Yesterday we noted that YHWH presented the Children of Israel with four conditions at the start of the journey. Let’s look at the second clause as we consider Today’s Holy Nougat.
Exodus 15:26 AFV
[26] And he said, “If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, and will do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear to His commandments, and keep all His laws, I will put none of these diseases upon you, which I have brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the Lord Who heals you.”
Terms and Conditions 2
The second condition they received is fairly straightforward. But it is not as simple as it sounds. To do what is right in God’s sight requires an intimate knowledge of God. At this point, they hadn’t yet received the Ten Commandments. Moreover, they were coming out of a system that at some level, ran counter to YHWH’s nature. So this is the precursor to those.
Just by virtue of the miraculous rescue we surmise that YHWH didn’t condone enslavement – or abuse of another. As the scholars indicate, however, this covenant is not mere legalism; it is relational. Thus, it ‘creates, instructs, and sanctifies a people for God’s glory’. At that time, God’s chosen were the Children of Israel.
Self-Check
What must we do differently so that we’re doing what is right in God’s sight?
Application
In Romans 1:16, Paul asserts that we are included among God’s elect. In God’s power, God effected salvation for the Children of Israel. It solidified their decision to choose YHWH as their sovereign. In God’s power, Y’shua (YHWH is salvation) came to save us from our sins (see Matthew 1:21) by way of Calvary. God didn’t leave this to chance as Y’shua also showed us how to do what is right in God’s sight.
In being Emmanuel, God in human form, Christ bridges the chasm between us and YHWH. His training of the disciples prioritised their relationship with God even over knowledge of Torah. It is true, we must know the Scriptures so that we understand YHWH’s heart, but God’s desire for a relationship with us is paramount. That requires time dedicated to communing with YHWH by reading God’s Word, listening to God’s Spirit, and responding to God’s directive.
Can we do it? By God’s power, we can.
Point to Ponder
How superficial is our current relationship with the Triune God?
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May all we seek be found in Christ
