Yesterday we saw how Moses went up in the cloud in Exodus 24, until chapter 33, he is still there. He was there with Joshua. Joshua was greatly blessed. Even if he was very young, he was able to go up with Moses. So do not despise the small things in your youth, they indicate greatness. God is in the micro details as a complete man is made of very many factors in their lives, character and personality.
The Word of God by Apostle Dr. Paul Gitwaza
Why is God saying to Moses, depart from here and go where I should show you. Before God would say my people and now God is telling Moses, your people. In chapter 17, the Israelites fought the Amalekites while Hur and Aaron held the arms of Moses to ensure victory as instructed by God. That is why Moses left them at the leadership of Israel when he went up. At that time, there was no tabernacle because Moses had the designs of the tabernacle whilst on the mountain in the cloud of God.
From chapter 24, until 33. People believe that Moses was dead. So the people turned to Aaron and Hur, asking them to make for them a bull to worship. That is how God starts to call Israel, Moses’s people. God sometimes behaves like men. Now God says I will do what I said I would do but now they are your people.
So why did God call them Moses’s people? Because they hurt God. They made out a bull and worshiped it and professed that it was the one that took them out of Egypt. When Moses saw it, he was greatly angered, he broke the ten commandments and all the laws he was given. In verse 1 of Exodus 33, God did not go with them but sent an angel instead. In verse 3, “Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people”, God tells them he will not be there among them because you are stiff necked. It is not worth it to receive something while God distances himself from you and what He has given you.
Before God puts you in the promises, he will make you go through the desert. And in this desert, there are two kinds of wisdom. One to lament, do vices and come up with proverbs. The other wisdom is what God carefully teaches you how to manage your blessings. Our father narrated a good example of this from the Texas journal publications on lottery winners and how out of them all, none ended up with tangible results after collecting the money. Now, this is the reality; they had money but no knowledge. Sometimes, the angel commanded by God will maintain you on a level because you cannot handle more. Many tangible blessings come when you have expanded your heart and have the knowledge to manage.
You may ask, why do the unbelievers get it without limitations? Because he has nothing to care for in them. For you, it is different. It is very simple, think of every silly thought you would help when you have money. The aspect of retaining wealth is possessed by mature people. Evaluate liabilities and assets in your life. As Paul said; I know how to live in scarcity and abundance. The bigger question is: What kind of wealth, what kind blessings can you have that you would prosper in without God?
God will teach you, mentor, discipline you to be a manager and multiplier of blessings. As his word says; you have been faithful in little, I will give you even more. But for the Israelites they chose otherwise. On verses 4-5; “And when the people heard this bad news, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments. For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you. Now therefore, take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do to you.’”. They trembled and repented because a reality without God was not something they were ready to live.
The response of Moses in Exodus 34:6, “o the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by Mount Horeb.” is to raise a meeting tent, the Ohell in Hebrew. That was not the tabernacle referred to as Mishkan in Hebrew but a place where people would come and meet God outside the camps of the Israelites. It was cleansing place because there God could meet Moses outside the iniquities of the Israelites. This is illustrated in verse 7 of Exodus 33. So today, God will bring the Ohel tent in your home for a deeper fellowship with him.
In verse 8,”So it was, whenever Moses went out to the tabernacle, that all the people rose, and each man stood at his tent door and watched Moses until he had gone into the tabernacle.”. This is the kind of honor given to leaders. Moses had the glory and feared that everytime he passed, two million Israelites would follow him with their eyes until Moses entered the Ohel tent. Exodus 33:9, “And it came to pass, when Moses entered the tabernacle, that the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.” That was the glory of leaders.
Who is Moses? A man who was once a subject to Egyptian gods, abandoned at birth, stuttering in speech, once became a killer but He was fortified and honored by God. So today, don’t look at your family, your weakness, your circumstance because Moses was like you or even worse that one. So enter and the cloud will come that down. That place is where you were despised, where you were ill-treated.
Moses was not particular, but God had invested his authority and glory in him. The cloud came as soon as Moses entered. So wherever you enter, knock, live, wherever you go, from now on, in this month, the cloud will come. Let your hands, your head, your legs bring down the glory of God. How can they despise you when they do not have God? May God show that we have God in the name of Jesus!
In verse 10,”All the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the tabernacle door, and all the people rose and worshiped, each man in his tent door.” This pillar is distancing you and others. This one will stop those trying to come between you and God. God is elevating to a level where you will not allow anyone to undermine you. You will not speak for the glory or anointing, It will speak for itself.
Joshua would stay behind because it was time for him to dwell in the tabernacle as he did not have the maturity to interact with people and not boast or be prideful. But for Moses, he was like God, talked to God face to face like a friend but catered to people. No matter the anointing and glory of God in your life, be ordinary and simple. Do not be more honorable than the Holy Spirit.
When God was conversing with Moses as a friend. Moses reminds God, that these are God’s people. But by virtue of being intimate with God, God promises rest and his companionship to Moses; “And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33: 14. But in verse 15, “Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.”. Moses is not content, he says “we” fit for a true intercessor who will carry everyone in his prayer. In verse 16, Moses is still insisting and pushing on the ownership of God for his people.
Now God did as Moses had prayed, Exodus 33:17, “So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”. Moses did not stop at all but requested more, ”And he said, “Please, show me Your glory” verse 18. This is how we make a deal. Then God responded, “Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” Exodus 33:19.
God answered Moses the following: “But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”And the Lord said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock’ Exodus 33:20-21. When we look at Hebrews 1:1-3, Jesus answered Moses’ prayer as showing the expressed image of God. So we who have received and seen Jesus and we are redeemers. As Moses led the children of Israel from Egypt to Canaan, so will we lead many from sins to Jesus Christ, our promised land.
Moses never entered the promised land because he represents the law but by truth and grace which is Jesus Christ, have we entered our Canaan.
Time of prayer
O rock of God, in whom we hide from the wrath of God. You have broken for us. Now we see the glory of God. Ohhh Lord, show us even more your Glory everyday.