The Cost of Our Sin + Our Intercession

The reality of our sin is that it offends a holy and righteous God who would be totally just to wipe us off the face of the Earth. 

Modern Christianity is losing it's understanding of the cost of our sin. When we do so, we lose sight of the cost of our salvation as well. The reason most Christians have no joy is because they do not realize what they have going for them in Christ. 

The golden calf moment of Exodus 32 goes from terrible to peaceful because of the actions of one man. God tells Moses He's had it with Israel, they have sinned quickly and decisively - turning completely away from the God who saved them. He announces His just judgment in verses 7-10:

Exodus 32:7 (ESV) And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'" 9 And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you."

There are a lot of elements here. First God declares the people are stiff-necked - unwilling to submit to the law of God. Second God declares His wrath will burn against them. And finally, God offers Moses the opportunity of a life-time: He will start over with Moses and make a great nation of him!

What would you do if you were Moses?

What does Moses do?

Notice:

Exodus 32:11 (ESV) But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, "O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, 'With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.'"

Moses goes to bat for the very people who complained and rejected him! This chapter began with them lamenting, "As for this fellow Moses, we don't know what has become of him!" Then they turn to Aaron and start worshipping a calf! Yet Moses intercedes for these people. He offers prayers to God, He does not accept the opportunity God gives in becoming a great nation of his own. And Moses bears the wrath of God alone on that mountain. The people never see it! Only Moses experiences God's heated anger toward sin. 

What does God do in this moment?

Exodus 32:14 (ESV) And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

God hears the prayer of Moses, God spares them His wrath, and God answers the prayer of Moses. 

What a phenomenal story. 

But it is really our story. Jesus is our true and better Moses who, though rejected by all of us at some point, stood before God on our behalf and bore His holy wrath on the cross for us! He rejected the praise of man and chose the scorn of the cross. Then ascending to the right hand of God Jesus intercedes for us at all times as our great High Priest mediator.

Listen Christian, your sin offended God's righteousness more than you know. 

AND - your sin was borne on the Cross by Christ in more agony than you will ever understand!

BUT on top of all that - the Lord Jesus is making intercession before the Father on your behalf at all times AS WELL as giving you the Spirit to change you from the inside out! You have something better than the Israelites were offered that day they deserved to die, you have God IN YOU and praying FOR YOU to become the submissive people God always intended you to be!

What joy in the hope of our ever-living intercessor Jesus Christ who never gives up on those He loves!