Thursday: Intercession
Daily Lesson for Thursday 11th of September 2025
Read Exodus 32:30-32. How far did Moses go in his intercessory prayer for sinners?
Because of their rebellion, terrible things happened in the Israelite camp, including the deaths of many people (Exodus 32:28). The following day, Moses declared to the people: “ ‘You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin’ ” (Exodus 32:30, NKJV).
Image © Jim Howard at Goodsalt.com
“Moses went back to the Lord and said, ‘Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written’ ” (Exodus 32:31-32, NIV).
No wonder Moses is considered to be a type of Christ! Because of his intercessory prayer for sinners and his willingness to offer his own life for them, he surely reflected what Christ would do for all of us. What an exemplary compassion for transgressors! He demonstrated his total dedication to the Lord and His sacrificial love for people. The book of Exodus does not state how long Moses stayed with the Lord on the mount this particular time, but the book of Deuteronomy reveals that he was on Sinai this time for 40 days (see Deuteronomy 9:18).
In Exodus 32:32, the word translated “forgive” is from a verb whose basic meaning is to “bear” or “carry,” such as in Isaiah 53:4, which reads (about Jesus): “Surely He has borne our griefs” (NKJV). It is the same verb—translated “forgive” in Exodus 32:32, and “borne” in Isaiah 53:4. What a powerful insight into the process of salvation and forgiveness and what it cost God to save us.
Indeed, Moses was asking the Lord to “bear” the people’s sin, which of course is what He did at the cross thousands of years later. Exodus 32:32 shows not only the idea of substitutionary atonement but also who does the substituting: God Himself.
This text shows how forgiveness comes. God in Christ bore our sins, the only way we could be forgiven them. What a powerful expression of the plan of salvation and a demonstration to us and to the cosmos about what it cost God to save us.
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Moses asks God Himself to bear the sins of the people, and eventually, in Jesus, He does just that. How do we wrap our minds around this amazing truth? What does it tell us about God’s love for fallen humanity? |
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Moses made the offer to be blotted out of God’s book if God would forgive the calf-worshiping Hebrews. It was a powerful example of self-sacrificing intercession. These people were not nice people. They were rebellious. They did not like Moses. In doing so, he was a type for Jesus and his sacrifice and intercession for us.
It reminds us of the mockery of the priests and scribes who stood near the cross and said:
Perhaps the most challenging question for us at this end of Earth’s timeline is this:
When we talk about salvation, is it mainly about us, or about others?
Atheists raise the argument that Christians are good because they are in it to win it. Even when we claim that we are saved by grace and our actions are only a reflection of our salvation, they press the point that whatever the argument the goal is our salvation. Here is a very hard question: Would you be willing to give up salvation if you knew that someone else would be saved as a result? And an even harder question: Would you be willing to give up salvation to save someone who hated you?
Those questions might sound hypothetical for us, but they were real for Moses, and Jesus. We have a lot to learn about self-sacrificing love.
How does intercessory prayer work? For instance, Moses interceded for his people (Exodus 32:30-32). Did God not revisit the sins of the Israelites after Moses interceded for them? How far can the intercessory prayer shield a sinner from the wrath of God? Does intercessory prayer work where the sinner refuses to repent?
The Bibles says that intercession is when a righteous person pleads with God on behave others. For instance, Moses interceded on behave of the Israelites (Ex. 32:30–32). Abraham interceded on behave of Sodom (Gen. 18:23–33), and Jesus interceded for the believers (Heb. 7:25).
What is the nature of intercessory prayer? Intercession does not cancel sin but appeals for God’s mercy and compassion to give time for delay, mitigation and conditional forgiveness. For instance, when Moses interceded for the Children when the made a golden calf, God relented total annihilation, but plagues and deaths followed later (Ex. 32:35; Num. 14:22–23) In essence, intercession can avert or lessen immediate judgement but does not erase the need for repentance. In this incident, God’s wrath was softened, however, the consequences did not go away. God declared that the generation will not enter the Promised Land (Num. 14:20–23). Intercession does not wipe away the sin of unrepentant sinner. A sinner cannot be indefinitely covered by intercessory prayer from God final judgment. In sum total, repentance is personal. Intercession is a temporary insurance cover.
“He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But whoever confesses and turns away from his sins will find compassion and mercy” (Proverbs 28:13, AMP).
So often, many christians spend much time in inward prayer and praise, but neglect interceding for others. There’s nothing wrong with inward prayer but our prayers should also be upward in praise and outward toward others. It’s important to understand that intercessory prayer cannot force anyone to change or be saved, but it can extend God’s grace and mercy toward them. For instance, Stephen prayed for his enemies, demonstrating God's forgiveness and offering mercy (Acts 7:60), yet those individuals had to respond freely to the gospel themselves. Likewise, Abraham interceded for Sodom (Genesis 18:23–32), but the people there having free will chose their path regardless. Even Lot's wife, warned by the angels, exercised her own will and looked back, becoming a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26; Luke 17:32). We should pray fervently for loved ones to be saved, protected, and shown mercy knowing that God, in His grace, will give them every chance. Yet they must answer of their own volition.
I've truly and really appreciated the construct and build-up of this week's lesson. I don't know if it's because we've stuck to one chapter, breaking every facet of the chapter. Could it be because the author has opened up the chapter, peeling layer by layer, revealing each characteristic that swells up to reveal the beauty within this chaotic chapter? But this was really a rollercoaster of emotions with a very hidden beauty as the bigger picture.
Complete with protagonists, a study environment, and object matters leading to the main subject, this chapter's main subject is the very beautiful selfless act of intercession. One might argue that I've belittled the other real matters, like rebellion or betrayal, Aaron's poor and populist leadership, Moses' ire and decision-making leadership, or even God's wrath. But pardon me,
Twice in this chapter, Moses takes a placatory stance for Israel and even Aaron. Consider this:
All these and more were open for Moses' consideration, but God blesses him with a spirit of "intervention and intercession". In the moment of God's anger, Moses talks to God's mercy by reminding Him of His covenant with Abraham. Even after Moses discovers how bad Israel had become, even after executing 3,000 rebels, even after his brother Aaron's horrible failure in leadership, Moses acknowledges their fault but intercedes on behalf of Israel, offering his slot in the book of life in exchange for Israel.
Wow! Intercession is a phenomenon - an act so selfless, yet very beautiful. Intercession in true Christ-like character reveals Christ. Intercession is the Gospel. Moses' intercession points to God's superplan of redemption, restoration, and salvation.
Yes, this chapter has rebellion and apostasy at its core, Aaron's failed leadership on show, idol worship, and more, but intercession is the lead subject here. The true character of God's goodness and mercy exists within intercession. So many wrong things and people exist around us, but don't you think it's time to make intercessory prayers for all? I loved this chapter.
There is nothing that can compare to the love of God for us; He excels in surpassing all human knowledge about what love means. There is no safer being to trust, and no better way to follow than His.
We enjoy the greatest blessing of life by God ‘neutralizing’ the effects of our sin by His Love - Psalm 103:12. God’s Justice contained in His Mercy and Grace and expressed through His Spirit of His Love restores the sinner.
The effects of the sinful 'acts' by the repentant sinner are covered by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - the Faith He placed as He followed the Father's Will; trusting Him to honor His obedience as He joined Himself to the Father for the purpose of <b<reuniting us with our Father through the Farher's Plan of our Salvation - Psalm 103:12.
Christ Jesus stands ready at all times to intercede on our behalf when we come to Him in humble repentance and acknowledgement of our shortcomings. He opened the 'Door of Faith' wide - inviting us to join Him as we seek to meet the Father of all Life -, humbly requesting to be restored by the Father's Willingness to forgive - restoring us into Himself by His Spirit – 1 John 1:3-10; John 16:23-26.