Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire, clear as the sky itself. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank. (Exodus 24:9-11)
Here are 3 sentences of scripture that jump right off the page. The elders of Israel saw God?! The second sentence really gives validity to the first: Under his feet was something like a pavement made of sapphire... What a picture! These elders had their faces to the pavement. These men saw the God of Israel but because of their low position the most they can really describe was what was under his feet. I wonder how long they were on their faces before they "ate and drank." My guess would be at least a few hours. Perhaps, every now and then, they would slightly open their eyes to gaze on the sapphire pavement as clear as the sky and marvel at being at the feet of the God of Israel.
I like to pause and think about this. What would it be like to be laying on that sapphire pavement, knowing that above you sat the Creator God of the Universe?
Not that it even comes close, but this verse reminds me of a time I had my face in the ground for a while. I was in a room with a few hundred people and there was a man speaking about the glory of God. The presence of God fell thick in the room, the man stopped speaking, and there was silence, and then there was weeping. About 45 minutes later I opened my eyes and the first thing I noticed was.....well, the carpet. Before getting up off the ground I spent a few minutes just staring at the carpet. I think it is because I remember that carpet so vividly that I find it fascinating that these men could see God and yet the only description they give is about the ground, what was under His feet. What a glorious experience this must have been for them. A life changer.
Sadly, 8 chapters later, these elders with their mountain top experience are unable to resist the mob of Israel, and Aaron leads the way in creating the golden calf idol that the people make sacrifices to and worship. Less than 40 days after being at the feet of the God of Israel.
Does this make your stomach sick, like it does mine?
In chapter 32 it says that they became a laughingstock to their enemies.
And so began the confusing reputation Israel would have among the nations and the reputation the church would inherit a few thousand years later. People that fear God, lay at His feet, witness His wonders and glory... and then fall miserably into some sort of sin. And an unbelieving world looks on in disbelief.
It is truly confusing that this sort of thing happened, does happen, and will continue to happen. Why is it that people who 'walk with God' are still so susceptible to failure? Even the ones with great ministries and great anointing don't seem to be immune.
The unbelieving world looks at the church in all our glorious weakness, immaturity and hypocrisy and they want nothing to do with us, but it isn't about us. It has never been about us. Sadly, many look at the church and make their judgements about God based on our actions or failures (and our failure to act), rather than look at God who is the judge of us all.
This verse says it well:
"It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people. Remember this and never forget how you provoked the LORD your God to anger in the desert." Deut. 9:5-7
A similar verse could be written about me. If God accomplishes anything through my life it has nothing to do with my righteousness or integrity and everything to do with Him accomplishing what He has promised to accomplish through Christ and the church.
Our salvation is not based on our righteousness or integrity it is the grace of God.
It has always been about God. His righteousness, faithfulness, glory and goodness. The good news is that He continues to be God despite our weaknesses and failures. When we fall; He remains. When we sin or miss the mark; His faithfulness and righteousness remain. We suffer loss, but He is proved right.
The beauty of the Old Testament is that God continues, unrelenting, to accomplish what he began. For a few thousand years from one generation to the next he fulfills His promise to the Israelites and brings about the Christ. And the beauty of the gospel is that a loving God purposed a salvation to mankind that did not depend on man's righteousness, integrity or strength, but rather it completely rests on the grace of God given to us in the death and life of Jesus. Now in the Church Age he has continued to accomplish His purpose for the gospel in every nation despite our obvious shortcomings and failures as weak and broken people.
In the end, God alone will be able to take credit for all that He accomplished through His people. There will be no glory ascribed to any of us- that's for sure.
Eventually we will all be gathered together with our faces on that sapphire pavement filled with fear and awe. As we can barely lift our eyes to get a glimpse of the feet of God, we will all be wondering how the God of the Universe, in all His holiness and splendor, wrote us into such a story. We will finally truly know that it really was always, only, ever, about Him.
