The Choice Set Before Us
In Exodus, Moses and the people of Israel are at Mount Sinai in the wilderness. This is where God revealed the method he would use to bring his people back into a meaningful relationship with him.
Ex 19:1-20; 3:1-3
3 Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him out of the mountain, saying, “This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: 4 ‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you to myself. James 4:8, Ecc 5:1, Isa 29:13
- God had brought Israel out of Egypt physically, but he still needed to deliver their hearts and minds out of Egypt before they could truly be his people.
5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine;
- It is a great and wonderful thing to have the Almighty God speak to us and want to make a covenant with his people.
6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.’ These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”
- The invitation is extended, and the ground rules are laid out.
- God was inviting man into a pure and holy relationship with himself.
- Moses has already developed a deeper relationship with his God by listening and responding to him. Israel would now have this opportunity. This would not happen overnight but as they are willing to respond this relationship would blossom and grow.
7 Moses came and called for the elders of the people and set before them all these words which Yahweh commanded him. 8 All the people answered together, and said, “All that Yahweh has spoken we will do.” Moses reported the words of the people to Yahweh.
- Israel agrees with their minds, which is a starting point, but if their hearts do not come alongside their minds, their words would fall lifelessly to the ground.
- What a group agrees to do is only as good as each person that makes up that group.
- Your personal relationship with God will come down to the choices you make, not those of others.
10 Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments,
- Sanctify (to set apart as sacred, to consecrate, to dedicate)
11 and be ready against the third day; for on the third day Yahweh will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai.
- God desires to reveal himself to all that will seek him.
12 You shall set bounds to the people round about, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death.’
- At the beginning of any good relation there needs to be boundaries set.
- If we respect a person’s boundaries, we show that we respect them.
- There is no such thing as a good relationship without respect.
17 Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain.
- Most all relationships start at a distance but the healthier they become the closer they will become.
Ex 20:18-22
18 All the people perceived the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled, and stayed at a distance. (Deu 5:1-7) 19 They said to Moses, “Speak with us yourself, and we will listen; but don’t let God speak with us, lest we die.”
20 Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid, for God has come to test you, and that his fear may be before you, that you won’t sin.”
- We can have fear work on our behalf or we can allow fear to work against us.
- If we will allow fear to perfect us, we will be able to feel safe in the presence of God.
- The wrong kind of fear will drive us further away from the presence of God.
- Love that has been perfected casts out all fear. The fear that is being cast out is the fear of judgment. (1 Jn. 4:18)
21 The people stayed at a distance, and Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.
- The children of Israel could not draw near because they were a stiff-necked people. (Ex 33:1-5)
- Even though they said they would do all that Yahweh had commanded they were not yet in that place in their hearts and actions.
Ex 33:7-23
7 Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it “The tent of meeting.” It happened that everyone who sought Yahweh went out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. 8 It happened that when Moses went out to the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, everyone at their tent door, and watched Moses, until he had gone into the Tent. 9 It happened, when Moses entered into the Tent, that the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the door of the Tent, and spoke with Moses. 10 All the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent, and all the people rose up and worshiped, everyone at their tent door.
- The people were still worshiping God from a distance.
- Seeking God and worshiping God is not the same.
- If we seek God, we will go to where he is no matter where the journey may lead us.
11 Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn’t depart out of the Tent.
- Joshua was willing to seek God and spend time in his presence. He did not rely on Moses for his relationship with his God but sought it out for himself.
- We can choose to be like Joshua and seek God and a close relationship with him or we can make the choice to stay at a distance and never come into a truly meaningful and fulfilling one with him.
12 Moses said to Yahweh, “Behold, you tell me, ‘Bring up this people:’ and you haven’t let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight: and consider that this nation is your people.”
- The heart of Moses was seen in his desire to know God and please him.
- If we truly want to have a meaningful relationship with our Heavenly Father we need to develop this same kind of heart.
14 He said, “My presence (the face (as the part that turns) will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
- There is rest in the arms of the one that loves us.
15 He said to him, “If your presence (the face (as the part that turns) doesn’t go with me, don’t carry us up from here.”
- We don’t need religion; we need God himself.
16 For how would people know that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Isn’t it in that you go with us, so that we are separated, I and your people, from all the people who are on the surface of the earth?”
- It is Yahweh that makes us different.
17 Yahweh said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”
- I pray that we will all come into a place where we could hear these words from our God.
18 He said, “Please show me your glory.”
- If we truly seek God and build a meaningful relationship with him we will be in a place to see and handle more of his glory.
In Exodus 34 God reveals his plan to mankind and continues to do so throughout Scripture. The question we need to ask ourselves, will we be willing to partake of what he has for us, or will we draw back in fear and unbelief?
By Clint Griffith
Part 4 – The Path That Leads Home