The Intercessor

The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”

31 So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”

33 The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book.

Exodus 32:30-33


Have you ever seen someone you love do something that just makes you feel sick? Some sort of sin that you just never thought they were capable of? That’s Moses. He is disgusted by Israel’s ‘great sin’.

Moses is disgusted but not yet in despair. He does what all great leaders do. He steps up and turns to the God who punishes sin. But also who shows mercy beyond imagining.

And Moses does a remarkable thing. He says, if you won’t forgive Israel, then blot me out of your book also. Remember, Moses has come to God to make atonement. I think Moses is offering himself for the sake of God’s justice.

Moses will intercede three times in this episode for Israel. It’s a picture of what was to come in Jesus. We have all committed a great sin. We are covenant-breakers. We have not followed God’s command to His image bearers.

But Jesus intercedes for us with the Father. By offering His death in our place. He makes atonement for us and in so doing provides a way for us to be guiltless. He did what Moses couldn’t - which was to truly give His life for ours. 

And Hebrews (and Romans) tells us that even now, Jesus is interceding for us. When we sin, when our hearts and minds remind us of our sinfulness, when Satan strikes and accuses us of unfaithfulness - we can remember that Jesus is interceding for us. In Him, we are declared righteous.

For Today:
  • Reflect on your sins - do you see that you have sinned against God?
  • Why did we need Jesus? Why could only Jesus be a substitute for us?
  • Give thanks for Christ today.

Pray:
  • Praise God that He is a merciful judge.
  • Give thanks for Jesus whose name, for a time, was blotted out of God’s book for our sake.
  • Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you and others trust and rest in Jesus' forgiveness.
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