Encounters with God 2

MOSES IN THE DESERT

Exodus 33:7-34:7

Penge Baptist Church

20th January 2013

Exodus 33:7-34:8 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp

some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

Moses said to the LORD, “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.” The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And 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. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When 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. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

Exodus 34:4-8 Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and

went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “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.” Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped.

Context Passover and flight of Hebrew slaves from Egypt Desert journey to Sinai where Moses received the

law Idolatry of Israel meaning the tablets of stone were

smashed The occasion of the second receipt of the law –

and “normal life” during desert wandering of the Israelites

God and Moses God’s holiness

Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.”

God’s presence As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come

down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses.

God’s familiarity The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks

with his friend….”I know you by name”

Moses’ prayers for revival 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. If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up

from here. “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am

pleased with you and I know you by name.” Now show me your glory.

God’s physical revelation And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass

in front of you….but,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When 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. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and….he passed in front of Moses

God’s spoken revelation And 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.

Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “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.”

Who is like our God? Adonai – compassion before man sins Adoni – compassion after man sins El – mighty in compassion to all creatures Rachun – merciful that mankind would not be in distress Chanun – gracious if mankind is already in distress Erech appayim – slow to anger Rav chesed – abounding in mercy, and loving kindness Emet – truth Notzer chesed laalafim – keeping mercy unto thousands Noseh avon – forgiving iniquity Noseh peshah – forgiving transgression Noseh chatah – forgiving sin Venakeh – and pardoning

Jesus – God with us He is holy…. ….yet we can all talk to him as a friend…. ….he teaches us, his people, how to live…. ….his presence is with us….. ….we may see his face and live…. ….and he is Rav chesed – abounding in mercy! “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in

them.” (1 John 4:16) “We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son,

who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

Hungry for his presence?

Now show me your glory!