“When Moses went and told the people all the Lord’s words and laws, they responded with one voice, ‘Everything the Lord has said we will do.’ Moses then wrote down everything the Lord had said. He got up early the next morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and set up twelve stone pillars representing the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Exodus 24:3-4 NIV84)

Moses went up Mt. Sinai with Aaron and the Elders of the people of Israel to worship and to hear the word of the Lord. When God finished giving them His commands and decrees, Moses went down to share them with the people. And how did they respond? With “one voice” they responded that all the Lord’s commands and decrees were good and that they would do them. They committed their obedience to these handed-down truths. The very next day Moses built an altar and set up 12 pillars to outwardly express the commitment of the people. On that day, all the Israelites declared their allegiance to their God and to His truths.

As I read these verses my immediate reaction was, where is our “one voice”? We Christians seem so divided. And even when we say that we assent to God’s commands and decrees, oftentimes our actions don’t match. I think there is much we can learn from the way the children of Israel responded to God’s Word brought to them by Moses. They assented to the truth of God’s Word. They declared obedience to His Word. Then they revered His Word in worship. May we, as 21st-century Christians, find our common voice. May we commit not only our assent but our obedience as well. And may we grow to deeply revere the Lord and His Word.

Peace!

Pastor Tom

www.firmlyrooted.church