Category Archives: Obeying God

Guide, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Build a Faith that Holds Up (Exodus 26:15–30)

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Are you investing as much in the unseen foundations of your faith as you are in the parts other people can see?

Key Verse

“Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown on the mountain.” — Exodus 26:30 (NASB)

Background Context

In Exodus 25, YHWH began describing the tabernacle and its furnishings because He desired to dwell among His people. In Exodus 26:1–14, He gave Moses detailed instructions for the curtains and coverings that would form the visible portions of the sanctuary.

Now in Exodus 26:15–30, God describes what would support those coverings: wooden frames overlaid with gold, silver bases, rings, and crossbars. These pieces would provide the strength and stability necessary for the tabernacle to stand.

Once again, the passage concludes by reminding Moses that he was not designing the sanctuary himself. He was to erect it according to the plan YHWH had shown him on the mountain.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 26:15–30

Boards and Sockets

      15“Then you shall make the boards for the tabernacle of acacia wood, standing upright. 16“Ten cubits shall be the length of each board and one and a half cubits the width of each board. 17“There shall be two tenons for each board, fitted to one another; thus you shall do for all the boards of the tabernacle. 18“You shall make the boards for the tabernacle: twenty boards for the south side. 19“You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards, two sockets under one board for its two tenons and two sockets under another board for its two tenons; 20and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, twenty boards, 21and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board. 22“For the rear of the tabernacle, to the west, you shall make six boards. 23“You shall make two boards for the corners of the tabernacle at the rear. 24“They shall be double beneath, and together they shall be complete to its top to the first ring; thus it shall be with both of them: they shall form the two corners. 25“There shall be eight boards with their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board and two sockets under another board.

      26“Then you shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the boards of one side of the tabernacle, 27and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle for the rear side to the west. 28“The middle bar in the center of the boards shall pass through from end to end. 29“You shall overlay the boards with gold and make their rings of gold as holders for the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold. 30“Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown in the mountain.

Reflection on Exodus 26:15–30:

Reading through the dimensions, frames, bases, and crossbars in this passage may not initially seem as spiritually significant as reading about the Ark of the Covenant or the mercy seat. Yet without this supporting structure, the beautiful curtains we read about in the previous section would have had nothing to hold them up.

God cared about what was underneath.

There is an important lesson there for us. Much of what sustains a faithful life happens where other people rarely see it. Public worship can be seen. Acts of service may be noticed. People may hear what we say about God or observe some of the choices we make. But underneath those visible parts of our faith should be something strong enough to support them.

Prayer when no one is watching matters. Regularly studying God’s Word matters. Learning His ways and actually practicing them matters. Repenting when He exposes sin matters. The choices we make privately matter. These things may receive little attention from others, but they help form the structure underneath the life they eventually see.

Yeshua gives us a similar picture at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. He describes two people who build houses that may initially appear similar. The difference becomes obvious when the storm arrives. The one who hears Yeshua’s words and acts on them is like someone who built his house upon the rock (Matthew 7:24–27). The strength of the house is ultimately revealed by what it was built upon.

That is especially important because outward appearance can temporarily hide a weak foundation. A person can know Christian vocabulary, participate in worship, appear knowledgeable about Scripture, or maintain a good reputation while neglecting obedience and private relationship with God. For a time, the visible covering may look fine. Eventually, however, pressure tends to reveal what is underneath.

The crossbars in the tabernacle also joined the individual frames into one structure. The frames were not intended to stand independently. God designed them to be connected and strengthened together.

There is a parallel principle elsewhere in Scripture regarding God’s people. Hebrews 10:24–25 tells believers to consider how to encourage one another toward love and good deeds and not to abandon gathering together. Our relationship with YHWH is personal, but Scripture does not present faithful living as entirely isolated. We need encouragement, correction, teaching, accountability, and opportunities to strengthen others.

Still, the most important statement comes at the end of the passage: “Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to its plan which you have been shown on the mountain.”

The structure would be strong because it was built according to God’s design.

That brings us back to a theme we have encountered repeatedly in these chapters. We do not establish a strong spiritual foundation by deciding for ourselves what parts of God’s instruction are necessary. Where He has stated restrictions, we should not create an assumption of freedom to go against His ways. Where He has clearly spoken, we should not replace His instruction with our preferences.

If we want a faith that holds up under pressure, we need more than an attractive exterior. We need lives built upon YHWH’s truth, strengthened through obedience, and grounded in genuine relationship with Him.

The parts no one sees may eventually determine whether the parts everyone sees can stand.

Application

  • Invest consistently in the unseen foundations of your faith through prayer, Scripture, repentance, and obedience.
  • Examine whether your public expression of faith is supported by the way you actually live when no one else is watching.
  • Build according to what God has revealed rather than assuming you can disregard His instruction and still expect a strong foundation.
  • Stay connected with other faithful believers who can encourage, strengthen, and correct you as you follow YHWH.

Closing Prayer

Father, help me build a faith that is strong beneath the surface. Teach me to value the parts of my relationship with You that no one else sees and to seek faithfulness rather than merely the appearance of it. Show me where my foundation has become weak through neglect or compromise, and help me strengthen it through Your Word and obedience to Your ways. Surround me with others who will encourage me toward faithfulness, and help me strengthen them as well. May my life be built according to Your truth so that I remain faithful when difficulties come. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Hear God in the Details (Exodus 26:1–14)

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Are you careful to follow God only in the things you consider important, or do you take seriously the details He says matter to Him?

Key Verse

“Then you shall make fifty clasps of gold, and join the curtains to one another with the clasps so that the tabernacle will be a unit.” — Exodus 26:6 (NASB)

Background Context

In Exodus 25, YHWH explained why the tabernacle was being built: “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.” He then gave Moses detailed instructions for the ark and mercy seat, the table of the bread of the Presence, and the golden lampstand.

Now in Exodus 26, God turns from the furnishings to the structure surrounding them. Verses 1–14 describe layers of carefully constructed curtains and coverings. The inner curtains were made of fine twisted linen with blue, purple, and scarlet material and cherubim woven into them. Additional curtains and coverings were placed over these to form and protect the sanctuary.

This continues the instruction YHWH had already given Moses in Exodus 25:40: “See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.”

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Reflection on Exodus 26:1–14:

The level of detail in this passage is striking. God specifies the number of curtains, their dimensions, the materials to be used, how they should be joined, the number of loops and clasps, and how the coverings should overlap. These were not decisions Moses was expected to work out according to his own preferences. YHWH had shown him the pattern, and Moses was expected to follow it.

We can sometimes divide God’s instruction into things we consider important and things we consider minor. We may take seriously commands that seem spiritually significant to us while becoming much more flexible with instructions we regard as details. But Moses was not given the authority to decide that the overall concept of the tabernacle mattered while its details did not.

That does not mean every detail of the tabernacle becomes a separate command for us today. Nor should we invent symbolic meanings for every loop, clasp, measurement, or material when Scripture does not provide them. The lesson is simpler: when God chooses to speak clearly about something, our responsibility is to take seriously what He has said.

Yeshua expressed a similar principle when He taught, “The one who is faithful in a very little thing is also faithful in much” (Luke 16:10). Character is often revealed not only in dramatic acts of obedience but in the smaller choices where we may assume faithfulness does not matter very much.

The construction itself also required many individual pieces to be joined together. Verse 6 says the curtains were connected “so that the tabernacle will be a unit.” Different materials and individual components served a common purpose because they were assembled according to God’s design.

That offers a useful reminder about participating in God’s work. Not every assignment appears equally prominent. Someone had to craft beautiful inner curtains with cherubim, while someone else prepared coverings that would largely serve the practical purpose of protecting what was underneath. Yet both were necessary for the tabernacle God commanded Israel to build.

Paul later uses the human body to describe God’s people, explaining that there are many members with different functions, yet together they form one body (1 Corinthians 12:12–18). We should be cautious about claiming that Exodus 26 itself is teaching Paul’s body metaphor, but the principle helps us apply what we see here: God’s work includes different roles, and faithfulness matters even when our particular contribution is not the most visible.

There is another helpful perspective in the contrast between the inner beauty of the tabernacle and its protective outer coverings. What mattered most about this structure was not whether someone standing outside found it impressive. Its significance came from YHWH’s presence and from being constructed according to His instruction.

The same can be true of our obedience. Much of faithfulness happens where other people never see it. Integrity when no one is watching, private prayer, keeping our word, controlling what we allow into our minds, treating family members with patience, or doing an unnoticed responsibility well may never receive public recognition.

But God sees the details.

We should therefore be careful about calling something insignificant simply because it seems small to us. If God has spoken about it, it matters. If He has entrusted something to us, faithfulness matters.

Application

  • Take God’s instructions seriously even when a particular act of obedience seems small or unnoticed.
  • Examine whether you have labeled something “minor” primarily because obeying God in that area is inconvenient.
  • Be faithful in the role God has given you without measuring its importance by how visible or impressive it appears.
  • Resist inventing meaning God has not revealed, while being careful not to dismiss the details He actually has revealed.

Closing Prayer

Father, help me honor You not only in the decisions that seem important, but also in the details of everyday obedience. Guard me from dismissing something You have said simply because it seems small or inconvenient to me. Teach me to be faithful with whatever role or responsibility You place in my hands, whether others notice it or not. Give me humility to follow what You have revealed without adding my own meaning or removing what You have said. May the details of my life increasingly demonstrate that I belong to You. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God, Seeking God

Live Like Your Choices Matter (Revelation 22:12–16)

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If Yeshua says He is coming and will reward each person according to what they have done, should that change the way we think about the choices we make today?

Key Verse

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves.” — Revelation 22:12 (NASB)

Background Context

In Revelation 21, John saw the new heaven, new earth, and New Jerusalem, where YHWH will dwell forever among His people. In Revelation 22:1–5, he saw the river and tree of life and learned that the curse will finally be removed. Then in Revelation 22:6–11, Yeshua declared, “Behold, I am coming quickly,” and pronounced a blessing on those who keep the words of this prophecy.

Now in Revelation 22:12–16, Yeshua repeats His promise that He is coming quickly, but adds an important statement: He is bringing His reward with Him, “to reward each one as his work deserves.” He then identifies Himself as the Alpha and Omega and describes the distinction between those who enter the New Jerusalem and those who remain outside.

As Revelation approaches its final words, it continues emphasizing something we have seen throughout the book: what we believe about Yeshua should be visible in how we live.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Revelation 22:12–16

      12“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 13“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

      14Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. 15Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.

      16“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

Reflection on Revelation 22:12–16:

Yeshua begins this section with a statement that deserves careful attention: “My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves.” Revelation does not treat our deeds as insignificant. We saw the same truth at the Great White Throne, where the dead were judged “according to their deeds” (Revelation 20:12). Now Yeshua repeats that principle as part of His final message to the churches.

We should hold this together with the rest of Scripture rather than allowing one truth to erase another. We do not earn redemption by accumulating enough good deeds. Salvation is God’s provision through Yeshua. Yet Scripture also does not teach that because salvation cannot be earned, our actions no longer matter. Yeshua repeatedly called His followers to obedience, perseverance, repentance, and faithfulness. Our deeds reveal something about what we truly believe and whom we have chosen to follow.

Paul expresses the same accountability in 2 Corinthians 5:10: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad.” Grace should never become an excuse to live as though our choices are irrelevant. Instead, receiving God’s grace should transform the way we live.

Yeshua then declares, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” The One who promises to return and recompense according to deeds is not merely another messenger within the vision. He stands over the entire story. Human kingdoms have risen and fallen throughout Revelation, Babylon has collapsed, the beast has been defeated, and Satan has been judged. Yeshua remains.

Verses 14–15 then draw a sharp distinction between those who enter the city and those who remain outside. There is an important textual difference worth recognizing here. The NASB and many modern translations read, “Blessed are those who wash their robes,” while the textual tradition behind the KJV reads, “Blessed are they that do his commandments.” We should be cautious about building a doctrine exclusively upon either wording. Yet neither reading undermines the broader message Revelation has consistently given us. God’s people are cleansed through the Lamb, and those who belong to Him are repeatedly characterized by faithful obedience.

Earlier Revelation described God’s people as “those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus” (Revelation 14:12). Revelation does not ask us to choose between trusting the Lamb and obeying God’s commandments. The redeemed are called to both faith and faithfulness.

Yeshua closes the section by identifying Himself as “the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” He is both the fulfillment of God’s promises concerning David and the One whose coming signals the dawning of God’s kingdom in its fullness. The churches receiving Revelation could therefore remain faithful even when the surrounding world appeared to belong to someone else.

The same challenge comes to us. We live among countless voices telling us that obedience can wait, compromise is harmless, and our private choices do not really matter. Revelation tells us something very different. Yeshua sees how we live, calls His people to overcome, and says He is coming again.

We should not obey because we believe we can earn His salvation. We should obey because we belong to Him, trust Him, and know that the choices we make before Him truly matter.

Application

  • Examine whether your everyday choices reflect the faith in Yeshua that you profess.
  • Do not use grace as a reason to dismiss obedience to God’s commandments; let God’s grace produce greater faithfulness in your life.
  • When compromise seems insignificant, remember that Yeshua repeatedly teaches that our deeds matter to Him.
  • Live with Yeshua’s return in view, choosing today what you will be glad to have chosen when you stand before Him.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for the salvation You have provided through Yeshua that I could never earn for myself. Help me never to misuse Your grace as an excuse to ignore Your instruction. Teach me to live as though my choices truly matter because Your Word says they do. Show me where compromise has entered my life, and give me courage to repent and obey You. Help me remain faithful while I wait for Yeshua’s return, so that my life reflects that I truly belong to Him. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Guide, Humility, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Follow God’s Pattern, Not Your Own (Exodus 25:31–40)

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When God has shown us how He wants something done, do we follow His instruction—or assume our own way is just as good?

Key Verse

“See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.” — Exodus 25:40 (NASB)

Background Context

In Exodus 25:1–9, YHWH began giving Moses instructions for the tabernacle because He desired to dwell among His people. In verses 10–22, He described the Ark of the Covenant and mercy seat, where He promised to meet with Moses. In verses 23–30, He described the table that continually held the bread of the Presence.

Now in Exodus 25:31–40, YHWH gives instructions for a lampstand made from pure gold. It would have seven lamps and elaborate branches decorated with cups shaped like almond blossoms.

As with the other parts of the tabernacle, its design did not originate with Moses. God revealed the pattern, and Moses was responsible for following it.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 25:31–40

The Golden Lampstand

      31“Then you shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand and its base and its shaft are to be made of hammered work; its cups, its bulbs and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. 32“Six branches shall go out from its sides; three branches of the lampstand from its one side and three branches of the lampstand from its other side. 33“Three cups shall be shaped like almond blossoms in the one branch, a bulb and a flower, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bulb and a flower—so for six branches going out from the lampstand; 34and in the lampstand four cups shaped like almond blossoms, its bulbs and its flowers. 35“A bulb shall be under the first pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the second pair of branches coming out of it, and a bulb under the third pair of branches coming out of it, for the six branches coming out of the lampstand. 36“Their bulbs and their branches shall be of one piece with it; all of it shall be one piece of hammered work of pure gold. 37“Then you shall make its lamps seven in number; and they shall mount its lamps so as to shed light on the space in front of it. 38“Its snuffers and their trays shall be of pure gold. 39“It shall be made from a talent of pure gold, with all these utensils. 40“See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.

Reflection on Exodus 25:31–40:

The lampstand was an extraordinary piece of craftsmanship. It was to be hammered from a single talent of pure gold, with six branches extending from its central shaft. Cups shaped like almond blossoms, bulbs, and flowers were incorporated into the design. At the top were seven lamps positioned to provide light within the sanctuary.

Later passages explain that the priests were responsible for keeping these lamps burning before YHWH (Exodus 27:20–21). In a place without ordinary windows providing natural light, God provided a lampstand for the place where His priests would serve.

There is rich imagery associated with light throughout Scripture, and it is natural for Christians to think of Yeshua’s declaration, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (John 8:12). We should be cautious about assigning symbolic meanings to every flower, branch, or measurement when Scripture does not explain them, but the broader biblical connection between God’s presence, truth, and light is unmistakable.

Yet the final verse may contain one of the most important lessons for this particular passage. After giving Moses all these detailed instructions, YHWH says, “See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.”

Moses was not being asked to improve God’s design.

He might have been able to imagine another arrangement that seemed more attractive, efficient, or practical. Skilled craftsmen might eventually have had their own creative ideas. But when God had specifically revealed what He wanted, their responsibility was not to substitute what seemed better to them. Their responsibility was faithful obedience.

Hebrews later returns to this exact point when discussing the earthly tabernacle. It says that the priests served “a copy and shadow of the heavenly things,” and then quotes God’s instruction to Moses: “See that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain” (Hebrews 8:5). The pattern mattered because the tabernacle was communicating truths greater than Moses could fully see.

That principle should give us humility when approaching God’s Word. There will be times when we understand why God commands something and times when we do not. We may even believe another way would make more sense according to our culture, preferences, or circumstances. But our limited understanding does not make us wiser than the One who gave the instruction.

At the same time, we should distinguish between what God has actually commanded and human traditions we have added ourselves. Following God’s pattern means carefully learning what He has said, not treating every religious custom as though God personally commanded it.

The challenge is therefore not simply to become more rigid. It is to become more attentive to YHWH’s Word. Where He has given freedom, we should not invent unnecessary restrictions. Where He has stated restrictions, we should not create an assumption of freedom to go against His ways. Where He has clearly spoken, we should not replace His instruction with our preferences.

Moses did not need to understand everything the lampstand represented before obeying the pattern God had shown him. Sometimes understanding grows after obedience begins.

When God has clearly spoken, faithfulness means trusting that His pattern is wiser than ours.

Application

  • When Scripture clearly teaches something that conflicts with your preferences, choose God’s instruction rather than reshaping it around what seems better to you.
  • Study God’s Word carefully so that you can distinguish His actual commands from traditions or expectations people have added.
  • Resist assuming that you must fully understand God’s reason for an instruction before you can faithfully obey it.
  • Remember that God’s perspective reaches beyond what you can presently see, giving you reason to trust His wisdom over your own.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for giving me Your Word rather than leaving me to determine Your ways for myself. Help me listen carefully to what You have actually said and distinguish Your instruction from human traditions or my own preferences. When Your ways differ from what seems best to me, give me humility to trust that Your wisdom is greater than mine. Teach me to follow faithfully even when I do not yet understand everything You are doing. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Justice / Judgment, Merciful, Obeying God, Seeking God

Meet with God on His Terms Rather than Yours (Exodus 25:10–22)

Do we approach God on our own terms, or do we trust the way He has provided for sinful people to draw near to Him?

Key Verse

“There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you.” — Exodus 25:22 (NASB)

Background Context

In Exodus 24, Israel formally entered into covenant with YHWH, and Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive further instruction. In Exodus 25:1–9, God called the people to willingly contribute materials for a sanctuary because He desired to dwell among them.

Now in Exodus 25:10–22, YHWH begins describing the tabernacle itself, starting not with the outer structure but with one of its most important objects: the Ark of the Covenant.

The ark would eventually stand in the Most Holy Place. Inside would be the testimony God gave Moses. Above it was the kapporet, commonly translated mercy seat or atonement cover, overshadowed by two cherubim. It was there that YHWH promised to meet with Moses and speak to His people.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 25:10-22

Ark of the Covenant

      10“They shall construct an ark of acacia wood two and a half cubits long, and one and a half cubits wide, and one and a half cubits high. 11“You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and out you shall overlay it, and you shall make a gold molding around it. 12“You shall cast four gold rings for it and fasten them on its four feet, and two rings shall be on one side of it and two rings on the other side of it. 13“You shall make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14“You shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark with them. 15“The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from it. 16“You shall put into the ark the testimony which I shall give you.

      17“You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits wide. 18“You shall make two cherubim of gold, make them of hammered work at the two ends of the mercy seat. 19“Make one cherub at one end and one cherub at the other end; you shall make the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends. 20“The cherubim shall have their wings spread upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings and facing one another; the faces of the cherubim are to be turned toward the mercy seat. 21“You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony which I will give to you. 22“There I will meet with you; and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, I will speak to you about all that I will give you in commandment for the sons of Israel.

Reflection on Exodus 25:10–22:

The detail in God’s instructions is immediately noticeable. The ark was to have specific dimensions, be made from acacia wood, covered with gold, equipped with rings and poles for carrying, and constructed according to the pattern YHWH gave Moses. Even the poles were to remain in their rings. Israel was not being invited to design God’s dwelling place according to whatever seemed meaningful to them. The God who desired to dwell among them also determined how He was to be approached.

Inside the ark, Moses was to place “the testimony which I shall give you.” God’s covenant instruction stood at the center of Israel’s relationship with Him. The God who rescued Israel also taught them how His redeemed people should live. As we have seen throughout Exodus, grace and obedience were never intended to compete with one another. YHWH redeemed Israel first, and the people He redeemed were then called to walk according to His ways.

But above the testimony was something especially significant: the mercy seat. Later, in Leviticus 16, we learn that on the Day of Atonement the high priest would enter the Most Holy Place and sprinkle sacrificial blood on and before this mercy seat. God’s righteous standard had not disappeared, nor was sin simply ignored. Instead, YHWH Himself provided a means of atonement so that sinful people could remain in covenant relationship with a holy God.

This points us toward what God would ultimately accomplish through Yeshua. Hebrews 9 connects the tabernacle, the ark, the mercy seat, and the sacrificial system with Messiah’s greater work. Yeshua did not enter an earthly sanctuary with the blood of another sacrifice; He entered through His own blood, obtaining eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:11–12). What the tabernacle pictured repeatedly, Yeshua accomplished in a far greater and lasting way.

That makes God’s statement in verse 22 particularly beautiful: “There I will meet with you.” The purpose of all these instructions was not simply religious ceremony. YHWH wanted to dwell among His people and communicate with them. Yet because He is holy and humanity is sinful, He provided the way for that relationship to be possible.

There is an important lesson here for us. We sometimes want God on our terms. We want His presence without His holiness, His mercy without repentance, or relationship with Him while retaining the right to decide for ourselves what obedience should look like. Exodus does not allow us to separate these things.

At the same time, we should not miss the tremendous grace in the passage. The holy God did not simply tell sinful people that they could never approach Him. He provided the way for them to come near.

Yeshua later said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). We do not have to invent a path into God’s presence or wonder whether our efforts are good enough to get us there. God Himself has provided the way.

We do not make God accessible by approaching Him however we choose. We draw near because He has graciously shown us how—and ultimately provided that way through Yeshua.

Application

  • Approach YHWH according to what He has revealed in His Word rather than reshaping worship and obedience around personal preference.
  • Take God’s standards seriously while remembering that His mercy does not ignore sin—He has provided atonement for it.
  • Place your confidence in Yeshua rather than your own goodness as the basis for drawing near to God.
  • Remember that God’s desire is relationship: the holy God who tells us how to approach Him is also the God who says, “There I will meet with you.”

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You that although You are perfectly holy, You have provided a way for sinful people to draw near to You. Help me never to treat Your holiness casually or attempt to reshape Your ways according to my preferences. Thank You for the mercy You have shown and for the redemption You have provided through Yeshua. Teach me to walk faithfully according to Your Word and to treasure the extraordinary privilege of knowing You and living in Your presence. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Guide, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional

Wait for God Instead of Rushing Ahead (Exodus 24:12–18)

When God does not move as quickly as you want, will you continue to wait for Him—or start moving without Him?

Key Verse

“Then Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.” — Exodus 24:18 (NASB)

Background Context

Israel has formally entered into covenant with YHWH. Moses has read the Book of the Covenant to the people, they have committed themselves to obedience, and the covenant has been confirmed with blood.

Now YHWH calls Moses farther up Mount Sinai to receive the stone tablets containing His commandments and instruction.

Moses leaves Aaron and Hur with the elders and ascends with Joshua. The glory of YHWH settles upon Mount Sinai, the cloud covers it, and Moses waits six days before God calls to him on the seventh.

What follows prepares the way for God’s detailed instructions concerning the tabernacle, priesthood, and worship in the chapters ahead.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 24:12-18

  12Now the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction.” 13So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 14But to the elders he said, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a legal matter, let him approach them.” 15Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. 17And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. 18Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Reflection on Exodus 24:12–18:

God tells Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there.” Those final words are easy to overlook. Moses knew God had called him, and he knew where he was supposed to go, but knowing God’s direction did not mean everything happened immediately. Moses obeyed, ascended the mountain, and then the cloud covered it for six days. Only on the seventh day did YHWH call to him from the midst of the cloud.

That kind of waiting can be difficult for us. We are often more comfortable when obedience produces immediate movement or visible results. We want the answer, the opportunity, the resolution, or at least the next instruction. When nothing seems to happen, we can begin wondering whether we should do something ourselves to move things along. Yet Moses did not need to manufacture the next step. God had told him to come and stay, so remaining where God had placed him was itself an act of obedience.

There is also an important contrast developing in the story. Moses will remain on the mountain for forty days and forty nights, while Israel below eventually becomes impatient. Their unwillingness to wait contributes to the disastrous decision to make the golden calf in Exodus 32. Moses waited for YHWH to reveal the next step, while Israel decided that Moses—and perhaps God—was taking too long and created its own solution. Impatience can tempt us to do something similar. We may know what God has said, but when His way seems too slow, we begin looking for another path.

This does not mean that every delay in life is specifically God telling us to do nothing, nor should we use “waiting on God” as an excuse to avoid responsibilities He has already made clear. Moses could wait because he had obeyed the instruction he had received. Biblical waiting is not inactivity when God has told us to act; it is faithfulness to what He has already said while trusting Him for what He has not yet revealed.

From Israel’s perspective below, the mountain was covered by a cloud. Yet within that cloud, YHWH was preparing to give Moses detailed instructions that would shape Israel’s worship and reveal how a holy God would dwell among His people. They could not see what God was doing, but that did not mean nothing was happening. The same can be true in our lives. We should be careful not to interpret a lack of visible progress as evidence that God is absent or inactive.

The appearance of YHWH’s glory also reminds us whom Moses was waiting upon. To Israel, “the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.” Moses was not casually waiting for advice from a distant God. He had been invited into the presence of the holy YHWH. As Exodus moves toward the tabernacle, this combination will become increasingly important: God is holy and must be approached as He directs, yet this same holy God desires to dwell among His people and provides the way for them to draw near.

There will be times when God clearly calls us to act, and we should act. But there will also be times when we have faithfully done what He has shown us and simply do not know the next step. In those moments, we do not need to create our own path merely because waiting has become uncomfortable. If God has not yet shown us the next step, faithfulness means continuing to obey what He has already shown us while trusting Him with what comes next.

Application

  • Continue faithfully doing what God has already made clear while you wait for direction about what comes next.
  • Resist the temptation to create your own solution simply because God’s timing seems slower than you would prefer.
  • Do not assume that a lack of visible progress means God is absent or inactive.
  • Ask whether you are truly waiting on God or avoiding something He has already told you to do.

Closing Prayer

Father, help me trust You when Your timing is different from mine. When I have obeyed what You have shown me but cannot yet see the next step, give me patience to remain faithful rather than rushing ahead. Guard me from creating my own solutions simply because waiting has become uncomfortable. At the same time, keep me from using waiting as an excuse when You have already made clear what I should do. Help me trust that You are at work even when I cannot yet see what You are doing, and give me wisdom to move when You call me forward. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

Fear / Reverence for God, Guide, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant

Don’t Just Hear God’s Word—Commit to Live It (Exodus 24:1–11)

Is your response to God’s Word simply to agree that it is true, or are you committed to actually living according to what He says?

Key Verse

“Then he took the book of the covenant and read it as the people listened; and they said, ‘All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!'” — Exodus 24:7 (NASB)

Background Context

Exodus 24 brings the covenant at Mount Sinai to a significant moment of confirmation. YHWH had already redeemed Israel from slavery before bringing them to Sinai. He then revealed the Ten Commandments and continued explaining how His people were to live.

Now Moses writes down “all the words of the LORD.” He reads the Book of the Covenant to the people, and Israel publicly agrees to obey what God has spoken.

The covenant is then confirmed with blood, followed by a remarkable meal in God’s presence. Redemption had brought Israel not merely out of Egypt, but into covenant relationship with YHWH.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 24:1–11

People Affirm Their Covenant with God

      1Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance. 2“Moses alone, however, shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him.”

      3Then Moses came and recounted to the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice and said, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!” 4Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Then he arose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. 5He sent young men of the sons of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD. 6Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and the other half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. 7Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” 8So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, “Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.”

      9Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. 11Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.

Reflection on Exodus 24:1–11:

Twice in this passage Israel makes a strong declaration.

First they say, “All the words which the LORD has spoken we will do!” Later, after Moses reads the Book of the Covenant aloud, they respond again: “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!”

Notice the progression.

They heard God’s Word and then committed themselves to do what He said.

Scripture consistently challenges us not to separate those two things. James later writes, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves” (James 1:22).

It is possible to study Scripture, agree with Scripture, discuss Scripture, and even defend Scripture while resisting what it tells us to do. God’s Word was never intended merely to increase our knowledge. It should shape how we actually live.

But we should also remember the order of events in Exodus.

Israel did not obey God in order to persuade Him to rescue them from Egypt. He rescued them first. He delivered them from slavery, brought them to Himself, and then taught them how His redeemed people should live.

That pattern matters.

Obedience is not the price we pay to purchase redemption. It is the faithful response of people who have been redeemed.

Then Moses confirms the covenant with blood. Half is sprinkled on the altar, and the other half on the people as Moses declares, “Behold the blood of the covenant.”

The seriousness of covenant is unmistakable. Relationship with a holy God is not casual. Sin and reconciliation carry a cost. This imagery also points us forward to Yeshua, who at the Last Supper spoke of His own blood as “My blood of the covenant” (Matthew 26:28).

Then the passage ends with an extraordinary scene.

Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders ascend the mountain, and Scripture says, “they saw the God of Israel.” Under His feet was something like a pavement of sapphire, “as clear as the sky itself.”

Yet God did not destroy them.

Instead, “they saw God, and they ate and drank.”

The covenant culminates in fellowship.

That helps us see the larger purpose behind everything we have been reading. God did not deliver Israel merely to give them a collection of rules. He was forming a people who belonged to Him and could live in relationship with Him.

The commandments showed them how a redeemed people should walk with a holy God.

The same should shape how we approach God’s Word today. We should not ask merely, What does this passage say? We should also ask:

What has God shown me that I now need to live out?

Because hearing God’s Word is only the beginning. Faithfulness means allowing what He says to change how we live.

Application

  • When you read Scripture, ask not only what it means but what God is calling you to do differently because of it.
  • Remember that obedience is a response to God’s redemption and grace, not a way of earning them.
  • Take your commitment to God seriously rather than treating obedience as optional whenever His instruction becomes inconvenient.
  • Remember that God’s goal is not merely rule-keeping but a redeemed people living faithfully in relationship with Him.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You for redeeming me and inviting me into relationship with You. Help me not to be satisfied merely with hearing, studying, or agreeing with Your Word. Show me where I need to put what You have taught me into practice. May my obedience flow from love and gratitude for what You have already done for me. Teach me to take Your Word seriously and to live faithfully as someone who belongs to You. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Faithful, Guide, Obeying God

Follow Where God Leads Without Compromise (Exodus 23:20–33)

Are you asking God to lead you forward while still holding onto things He has told you to leave behind?

Key Verse

“But you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will remove sickness from your midst.” — Exodus 23:25 (NASB)

Background Context

Beginning in Exodus 20, YHWH spoke the Ten Commandments and then continued with detailed instructions showing Israel how His standards applied to worship, justice, relationships, property, work, rest, and care for others.

Now, as this section draws to a close, God turns Israel’s attention toward what lies ahead.

He promises to send His messenger before them, protect them on their journey, and bring them to the place He has prepared. But God’s promises come with repeated instructions to listen, obey, worship Him alone, and reject the gods of the nations they will encounter.

Israel was being prepared not merely to enter the Promised Land, but to live there faithfully as YHWH’s people.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Reflection on Exodus 23:20–33:

God begins with an extraordinary promise:

“Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.”

Israel did not know everything that waited ahead. There would be enemies, battles, uncertainty, and challenges they could not overcome by their own strength.

But God was already going before them.

That is an encouraging pattern throughout Scripture. God often calls His people forward without showing them every detail of the journey. Our confidence cannot come from knowing exactly what will happen. It comes from knowing who is leading us.

Yet immediately after promising His presence and protection, YHWH says, “Be attentive to him and obey his voice.”

God’s guidance was not an invitation for Israel to choose its own path while expecting Him to bless it. They were expected to listen and follow.

The same principle remains important for us. Sometimes we want God’s direction primarily because we want Him to lead us toward the outcome we have already chosen. Biblical faith asks something different: Where is God leading, and am I willing to follow?

YHWH then gives Israel a serious warning about the people they will encounter:

“You shall not worship their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their deeds.”

Israel’s greatest danger in the land would not ultimately be military weakness. It would be spiritual compromise.

God even warns them not to make covenants with the nations or their gods because “it will be a snare to you.” What initially appeared harmless could gradually draw their allegiance away from YHWH.

Scripture repeatedly shows that this warning was justified. Israel would later struggle precisely because they failed to remove the influences God warned them about. Compromise that seemed manageable eventually became idolatry.

There is wisdom here for us as well.

We sometimes ask, How close can I get to something sinful without actually sinning? God teaches us to ask a better question: Will this draw me toward Him or become a snare that gradually pulls me away?

The passage also contains an interesting detail about how God would give Israel the land:

“I will not drive them out before you in a single year… Little by little I will drive them out from before you.”

God promised victory, but He did not promise instant results.

There was purpose in the delay. If the land became empty too quickly, it would become desolate and wild animals would multiply. God would enlarge Israel’s territory gradually as they became able to possess it.

Sometimes “little by little” is God’s wisdom, not God’s absence.

We may become discouraged when something God is doing takes longer than we expected. But we cannot see everything He sees. Immediate fulfillment is not always the best fulfillment.

Israel’s responsibility was to keep following, keep obeying, reject compromise, and trust YHWH with the pace.

That remains a powerful pattern for us:

Follow where God leads. Obey what He says. Refuse what pulls you away from Him. And don’t mistake gradual progress for God’s failure to act.

Application

  • Follow God’s direction rather than asking Him merely to bless the direction you have already chosen.
  • Identify compromises or influences in your life that could gradually become a spiritual snare, and be willing to remove them.
  • When God’s work seems to be happening “little by little,” trust that His timing may accomplish purposes you cannot yet see.
  • Remember that God’s promises never make obedience irrelevant; continue listening to Him as you move forward.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank You that You go before Your people and know what lies ahead long before we do. Help me listen carefully to Your voice and follow where You lead rather than simply asking You to bless my own plans. Give me discernment to recognize compromises that could become snares and courage to remove anything that draws my heart away from You. When progress seems slower than I would choose, help me trust Your wisdom and continue faithfully following You, little by little, wherever You lead. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Obeying God

The Heart Behind the Commandments (Exodus 20)

When you think about God’s commandments, do you see a list of restrictions—or the loving instruction of the God who has already redeemed His people?

Key Verse:

“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” — Matthew 22:37–40 (NASB)

Background Context:

Exodus 20 is one of the foundational chapters of Scripture. At Mount Sinai, God gave His people the Ten Commandments, establishing foundational principles that would shape their worship, their families, their relationships, and their lives as His covenant people. These ten commandments were not the entirety of God’s instruction. They form the beginning of a much broader body of instruction that God would give His people concerning how they were to live as a people set apart for Him. In the chapters that follow, God continues teaching Israel about justice, worship, relationships, property, appointed times, care for others, and many other aspects of covenant life.

But God did not begin with a command. Before saying what Israel should do, He reminded them of what He had already done: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2).

That order matters. God redeemed His people first and then taught His redeemed people how to live. As we step back from the individual commandments, we can see that they are neither ten unrelated rules nor the complete collection of God’s commandments. They provide a foundational framework that reveals God’s character and begins teaching His people what it looks like to love Him and love one another.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 20

Reflection on Exodus 20:

The Ten Commandments begin with grace. Israel was not standing at Sinai trying to earn deliverance from Egypt. God had already delivered them. He had rescued them through the Passover, brought them through the Red Sea, provided food and water in the wilderness, and brought them safely to Himself. Only then did He begin giving them His commandments. This establishes an important biblical pattern: obedience is not the root of our redemption; it is the fruit of it. We do not obey God so that He will save us. Having received His grace, we respond by learning to walk according to His ways.

The first four commandments focus our attention primarily on loving and honoring God. He alone is to be our God. We are not to redirect our worship through images or worship Him according to the practices of the nations. His name is to be treated as holy, and the seventh-day Sabbath He established at creation is to be remembered and kept holy. Together these commands call God’s people to wholehearted devotion. God does not ask merely to be included somewhere in our lives. He calls us to recognize Him as Lord and order our lives around Him.

The fifth commandment provides a natural bridge from our relationship with God to our relationships with others. God commands us to honor our father and mother. The home becomes one of the first places where we learn respect, responsibility, love, and proper response to authority. Our devotion to God is never intended to remain an abstract spiritual idea. It begins to become visible in the way we treat the people closest to us.

The remaining commandments show what love for our neighbor looks like in practical terms. We protect life rather than destroy it. We honor marriage rather than violate it, recognizing that sexual immorality harms others and also sins against our own bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18). We respect what belongs to others rather than taking it. We speak truth rather than damaging others through falsehood. Finally, God reaches beyond outward actions and addresses even our desires: “You shall not covet.” God’s instruction therefore reaches beyond outward behavior and into the attitudes and desires of our hearts.

This helps us understand Yeshua’s summary of God’s Law. When He said that the greatest commandments were to love God and love our neighbor, He was not replacing God’s earlier instruction with something new, nor was He suggesting that these two statements eliminated the many specific commandments God had given. In fact, Yeshua was quoting directly from that instruction—Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. He was showing us the heart from which God’s commandments flow.

That distinction is important. Yeshua said, “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Love for God and love for others are not substitutes for God’s other instructions; they are the great principles upon which those instructions depend. The Ten Commandments clearly demonstrate these priorities, while the additional instructions God gives throughout Torah provide greater detail about what loving God and loving our neighbor looks like in the everyday circumstances of life.

This also corrects the common idea that love and God’s commandments somehow oppose one another. Scripture presents them as deeply connected. Yeshua said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). John likewise wrote, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). Obedience without love can become empty legalism, but claiming to love God while disregarding His instruction is equally inconsistent with Scripture. Genuine love desires to know what pleases God and then seeks to walk accordingly.

The closing verses of Exodus 20 reinforce the relationship between grace, holiness, and obedience. When Israel encountered God’s awesome presence, they were reminded that the God who had rescued them was also perfectly holy. Moses told them that the fear of God should remain before them “so that you may not sin.” God then instructed them how to approach Him in worship. They were not free to invent their own way into His presence. The holy God graciously provided the way.

That pattern ultimately points us toward Yeshua. We cannot earn salvation by keeping commandments because all of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s standard. We need a Redeemer. Just as God rescued Israel before teaching them how His redeemed people should live, He offers redemption to us through Messiah. Yeshua paid the penalty for our sin and provides the way for us to draw near to God. Grace does not then give us permission to disregard God’s ways. Instead, a redeemed heart increasingly desires to know Him, please Him, and walk according to His instruction.

Exodus 20 therefore gives us much more than ten isolated rules, but neither should we mistake these ten commandments for the entirety of God’s instruction. They establish a foundational framework that God immediately begins expanding in the chapters that follow. Through His commandments, God teaches His redeemed people how to live differently—how to worship Him, love one another, pursue justice, walk in holiness, and reflect His character before the nations.

God redeems. God reveals Himself. God teaches His people how to love Him. God teaches them how to love one another. God calls them to holiness. And God provides the way for them to draw near. The commandments are not a ladder by which we climb our way toward God. They are instruction given by the God who has already reached down to rescue His people.

Application:

  • Remember that obedience is the fruit of redemption, never a substitute for it.
  • Examine whether your love for God is reflected in your worship, priorities, time, and choices.
  • Consider whether your love for others is visible in how you treat their lives, marriages, possessions, reputations, and well-being.
  • Resist reducing God’s instruction to the Ten Commandments alone; continue studying the whole counsel of Scripture to understand how He calls His people to live.
  • Ask God to reveal areas where you may profess love for Him while resisting His instruction.
  • Thank Yeshua for providing redemption, and ask Him to help you live faithfully as one who has truly been redeemed.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You for loving and redeeming Your people before calling us to obedience. Help me never to treat Your commandments as a way to earn Your favor, nor to misuse Your grace as an excuse to disregard Your instruction. Teach me to love You with all my heart, soul, and mind and to love my neighbor as myself. Give me a desire to study all of Your Word so that I may understand Your ways and walk faithfully in them. Shape my worship, relationships, words, actions, and even the desires of my heart according to Your truth. Thank You for providing redemption and a way to draw near through Yeshua. May my obedience increasingly become the fruit of a life transformed by Your grace. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Children, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God

Honor Begins at Home (Exodus 20:12)

How do you respond to the authority God has placed in your life?

Key Verse:

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.” — Exodus 20:12 (NASB)

Background Context:

After giving four commandments that teach His people how to love and honor Him, God turns to the first commandment that governs human relationships. Significantly, He begins with the family. Before speaking about murder, theft, adultery, or false testimony, the Lord establishes the home as the foundation of a healthy society.

This command is also the first to include a specific promise. God tells Israel that honoring father and mother is connected with blessing and stability in the land He is giving them. It reveals that obedience to God is not only a matter of personal holiness but also of strengthening families and communities for generations to come.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 20:12

     12“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

Reflection on Exodus 20:12:

The word “honor” means far more than simple obedience. It carries the idea of giving weight, value, and respect to someone. Children naturally obey their parents while living under their authority, but the command to honor extends throughout life. Whether we are young or old, God calls us to treat our parents with dignity, gratitude, and respect because He established the family as the first place where we learn about authority, responsibility, and love.

It is significant that this command comes immediately after the commandments concerning our relationship with God. The family is often the first place where our reverence for the Lord is expressed in everyday life. Learning to respect parents helps prepare us to respect the other authorities God establishes, while ultimately recognizing that all rightful authority finds its source in Him.

The promise attached to this command also deserves careful attention. God tells Israel that honoring father and mother would contribute to long life in the land He was giving them. This was not intended as a mechanical guarantee that every obedient child would always live longer than every disobedient one. Rather, it describes the blessing that flows from a society where families are healthy, relationships are strong, and God’s design is respected. When generations honor one another, communities flourish. When that foundation crumbles, the consequences extend far beyond individual families.

The New Testament reaffirms this command. Paul writes:

“Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:2–3)

Paul demonstrates that this principle did not lose its significance after the coming of Messiah. Instead, he applies it to Christian families, encouraging children to obey their parents “in the Lord” and reminding parents to raise their children in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Honor is meant to characterize the entire family relationship.

Of course, Scripture also recognizes that we live in a fallen world. Some parents fail grievously in their responsibilities, and some family relationships are marked by deep pain or even abuse. Honoring parents does not require approving of sinful behavior or remaining in situations of ongoing harm. Our highest allegiance always belongs to God. Yet even in difficult circumstances, the Lord calls us to pursue an attitude of respect and forgiveness wherever possible, entrusting justice and healing to Him. Honor does not ignore truth, but neither does it delight in dishonor.

The fifth commandment reminds us that honoring God is reflected in the way we treat the people He has placed in our lives. The home is where respect, humility, and love are first cultivated. As we learn to honor our parents rightly, we also grow in understanding the authority, faithfulness, and love of our heavenly Father.

Application:

  • Thank God for the parents and other godly influences He has placed in your life.
  • Look for practical ways to show honor, gratitude, and respect to your parents.
  • If your family relationships are strained, ask God to help you pursue healing, forgiveness, and wisdom.
  • Remember that honoring parents ultimately reflects your reverence for the God who established the family.
  • Pray that your own life would model godly character for the next generation.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You for establishing the family and for giving parents the responsibility of caring for and teaching their children. Help me to honor my father and mother in a way that pleases You. Where relationships have been difficult, grant me wisdom, grace, and a heart that seeks Your will above my own. Teach me to respect the authority You have established and to reflect Your love within my own family. May my life bring honor to You, my heavenly Father, in all my relationships. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.