Remain Under

Remain Under Your Covering

In Exodus 32 the children of God cast off all restraints and indulged in complete revelry. They not only cast off their gold rings to make a golden calf "god", but also cast off the leadership of Moses, the man of God who was their covering.  

The meaning of perseverance is much like  endurance in the original language: hypo(under), mi no' (abide) - abide under, remain under.  Moses was to remain under the covering of God. The people were to remain under the covering of their leader Moses.  Moses at the time of their rebellion against all authority; was on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments from God Almighty!

They chose to come out from under the covering of their authority, casting off all restraints! Their very place of holiness, health, harmony and help. 

We are no different today. Even on this side of Calvary, we somehow think casting off all restraints in the name of "freedom" is a good thing.  In our pride and arrogance we think we are "free" but we are truly "slaves" to our flesh, opposing the spirit.  

God puts us in places where we are called to remain under so we will live holy, healthy, harmonious and helpful lives.  

What authorities or restraints has God placed in your life that you are wanting to CAST OFF? Could it be Christ or the Word of God?  The authority of those over you?  Maybe a husband, wife, friend, boss, parent or  teacher?  Is it possible that you are casting off the authorities and people God has graciously placed in your life to help keep you accountable and living a life above reproach so you will have influence and impact for His glory?

Before you cast off your "restraints" better ask yourself this question: Am I willing to endure the consequences that will not only affect me but those who are under my influence by casting off what God means for my good and His glory?  

John 5:39 - You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;

Years ago while sitting in a carpool line, I heard James MacDonald say something to the affect of, We can do bible study after bible study but  never truly know the Person of Jesus Christ.  The bible is not our object of worship.  We study the bible because it is in the Bible that we find Jesus Christ.  Those were not his exact words but you get the point. 


So, why do you read & study the Bible? The reason we should read and study the Bible is that it points us to Jesus Christ.  Yes we learn His principles, but if all we ever do is attend bible study, learning all the principles of God's word but never come away different, then we have missed the Person of Christ!   We simply become knowledge seekers and soakers instead of Christ followers.

We are warned in scripture that "knowledge puffs up" (I should say knowledge alone puffs up). One of the definitions for this is: to inflate, blow up, to cause to swell up a) to puff up, make proud b) to be puffed up, to bear one's self loftily, be proud.   1 Corinthians 8:1-3 Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.  Again in I Corinthians 13:2- If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. Jesus is the epitome of love!  The scriptures also teach us that God is love and those who love (agape) know God and are His? It doesn't say those who attend bible study and have all knowledge are known by God and are His does it?

Jesus tells us in John 15:12- "This is My commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you".  I find it interesting that the Word of Life's word to His disciples was not, gain more knowledge about me.  Become a "good bible study girl", or do it the right way.  No!,  He tells us to love (agape) one another as He loved us!  Again in John 15:17 - "This I command you, that you love one another".  So how on earth are we to learn what his commandments are?  The Bible of course, but not just to learn them over and over.  Not just to memorize them and get a sticker or badge on our vest or on a role in some one's classroom. Not just to fill our heads with knowledge and become "fat and happy". Not just to "know" them. 

We are to read and study God's word in order that we may walk in the truth, as stated in 2 John 1:4-6 - " was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father. Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it. "  The Word of God is alive and active and the words of life are Jesus Christ the person. 

We should study the scriptures because the words testify about Christ!  From Genesis to Revelation scripture points us to Jesus Christ.  Don't stop bible study but make it your aim to not just get more bible knowledge but make it your aim to know Him more fully, to be rooted and grounded in the Person of Jesus Christ not just in biblical principles!