when i ponder the reason why i love the Lord, i discover
it’s because of who He is, not what He does. He operates out of His character
not His capabilities. let’s face it, He is the creator of the universe…He is
capable of doing anything and everything…but that is not the place where His
Glory resides. His Glory rests in His manifest presence.
let’s take a peek into a moment Moses had with the Lord that
accurately portrays this Truth. In Exodus 33, we find Moses and the Israelites
living in the Desert of Sinai. but let me give a little back story before
touching on chapter 33.
accurately portrays this Truth. In Exodus 33, we find Moses and the Israelites
living in the Desert of Sinai. but let me give a little back story before
touching on chapter 33.
the Israelites had been traveling from place to place up
until this time. It was in the Sinai Desert that the Lord said,
until this time. It was in the Sinai Desert that the Lord said,
“You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I
carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant,
then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole
earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.�
(Exodus 19:4-6)
carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant,
then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole
earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.�
(Exodus 19:4-6)
on Mount Sinai the Lord gave Moses the Ten Commandments and
set laws in place for living and worshipping. Moses came down from the mountain
to find the Israelites worshipping a golden calf. he broke the tablets, took
the calf and burned it in a fire, ground it to powder, scattered it on the
water and made the Israelites drink it. then he called forth all those who were
for the Lord. all the Levites rallied to him. they were commanded to go back
and forth through the camp and kill their brothers, friends and neighbors.
about three thousand people died and Moses went back up the mountain to
hopefully make atonement for their sin.
set laws in place for living and worshipping. Moses came down from the mountain
to find the Israelites worshipping a golden calf. he broke the tablets, took
the calf and burned it in a fire, ground it to powder, scattered it on the
water and made the Israelites drink it. then he called forth all those who were
for the Lord. all the Levites rallied to him. they were commanded to go back
and forth through the camp and kill their brothers, friends and neighbors.
about three thousand people died and Moses went back up the mountain to
hopefully make atonement for their sin.
so now in chapter 33 we hear the Lord say 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…I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites,
Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Go up to the land flowing with
milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on
the way.�
of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob…I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites,
Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Go up to the land flowing with
milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on
the way.�
when the Israelites heard this they were distressed and
began to mourn. when Moses heard this, he went to the ‘tent of meeting’ (v.7)
to have a face to face conversation with the Lord. this is what Moses said,
began to mourn. when Moses heard this, he went to the ‘tent of meeting’ (v.7)
to have a face to face conversation with the Lord. this is what Moses said,
“You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you
have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by
name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me
your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that
this nation is your people.� (v. 12-13)
have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by
name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me
your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that
this nation is your people.� (v. 12-13)
Check out the Lord’s response…
“The Lord replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and
I will give you rest.�
(v.14)
I will give you rest.�
(v.14)
notice how Moses doesn’t ask the Lord to “do� a mighty
miracle on Israel’s behalf? Moses wants to know who will “be� with him as he
leads these people. and the Lord assures him that His Presence will go with him
and give him rest. the two of them are in agreement; it’s not the Lord’s mighty
works (doing) but His manifest Presence
(being) that brings victory in battle and Glory to His name.
miracle on Israel’s behalf? Moses wants to know who will “be� with him as he
leads these people. and the Lord assures him that His Presence will go with him
and give him rest. the two of them are in agreement; it’s not the Lord’s mighty
works (doing) but His manifest Presence
(being) that brings victory in battle and Glory to His name.
speaking of glory (this is a blog all on its own)…Moses asks
the Lord to show him His Glory. so God says He will allow all His goodness to
pass in front of him and He will proclaim His name, ‘the Lord,’ in his
presence. of course Moses would fall down dead if He were to see the Lord’s
face, so he is only permitted to see His back.
the Lord to show him His Glory. so God says He will allow all His goodness to
pass in front of him and He will proclaim His name, ‘the Lord,’ in his
presence. of course Moses would fall down dead if He were to see the Lord’s
face, so he is only permitted to see His back.
here’s how it went down:
Moses is standing on a rock near the Lord, when His Glory is
about to pass by, the Lord places Moses in a cleft in the rock and with His own
hand covers Moses until He has passes by. it’s in this moment, with His hand
covering Moses, that the Lord proclaims His name.
about to pass by, the Lord places Moses in a cleft in the rock and with His own
hand covers Moses until He has passes by. it’s in this moment, with His hand
covering Moses, that the Lord proclaims His name.
this is how i envision it. Moses’ eyes are closed. he can
feel the strength, love, and power of the Lord’s hand that is covering him.
touching him. protecting him. it’s silent. the air is still. and then the Lord
whispers,
feel the strength, love, and power of the Lord’s hand that is covering him.
touching him. protecting him. it’s silent. the air is still. and then the Lord
whispers,
“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to
thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave
the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin
of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.� (34:6-7)
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to
thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave
the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin
of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.� (34:6-7)
then the Lord removes His hand, Moses can see His back, and
he immediately falls to the ground and worships. the Lord’s manifest presence
brings him to a place of immediate worship. his hope rests in who He is. not
what He does.
he immediately falls to the ground and worships. the Lord’s manifest presence
brings him to a place of immediate worship. his hope rests in who He is. not
what He does.
are we any different? as adopted sons and daughters of the
High King of Heaven, made in His image, and imitators of Jesus, don’t we
operate the same way? we are human ‘beings’ not human ‘doings.’ we are
l.o.v.e.d for who we are not what we do. because of Christ in us, there is
power in our presence. we reflect the Lord’s glory.
High King of Heaven, made in His image, and imitators of Jesus, don’t we
operate the same way? we are human ‘beings’ not human ‘doings.’ we are
l.o.v.e.d for who we are not what we do. because of Christ in us, there is
power in our presence. we reflect the Lord’s glory.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the
Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing
glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.� (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)
Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the
Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing
glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.� (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)
only a renewed mind can grasp this because the world will
tell you differently. praise God i am no longer of this world. (see Romans
12:2; Colossians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Titus 3:5…again, this is another
blog all on its own)
tell you differently. praise God i am no longer of this world. (see Romans
12:2; Colossians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 4:16; Titus 3:5…again, this is another
blog all on its own)
so, just like the Lord proclaimed Who He Is to Moses while
showing him His glory…we, too, can proclaim who we are out of the fullness of His
glory that resides within us. this will bring into alignment our predestined
place of ‘being.’
showing him His glory…we, too, can proclaim who we are out of the fullness of His
glory that resides within us. this will bring into alignment our predestined
place of ‘being.’
