Sermon Central
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(Lesson 3) Moses: His Face Shown
Contributed by Elmer Towns on Apr 10, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: God said Moses was the meekest man on the face of the earth, yet Moses boldly asked to see God’s glory. When he saw the backside of God, his face shone for 40 days.
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A. INTRODUCTION: EXODUS 33 and 34
What frustration drove Moses to seek and encounter God?
1. Murder. "Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, (Moses killed a guard) he sought to slay Moses" (Ex. 2:15).
2. Inability. "I am not eloquent" (Ex. 4:10).
3. Complained. "The people murmured against Moses" (Ex. 15:24).
4. Overwhelmed. "Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening" (Ex. 18:13). "What is this that thou doest?" (Ex. 18:14).
5. Sin. "The people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play . . . have corrupted themselves" (Ex. 32:6,7).
6. Broke Ten Commandments. "Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them" (Ex. 32:19).
7. God’s wrath. "The Lord said . . . I have seen this people and behold it is a stiff-necked people . . . let me alone that my wrath may wax hot against them" (Ex. 32:9,10).
8. No divine presence. "I will send a angel before thee" (Ex. 33:2).
9. Wants to see God’s glory. "I beseech thee, shew me thy glory" (Ex. 33:18).
10. God says no. "Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live" (Ex. 33:20).
B. MOSES ENCOUNTERS GOD
An encounter with God is when (1) He intentionally meets with us, (2) in a time of great need, (3) through unexpected circumstances, (4) to tell us something about Himself, (5) so we will know Him more intimately and, (6) learn something about ourselves, (7) even though we do not understand all of the mysterious elements of the experience.
1. Intentional. "As Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses" (Ex. 33:9).
2. Time of great need. "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence" (Ex. 33:15).
3. Surprised. "Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone" (Ex. 34:29).
4. Message. "And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation" (Ex. 34:6-7).
5. Intimate. "And the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend" (Ex. 33:11).
6. Change. "Moses . . . put a vail on his face. But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he took the vail off, until he came out" (Ex. 33:33-34).
7. Mystery. "And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while by glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen" (Ex. 33:20-23).
C. MOSES TEACHES US PRINCIPLES TO ENCOUNTER GOD
1. God knows those who try to encounter Him. "I know thee by name" (Ex. 33:17).
2. An encounter with God is linked to His name. "I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee" (Ex. 33:19).
3. We encounter God by His principles, not on our terms. "Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live" (Ex. 33:20).
4. Our encounter with God benefits others for whom we pray. "If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight?" (Ex. 33:15-16).
5. Multitudes cannot join us in an encounter with God, it is done alone. "Come up in the morning unto Mt. Sinai . . . and no man shall come up with thee" (Ex. 34:2-3).
6. We must quote the promise of God when seeking the presence with God. "Moses said unto the Lord, see thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people" (Ex. 33:12).
7. Seek an encounter with God, not an experience or anything else. "If thy presence go not up with me, carry us not up hence" (Ex. 33:15).
8. An encounter with God has results. "The, children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses face shone" (Ex. 34:35).
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
