It is amazing to me that in Exodus 33, the script begins with God telling Moses, “Get going and take the people you brought up from the land of Egypt.” They were to go and claim the land that God had promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But God told Moses that He wouldn’t go with them, because if he did he would destroy all the stubborn and rebellious people along the way. He was sending his angel before them to clear the way so that they may claim their inheritance.
But what a horrible thought that God would rather stay away than to watch his children enter into their sinful ways of disobedience toward Him! When the people heard these words that God would not be with them, they went into mourning... But was their mourning only to serve themselves and not because they truly wanted God's presence with them?
God told them to remove their jewelry and fine clothes that they had brought out of Egypt while He decided what to do with them. Moses would go to the Tent of Meeting that he had set up outside of camp. They would all watch as Moses entered the tent and the pillar of cloud would come down and hover over the entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses face to face.
Moses’ Intercession:
“If I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight”
The Lord answers him…
Moses continues to say, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in our sight, I and your people? Is it not in our going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?
The Lord answers him…
Moses speaks again… “Please show me your glory.”
The Lord answers him…
Moses speaks… “The Lord, The Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.”
Moses bows and worships and says… “If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”
After this God’s Covenant was renewed…
Let me follow this example of Moses and pray not only for myself but for God’s children everywhere and especially those that I know personally. We have on the jewelry and fine clothes of the world so that we look and act no different than the world. This is our Egypt. We have become desensitized to how much the world has rubbed off on us. We need to be sanctified and separated to His Holiness and become holy because He is holy!
We need to realize that God is not with us when we are disobedient. He is around to hear us when we repent and call but evidently just as the Bible reveals here, He will not walk with us when we are walking away from Him. We must turn back and walk with Him! He does not chase us down but waits for our return.
O God, I desire to find favor in your sight. Please show me your ways in order that I may find favor in your sight by following your ways.
And if your presence will not go with me, O Lord, I will not go but if your presence is with me I will go where ever you desire me to go. Not only myself Lord, but my brothers and sisters need your presence. Teach us to listen and obey your in all things and not take matters into our own hands but to fully trust in you. Let your presence cover us and may we find favor in Your sight at all times. May we be known not because of who we are but because of who You are, O Lord.
O Lord, please show me Your glory. Please reveal Your glory to all who call on You as Savior.
Just as Moses said, I say…
You are The Lord, My Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.
And If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please go in the midst with me where ever you lead. Forgive my wayward self and pardon my iniquity and sin, and the iniquity and sin of my brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus. As we give ourselves to your, take us for your inheritance.
May your covenant be renewed in me...
Amen and amen!
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