January 12, 2021
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Reading along with us in some Exodus? Here’s today’s reading:
Exodus 33 (NIV)
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. .......Continue Reading
Imagine God’s glory is so great that we can not live through seeing it! Moses truly found favor with God and God listened to his pleas and did what Moses asked. Such an amazing place Moses was in to be able to daily commune with God so closely
Exodus 33
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God once again changes His mind in response to Moses request. It is important for God to make clear to the people that they cannot presume things from God and that flagrant disobedience would bring consequence….and the worst consequence is, you are on your own.
And how unique was Moses’ relationship with God. Too bad the people did not translate the regard they had for God when Moses entered the tent of meeting to the trust they would have for God in their daily lives. Let’s make sure we don’t make the mistake of being convinced of the glory of God in one setting and then reject it in another. But this closeness that Moses has with God translates to God regarding Moses opinion and honoring his faith in Him. So God decides to stay with Israel for Moses’ sake and so the nation is blessed by the faithfulness of one man. And Moses is blessed to see God’s glory in a way that he hasn’t seen it in the tent of meeting. One wonders what the difference was…..
God decides to distance Himself from the Israelites, lest He consume them, but He remains close with Moses: “So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.”
Joshua also desires proximity to God. “And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.”
Moses appeals to God to come with the Israelits. If God isn’t going to come, he doesn’t even want to move on from there. “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”
Moses desires to get closer and closer to God. He desires to know God so intimately, that he asks to see His face.
May we have such longing in our hearts to draw so close to the Lord.
Exodus 33
18Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”
19And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
21Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”