1. Jury
The story is told of the sharecropper who was charged with stealing his landlord's mule. The landlord was a rich and domineering man who had few friends among the common people, but the evidence against the defendant was overwhelming. When the jury retired to consider the verdict, they were out only 5 minutes.
* "Have you reached a verdict, Mr. Foreman?" asked the judge.
* "We have, Your Honor," the foreman replied, and handed a paper to the clerk.
* The clerk read: "We the jury find the defendant not guilty, provided that he returns the mule."
* The judge brought the gavel down sharply, saying, "Folks that's not a proper verdict. The defendant is either guilty or not guilty." He told the jury to retire and come back with a lawful verdict. So they left the room and returned again in another five minutes.
* The verdict was handed to the clerk who unfolded the paper, and read the following: "We the jury find the defendant not guilty. He can keep the mule."
That jury was engaged in some creative decision making. They were not comfortable with the options they had, so they came up a verdict that was new and unique.
2. God is similar to the jury --
I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! Luke 12.49
a. He does not want to punish us -- "This will hurt me more than you" is true with God
b. He has gone to great lengths to meet us more than halfway
1) Israel's Exodus
2) Jesus' DBR
3. Many pictures of Jesus in the OT -- Offering of Isaac as an example
4. Events with Moses point to Jesus
5. Consider some from Exodus
I. The Gathering Before God
A. God's Hand on the People -- Exodus 19.1-9; 16-21
1. Consecration to Hear God -- 20.1ff
a. "10 Commandments"
b. "10 Words" -- Decalogue (deca = 10; Logos = word)
2. Moses' ascent for additional instruction -- 20.21
3. Moses Receives Written Word by the HS -- 31.18
B. The People's Turn from God -- 32.1-6
1. Impatience? Weakness?
2. Violation of no other gods; idolatry
3. Picture of Us -- Jesus is away, what will we do? 2 Peter 3.3-4; 8-10a
3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation."// 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief,
II. Moses' Pictures of Jesus' Ministry
A. The First Set of Stone Tablets = The Body of Jesus
1. "Living Stone" -- 1 Peter 2.4; John 1.14
2. Broken Tablets = Death of Jesus
a. Due to sinfulness of the people (Hebrews then as well as us today)
b. Jesus' Declaration -- Luke 22.19
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
B. Averting the Wrath of God
1. Deserved Destruction -- Exodus 32.7-10
2. Intercession -- 32.11-14
C. Salvation with Him -- 32.15-20
1. Joshua = Salvation of the LORD
2. Destruction of sin
D. Call to Choose -- 32.26
1. Levites Respond
2. 3000 killed; Acts 2 -- 3000 choose life
III. Moses' Picture of Jesus' Resurrection
A. A Matter of Atonement -- 32.30-35; Hebrews 9.12, 15 (as HP)
12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.// 15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
B. New Stone Tablets = The Resurrected Body of Jesus -- Exodus 34.1ff
1. We get a glimpse of God's eternal nature
a. New Tablets; same words
b. Jesus' New Body; same teachings -- Matthew 28.18-20
2. We are shown God's 13 eternal attributes -- Exodus 34.6ff
a. "LORD, LORD" -- Mercy; he is the same LORD before and after man sins
b. God = "el" -- Mighty One; True God (often included in names of men -- Elijah)
c. Merciful -- affection and sympathy
d. Gracious -- gives favor
e. Long-suffering -- slow to anger (2 Peter 3)
f. Abundant Goodness (Chesed) -- steadfast love -- he blesses in spite of us
g. Abundant in Truth (John 14.6)
h. Mercy for Thousands
i. Forgiving Iniquity -- "Avon" -- sins of depravity (Salach)
j. Forgiving Transgression -- strong word for sinful behavior
k. Forgiving Sin -- Missing the Mark
l. Not clear the guilty
m. Visit/punish sins to the third and fourth generations (mercy to thousands)
IV. Moses' Picture of Jesus' Return -- Exodus 34.1
A. Moses Brought New Tablets Down the Mountain
1. As Jesus will Descend from Heaven -- 1 Thessalonians 4.16
2. Bringing Eternal Salvation -- Hebrews 9.28
so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
B. Glory of the LORD -- Exodus 34.29-35; Matthew 16.27
For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
1. Mt. of Transfiguration -- Matthew 17.1-6
2. Surpassing Glory of Jesus -- 2 Corinthians 3.7ff
Read: 3.7-8
7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?
3.15-18
15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
1. Martin Luther and God's Glory
In 1540 Luther's good friend and assistant, Friedrich Myconius, became sick and was expected to die within a short time. From his bed he wrote a tender farewell letter to Luther. When Luther received the message, he immediately sent back a reply: "I command thee in the name of God to live because I still have need of thee in the work of reforming the church -- the Lord will never let me hear that thou art dead, but will permit thee to survive me. For this I am praying ...because I seek only to glorify the name of God."
Myconius had already lost the ability to speak when Luther's reply came, but he soon recovered. He lived 6 more years - dying two months after Luther did.
2. Moses sought the glory of God and gave us pictures of Jesus
3. Remember to someone you and I are pictures of Jesus
a. Display the Love of God
b. Declare the Mercy of God
c. Point people to Jesus -- 1 Corinthians 11.1
