Today's Reading: Exodus 32
This passage
is part of a dialogue between Moses and God after the Israelites had sinfully made a
golden calf and worshiped it as their god.
When Moses
returned from Mount Sinai and saw what had happened, he pleaded with God to spare the Israelites
from His wrath. This is where we find Moses' remarkable statement in verse 32,
where he offers to be “blotted out” of God's Book of Life if it meant that the
people would be forgiven. The phrase "blot out" refers to the act of
erasing or removing something from a written record. He was offering his life
for theirs (which, by the way, would never work because only the sinless Son of
God could give His life for the sins of the people).
This
statement by Moses demonstrates his deep love and concern for the people of
Israel. Despite their sinful actions, he was willing to lay down his own life
for them, just as Jesus would do for all humanity many years later. This
selflessness is a key characteristic of true leadership, and it is a quality
that God values greatly. In fact, Moses' willingness to intercede on behalf of
the people is one of the reasons why God chose him to lead the Israelites out
of Egypt and into the Promised Land.
The
"book" referred to in this verse is likely the Book of Life, which is
mentioned in several places throughout the Bible (e.g., Psalm 69:28,
Philippians 4:3, Revelation 3:5, 20:12, 15). This book contains the names of
those who will receive eternal life in heaven, and being blotted out of it
would mean being cut off from God's salvation. Moses' offer to be blotted out
of the book demonstrates the depth of his love and concern for them, as well as
his understanding of the gravity of their sin.
This verse
also highlights the importance of intercessory prayer. Moses' plea on behalf of
the people is a powerful example of how we can pray for others who have sinned
or are in need of God's grace and mercy. Through intercessory prayer, we can
stand in the gap for those who need God's help, just as Moses did for the
Israelites. Who needs your prayers today? Are you willing to go all the way for
them? Stop and pray right now.
One more
thing to keep in mind is that, in Revelation 3:5, Jesus promises that those who
overcome will not be blotted out of the Book of Life. What a blessing to know
that my name is in the “Book” never to be blotted out.
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