Bible Study: Change God's Mind

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Today is Thursday January 28, 2010 and we are reading through the Bible in a year. Today's message comes from the reading of the Book of Exodus, chapters 32-34. If you would like to read the chapters along with us here online you can Click Here to read them or copy & paste this URL onto your browser: http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-january-28

Title: Change God's Mind
We have all gotten ourselves into a mess or two over our lifetime, whether it be as a child or an adult, often the consequences of them far out way what we had done in the first place. In fact, much of the impact goes beyond just you facing the consequences, but others as well. I remember when I was in the third grade, this was when it was allowed to spank a student, if one student got out of line the entire class had to be punished and would have to one by one stand over the teachers desk with their hands over the desk while she wacked them with a ruler. I will tell you what, it was bad enough getting into trouble let alone having the entire class mad at you for getting punished for something they had not done. So, we feared doing something that was going to get us not only in trouble with the teacher, but our classmates as well. This is why God, in a sense, punishes us at times, if we get punished or chastised those around us do also, so we fear the punishment and think twice about doing something that is going to get us into trouble with God and those around us. God's punishment can seem pretty severe sometimes, but you know what? We can change God's mind. Yes, that is right, we can change God's mind. Moses got God to change His mind about destroying all the Israelite's. While Moses was up on mount getting instructions from God, the Israelite's got impatient and decided to create their own god. “And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” - Exodus 32:1-4. Okay, it was bad enough that they created this calf, which was one of God's first commands not to do, but to call it a god, worship it, and say that it set them free from the Egyptians is really going to get them in some trouble. The worse thing was that they knew that there was only One God and that He was the one that set them free, yet they were quick to turn their back on Him because they had to wait. You know, I do not care what age we are in, taking things in our own hands always gets us in trouble and pretty much hurts those around us as well.

I am sure not all of them participated in this treachery, but God did not care, He was so angry at what was going on that He literally was about to destroy all of the Israelite's. “And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.” - Exodus 32:9-14. Moses reminded God of the promise that He made and what He had done for His people thus far. After God had some time to think about it, His anger subsided and He repented and changed His mind. Can you imagine God repenting? Repenting means to feel sorrow or reflect about what we have done or were about to do. God was sorrowful about what He was about to do. You know, we can too can destroy someone out of anger, that is why it is important that we calm down and think about things before we do them. Moses gave God time to think about things and it enabled Him to change His mind.

We all have the power to change God's mind, it is just a matter of whether or not we are willing to accept the responsibility of our actions. God did change His mind about destroying all the Israelite's, but He was not going to let those who caused the rest of them to sin to get away with it. God despises those who cause others to sin more than us sinning ourselves. However, God is a merciful and forgiving God and is willing to forgive even the most detestable sins if we come to Him. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” - Ephesians 2:4-10. The only way we can change God's mind is through Christ, He is the Moses of today that goes before God and reminds Him of the promises that He made to His people, we of who are His people. Want to change God's mind? Talk to Jesus and He will help you change His mind.

Enjoy the rest of your day/night and God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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