“Camping at the foot of the mountain”
Intro: Have you ever just sit back and read what the Bible says about the two different kinds of people in the Church today. There are those that talks about seeing the kingdom of God but there are those that I believe that God is showing us that desire and hunger to enter into the kingdom of God. Can I tell you tonight that there is more to being born again and that is experiencing the glory and power of God’s presence. You can be satis-ified with just an experience or desire to dwell in the glory in power of God’s presences. When I think about men like Moses, Joshua, Elisha, Peter, James and John then it makes you want to say I want to dwell in His presence.
Text: Exodus 24:9-17 Exodus 32:1-4
We read where Aaron was originally asked to come up with Moses. Why did he not go? Could it be that he found more comfort in the presence of the people than in the presence of God. Here is Aaron starting up the mountain and the next thing mentioned about Aaron is that he is retreating down the mountain, back in camp.
- - - - -- - - - - - - Exodus 24:14 - - - - - - - - - -
The camp speaks of the familiar. It is the church that has been delivered from Egypt and is at the foot of God’s mountain. It can be called the familiar because it is not back in Egypt and has all the forms of serving and moving with God, but the reality is they are not moving toward God anymore. The Church is involved in same.
I. ALL IN THE NAME OF GOD
A. Isn’t it amazing how there are many things that are done under the name of God that really God has no part in the minds of those that are doing them. The tragic thing that happened in Aaron’s life is in the Church today. Aaron was delivered from the world by God’s power but chooses not to walk in His presence.
II Timothy 3:5 “having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away.”
B. The danger happens when a person becomes idle. There was not any activity at the foot of the mountain anymore, so the people did what people often do when God is not active; they gathered to have a meeting under the name of God. But it had nothing to do with God.
Ecclessiastes 10:`18 “By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.”
C. I AM CONCERNED! That is the way all church problems begin, with a meeting talking about the concerned of the people ON THE MOUNT-AIN. They don’t want to commit so they talk about the ones that are.
II Thessalonians3:11 “For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.”
D. The people urged Aaron, Come make us gods that shall go before us. This Moses, the man leading us, lost his mind and He is not coming back. The HEBREW word for “gods” is elohiym. Found 2,250 times in the Old Testament referring to God as the Almighty God but we find also that 250 times the word elohiym is used to describe a false god. He made a feast unto the Lord, Yahweh or Jehovah.
- - - - - - - - - - Exodus 32:1 - - - - - - - - - -
II. LESS GLORY THAN DESERVED
A. Aaron instead of going to the top of the mountain he decides to stay with the people. When they began to put their earrings and gold out and Aaron melted it down and made a golden calf. What happen is that they reduced to what he had absorbed from his surroundings.
B. Now the children of Israel acknowledged the deliverance of Yahweh, but they did not give Him the honor or glory which He is worthy. Look at our society today doing the same thing in worshipping the things of the creation and not worshipping the creator.
Romans 1:20-21 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, ever His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God nor were thankful.”
C. When Aaron and the people drew back from the glorious presence of the mountain, their image of God was formed by what Egypt worship-ped. Today when people draw away from God’s presence their life begins to be formed by the Egypt(WORLD) that they once were in.
Romans 1:23 “And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.”
III. GOING TO THE MOUNTAIN WHERE
THE GLORY OF GOD DWELLS
A. Now while Aaron is at the foot of the mountain with the people Moses and Joshua were on the mountain in the glory of God’s presence. How mad do you think that Moses is when God said, Moses you better get down off the mountain for Aaron and the people are corrupting themselves with the gods of the golden calf.
- - - - - - - - - - Exodus 32:1 - - - - - - - - - - -
B. Now lets go to the New Testament and Jesus calls Peter, James and John to the top of Mt. Transfiguration and their appeared Moses and Elijah with Jesus and Peter wants to build three tabernacles. Peter was experiencing the glory of God upon the top of the mountain.
- - - - - - - - - Matthew 17:1-8 - - - - - - - -
C. One of two things is going to happen to you and I as believers; either we are going to be conformed by the image of God through the Word of God speaking into our heart or he’s going to conform Jesus into the image into what his heart dictates. If you go to mountain, you change.
