Even In Delay’s He Is Working
When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, ‘Come, make gods for us who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt we don’t know what has happened to him!’” — Exodus 32:1 (CSB)
When my family and I were missionaries overseas, we had to take many flights. We traveled with a lot of luggage and our two small children. Thankfully, on our trip from Los Angeles to Mallorca, Spain, none of our flights were delayed. However, when I later flew by myself from Los Angeles to Mallorca, I had a layover in Madrid. What was supposed to be a one-hour layover turned into a delay of over six hours! I panicked because I had no way of contacting the pastor who was supposed to pick me up in Mallorca. I had told him I would arrive at a specific time, but now it wouldn’t be for several more hours.
I started thinking, What if I can’t wait that long? What if I try to catch a different flight? For one, I likely wouldn’t have made it to my destination, but to some other European country. What if I tried to make my own way there? That would have been even worse! Madrid is in the center of Spain, while Mallorca is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. I had no real choice, I had to wait in order to reach my destination.
Thankfully, I found an internet terminal, logged onto Facebook Messenger, and sent a message to the pastor. He received it, and nearly seven hours later, when I finally landed, he was there to pick me up! Sometimes we encounter delays in life. The Israelites faced one just two months into their journey from Egypt into the wilderness. Moses had gone up the mountain to meet with God, receiving revelation, instruction, and direction. But the people only saw that Moses had not returned when they expected him to, and they took matters into their own hands.
This passage from Exodus reminds us that the majority is not always right. Scripture repeatedly teaches us to wait on the Lord and not to lean on our own understanding. What they perceived as abandonment was actually God at work. Moses was with God and would return soon but human nature struggles with delays.The Israelites made a tragic mistake by taking matters into their own hands. The same can be true for us. Many have shipwrecked their lives because they believed God had forgotten or forsaken them and chose to move ahead without Him.
Jesus promised that He would never leave us or forsake us, that He is with us always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). If you find yourself in a season of delay today, keep waiting. Don’t try to force your own way or “board another plane.” You won’t arrive at the destination God has for you apart from His timing. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Agape,
Frank
The Strong Altar
“It must be square, eighteen inches long and eighteen inches wide; it must be thirty-six inches high. Its horns must be of one piece with it” Exodus 30:2 csb
My family on my dad’s side is from Texas, and there is a saying that goes like this: “Everything is bigger in Texas.” From the BBQ serving sizes even to the cows! The Texas Longhorns mascot is a bull with long horns. It is a symbol of strength and power. In the Bible, horns are used to speak of strength and power as well. When God gave instructions for the building of the Tabernacle, the articles within were not big. In fact, the altar of incense, the one the verse above is referring to, was only about four feet high. It was made from wood and then overlaid with gold. However, a small but important detail in its construction was that God ordered horns to be placed on its four corners.
Now, I find that very interesting because the altar of incense was positioned directly before the curtain known as the veil of the temple. That curtain separated the Ark of the Testimony, commonly referred to as the Ark of the Covenant. The room where the Ark sat was called the Holy of Holies, or the Most Holy Place, the place where the Spirit of God would dwell.The function of this altar, which sat right in front of the veil within the Holy Place, was to receive incense that was to be burned. It was a fragrant mixture of spices that would rise up before the Lord’s presence. The Tabernacle and its furnishings all foreshadow greater realities. The altar of incense is a type of prayer. In Revelation chapter 5, we see that the altar in the throne room of God has the same incense being offered before God’s throne. John reveals to us that these are the “prayers of the saints” (Revelation 5:8).
The altar of incense is a type of the offering of prayer. The altar upon which these prayers are offered has four horns one at each corner, the symbol of strength and power. What is being conveyed is that prayer offered to the one true and living God is both strong and powerful. The old saying goes, “There is power in prayer.” It is true, and God marks that altar with horns, typifying that truth in physical form for us.
Jesus made an interesting statement in a parable. Luke says in 18:1, Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up. The Lord Jesus knows that there is power in prayer. He knows that there we will find endurance to continue on. I do not pretend to fully know and understand how prayer works, but I know that it works for us when my prayer is directed to the Lord Jesus Christ. Aaron was as High Priest to offer incense day and night. God desires that we meet Him at the altar daily as well to offer prayers. Those prayers go up before Him as fragrant incense offerings in His throne (Rev. 5:8). He tells us in His Word to seek, knock, and ask, He is referring to prayer.
You and I need to remember that there is power in prayer because it brings God into the equation. My pastor used to say, “Prayer moves the hand of God.” I agree. I will add to that: prayer, when offered through faith, moves the heart of God so that the hand of God acts. So if I may exhort you today: keep praying. Whatever it is your seeking God about, keep offering up your incense at the altar of the Lord daily, just as Aaron did. “Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6
Agape,
Frank