Deleted from the Book

“But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written”  Exodus 32:32.

I’m about to finish a commentary on Revelation, I know I’ve been reading it for ages, sue me. I’m in Chapter 20 where it talks about judgment on the people based on what the books say. For simplicity’s sake, we’ll just talk about the Book of Life, which is what Moses talks about in the passage above. It struck me as I consider the significance of his statement. I try to love people, be kind to them, do little things like pick up someone’s copies from the printer, call a random friend and genuinely ask how they’re doing, send a short note or email of encouragement occasionally. I speak to people on the streets and smile as often as I catch someone’s eye. But being willing to go to HELL because I love someone so much I would trade places if the Lord required it? AHHHH. That’s, well, an eternal life choice. That’s a big deal.

I have a hard enough time not being right for a split second (my mother is nodding right now). As I consider the magnitude of Moses’ commitment to his people, it’s no wonder God saw an amazing leader in the person He’d created and picked Moses as the man for the job despite all his less than stellar prior life choices. But I wonder at this amazing, God-given graciousness to trade your place with someone less deserving. Ok, at that statement bells went off in my head as I considered Christ’s great sacrifice. He came to a very, very imperfect world, gave up His perfect world and entered in as fully human that He might conquer death. What He did was also impossible to me. What Jesus did by setting this fantastic example for us was life-altering and saving. It was amazing.

And my emphasis on Moses in no way translates that I think Moses’ act here as greater than Jesus’. But, I do believe that in our human context, when translated to be proportionate and erased of names and historical relevance, one tells the story of a single statement that if God had chosen to grant would have meant eternal consequences; the other, longer term statement, 30+ years of living it actually, and God did choose to grant the request so that we might live. Both are acts of sacrifice that God triumphantly handled according to His purpose and will.

But my thought still anchors with Moses. A single-mindedness so strong, so absolutely loving towards his fellow man that despite their extreme wondering and at the time his extreme obedience, he still chose for God to sacrifice him, for eternal damnation, if it meant the rest of his people might live. That’s amazing, consider that kind of love before you start puffing up your head about just how good you are. That’s a God-enabled love that’s grounded in stuff, far, far outside my nature, but I’ll pray you’re more like Moses than me ;)