He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar; they kept His testimonies and the ordinance He gave them. (Psalm 99:7)
In this verse, the psalmist obviously refers to the unique and powerful way God made His Presence known to His people as they journeyed through the wilderness, and how He communicated with them through Moses and Aaron. More specifically, the writer emphasizes how these men were committed to faithfully transmitting God’s exact words to the people. On multiple occasions the Scripture says that God would speak to Moses, face to face, and instruct him to repeat the instructions to the people word for word.
Centuries later, Yeshua exhibited the same dedication to speak exactly what the Father would have Him to say. He told His listeners that, “I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak” (John 12:49). Because those words were true, those who refused to believe His words were, in reality, rejecting the Word of the Lord. In fact in the days of Moses, it had been told to Israel that “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19).
The point is that when we present ourselves as representatives of the Most High, it is very important that we do so faithfully. We are to abide by and speak what His Word says, and not elevate our own opinions and agendas above what He has declared as His way and His will. As it is written, “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (Psalm 12:6). Consequently, we are warned of the dangers of speaking presumptuously in God’s Name and are instructed never to add anything to His Word or omit anything from it. Rather, as obedient servants, we are to rightly divide the word of truth that we may present ourselves approved to God (2 Timothy 2:15), being faithful to keep His testimonies and ordinances. Our lives, and the lives of others, are dependent upon being true to “It is written.”
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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