…. continued
We can “see” our problem at Sinai, but we cannot “solve” our problem there. It was at Mount Sinai that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and other various “judgments” of which the children of Israel were to abide. It wasn’t long for the children of Israel before they realized that they were unable to keep these commandments entirely. The presence of this law simply revealed to them their fallen condition and need for divine help. The same is true for the lost person and the bitter Christian. A lost individual may try to conform to the standards he believes Christians abide by, not realizing that “the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). A bitter Christian may try to return to the basic rules of their Christianity, thinking that by keeping these rules they will somehow attain a state of freedom from bitterness. In both cases, their failure to measure up to the standards of the law causes the to “see” their problem. But this vision of inadequacy does not “solve” their problem until they run to the One the law was designed to point them to. Run to Jesus with your bitterness, and seek His grace to overcome it!
We can see the “rules” of God at Sinai, but we will not find a “relationship” there. While Moses was on Mount Sinai, God also gave him instructions concerning the construction of a beautiful tabernacle in order that God might dwell with His people. Exodus 25:1-2, 8 says, “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering. And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” Sinai was an important place where God outlined the worship of the Lord, but it was not a place to uproot bitterness. In fact, these instructions concerning the dwelling place of God was only given as an “example and shadow of heavenly things” (Hebrews 8:5). An example means that it was only an exhibition for imitation, a sample, or a pattern. Now we are the literal dwelling place of God, and He lives in us by His Spirit.
We cannot truly worship the Lord in our body and in our Spirit while we are harboring bitterness. We may conform to the rules of worship and have everything in line externally and yet be a prisoner of this binding sin. We must seek a close relationship with the Lord where He alone can remove the bitterness of our hearts. God is not pleased to dwell in someone where bitterness resides, and His desire for our lives is that we would appropriate His grace in our lives, have a proper view of the ‘rules,’ and run to Christ for His grace. Do not live one more moment under the control of bitterness!
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