3000

I woke up this morning totally oblivious to the significance of the day. It was not until I opened my Facebook account to see the many status updates memorializing the event that I remembered. It was 8 years ago this morning that 3000 souls were lost in the terrorist attacks that came against our nation. As we memorialize those 3000 and reflect upon the tragedies that befell those in the toppling of the Twin Towers I want to remind you of another 3000 that perished, another tower that fell, and 3000 that were saved.

3000 Lost

It was only a few weeks into the Exodus of the Hebrew nation that their leader Moses ascended Mount Sinai to commune with God and receive the tablets of the Law that had bound them to their God. After forty days upon the mountain Moses descended to hear a great celebration. Unfortunately the celebration was not in exultation of God’s covenantal Law coming down to them but was in worship of the idolatrous golden calf that was built from the bounty of Egypt and fashioned by the High Priest's hands. Because of this great rebellion Moses' anger boiled and he called for all those who were on the side of God to come to him. The Levites rallied to the call of Moses and in accordance with his command they went through the camp slaughtering those who were worshiping the lifeless beast. Three thousand were killed that day.

The Tower That Fell

In Luke 13 Jesus is told about a certain group Galileans that were killed by Pontius Pilate. The inquiry was intended to find out whether these Galileans were worse sinners than their brothers to have died in such a tragic way. Jesus answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish." He then uses another tragedy to highlight this point. "Or [how about] those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

3000 Saved

Seven weeks after Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection from the grave his disciples were gathered together in the upper room celebrating the Feast of Weeks and waiting to receive unto themselves the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. As they were assembled together there came a sound from heaven like the blowing of a violent wind and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in flames above each of the disciple's heads. They were each filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages as the Spirit enabled them. This miracle caused a great stir in Jerusalem and many were drawn in by the disciple's miraculous declarations. However, some mocked the gathering and accused them of being drunk. Peter stood, with the other Apostles, in defense of Jesus' followers and addressed the crowd. He explained that they were not drunk as they had supposed but that it was the fulfillment of a prophecy given by Joel. He then declared to them that Jesus was the Promised One of God, that he was both the Messiah and Lord, andthat they had murdered him. When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call." Those who accepted Peter's message and were baptized that day were 3000. It is interesting to note that the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, is the the celebration of when the Law was given to the nation of Israel. So it was on the anniversary of the 3000 that were lost at Sinai that God called 3000 to life in Jerusalem.

God's Good Pleasure

So as we reflect on this day let us not forget that we are only alive today because of God's good pleasure. He has allowed us the grace of only memorializing September 11th and not falling victim to it. Like the Hebrew rebels we too have worshiped a creation of our hands or minds rather than the Creator and we warrant the wrath of a just God. Those 3000 that tragically died 8 years ago were not greater sinners than you or I, for there is none that does good and we have all fallen far short of God's glory. We are all deserving of their fate and unless we repent we will likewise perish. The wonderful news is that Jesus the Messiah is Lord and if we turn from our rebellion, turn to Jesus, and call upon his name we will be saved from death.