DAY 161 - BIG PICTURE IN A YEAR - THE LAW

...AND SAW THE GOD OF ISRAEL. UNDER HIS FEET WAS SOMETHING LIKE A PAVEMENT MADE OF LAPIS LAZULI, AS BRIGHT BLUE AS THE SKY. BUT GOD DID NOT RAISE HIS HAND AGAINST THESE LEADERS OF THE ISRAELITES; THEY SAW GOD, AND THEY ATE AND DRANK.

Exodus 24: 10-11

Reading: Glance over Exodus 21-23; Exodus 24: 9-11; Matthew 8: 11; Revelation 19: 9

Check out our main reading for today. In my opinion, this is the most incredible passage in the entire Bible!

Who are these people dining in the presence of the Lord? They are the seventy elders of Israel and Aaron and his sons. The most stupendous dinner party in all of history, happened like this.

Yahweh continued to give instructions to Moses about how He wanted His people to live and to worship. He elaborated on what altars they were allowed to build, how they were to treat their slaves, their neighbours and the rest of their society, and more about the Sabbaths and festivals. God then spoke about the promise of the land that He had given them and warned them that they should not make covenants with the people who were already in the land, or their gods, or allow them to live in the land with them. 

Moses wrote this all down - it is called the Book of the Covenant. He read it to the people and they confirmed that they would obey. Moses sacrificed to the Lord and raised twelve pillars, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. And the covenant was confirmed by the sprinkling of the blood from the sacrifice on the altar and on the people.

Then Moses took the seventy elders of Israel with Aaron and Aaron’s sons, and they dined in the presence of the Lord. They saw God! This is such a mysterious passage but it is so detailed that we know for sure, it really happened. That's a dinner party I wish I had been invited to. 

Yahweh had wanted this for everyone - but the people chose otherwise. Only Moses proceeded nearer, higher up the mountain into the fiery clouds to receive the stone tablets on which God had written the Ten Commandments.

One day, those who have received Christ, will dine in the presence once again - at the great marriage supper of the Lamb. We will witness His glory when that day comes and we finally see the King. 

Prayer

Jesus, we look forward to that day when every obstacle that prevents us from experiencing your presence will finally be done away with and we will dine with the King at the wedding feast!

For the family

Talk about how nature, which is created by God, can be so powerful – and how the one who created it is so much more powerful! But he is also good, and we don’t have to fear him if we obey and love him. 

Calm in the Storm

Build a tornado tube to remind kids how all natural power was created by our powerful God.

Stuff per group: Two 2-liter plastic soft drink bottles, water, one 1-inch metal washer, duct tape, food coloring, and glitter.

The Experiment

Say: Let’s recreate a terrifying force in nature to see how it works.

Fill one bottle two-thirds full with water. Add food coloring and glitter to the water. Put the metal washer on the bottle mouth, then place the second bottle upside down on the first bottle so the mouths are connected by the washer. Tightly wrap several layers of duct tape around the bottle mouths to secure them, creating a tornado tube. Test the tube to ensure no water leaks. Turn the bottle over, start the tornado by swirling the top bottle, and watch the water simulate a tornado as it swirls down.

Scientific Facts: Water swirling in the tube is similar to the vortex of a tornado. The water spirals down, moving the glitter with it — just like a tornado moves objects in its path.