Ex. 33. 1-17 Desiring the Presence of God

Intro: Love to study about the men in the Bible – Looking at Moses

Reminded once again that the guy was Superstar in Hall of Greats

A)His life leaves a huge imprint on History & God’s people Specifically

B) Reminded here in Ch. 32-34 – One of the things that made Moses such a great man – He was a man of the Mt.

  1. Man who sought God –
  2. Man AFTER God’s own heart – Truest sense of the word

Rev. We saw in our study last time – Moses on the Mt.

A)People down below tired of waiting / Aaron Makes us gods

Immorality the result

B) But Moses stayed on the Mt. – until he heard the word from the Lord

C) So convicted – Not my tendency – I will be on the Mt. – in the Presence of the Lord – hear something happening

  1. My tendency is to move toward that situation

D) One of the reasons I study a lot at Home – ( Avoid Interruptions )

  1. And my Tendency is to get involved in everything

E) Moses stayed on the Mt. Top until – gets the word – 40 days

  1. So needed – what we need – ministries / families – friendships / those trying situations – Lord we need to hear from You

 

When Moses comes down the Mt. It is a bad scene – ( Explain)

A)Breaks commandments symbolizing – Law WAS broken / after the people declared – 40 days earlier all that the Lord says we will do

B) Moses rebukes Aaron – Calls – Who is on the Lords side – Levi’s

  1. Result 3,000 Killed that day – Broke the Law / Contrast Pentecost

C) At this point the Lord was fed up w/ the people of Israel – Moses steps in to Mediate – Ch.32-34 Moses seen in 3 roles

  1. Ch. 32 – Mediator / Ch.33 – Intercessor / Ch. 34 – Worshipper

D) First we see him as a MEDIATOR – He mediates between the Lord & these people who were involved in this great sin

  1. Focus on our study last time – He reasons w/ the Lord on why God couldn’t forsake these people v.11-14

E) We left off in V. 30 - Highlight of Moses Mediation Mt. Read v. 30-35 –

Now I am convinced that this heart was developed in him by the Lord resulted from him spending time w/ the Lord – 40 days on the Mt.

A)God’s heart – Hate Sin / Love the people

B) Paul similar heart for the same reason – Wish myself accursed if it meant my brethren could be saved

C) Concur w/ P.C. - I don't think that we, on our level of dedication or commitment can really understand this prayer of Moses; how he could request God to blot his name out of the book of life if God was unwilling to forgive the people. How much of a burden do we have for the lost? God help us; we hardly have enough burden to even tell them of Jesus Christ. We so often just sort of say, "Well, isn't that too bad?" And we don't even have enough of a burden to share with them, much less to be so concerned that we say, "God, I wish that I myself could be accursed if they could only be saved."

 

So here we see Moses in those role of Mediator as we move into Ch. 33 we see him in the role of an intercessor

A)A Mediator is one who stands before two parties trying to solve a past Problem

B) Intercessor isn’t so much concerned w/ past sins / secure future blessing

READ V.1-3

C) The status of the people continues – Your people –

1) Send an Angel -

Now as we look at Ch. 33 We see Moses in this role of an intercessor but we also see a Change in the attitude of the People

A)From both we learn some things that are involved in experiencing revival – Personally / & Corporately – Note 5 things / read v.4-6

B) Notice the reaction of the people – here we see the first thing that is necessary in experiencing revival – Church / Heart / a Nation

  1. CONCERN OVER THE ABSENCE OF THE PRESENTS OF GOD

C) When the People heard that the Lord was still going to get them to the Promised land – although – Angel to lead them not himself

  1. They mourned /

D) I wonder how many of us – Angel – cool – great – don’t care how you get us there – as long as we get there

  1. That wasn’t the heart of these people

They weren’t excited about the Promise w/out His Presence

A)Too often in Church life the focus is on the P.R.E.S.E.N.T.S

B) People only concerned about God blessing them in business or certain situation / getting them out of a Jam

  1. People have a tendency to want to use God / rather than WANT GOD

C) But these People are to be Commended – because they weren’t excited about the Promise w/out the Presence !!! MOURNED

D) Revival begins when we realize that something is wrong

  1. Not as close to the Lord as we once were / for what ever reason

Sin/ Busy / Distracted by other things

 

Something has happened to affect our HUNGER / Feel like you have left your first love / not as excited

A) SENSITIVITY to the H.S. that you once had has diminished – foggy because of other cares / or heart has become hard – compromise

B) First step in Revival is when we realize there is a problem

  1. troubled in Your Heart – point of mourning

C) Troubled by the Absence of His Presence – Not satisfied w/ just Blessing – Content w/ Mediocrity – You Long for that closeness again

2nd Step is seen in the People Actions – v.4,6 Stripped themselves of their Ornaments – ( Stripped took them off for Good) - REPENTENCE

A)Gold from Egypt – ( Used in the Construction of Tab) – but they were wearing the stuff - Like the Egyptians/ used to make god but here took it off

B) They removed from their lives that which reminded them of the World

  1. These things were distractions – to them – nothing wrong but they were

weights Heb. 12 Laying aside the weights & the sin

C) Interesting word for ornament is also translated bit – horses mouth

  1. That is what these things were – like a bit seeking to move them back to the world – making them stiff necked in following the Lord

D) Q. Is there a bit in your life that is pulling you towards the world / away from the Lord ? - Repent & lay it aside

Are we driven people, propelled by the winds of our times, pressed to conform or compete? Or are we called people, the recipients of the gracious beckoning of Christ when he promises to make us into something?

Gordon MacDonald

Notice what Moses does next – V.7-11

 

Now understand this is not the Tab. / hasn’t been constructed – follow Chronology – Tent in the middle of Camp – tent of meeting

A)Not so much the place where the people met w/ each other – Place of meeting w/ God

B) That is what Church is to be – not so much a place of seeing my friends meeting w/ my friends – ( NICE) – Primary place where I meet w/ God

  1. Gather w/ the body to worship God – not stand in the Halls & talk

C) Sometimes 3rd service – outright rude - Worship w/ my wife –

  1. hate when she is late

 

So Moses packs up this huge tent – not sure how big – but there were 3 million people on this journey

A)Moses packs it up & moves it outside the camp – if God isn’t going to be in the camp – then I will go where God is

B) 3rd Step in Revival – to radically seek after God –

  1. This was a RADICAL thing that Moses did – not ½ hearted attempt

C) Moses heart – If the Presence of the Lord was not going to be in the mist of the camp – like it used to be then I don’t want to be there either

  1. Great – Motto – God isn’t in it – I want no part of it

Moses was moved by a burden to be close w/ the Lord – so He sought after the Lord - Neh. – burden last – 4 months

A)Those who seek me w/ their whole hearts will find me

B) Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him

C) The People had repented and Moses was glad – but the presence of the Lord had departed and he wanted it back

  1. So he set up a place of Prayer outside of the camp / away from the busyness

D) Been said : Don’t come apart – we will Come apart

  1. Need for those special places really seek the Lord

Notice there was no fanfare here – No Blowing trumpets – parade no big organizational meeting / Moses – quietly moving tent

A)Key in History of Revivals – not some big event – but people quietly yet diligently & fervently seeking the Lord in Prayer

B) Too often today – see God move – starts w/ organizational meeting usually a Luncheon – some big wigs there – ( Names in Christendom)

  1. Sponsorship of this event – why we should get behind it

C) LJ. – It is not the sponsorship of certain name men that is needed but the sponsorship of the H.S. that is necessary

 

So Moses sets up this tent & goes out to seek the Lord – Joshua goes w/ Him – But what were the people doing ?

A)They stood at the door of their tents watching – this is interesting to me

B) Because the idea here in moving the tent outside the camp – whoever wanted to could go to seek the Lord – yet only Moses & Joshua went

  1. The rest of the people just watched –

C) The were interested in spiritual things – watched Moses set up & go

  1. They were intrigued by spiritual things – Watched the cloud come & descend

D) They Had a Reverence for spiritual things – they worshipped

  1. But it was all at a distance

 

So many believers are like that today – Interested in Spiritual things

A)Read a book on worship /prayer / drawing near

B) Intrigued by spiritual things – Love to listen to people talk about prayer / worship / read about Intimacy w/ God

A)They have a Reverence for the Lord

B) But never take the next step of really seeking Him

  1. After Glow – need to get home – My show is on – see who won the game / too tired to stay

C) Retreat in the Mts. – Can’t afford $75 dollars – but will spend that much on dinner & a Movie or a Ball game

D) Get up early head down to the beach to go & pray - Only day to sleep in

  1. But will get up early to go catch waves when the surf is up

 

But then they look at others – say I wish that I was more spiritual – I wish that I had the insights they do

A)But they are not willing to put out the effort in really seeking after the Lord & Mediating on the scriptures

B) Listen everyone of us is as close to God as we want to be / God will take you & take me as far as we want to go

  1. Gladly & readily wants to take us – deeper / more intimacy

C) But God will not take you one step further than you want to go

1) Not going to Violate your will - Isa. 1 willing & Obedient

So Moses & Joshua went out – Moses would go back & forth tend to duties – ( Not satisfied – wanted more – kept going back )

A)Joshua bless his heart just stayed

B) Review – 1st Concerned lack Presence 2nd Repent off w/ the world

3rd Return – Seek the Lord fervently

C)4th Tell the Lord by our words & our actions – All that matters is Him

V. 12- 17 Moses declares to the Lord – We don’t want an Angel – if You are not going to lead us – we don’t want to go !!!!!

A)Moses Request centered around two things – One was the assurance of God’s Presence – Have to have you / You or nothing !!!!!! The best

B) 2nd was a Desire to be different / separate from the World v.16

C) Only way Church seen as different from the World – God’s Presence & Power seen in our lives

D) Result of Revival – Acts 2 Power & Boldness

  1. Worship – Not exhorted just can’t stop
  2. Moses Face aglow
  3. Acts – People on the outside attracted

There is a Uniqueness about the Church that is strong and powerful

A)Starts when # thing in our lives is JESUS

B) Just give us more of Jesus / Move away strip off anything that keeps me from experiencing His Presence

C) Note the Reference to the Grace of God in these verses – Moses acknowledging that what he was asking they didn’t deserve

  1. It is solely because of Grace that God – puts up w/ us at all

D) And it is only by His grace that – He rewards those who diligently seek Him - Rewards them w/ What ? More of Himself !!! More Grace

V.18 – Moses doesn’t stop there – Glory pick up next time