The Living God
Our God is a LIVING God - not one made and represented by silver and gold, like so many other gods that the Israelite people were aware of.
Because He is living, He was able to invite the people of Israel to meet with Him, walk with Him, and learn about His character. We’ve seen Him do this continuously throughout the book of Exodus, through the deliverance of the Israelites by the ten plagues, and even after He has brought them out, He continues to prove himself faithful and trustworthy.
He asks the people to make an altar immediately following the giving of the ten commandments. Why? Because the commandments themselves were a pathway to communion with God, and a demonstration of His grace. The altar would be a tangible location for which this communion could be experienced.
We can see throughout Scripture that God has always provided his people with atonement for their sin. From Adam and Eve, to Noah after the great flood.
Verse 24 shows us that this altar was not just to be for the sin offerings of the people to restore communion once a commandment was broken, but for burnt and peace offerings as well–making this directive for the altar an invitation for relationship.
“In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you…”
Here is a God who has personally made Himself known to His people. He then gives His people instruction to come to Him, and He promises to come to them.
We see in the New Testament the ultimate display of God’s relational nature, when He gives His Son as the ultimate sacrifice for our sin, creating an eternal pathway to communion with Him. (Romans 3:23-26, John 3:16)
Because we are God’s people through faith in Jesus, we should be pursuing His presence, and expect to experience all of who He is.
Questions to Consider:
How are you intentionally creating a space where you can go and be in God’s presence?
If God promises to be with us and bless us, how are you experiencing the presence of God and the blessing of being in communion with your Creator?