no work or build no fire. They were asked to freely give the materials needed to build the Tabernacle and its furnishings. *** In Matthew, Jesus had been questioned by Pilate but there was no evidence that he should be punished much less die. Jesus had refused to defend himself. Pilate’s wife had told Pilate that she had suffered much in a dream the night before and he should have nothing to do with Jesus’ death. *** At the feast, the governor would release one of the prisoners of their choice. He chose Barabbas hoping they would choose him since he was a well known murderer. Surely they would rather have Jesus freed who healed and gave life than this man who had no regard for others. They chose to set Barabbas free and crucify Jesus even though they had no reason to kill Jesus. *** The people were so railed up that Pilate was afraid of a riot so he washed his hands in front of them and said that he was not responsible for what they wanted to do to Jesus. In his eyes Jesus was innocent. They told him that Jesus’ blood would be on them and their children. How true that was. *** Barabbas was set free and Jesus was scourged and taken to be crucified. The soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium which was the official residence of the governor. He was stripped of his robe and another was put on him. They put a crown of thorns on his head and put a reed in his hand and mocked him and spat upon him. Then they took the robe off and put Jesus’ back on him and led him to be crucified. *** Lord, may we trust in your holy name. You are our help and our shield. Thank you for all the suffering and shame you went through on the cross to give us grace and salvation.