How can we apply Moses' example of intercession in our prayer lives today? Setting the Scene • Israel’s idolatry with the golden calf provoked righteous judgment. • Moses stood between the offended LORD and a guilty nation. • Exodus 32:14: “So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people.” • God’s literal response to Moses’ plea invites us to pray just as boldly. What Marked Moses’ Intercession? • Compassionate identification – he calls Israel “Your people” (32:11) yet includes himself among them (32:12). • Bold honesty – he speaks plainly of God’s wrath and of Israel’s sin. • Appeal to God’s reputation – “Why should the Egyptians say…?” (32:12). • Appeal to covenant promises – “Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel…” (32:13). • Willing self-sacrifice – later, “Blot me out of Your book” (32:32). • Persistence – he stays on the mountain forty days and nights (Deuteronomy 9:18). Timeless Principles for Our Prayers 1. Stand in the gap • Ezekiel 22:30 laments the lack of someone to “build the wall and stand in the breach.” • Like Moses, we position ourselves between mercy and judgment for families, churches, and nations. 2. Pray Scripture back to God • Moses quoted God’s own covenant words; we echo promises such as 2 Chron 7:14; 1 John 1:9. 3. Center on God’s glory • Petition is more persuasive when it exalts His name (Psalm 79:9; John 14:13). 4. Embrace holy boldness • Hebrews 4:16 urges confident access; the Spirit helps our weakness (Romans 8:26). 5. Cultivate self-denying love • Intercession costs time, tears, even fasting (Joel 2:12–17). • Paul echoes Moses: “I could wish that I myself were accursed…for my brothers” (Romans 9:3). Putting It into Practice • Keep a “breach list” of people or situations in danger—wayward children, persecuted believers, leaders making ungodly choices, unreached peoples. • Pair each name with a specific promise or truth about God’s character. • Set aside focused windows (morning drive, lunch break, evening walk) to plead those verses aloud. • When possible, fast a meal each week as Moses did for forty days; let hunger remind you to pray. • Gather two or three like-hearted believers; shared intercession multiplies faith (Matthew 18:19-20). Promises That Fuel Intercession • James 5:16 – “The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.” • 1 Timothy 2:1 – “I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone.” • Jeremiah 33:3 – “Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” • John 16:24 – “Ask and you will receive, that your joy may be complete.” Our Confidence: A Greater Mediator • Moses’ mediation pointed forward to Christ, “who always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25). • We join the Son and the Spirit (Romans 8:26–34) in God’s throne room, assured that He still “relents” when His people plead His mercy and glory. |
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