Dear Grandkids,
Yesterday we feasted.
I always look forward to our meal together on Thanksgiving because there is SOOO much yummy food. And so many yummy leftovers. I am a big fan of leftovers. I know that some people don’t like to eat leftover food but my philosophy is that if it is good enough to eat once then it is good enough to eat twice… or three times. Besides the turkey, I’m excited about my continued enjoyment of sweet potato casserole, corn casserole, deviled eggs, and mocha cheesecake. Yummers!
There is a feast that is mentioned in Scripture that I would love to have been a part of.
It is mentioned in Exodus 24 and I have never heard anybody teach or preach about this passage – but it intrigues me. Moses had just finished delivering the Ten Commandments and all the other rules from God for the people of Israel. Then the Lord invited Moses and the 70 elders of Israel to go up on the mountain for a time of worship and a thanksgiving feast. Verses 9-11 say this:
9 Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, 10 and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. 11 And he did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; they beheld God, and ate and drank.
It is passages like this capture my imagination. Here are some questions that I would love to know the answer to:
- What was their first reaction when they saw God?
- How would they describe Him to family and friends when they came down off the mountain?
- What kind of food did God serve?
- How did this moment change them? Was it a life-changing experience?
- In light of this experience, what were they thinking during the infamous “golden calf” incident (Exodus 32) that took place not too long after the mountain top experience?
Even though Aaron was on the mountain and a part of the feast with God we know from Exodus 32:2 that he was definitely complicit in the forging of the golden calf. I find it hard to imagine after what he experienced on the mountain how he could do this or let the Israelites talk him into doing this.
And then I am reminded that my memory is also short lived. I can feast on God’s Word and be in His presence in the morning and then turn around later in the day and pay homage to my own idols.
So here is my encouragement to you…. Enjoy the feasting each morning as you spend time in the Word but then nibble on the leftovers throughout the day so that you are never long removed from Scripture. This might take the form of going over a memory verse or pondering something you read in the morning or putting Scripture into practice or praying over the passage or having a conversation with someone about the text.
Feast. Nibble. Nibble. Nibble. Repeat tomorrow. This will go a long way in keeping you from having your own golden calf incident. If you are not yet familiar with this story then read Exodus 32 and let it serve as a warning to you.
Never forget that you are very loved!
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