What A Difference His Presence Makes Exod 33:15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. Introduction: I. THE SCENE OF THE PROMISE - IN THE LIFE OF MOSES. A. NOTICE HIS DILEMMA Israel's Sin 32:30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. 31 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. 32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin––; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
B. NOTICE HIS DISAPPOINTMENT. 32:34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them. 35 And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
C. NOTICE HIS DISCOURAGEMENT 33:12-13. And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. 13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. II. THE SOURCE OF THE PROMISE - DIRECTLY FROM GOD. 14 he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. III.THE SECURITY OF HIS PROMISE - GOD KEEPS HIS WORD. Look at v. 14, “..I will give thee rest.” IV. THE SIGN OF HIS PROMISE The Ark of God represents : God's Provision God's Protection God's Promise, God's Presence God's Power God's Peace God's Praise V. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HIS PROMISE Moses Response 15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. Moses Recognised :- I. GOD'S PRESENCE IS AN ESSENTIAL PRESENCE 15 If thy presence go not with me carry us not up hence.
*If you are going to make bread, you must have dough.
*If you are going to fly it is essential to have an airplane.
*If you are going to fish, you must have bait.
*If you are going to think, you must have a brain.
*If you are going to eat, you must have food. A. His presence is essential to know success in the Christian Life. You cannot succeed on your own. Spiritual victory is not us but Him. B. Essential to know success in the Christian Church. Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst" (Matt.18:20).Ex.33:18, "Show me thy glory." C. Essential to know success in the Christian Battle. Ex. 17:11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
II. GOD'S PRESENCE IS AN EXHILARATING PRESENCE
1 Chr 16:31-33 says: 31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth. 32 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. 33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth. Luke 19:37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; 38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. 39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. 40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. Psalms 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; Psalms 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. III. GOD'S PRESENCE IS AN EXULTING PRESENCE
Ps 16:11 "Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." "Joy" is the Hebrew word that means: "to leap, spin with pleasure." A. The Source Of Joy. Joy is a product of the Holy Ghost (Gal.5:22). But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, B. The Substance Of Joy There is a moral joy. Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: C. The Spirituality Of Joy. It comes from God Himself, from His promises, from the gospel, from the prosperity of Christ’s kingdom, and from thoughts of our future state. In 1 Pet. 1:8, Peter calls it "Joy unspeakable and full of glory." IV. GOD'S PRESENCE IS AN ENVIRONING PRESENCE Ps 31:20, "Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues." What is a "pavilion?" A covered place, a booth or a tent in which a person may be kept hid or in secret. Where are we safely housed? In the holiest of holiest, the innermost court into which no man can come uninvited. We are surrounded by God’s grace and glory. There is a two-fold layer of protection for God’s people: 1- The Tabernacle of Sovereignty- If He is hiding us, and He is sovereign, He is over all and is never overcome or answers to anyone. 2- The Tabernacle of Sacrifice- the blood covered it all. We are covered, washed, justified, and redeemed in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. V. GOD'S PRESENCE IS AN EXPRESSIVE PRESENCE
Ps 97:5 "The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth." Isa 64:1 Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence, When God’s presence is manifested, things melt before Him. A. God Melts Stubborn wills Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, Matthew 26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
B. God Melts Stoney hearts Luke 15:17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! C. God Melts Sinful desires Luke 22:61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. VI. GOD'S PRESENCE IS AN ENCOMPASSING PRESENCE
Ps 139:7-10 declares: Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. 1.You can never go anywhere God has not already been. He has even gone to hell, to the lower parts of the earth, to announce his victory, after Calvary. 2. You can never go anywhere that God cannot go. Jonah found that out 3. God is omnipresent.(everywhere present) Illustration:
Someone once asked a little child, "Why is there only one God?" The child responded by saying, "Because God fills every place, and there’s no room for another one." VII. GOD'S PRESENCE IS AN EMANCIPATING PRESENCE Isa 63:9 "In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old." Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. John 8:32 ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
VIII. GOD'S PRESENCE IS AN ENABLING PRESENCE Luke 1:18-19 "And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings." John IX. GOD'S PRESENCE IS AN ENRICHING PRESENCE
Acts 3:19 "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord." "Refresh" lit. means to "recover your breath." Psalms 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. John 4:15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. What It Takes: Three Key Ingredients
1) A Heart That Seeks
(Luke 11:9-10) And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. (Jeremiah 29:13) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
(Matthew 5:6) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
When a man has set out to find God, he must find Him or die. 2) A Will That Yields
Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. 3) A Mind That Rests
(Isaiah 30:15) For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not. 18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
