31/08/07

Broken Tablets ~ Broken Relationships

... The LORD said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt ... have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it" ... When Moses approached the camp ... he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. (Exodus 32:7, 9, 19)

The shattering of the tablets is probably the most impressive act performed by Moses during his tenure as the leader of Israel. In the last verses of the Books of Moses the Lord portrays the climax of Moses' life, mentions the "mighty hand and great awe," which Moses wrought in the sight of all Israel. Moses' act of might and awe was his shattering of the tablets. It would seem that this is his greatest epitaph.

The two tablets symbolized the two major categories of commandments. The first focuses upon man's obligations to God, while the second focuses upon man's relationship with his fellow man.

When Moses heard from the Lord that the people sinned with the Golden Calf, breaching their relationship with God, he felt this act alone did not warrant the breaking of the tablets. His rationale was that the second tablet, which represented man's relationship with his fellow man, did not 'incur' this liability. But when Moses descended the mountain and saw Israel's debasement, he personally saw their immorality, incest and murder, and broke the tablets. Only when they trespassed both boundaries, evidencing a disdain for both tablets, Moses broke them.

The lesson - when there is a breakdown in man's relationship with God, his perspective towards his fellow man will ultimately be affected as well.

Incidentally if you put to the two tablets at right angles with a corner touching you will get the shape of a heart.
True love - the Word of God written in your heart with the corner being Jesus, who got man and God together.

[ Reference Scriptures ]

Exodus 32:7, 9, 19 [NIV]
⁷ Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'
⁹ "I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people.
¹⁹ When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)