Moses (Part 4) Series

Moses (Part 4)

Scott Bayles, pastor

Blooming Grove Christian Church: 3/11/2018

If you’re just joining us, today is the last installment in a fast-paced, four-part series on the life of Moses. Moses delivered an oppressed people from bondage, molded them into a renewed nation and received a revelation from God with new moral standards and laws. He was a hero to the Hebrews—a champion to the downtrodden. Moses’ story has resonated with men and women of faith down through the centuries because it’s so relatable. It’s filled with danger and disappointment, anguish and accomplishment, conflict and courage, and so much more.

Last Sunday, we read as Moses and the Israelites crossed the Red Sea, broke into spontaneous worship and, despite their complaining, enjoyed a feast of manna and quail in the middle of the desert. The parting of the Red Sea vibrantly visualized God’s power. Moses and Miriam leading the Israelites in song and dance demonstrated how important it is to sing God’s praises. And the miracles of water, manna, and quail are poignant reminders of God’s provision. Today, God still provides. He’s still powerful. And he is still worthy of praise.

This next excerpt from Moses’ life spans 15 chapter from the book of Exodus; specifically, chapters 19 through 34. So, if you have a Bible or an app on your phone and you’d like to follow along, be prepared to do some page turning.

After leaving Egypt and crossing the Red Sea, it took the Israelites two full months of hiking through the arid wilderness to reach their destination: Mount Sinai—the very same mountain where God first spoke to Moses through the burning bush. Upon their arrival, they set up camp at the base of the mountain. Over the next several chapters, Moses and the Israelites experience God in some new and profound ways. First, they experience God’s glory.

• GOD’S GLORY

Once the Israelites have settled around the foot of the mountain, Moses climbs up the mountain to appear before God. I imagine, he likely returned to the same spot where God spoke to him from the burning bush. There, God tells Moses to establish a perimeter around the mountain—marking boundaries all around it. In three days, God’s glory would envelope the mountain for all to see. Then, the Bible says:

On the morning of the third day, thunder roared and lightning flashed, and a dense cloud came down on the mountain. There was a long, loud blast from a ram’s horn, and all the people trembled. Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. As the blast of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply. The Lord came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses climbed the mountain. (Exodus 19:16-20 NLT)

What a fantastic and frightening spectacle to behold. Obviously, this is no ordinary cumulus type cloud. Rather, this is the same cloud that led the Israelites out of Egypt. When that cloud first appeared, the Bible says, “There they could see the awesome glory of the Lord in the cloud” (Exodus 16:10 NLT). This whole scene conveys the awe-inspiring glory, grandeur and greatness of God. The flashes of lightning and peals of thunder illustrate the unbridled, unrivalled power of God. As song writer, Rich Mullins, once put it, “There’s thunder in His footsteps and lightning in his fists.” Eventually this cloud would settle within the Most Holy Place of the Tabernacle. This cloud is what Jewish Rabbis called the Shekinah glory—the very presence of God.

When God called Moses to climb the mountain, he was inviting Moses into his glorious presence. While you and I may not visibly see the Shekinah glory; we’ve received the same invitation as Moses. Through Jesus, God invites everyone, everywhere into his glorious presence. The Bible says, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8 ESV).

That’s what Moses did. He ascended the mountain in order to draw near to God. He spent weeks upon that mountain experiencing God’s glorious presence. But, amazingly, he wanted more. Before heading back down the mountain and leaving God’s presence, Moses asked for reassurance that God would remain with them—that God would be personally present. God replies, “I myself will go with you” (Exodus 33:14 NCV).

But Moses needs more. One more request. Glory. “Now, please show me your glory” (Exodus 33:18 NCV). We cross a line when we make such a request. When our deepest desire is not the things of God, or a favor from God, but God himself, we cross a threshold. Less self-focus, more God-focus. Less about me, more about him.