Exodus 33-35

The span of scripture from Exodus 33-35 is deeply profound in both Moses interaction and experience with the direct presence and goodness of God as well as a revelation of God's character to us through his word. Chapter 33 begins with God's anger stirred against the Israelites because just in the last chapter Moses has just come down from Mount Sinai after 40 days to find the Israelites running wild and fallen into idolatry to which God commands the Levites to kill 3,000 of the sinful idolaters and then strikes the rest of the camp with a plague. After this God says he will not go with the Israelites into the promised land because of their 'stiff-necked' behavior and in fact says he might destroy them because of their stiff-neckedness. Moses continues to have a deeply personal and close relationship with God and enters his presence to talk with God, Moses petitions that God remember the Israelites as His chosen people. 

While in the presence of God, Moses is revealed to the face of God and speaks to Him face to face. This is deeply profound because though no one can see God's face and live we too today can experience the goodness of God's presence through the seeking of His face in the word and prayer. The goodness of God's character is encapsulated in what the LORD tells Moses:

Exodus 33:19 (NIV) "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion."

I think about how each day I rise before the sun is up to seek the face of God in the story of his glory in the Bible and how God reveals himself to me through the power of the Holy Spirit and Jesus his Son. For when God passed in front of Moses in the cloud he proclaimed His awesome character:

Exodus 33:6-7 (NIV) "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation."

The absolute sovereignty and kingdom of God is revealed by God himself to Moses in this profound revelation of God's goodness as demonstrated in Moses' response. Verse 8 says Moses bowed to the ground immediately and worshiped. Worship is man's response to God's glory - this is consistent with the account of the apostle John in his witness of Heaven. Perpetual worship of the LORD God Almighty. 

Revelation 4:8 "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come."

The presence of God is attainable for man on earth, it is reached in the secret place just as Jesus modeled through prayer in Mark 1:35, it's what Jesus meant at the last supper before he was to be killed when he said to abide in him. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. It is through approaching the throne of grace in the secret place of prayer each morning that the LORD gives direction and wisdom, it is by the mighty hand of God that we are empowered to do great things all for His glory and His namesake. God is good! Draw near to the goodness of God in his presence and be filled with the Holy Spirit to do great things for the kingdom of God. All it requires from us is a heart of humility and willingness to God, LORD may your will be done on earth, in my heart, as it is in heaven. May that be my perpetual prayer each moment of today. 

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