Wed.’s Devo - The Third Day -

Read: Exodus 19:16-21:21; Matthew 23:13-39; Psalm 28:1-9; Proverbs 7:1-5 On the third day, Pentecost, The people saw lighting and a thick cloud on the mountain. They heard thunder and a very loud trumpet blast that grew louder and louder like a siren. God called Moses to come up the mountain to the top. He told them to warn the people not to come, or the Lord would break out against them. God sent Moses to get Aaron only. *** Then the Lord spoke and gave them the 10 Commandments we know today. Moses didn’t have to worry about the people rushing the mountain because the voice of God along with all the thunder and lightning and smoke scared them so much they stood far off. But, Moses was drawn to the thick darkness where God was. *** God gave them specific rules forbidding them from making gods of silver or gold to use to worship him. His altar was to be made of rough stones that were not smoothed with tools. They were not to have steps leading to the altar. *** Then he gave them rules about their Hebrew slaves. They were only to serve them six years then go free the seventh. The slave should go the way he came. If he chooses to stay to be with his family or because he loves his master, then his master was to bring him to the door of his house and pierce his ear on the door. Then he would be his slave forever. *** Fair and honorable laws were given to protect the women. These are the things that were to be punished by death: intentional murder, buying or selling a trafficked man, cursing your parents, and beating a slave to death. *** If two men quarrel and one strikes the other with his fist or a stone, if the man lives, then the one who hit him only has to pay for the loss of his time he wasn’t able to work and is to have him thoroughly healed. *** All of the laws God gave the people have spiritual meaning to us. In the law about the Hebrew slaves, we are slaves in this world to our Creator God. We will serve the Lord until we are judged on the seventh day. If we decide we love him and his ways and want to willingly serve him, he will bind us to his son who is the “door” and mark us as his. Then we will dwell with him forever. *** In Matthew, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for not entering into the kingdom of heaven and not allowing anyone else to enter, either. He called them children of hell, blind guides, hypocrites, serpents and vipers for all their false teaching. They made gold and their gifts more honorable than God’s temple and his altar. They tithed but neglected to show mercy and faithfulness. They worried about how they appeared to others and yet neglected cleansing their hearts, which, Jesus explained, if their hearts were clean then their actions would follow. *** The Pharisees built elaborate tombs for the prophets claiming that they would have never killed them if they lived during that time. Jesus made it clear that they were still doing the same thing. (And, they would be the ones to crucify the Messiah.) *** Jesus cried out for Jerusalem who rejected all who God sent to her. He told then they would not see him again until they say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” This will happen when Jesus returns. *** Lord, may we renew our commitment to hear only your voice and serve you with our whole heart. May our hearts be clean and may we fight for mercy and justice and righteousness.