In the Breach

Day 334.
They made a calf in Horeb
and worshiped a metal image.
They exchanged the glory of God
for the image of an ox that eats grass.
They forgot God, their Savior,
who had done great things in Egypt,
wondrous works in the land of Ham,
and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.
Therefore he said he would destroy them—
had not Moses, his chosen one,
stood in the breach before him,
to turn away his wrath from destroying them. (Psalm 106:19-23 ESV)

Psalm 106 is a great place to read a summary of Israel’s history from Moses through the period of the judges, showing how Israel sinned over and over and what happened as a result, and in particular how they were preserved. In theses verses we see the wrath of God kindled to the point of judgment. The first few verses can be likened to Romans 1:18-23 in which the wrath of God is revealed because of the suppression of truth and the exchange of the glory of God for idols. God gives people over to their own desires as a form of judgment. Have you ever thought about that as a form of judgment? god gives people over to the consequences of their own choices?

But in the end God doesn’t destroy the people because Moses “stands in the breach” and pleads for them. As such, Moses is a type of Christ who stood in the breach for us so that God’s wrath doesn’t sweep us away.

Why do you think it is good for man to have God’s glory preserved?
As a Christian, have you ever “stood in the breach” for those who are not Christians?

Thank God for Jesus taking a stand in the breach!