Intercession

Exodus 32:9-14, ‘“I have seen these people,” the LORD said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” But Moses sought the favor of the Lord his God. “O LORD,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that He brought them out, to kill them in the mountains, and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance for ever.’” Then the LORD relented and did not bring on His people the disaster He had threatened.’ We are all a stiff necked people meaning that we are not quick to turn away from our wicked ways. Even when we become saved and are born again, our natural tendency is to cling to that old way of thinking, that disobedient and rebellious nature that was in us and we are dead to. God is Holy and hates sin. His righteous wrath burns against sin. All who are sinners will be destroyed at the Day of Judgment. On our own we are all but sinners, already condemned and awaiting the Day of Judgment to receive our just reward, which is eternal death and separation from God. But God in His infinite and divine wisdom sent an intercessor on our behalf that is Jesus the Christ, who came and bore our sins so that God’s righteous judgment was borne by Him at the cross, and all the righteous wrath of God of the sins of men was released on Jesus at the cross and He bore all of it so that sin was forgiven once and for all. Christ stood between us and the fury of God’s judgment, bearing all of it and now all that believe in Him as the Son of God who died for our sins and was resurrected on the third day are saved in Him. In Christ we find life, mercy and hope because He interceded on our behalf and because of His intercession, God has relented and will not bring His people, those that live in an obedient and submissive love to Him, the disaster that He had in store for us. But for those that reject the intercession of Jesus, those that think they can do it on their own, Jesus will allow you to do just that, He will accede to your choice and He will let your actions and your righteousness stand for you on the day of judgment.