They Saw GOD

 

They Saw GOD

Exodus 24: ⁹ Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, ¹⁰ and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. ¹¹ But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So they saw God, and they ate and drank.

 

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Moses and the leaders of Israel went up part of the way of the mountain. When they got to a certain point, they could see GOD.

 

My Observations:

• I believe they saw the preincarnate JESUS.
• I believe JESUS brought HIS own pavement from heaven and it was a blue sapphire with extreme clarity.
• I believe JESUS did not touch the leaders of Israel because HE did not anoint all of them.

 

Seeing GOD should have been enough to keep the faith extremely high for the rest of their lives. In fact, they heard what Moses said when he first mentioned that GOD was going to dismantle Egypt. They saw the plagues and saw that they were not affected by them. They saw the defeat of Egypt. They got water from a rock. They also received Manna and quail every day.

 

But the children of Israel had a mindset that was difficult to change. No matter what was given to them or shown to them, they would still think the way they wanted. JESUS appeared in preincarnate form and did not touch them. They may have been excited to be chosen to see GOD, so they celebrated by eating the sacrificial food. They saw GOD, BUT GOD did not touch them.

 

Challenge

• Why did GOD remind Moses about the leaders of Israel seeing JESUS?
• Has GOD provided for you, shown you wonders and given you promises and yet, you still have not fully believed and are choosing your own path?
• How much more does GOD have to do for you to put your trust in HIM?

Addressing Struggles with Other Humans

 Addressing Struggles with Other Humans

Exodus 23: ²⁰ “Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. ²¹ Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him. ²² But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries. ²³ For My Angel will go before you and bring you in to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites and the Hivites and the Jebusites; and I will cut them off. ²⁴ You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor do according to their works; but you shall utterly overthrow them and completely break down their sacred pillars.

 

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GOD continued speaking to Moses. This time HE mentions the preincarnate JESUS.

 

My Observations:

• GOD mentions that an Angel would or would not pardon transgressions.
• JESUS is the only being given the authority to pardon transgressions.
• JESUS would go before the children of Israel to fight their battles.

 

Humans try to say GOD does not have conditions. HIS love stretches the bounds of sin, so HIS love is unconditional. BUT HIS protection and guidance seem to have conditions. “If you obey HIS voice,” is a condition that would provide the children of Israel protection against those who rebelled against GOD.

 

First it was the people of Canaan who hated GOD and HIS ways. They developed rocks and wood and gold as things to worship. They made sacred pillars that solidified their rebellion against GOD. Everything about the various groups mentioned pointed to a broken relationship with GOD.

 

JESUS would be the Angel who would go before the children of Israel. HE would guide them, but they would still need to be the ones who would drive the rebels out of the promised land. The condition of listening to JESUS was established. Those who rebelled would be cut off. I believe this is the eternal separation from GOD that we could face by not believing in JESUS.

 

The children of Israel would face struggles with other people that JESUS would take care of. All they had to do was obey HIM and not provoke HIM. HE was leading them to a better place. To provoke HIM would be an act of disbelief in HIS guidance.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the leading of “An Angel?”
• Have you examined yourself to see if you have any ways that may provoke the LORD?
• Do you realize that JESUS wants you to be successful in HIS plan and path?

 

Making a Way When it Seemed Impossible

Making a Way When it Seemed Impossible

Exodus 14: ²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. ²² So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. ²³ And the Egyptians pursued and went after them into the midst of the sea, all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.

 

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After the preincarnate JESUS went behind them and the FATHER and HOLY SPIRIT did the same, Moses held up his hand with his rod and the Red Sea parted. GOD caused a wind to part the sea and the children of Israel walked on dry land.

 

My Observations:

• GOD dried up the ground so the children of Israel and their carts and cattle could easily cross.
• The Egyptians saw the Red Sea open and thought they could use GOD’s powerful miracle for their evil plan.
• Moses was obedient to GOD by holding up his rod.

 

The parting of the Red Sea is significant because it shows us that GOD is in control of impossible situations. Whether it was a mountain or a deep sea, GOD can make a way where it seems impossible.

 

Moses holding up his hand was a sign of total alignment with GOD. It was not his power that parted the sea, BUT GOD’s power. GOD made it easy for the children of Israel. HE dried up the ocean floor overnight. I believe GOD can do the same for impossible situations today. HE can change something that seems impossible overnight. GOD’s power is unstoppable!

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about what HE did with the Red Sea?
• Are you facing an impossible situation?
• Do you believe that GOD is in control of the impossible and HE can easily deliver you when you obey HIS plan?

Protective Leadership

Protective Leadership

Exodus 14: ¹⁹ And the Angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud went from before them and stood behind them. ²⁰ So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.

 

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Stuck at the Red Sea with no way out, the children of Israel cried out to the LORD for help. The Angel of the LORD moved from leading them to protecting them from the Egyptians.

 

My Observations:

• JESUS was leading the children of Israel and moved behind them to protect them.
• The cloud that contained the FATHER and the HOLY SPIRIT, also moved behind them.
• The Egyptians remembered the eerie darkness they experienced during the plagues and refused to sneak through to the children of Israel’s camp.

 

GOD could have easily wiped out the Egyptians in Egypt before they left. BUT HE had another plan. HE was addressing a mindset withing the Egyptians and the children of Israel. The mindset that appalled GOD was that of a human being considered to be a god. HE led the children of Israel to a place where HIS power could be shown.

 

HE had to protect the children of Israel as HE prepared to rescue them in a very memorable way that would be spoken about for centuries. GOD allows you and me to have free will. Unfortunately, free will can be taken too far. GOD had to address the mindset that humans can abuse other humans for their own gain. GOD protected the children of Israel as part of HIS leadership.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about HIS protection?
• Has GOD stood between you and danger before?
• How can you mimic the LORD’s leadership by protecting those HE has given you?

Unprotected Interaction

Unprotected Interaction

Exodus 3: Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ² And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. ³ Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”

 

⁴ So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!”

 

And he said, “Here I am.”

 

⁵ Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” ⁶ Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God.

 

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Moses was a Hebrew who believed in GOD’s direction. He would live with the murder he did for the rest of his life. He fled the murder scene and lived in the desert where he found peace. One day, Moses went a different route to graze the flocks of his father-in-law Jethro. GOD appeared to him as a flame in a bush and told him to remove his sandals, for where he stood was holy ground.

 

My Observations:

• Moses was content to stay in the desert the rest of his life.
• GOD pursued Moses and appeared to him differently than he had ever appeared to anyone before.
• GOD seemed to want a special interaction with Moses that required the physical touch of his feet.

 

I believe when writers use the words “the Angel of LORD,” it usually represents JESUS. But this morning I see more than JESUS here. I see the totality of GOD speaking to Moses. The FATHER, SON and HOLY SPIRIT are present here, versus one entity. If the FATHER spoke, HE could say “I am GOD.” JESUS and the HOLY SPIRIT could say the same thing.

 

Appearing as a fire that did not harm HIS creation seemed like GOD’s way of showing that HE means no harm, but could if HE wanted to. I also believe that it is impossible to comprehend GOD so HE showed HIS appearance to Moses in a unique way.

 

We try to separate GOD into roles and sometimes leave out one entity or another. GOD the FATHER, GOD the SON and GOD the HOLY SPIRIT wanted to interact with HIS creation without any manmade item getting in the way. Moses sin did not block the desire of GOD to want the interaction.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD appear to Moses and why does HE want Moses to remove his sandals?
• Have you ever felt unworthy to have GOD pursue you?
• Is GOD pursuing you  and does HE want you to remove something that blocks a holy interaction with HIM?