Category: Bible (Page 413 of 420)

A statue of Brahmin in India where Hindus worship today

I’m reading in the Old Testament right now as part of my “read through the Bible in a year” discipline. I just read about Moses going to the mountain to meet with God and get the 10 commandments. While he was gone, he left Aaron, his brother and spokesman in charge.

You know the story. The Israelites freaked out when Moses was gone too long and revolted. Aaron responded by gathering gold and crafting an image of a calf, thus creating a new god to worship. Bull worship was common back in the day (and it still practiced in some parts of the world as the picture above demonstrates).  Aaron crafts a common god to give the people what they want – something safe and familiar to worship.

There’s no indication that Aaron opposed this idea or stood against this move to idolatry. He folds under the pressure of the people. All this while Aaron and the Israelites stand at the base of a mountain engulfed with smoke and fire, literally looking at the miraculous presence of God.

Moses was a great leader. His brother, Aaron, a failure. Leaders are made, not born, and these brothers bear out that point.

The United States of American just inaugurated our 45th President, Donald J. Trump, into office. The Bible encourages us to pray for our leaders, whether you like them or not, voted for them or not, care about them or not, pay attention to what they do or not. I don’t say this flippantly. Regardless our our political swayings or convictions, we should pray. We may or may not be voting citizens, but as believers we should all be praying citizens.

Here’s a couple of verses to keep in mind as you pray:

When one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth. 

2 Samuel 23:3,4

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

Proverbs 21:1

Let’s pray together for our nation and our nation’s leaders that they would rule in righteousness. Let’s also remember that it’s the Lord who directs the heart of presidents and kings. The Lord is ultimately in control, regardless of what world leaders may think, and we have the privilege of praying and communicating directly with the one in control. Why ignore this special opportunity? Take some time, right now, and ask the Lord to help our leaders to follow Him and to live by the principles found in the Scriptures.