THE FIRST TENT REVIVAL
Ex. 33:1-11
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR:
1. WHAT’S THE GOOD NEWS?
a. Lucas was sitting at the breakfast table, reading the paper. He came across an article about a beautiful actress who was about to marry a football player known for his lack of IQ and common sense.
b. He turned to his wife with a look of question on his face. “I’ll never understand why the biggest losers get the most attractive wives.”
c. His wife’s quick reply was, “Why, thank you, dear!”
2. Bernie says man is incomplete until he gets married, then he is finished.
3. They say that when a man holds a woman's hand before marriage, it is love; after marriage, it’s self-defense.
4. But we know that a man who finds a wife finds a GOOD THING and receives favor from the Lord!
B. TEXT
33 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ 2 I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.” 5 If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’” 6 So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.
C. THESIS
1. We’re going to look at the consequences of sin, what repentance is, and how to be one of those whom God chooses to fill with His Spirit.
2. The title of this message is “The First Tent Revival.”
I. SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES OF SIN
A. ALMOST DESTROYED
1. "Go,’’ says God to Moses, "go and tell them that they’re willful and obstinate; they refuse to improve themselves, and they don’t want the True God to reign over them.” They deserved to be destroyed. If He’d dealt with them according to their sins, they would’ve been annihilated.
2. As the Psalmist observed, “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” Ps. 103:10-12.
3. Notice: those whom God wishes to pardon must first see what their sin deserved, and how terrible it would’ve been if they’d been punished. Only then can they perceive how merciful God has been!
4. HUMOR. If we have a “stiff neck,” we don’t need to go to the chiropractor, we need to go to God!
B. REDUCTION OF THE DIVINE PRESENCE
1. Verse 33 says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’”
2. God promised to make good his covenant with Abraham, in giving them Canaan, but he denies them the extraordinary tokens of his presence, that He’d been manifesting up to then.
3. God places them under Moses as their leader, and substitutes for Himself a guardian angel: “I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites” Vs. 2.
4. WHY? If they sinned in the presence of an angel, it would be bad, but not as insulting as sinning in the very presence of the King of Glory! If we wish to truly have God with us, we must maintain holiness of heart at all times!
C. IMPETUS TO HOLINESS
5. Paul said, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” 1 Cor. 6:15-16.
6. Since God is living inside us we must be careful what we watch, think, and do, if we would really have God’s presence with us. Impure lives will force God to distance Himself from us.
II. BEGINNINGS OF REPENTANCE
A. PUT ASIDE THE SOURCES OF TEMPTATION
1. God told them to take off their ornaments (v. 5), because they’d used their ear-rings to make the golden calf.
2. Anything which contributes to our sin should be set aside when we’re humbling ourselves in repentance. So they got in a posture of repentance before God.
3. God’s call to repentance is a plain indication that mercy is under consideration. If the Lord were out to judge us, He would’ve done it long ago, but God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
4. RESULT? The people mourned. 3000 of them had been killed by the Levites’ sword, but we don’t read of them mourning; but now when God denies them his presence, they mourned and were in bitterness.
5. Of all the most serious consequences of sin, the one which should grieve us most is of offending God and His withdrawing from us!
B. THEY BEGAN TO DESIRE GOD’S PRESENCE
TEXT: “7 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. 8 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. 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10 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 their tent. 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.” Ex. 33:7-11.
1. Moses took the tent, where he met with and inquired of God (not a tent to sleep in), and pitched it outside of the camp, because God wouldn’t manifest Himself in the camp with those who didn’t honor and revere Him.
2. “‘Among those who approach me I will be [shown] holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.’” Lev. 10:3. “Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained” 1 Sam. 2:30.
3. The Israelites had made themselves unworthy of His presence. Prov. 15:29 says, “The Lord is far from the wicked.”
4. Now this tent wasn’t the same as the Tabernacle that God had given the plan of to Moses (Exodus 25-31), for it had not yet been erected. This was Moses’ tent for inquiring of God.
5. Moses probably had formerly erected this tent in the middle of the camp of the Israelites, but now it was moved outside. This must have physically demonstrated to the people what they had lost and forfeited.
C. EVIDENCES OF MERCY/ GRACE
1. God’s mercy began to be evidenced because, “Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp” (7). They were allowed to go out and seek the Lord there.
2. They’d see the pillar of cloud come down and know that God hadn’t utterly forsaken them, but instead had set certain requirements on the manifestation of His presence. It’s the same with us.
3. We’re all encouraged, even if we’ve sinned, to seek the presence of the Lord. He IS available to you.
4. You can bet that droves of hungry hearts went out to seek the Lord, and many wept and cried and, like Mary the sister of Martha, sat at the feet of God and heard His word. We are invited to do this!
III. THE FIRST TENT REVIVAL
Tent Revivals were one of the things God used to bring revival on the frontiers in the USA. What was true of those revivals pitched in tents in those early communities, was also true of God’s tent here; TO SEEK GOD YOU HAD TO…
A. GO OUTSIDE THE CAMP
1. The culture of the camp was full of sinful idolaters. God can’t manifest Himself there. It’s required that we “‘come out from among them and be separate’, says the Lord and I will receive you.” 2 Cor. 6:17. God requires holiness if we would draw near Him.
2. Most of that camp, and of the world in general, is not particularly wicked, but just careless. It’s necessary that we not be like the multitudes who only have thought for this life.
3. Many are religious, but have no real relationship with God. They have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof.” 2 Tim. 3:5. Paul says, “From such turn away.” They pretend they’re Christians, but the fruit is not there. There’s no repentance from sin and obedience to the Word of God.
4. “If you then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sits on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory” Col. 3:1-4, KJV.
B. THIS INVOLVED MUCH INCONVENIENCE
1. FEAR OF BEING OPENLY IDENTIFIED. To be one of the ones who went out of the camp to worship would necessarily mark you as “one of those Jesus freaks.”
2. You couldn’t maintain your anonymity and modesty. Everyone would see you going. We shouldn’t shrink or be ashamed to be openly known as a Christian!
3. Since Jesus publicly and openly died in shame for us on a roadside cross, how could we be ashamed to suffer a little for Him? If the King of Glory didn’t hesitate to be identified with us, we should boldly and energetically declare our allegiance to Him.
4. He’s worthy to be praised before the world, before people, before angels, and before devils! Some Israelites probably lost their idolater friends. Others received disapproval of their peers. So will we, but we must go out to Him outside the Camp!
C. MORE WILL BE EXPECTED OF YOU
1. If you make a bold profession, others will look for something extra in you. Be careful to fulfill their expectation! I’ve heard some say, "I don’t want to join that Church because there’ll be more expected of me."
2. That may be true. In fact, that’s a very good reason why you should join. Then, when you’re tempted, you’ll have all the more reason to exercise exemplary character and conduct in your walk, since you know that the eyes of many people are watching you!
D. BUT THE REWARDS JUSTIFY THE COST
1. You don’t have to worry about barely being saved, “saved so as by fire,” but ca be assured of you glorious welcome by Christ when you come before the Bema seat of judgment! (1 Cor. 3:15; 2 Pet. 1:11).
2. Your growth will be accelerated as you choose Christ! Staying with the lukewarm pack will only slow you down.
3. You’ll never be the light of the world and the salt of the earth unless you’re concentrated in the presence of God.
4. Moses thought in vss. 15-16 is the most compelling to me; “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?’”
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: GRADUAL REPENTANCE?
1. A Christian Professor (Drummond) once described a man going to a tent revival and saying he wanted to become a Christian.
2. The pastor said, "Well, friend, is anything hindering you from making that decision?"
3. The man looked awkward; “Well, the problem is, I’ve been stealing my employer's money."
4. "How much?" "I don't know. I have never kept account of it." "Well, do you think you’ve stolen $10,000 last year?"
"Yes, I’m sure it’s at least that much."
5. Can you imagine the pastor saying, "Now, look here, sir, I don't believe in sudden work. Why don’t you cut down your stealing to $5,000 next year, and the next year down to $1,000. If your employer catches you, tell him you’ve being converted and before long you won't be stealing anything at all!”
6. No, friends, that kind of Christianity would be a perfect farce! The Bible says, "Let him that stole, steal no more.”
7. Repentance is a “right about face,” a U-turn.
B. THE CALL
1. How many here know that there’s been something hindering you from a fuller relationship with God? You need to repent, to walk away from, your sin.
2. How many value the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life so much that you’d be willing to pay whatever price to have that presence?
3. How many will say, “Pastor, I’m willing to be publicly associated with Christ, regardless of what other people think?”
4. How many would agree to accepting a higher standard of living in your life so others could see what a Christian really lives like?
5. Prayer.
[Part 3 leaned on Charles Spurgeon’s notes on Ex. 33:1-3]
