Between Two Rocks and a Hard Place

Exodus 33:12-23; 34:6-7

 

        If you attend Adult Sunday School you know one of my favorite passages is Exodus 34:6-7. God said, “You tell those people I am gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and steadfast in love.”  If you love the Psalms, you recognize that phrase which appears throughout those wonderful poems. Exodus 34:6-7 represents the very essence of this mysterious Word called YHWH who brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. But to fully understand Exodus 34, we must look back to the circumstances that led to Moses’ second trip up Sinai.

        In their pain, the enslaved Hebrew people cried out and YWHW heard their voice. Moses was sent to confront Pharaoh and lead the captives to freedom. But that did not work out so well. So the power of God was demonstrated before all the people in Egypt. Rivers turned red, gnats filled the air, lightening and hail thundered from the sky, locust devoured the crops, and darkness swallowed the entire land. Hebrews and Egyptians alike were terrified by the actions of an angry God. But the heart of Pharaoh had been hardened. He refused to relent to the demands of Moses.

        Finally God rained death down upon every Egyptian family. The first male of each household perished. Even Pharaoh was not spared. Holding the lifeless body of more precious than gold, Pharaoh screamed, “Get these accursed people out of my sight. Send them away from here. Their presence only amplifies my anguish.”

        It is amazing how quickly pain can turn to anger. Minutes after the son of Pharaoh had been placed in the ground, the King of Egypt swore vengeance on the escaping slaves. Gathering his finest charioteers, Pharaoh led his faithful toward a rendezvous with death.  By evening, the woman of Egypt carried their men home to an eternal rest beside their first born.

        What kind of God is this that spits in the face of Pharaoh? What kind of deity is this that allows the waters to offer safe passage to some and ordains death upon others? This was YHWH the powerful. This was YHWH the almighty. This was a God who made a promise and delivered. This was a deity to be feared.

        Not looking back, the children of Israel confidently marched into the desert. They remained faithful and courageous for about 48 hours.  Then they got thirsty, and hungry, and finally angry. They screamed at Moses, “Did God bring us out here to die?”

        How quickly we turn to the negative? It’s like someone winning $100 million in the lottery and asking, “What kind of taxes will I be expected to pay?” The Hebrews had hit the jack pot. YHWH was their guy. There might be a hardship or two but the way to freedom had been paved. All they were expected do was to follow the road. How could they even imagine God would let them die? But they did. They complained and whined, failing to notice right before their eyes water and food flowed through the desert. Their God exhibited the authority to transform death into life. How could they not believe? How could they not give thanks?

        Moses led them to an oasis at the base of Mt. Sinai. He said to a weary people, “I am headed up to mountain to have a conversation with God. Rest, wait for me, and please, try not to get into trouble. I will just be a day or two.”

        Well, two days turned into forty. To suggest the children of Israel could stay out of trouble would like believing three year olds can play together quietly. Eventually Moses came down the mountain with a stone tablet in each arm. The Commandments described in detail every bit of the mischief attempted during his absence. In anger Moses raised the stones above his head and smashed them to the ground. The commandments and the heart of God broke into a thousand into pieces. Then Moses spoke, “Did you not think God was watching? Don’t you understand what you have done? You witnessed the Passover and the Red Sea. You know what YHWH does to those who play with fire. Do you still think your God will save you?”

        The people fell on their knees, “Moses, we don’t want to die. Go back up the mountain and plead for our lives. We are not worthy but YHWH listens to you. Please, save us.”

        Ever intercedd for another person? Of course you have. It always puts you between a rock and a hard place. Moses was tired. Moses didn’t want any more aggravation. He had enjoyed the life of a shepherd before stumbling into that burning bush. He probably had already charted a course back to the land of his father-in-law. But then he hesitated. As they say in the OT, Moses girded up his loins and headed back up the mountain.

        No one went with him. He had no idea how God would respond. I am not even sure Moses wanted God to forgive the Israelites. Why not just wipe them out and start over with a few faithful like Joshua and Caleb? Moses carried the weight of a nation and the weight of God’s holy dream.

Step by step that burden got heavier.

Step by step his allegiance to Israel grew fainter.

Step by step he welcomed his death as a respite.

When he could go no further, YHWH appeared.  (stop)

When I am tired, I can say the stupidest things. When I am either I am too worn out to care or too weary to pay attention the filter that is supposed to catch my wayward thoughts takes a sabbatical. With no restraint I let go with a blast which causes nothing but chaos. It feels good, for about 30 seconds, and then reality hits me right between the eyes. I would do anything to retrieve those words but it is too late. Now they will forever haunt me.

Moses had one of those moments. He was tired of dealing with the Israelites. He was exhausted representing a deity who appeared in bushes and clouds but never in person. In his anger Moses shouted, “Let me see your glory. Make yourself known to me. Give me something I can take back down the hill. I have seen your power. I have witnessed your anger. But I have never seen your face. You call yourself “YHWH, I am.”  That’s not good enough. Give me a real name. Tell me who you are.” Then Moses, realizing what he said, fell on his face and expected to die.

Instead he received these words, “I am gracious. I am merciful. I am slow to anger. I am steadfast in love.”   

(Stop)

A couple of weeks ago I turned 67. I have lived my entire life in the most powerful nation of the world. I have witnessed the Korean War, the Cuban Crisis, Vietnam, and showdowns with the USSR, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. I am no longer impressed with power as an instrument that brings stability.

For 67 years folks who are suppose to be real smart have promised me I could be a person of influence if I buy the right car, eat the right food, live in the right neighborhood, and use the right deodorant. They were wrong. The almighty dollar cannot bring us happiness.

Is anyone really surprised that the people of Israel witnessed the power of an Almighty God and it had little or no effect on them? Two weeks after the miracle of the Red Sea the Hebrews had already turned their backs on YHWH. Why? The answer is painfully simple. Power and might and authority free no one. They only enslave us. If all we do is pledge our allegiance to power, might and greatness we end up spending every waking hour fearing someone is plotting to take it all away. It doesn’t matter if that someone is a neighbor, a boss, the IRS, a terrorist a thousand miles away, OR EVEN GOD. How can you love what you fear?

Someone once told me in order to fully embrace God I must fully surrender to God. If I surrender to the power of God I am little more than a prisoner. If I surrender only because God is almighty I become less than nothing. MY actions, My thoughts become insignificant.

But if I surrender to God’s Grace I discover my worth. If I surrender to the God’s Mercy I reclaim my dignity. If I know God’s Anger is only for a moment, I live beyond my fear. If I celebrate God’s Steadfast Love I know there is a light that can penetrate my darkest midnights.

The power of God is not meant to dominate and control but rather liberate and enable. God is not a heavenly dictator demanding passive dependence because God’s highest intention is setting us free to become instruments of justice and compassion.

Do you remember what God desires from us?

Do Justice, Love Kindness and Walk with Humility.

Do you desire how to follow that enlightened path?

You become gracious,

You become merciful,

You become slow to anger,

You become steadfast in love.

You become a liberated child of God, empowered to live for the common good of all creation. Be gracious, merciful, slow to anger, steadfast in love.   Then faithfully walk in the light of God.               Amen.