​We did it!  Fifty-eight posts and eighteen months later, we have come to the end of our time in Exodus.  This has been a powerful book with rich truths and life lessons.  We watched Moses grow from an infant to a mighty prince, and how God took him into the wilderness to shape Moses into the deliverer of Israel.  Then we watched Moses grow into his leadership calling and lead the group of slaves into the wilderness where God forged them into a nation. 

​We observed how God provided for the Israelites time after time, and read the powerful covenant He established with them.  But the Israelites disobeyed and tested God.  Nevertheless, God remained faithful and kept His promises.
 
There are so many take-aways we can walk away with as we prepare to leave this book.  But there are a couple points I want to highlight before we close this chapter and move on to another Bible study.  The focus of this study was analyzing how God shapes His leaders.  While there are many other truths, lessons, and tidbits that we picked up on the way, the purpose of studying this book was to watch Moses and see how God prepared him to become the leader Israel so desperately needed.
 
Therefore, the two take-aways I want to leave you with are lessons gleaned from Moses and Joshua—the powerful leader of the Exodus and the future leader of Israel’s conquest. Throughout the pages of Exodus, we saw God preparing and using Moses; however, Joshua was also lurking in the background.  The future leader of Israel was also being prepared and equipped for his destiny during the book of Exodus.  Thus, it is fitting to walk away from this study with a closing thought from each of these God-appointed and equipped leaders.
 
1. Don’t despise wilderness time.
 
Moses lived eighty years of his life before stepping into the destiny God had for him.  Forty of those years were spent shepherding sheep in the wilderness.  I doubt Moses dreamed of a career beyond sheep herding, but God had bigger plans, and the many years tending sheep was a training time for Moses’ larger task of leading people.
 
Therefore, the principal lesson we can learn from Moses is to not despise the wilderness time.  Don’t despair when God draws you into a lonely, quiet, isolated place.  It is in the wilderness that God refines our character and crafts His leaders into men and women who will be strong and courageous, walking in the power and favor of God.  Therefore, use your wilderness time wisely and be attentive to what God is trying to teach you, because I am confident that, as long as you are faithful in the wilderness, God has something great in store on the other side.
 
2. Don’t be afraid to serve in obscurity.
 
Joshua is mentioned throughout the book of Exodus.  However, as noted during this study, many of these references are side notes.  If we did not have the book of Joshua and know who he would become, we probably would not even notice Joshua the son of Nun in the pages of Exodus.  While Joshua did fight one battle—Israel’s first victory—he spent most of his time following Moses around.  He wasn’t famous or well-regarded, yet.  But he was faithful to serve Moses, accompanying him to Mount Sinai and waiting on Moses for forty days and later on keeping watch over the tent of meeting while Moses was busy with other duties in the camp.
 
It was through these small acts of faithfulness that Joshua was shaped into the leader he would become.  By hanging out with Moses, he saw godly leadership in action, and he also got to experience the presence of God.  Therefore, when his day came and God appointed him leader of Israel, Joshua knew what to do and Who was the ultimate leader.
 
So the big take-away we can glean from Joshua is not to fear obscurity.  In our culture and sinful nature, we love the lime light.  We want to be noticed, appreciated, and valued.  However, often our service to the Lord is done in obscurity, and through it, we learn that we are serving God and not men.  I doubt the Israelites commended Joshua for his faithful service at the tent of meeting or applauded him for serving and waiting on Moses on Mount Sinai.  But it was those experiences that showed Joshua the power and glory of God.
 
Therefore, don’t be afraid of obscurity, but be faithful in whatever place God puts you.  For if you are faithful in the small things, God will give you much more.  So be faithful right where you are and experience the power and glory of God as you draw near to Him and serve His people.

​I have greatly enjoyed our time through Exodus!  While it has been a long journey, it has been good and timely considering what an unexpected season we all find ourselves in.  Now, as we prepare to move on, I’d love to hear what God has been teaching you through the pages of Exodus, so feel free to leave a comment.  It is always a blessing when I hear from my readers.
 
I pray that God continues His good work in you, preparing you for the glorious future and destiny He has planned for you.  Keep faithfully pursuing your God, and may He bless you in all your ways.

We have finally come to the last chapter of Exodus.  It has been a long, good journey through this action packed book.  Now as we look at the final chapter, there are a couple important things to highlight.  

​In the first month of the second year, Moses set up the completed Tabernacle according to the directions given by the Lord.  This is a significant date to note.  If you remember back to Exodus 12 when God was instituting the Passover, He set the Israelites a new calendar and made the month they were delivered from Egypt the first month of the year.  Now, on the first month and nearly one year after that victory day, the Tabernacle is completed and erected and God fills it with His Presence. 
 
A lot has happened over the past year.  The Israelites went from being slaves to becoming a nation.  They experienced the provision of God and the consequences of sin.  God established a covenant with them and made them a solemn promise to lead them into the land of their forefathers.  For many months, the Lord’s glory had settled on top of Mount Sinai, but now He was coming near.  

​The Tabernacle was not just a place of meeting and place of ritual.  It was actually the physical dwelling of God among the Israelites.  God promised Moses that He would go before the Israelites and lead them, and now He was making good on that promise.  God left the lofty heights of the mountain and moved His Presence into the neighborhood, straight into the Israelites’ camp. 
 
Notice that God’s Presence never left the Israelites.  Throughout all their wanderings, the glory of the LORD filled that Tabernacle day and night.  Even after the people rebelled, God remained faithful.  He did not remove His Presence, but dwelt among them for forty years.
 
Imagine the wonder and awe the Israelites must have felt to see God’s glory in their midst every morning when they woke up.  What comfort and security it must have brought them as they faced an unknown landscape and unknown future.  The Israelites got to physically see the manifestation of God’s Presence and were visually led by the Lord every day of their journey.  When God moved forward, the Israelites went out.  When God stayed in the camp, the Israelites stayed put.  Every day their path was directed by God Himself.
 
This is a beautiful picture of what God wants to do in our lives, but in an even more intimate way.  While God dwelt among the Israelites in a special tent, through the atoning work of Jesus and by the Holy Spirit, God now wants to live among us in our hearts.  Jesus descended the lofty heights of heaven and walked among us so that God could move into and put His glory into our hearts.  And just as He was faithful to never leave the Israelites, God promises to never leave or forsake us.  As Jesus promised, “behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
 
And just as God directed the Israelites while living in their midst, so also He wants to work in and through our hearts showing us the path to walk.  The indwelling of His Spirit is not meant to just give us warm, fuzzy feelings, but to empower us to walk in boldness, courage, and hope.  We can face an unknown future and a foreign world because our God goes before us and dwells among us.
 
Therefore, let’s remember that just as God was faithful and constant when He dwelt among Israel, He will be faithful to us.  And may we have even more confidence since our God not only dwells among us, but within us.  So let’s fully trust our faithful God and walk in the assurance that our God goes with us and directs our steps.

​Have you ever wondered what your God-given gift is?  Have you taken spiritual gifts test to try and get an idea of what your special talent is?  I have, and while they are helpful, they don’t always accurately assess who you and what your strengths and weakness are.  Also, sometimes our God-give gifts are not as obvious as the ones listed on the tests, but rather subtle and seemingly mundane.  

​Today as we look at Exodus 36, we are going to see men who had been given a special gift by God for a specific purpose.  But I guarantee that they didn’t originally view their gift as a divine ability.  Rather, they would have simply thought it was a knack they had, something they had been trained in, or a skill that was part of their upbringing.  However, according to the Bible, these skills and talents did not come from mere happen-chance or life experience, but from God.  Who were these men?  The craftsmen who built the Tabernacle of Almighty God.

​The craftsmen of Israel most likely thought their abilities came from their education.  Their fathers may have been craftsmen and passed on the legacy, or the rulers in Egypt may have chosen that career path for them.  However, no matter their previous life experience, we see that ultimately God is the one who put that skill in them.  They became craftsmen not by chance, but by divine appointment.  Their abilities were not the mere product of upbringing but gifts from God.  And God had a project from these men to use their gifts for His house.
 
But notice that the craftsmen needed to have a willing heart.  They were not forced into or compelled to work on the Tabernacle.  God was not requiring them to put their time quota in.  On the contrary, only those who were willing and felt moved to donate their time on the project would work on building God’s house.
 
In light of this, what are your God-given gifts?  Have you considered the skills you have?  Do you view all that you can do—physically, mentally, academically, and artistically—as abilities given you by God? And how will you use the skills, talents, and gifts God has given you?
 
God doesn’t require any of us to use the gifts He has given us for His Kingdom.  We could use them to build our own kingdom and create success in the world.  However, God does invite us to partner with Him in the work He is doing.  We have an open invitation to use the gifts God has put in us to further His Kingdom and build His Church—the new tabernacle not built by human hands but built in the hearts of men and women.
 
So how will you use the abilities and gifts God has given you? 
 
Although the Israelites had made a lot of mistakes throughout their Exodus journey, they got this thing right.  They all willingly gave their time and resources to the building of God’s house.  The craftsmen meticulously labored on the building and designing of the Tabernacle according to the plans God had given them, while the people contributed resources and time helping these specially appointed men.
 
The next four chapters are devoted to sharing the details on how the Tabernacle was built.  This shows that God sees and notices all the details.  The Bible doesn’t just say that the Israelites built the Tabernacle and the work was complete.  No, God had Moses give a very detailed account of how the Tabernacle was built, all the way down to the rings that joined the curtains together.  No action went unnoticed; no element was insignificant.
 
God sees the details.  He is not oblivious to the seemingly small things done for His glory.  All is seen and known and valued.  So no matter where you are, no matter how mundane or insignificant the task may seem, use your God-given abilities to glorify God and build His Church; God will look down from heaven and notice your contributions, no matter how small.  And He will bless you for your labor.
 
The Israelites completed the Tabernacle according to the directions God gave Moses, and Moses blessed them.  When we go about our work and complete it according to the guidelines God gives us, we will be blessed in our doing.  So go out and use your God-given gifts to further the Kingdom of God!

​After Moses returned from Mount Sinai and the people of Israel recovered from his radiant appearance, Moses assembled the people and re-gave them God’s Ten Commandments and then shared with them God’s instructions for building the Tabernacle. Remember, these were instructions God gave Moses back in Exodus 29-31.  However, the Israelites never got to hear these instructions because of their idol worship and rebellion.
 
Now, after a couple months and the death of thousands of their number, the Israelites finally get to hear the message God gave Moses for them.  A message of hope and comfort, since God renewed His covenant with the people and promised to be with them through their journey.  But God did ask one thing of the Israelites.  He asked them to build Him a dwelling place and to contribute to it as their heart led them. Moses was not going to take a mandatory collection, but the people were to give freely and as they felt led. The result was an amazing outpouring of generosity from a previously rebellious people.

​I know that was a long passage of Scripture, however, by including it, I wanted you to see an important point:  God sees and knows everyone’s contribution, no matter how small.  The small piece of acacia wood one man brought might have seemed insignificant and unimportant, but God saw it and included it in the Bible.  The hours the women spent spinning and weaving to make yarn and cloth may have gone unnoticed by many, but God saw the gift and recorded it.
 
God was not concerned about the size or quantity of gifts, but rather the attitude in which it was given. Everyone needed to give freely.  It was not a tax or something everyone must donate to, but a gift.  God wanted His people to give to Him a dwelling place out of the abundance of their hearts.  He didn’t want it from compulsion but for them to give freely from a heart of love.  And the children of Israel did respond with great generosity and enthusiasm.  In fact, later on in chapter 36, Moses had to tell the people to stop giving, because they had enough.
 
So how can we apply this story to our own lives?  What is something we can learn from this account?
 
The biggest lesson is that everyone has a role in the building of God’s house, and everyone’s part counts.  While most the Israelites were not the master craftsmen God specifically assigned to building the Tabernacle, each person had the opportunity to give to the project and see their contributions be used for the building of God’s house. Likewise, you might not be the master craftsman or the one gifted with this job or that job, but the thing that you can do counts.  Don’t let Satan tell you otherwise!  God sees you and your contributions, and welcomes your freewill offering, no matter how seemingly small.
 
Therefore, don’t let feelings of insignificance or obscurity keep you from contributing to God’s house and building God’s Kingdom.  Rather, remember this account in Exodus and the fact that everyone’s contribution was important and seen by God.  May we also remember the exhortation and promise God gives in Malachi 3:10, and may we not be afraid to give generously to the One who provides for us.

​Today we’re jumping back to Moses and his second 40 days on Mount Sinai with God.  If you remember back to chapter 32 and the golden calf situation, Moses had received two stone tablets which contained the Law of God, written by God himself.  However, in a fit of anger over the people’s sin, Moses broke the tablets.  Remember, even though Moses was a great leader and an example for us today, he wasn’t perfect.  Therefore, God commanded Moses to re-climb the mountain and rewrite the two tablets for the Israelites.  

​So Moses ascends Mount Sinai for another encounter with God.  During this second 40 days with God, Moses rewrites the Ten Commandments, witnesses the glory of God, and listens as God reestablishes His covenant with the Israelites.  While this was an epic experience and worth reading, we are not going to discuss it here since most of it is a repeat from what God did the first time around.  However, I would encourage you to read the account for yourself in Exodus 34.
 
We are going to pick up the story after the 40 days on Mount Sinai.  Moses just spent over a month with God, without food and without water.  This time, his descent down the mountain is not met with debauchery, but rather, a people patiently waiting for Moses’ word from God.  However, the Israelites were not prepared for what they would see when Moses returned from his encounter with Glory.

​Moses’ face was glowing.  However, it wasn’t a subtle glow like the ones you see on the faces of expectant mothers.  The Hebrew word used for shone literally means to “shoot out horns.”  It was a blatant, other-worldly type of glow.  Moses had rays of light shooting forth from his face.  You could imagine why the Israelites were afraid to approach him.
 
While this may sound really weird, there is an important lesson here for us that we cannot miss. 
Moses’ countenance reflected his intimacy with God. Everyone knew when Moses had been with God. It was obvious by his shining face.  And this shining countenance didn’t just occur this one time.  The Bible tells us that every time Moses entered the presence of God, his face would shine.  It was such a recurrent thing and so disconcerting to the Israelites that Moses had to cover his face when he was in public so as not to scare the people.  But at the same time, everyone in the Israelite camp knew when Moses had been with God.  One look at his face would let everyone know this man had beheld the glory of God.
 
So the question and application for us is:  does our countenance reflect God’s glory?  Can people see Jesus on our faces?  Is it obvious that we spend time with God?  Would one look at our faces tell people that we are different from others in the world?
 
At the time of the Exodus, only Moses was allowed to behold God’s glory.  He was the only one allowed to speak with God.  No one else was able to go near.  No one else could have a shining face.  However, under the blood of Jesus, everything has changed.  Paul specifically uses this situation with Moses to show how we, as adopted sons and daughters, have access and ability to behold the glory of God.  And not only do we have access to God and the opportunity to experience what Moses did, but we have something even better.  We are able to not only behold the glory of God but to become transformed into the likeness of God one piece at a time.  Paul writes:

​Moses covered up is shining face since it was his exclusively.  No one could share it with him, so he veiled his face and hid the reflection of the glory of God from the people.  However, Paul tells us that everyone in Christ can behold the Lord’s glory, and therefore, we don’t need to hide the effect it has on us.  Rather, we should share it and show the world what could be theirs if they came to Jesus.  Furthermore, the more we behold God’s glory, the more we will be changed and become more like our Savior.  Therefore, let us confidently enter the presence of God and seek to be touched by Glory.

Before we move on from Exodus 33, I want to spend some time looking at an important side character.  We’ve seen him on the fringes.  While not the main character yet, his name is scattered through the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.  His name is mentioned seven times in the book of Exodus, mostly in obscure references that you would never notice.  But I think that it is important to take a look at these references, because if we’re going to study how God shapes His leaders, we must look at the shaping of this man into the future leader of Israel.  Therefore, today we’re going to look at the role of Joshua.

​Joshua is mentioned seven times in the book of Exodus, four of which surround the battle against Amalek in Exodus 17. In these four mentions, we find a man who is obedient.  Joshua did what Moses asked him to do, lead the Israelites’ first battle.  He did so with bravery and courage.  It would not have been easy to lead a group of former slaves into battle, but Joshua did it.  Therefore, when the LORD gives Moses a promise regarding the Amalekites, He makes sure that Joshua gets the promise as well.

The next two times Joshua shows up in Exodus surrounds Moses’ ascent up Mount Sinai for the 40 days.  The Bible tells us that Moses took Joshua with him.  I’m not sure how far up the mountain Joshua got to go, but he was there.  He wasn’t left in the camp with the elders of Israel; he was hand-picked to accompany Moses up the sacred mountain.  What an honor and privilege! 
 
Yet even this came with a price.  Can you imagine sitting somewhere on the mountain for forty days and nights?  It would have required patience!  Joshua may have been able to see and experience some of what was going on at the top of the mountain with Moses and God, but not all of it.  Therefore, this shows Joshua’s faithfulness to his post and his willingness to follow Moses even when it required waiting for over a month.
 
Finally, my favorite glimpse into the shaping of this future leader is found in Exodus 33:11:​

Joshua wasn’t busy pursuing his own interests.  He stayed close to Moses.  He spent 40 days by himself somewhere between the Israelite camp and Moses’ meeting with God.  Then when Moses was back in the camp, Joshua stationed himself at the tent of meeting and would not leave.  Do you see that?  He refused to leave.  He was there 24/7.  He wasn’t chasing girls or trying to start a family.  He stood watch over God’s meeting room, and, therefore, stood near the very presence of the living God. 
 
Joshua’s choices cost him.  He wasn’t like his friends who got to enjoy the journey.  He was always on guard, always busy, always following Moses.  But was the exchange worth it?  Because of the choices Joshua made, he got to experience some pretty amazing things.  Furthermore, later in life, Joshua would have an encounter with God himself, and he knew exactly who was meeting with him because he was around the presence of God day and night.  So when the time came, Joshua was ready to take up the leadership of the Israelites.  He was ready to lead a new generation into the Promised Land and finish the task his mentor, Moses, had started. 
 
Joshua was shaped into the strong, godly man he became by who he spent time with.  If you notice from the seven mentions, Joshua spent most of his time with Moses and in front of the tent of meeting.  He surrounded himself with an amazing role model and the presence of God, and God used it to form him into a man of faith, courage, leadership, and reliance on God.
 
So do you want to be a Joshua?  Do you want to lead your generation to victory?  Do you want to see the promises of God fulfilled in your life? 
 
I do!  So we would do well to learn from these early references of Joshua so we can learn how God shaped Joshua into the man he became.  Therefore, we must spend time around greatness.  We must surround ourselves with godly men and women who will be great role models and mentors.  But most importantly, we must spend time in the presence of God.  Joshua refused to leave the tent of meeting.  Likewise, may we desire God’s presence in such a desperate way.  We may not enjoy an easy life like our peers, but we will experience a fuller one—and one with deeper meaning. 
 
Therefore, let us make sure our priorities line up with God’s and be like Joshua who hung out with greatness.  Because God can use it to make us great in His way and His time; we simply must be faithful.  

​Last week, we explored the power and profound meaning of what it means to be known by God.  We talked about how God honored Moses’ request because He knew Moses and shared intimate relationship with Him.  Therefore, the LORD answered Moses’ intercession with a change of heart and showed Moses His glory while protecting him from the pure beauty and holiness of His presence. 
 
After all that, I was prepared to move on from this topic; however, God stirred my heart and pointed out another perspective to this amazing encounter: Moses’ point of view. We never explored what prompted Moses to make that bold request to see God’s glory.  So let’s do that today.  

​As we saw last week, Moses was already known by God.  He already enjoyed a special and deep connection with his Creator.  Moses had seen the burning bush. He had spent 40 days in the presence of God.  He talked with God face to face as a man talks with a friend.
 
But Moses wanted more.  He wanted to see God in all His glory.  He was not satisfied with his knowledge and experience of God. He wanted to go deeper.
 
Likewise, the more we know God, the more we want to know Him deeper.  God is not like an intellectual subject that the more you study the more satisfied you become with your knowledge.  On the contrary, the more we get to know and fellowship with God, the more we desire it.  God has wired us that way.  He’s designed us to deeply want more of Him. 
 
But the opposite is also true, the more we distance ourselves from the holy presence of our King, the less we want to do with Him.  This is why, generally speaking, passionate Christians become more passionate over time, while mediocre ones become more nominal.  Those who are in true, intimate, repeated fellowship with Almighty God want more of Him.  They are not satisfied with what they experience. It’s almost like an addiction, but a good, God-honoring one.
 
So Moses wanted more of God, and his desire for more prompts him to make a huge request:  “Please show me your glory.”  I don’t think Moses knew how much he was asking for.  I don’t think he realized or brought into consideration the fact that before Jesus, mortal man could not fully look upon the perfection of God.  But these things didn’t stop Moses.  He boldly approached God and asked Him flat out:  I want to see you fully!
 
How desperate are you for God?  Despair can be a destructive thing; however, if you’re desperate for God, you’ll do anything to see more of Him.  Most of the time, humans are only desperate for other human relationships.  Teens are desperate for a BFF, singles are desperate for a spouse, married couples are desperate for a child.  However, all human relationships will fail us at some point, so why are we so desperate for those things?  Why are we not desperate for God? Moses’ desperation for more of God drove him to ask a big request. 
 
Was God offended my Moses’ reckless request?  No!  I’m sure God was delighted by it, because it revealed how desperate Moses was to see more of Him.  And God answered Moses’ request.  God did it on His terms and in His way, not the way Moses probably initially thought of.  But was that because God was mean?  No!  God was protecting Moses from something Moses had not even considered.  So while Moses did get to see the glory of God, it wasn’t to the full extent that he had in mind because before Christ, man could not fully see God. 
 
However, I don’t think Moses was disappointed in the slightest.  Moses’ request was held with open hands.  He asked God boldly for something but did not give God directions on how to carry out his request.  He was open to God’s answer in whatever shape or form it took.
 
When was the last time you asked God for something big? The last time you prayed about something really bold and possibly reckless?  How did God answer?  Were you open with your request and simply asked—not told—God how to respond?
 
Often, we get caught up in thinking of how impossible things may seem.  Though we’d never admit it, I believe we are hampered in our prayers because we think our request is too much to ask of God.  We don’t think God can or will act, so we don’t ask.  But James 4:2 tells us, “You do not have because you do not ask.”  Therefore, if we enjoy intimate fellowship with God and truly desire more of Him, we should not be afraid to ask Him for big stuff!
 
However, when we ask, we must be careful how we ask.  I believe many Christians get caught up in telling God how to answer their prayers rather than simply laying the request before Him and waiting.  God rarely works the way we think He should.  His perspective and thoughts are much higher and broader than ours.  So why do we think we can tell Him what to do?! 
 
Therefore, boldly approach God and ask Him for big things, but leave the request open ended.  Don’t tell God what to do, because if your request is tied to a specific response, you probably won’t see an “answer” to your request because God is working outside the box you put Him in. 
 
And no matter what, may our biggest request be like Moses’, which was not for material things, relationship fixes, or personal gain, but more of God.  May we daily ask God for the same thing Moses requested:  Please, show me Your glory!  Show me more of You!  May the following song’s lyrics become our prayer and heart’s cry as we seek to become desperate for more of God:

What a relationship Moses shared with God!  The Bible tells us that he spoke with God face to face as a man talks with a friend.  The intimacy of that relationship is hard to grasp! Obviously, Moses knew the Lord deeply, and more importantly was known by God just as deeply.  Today, we’re going to explore the wonder of being known by God, the access that allows us to enter God’s presence, and the power we have as a known child of God.

“Moses said to the LORD, ‘See, you say to me, “Bring up this people,” but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, “I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.”  Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.’  And he said, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’  And he said to him, ‘If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.  For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?’ 
 
And the LORD said to Moses, ‘This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.’  Moses said, ‘Please show me your glory.’  And he said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name “The LORD.” And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.  But,’ he said, ‘you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.’  And the LORD said, ‘Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.  Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.’
~Exodus 33:12-23

​This is a beautiful dialogue and a precious window into the heart of God and the close relationship Moses shared with the Almighty LORD.  While it is a longer passage than I generally quote, it is worth reading through slowly. 
 
The reoccurring phrase that pops out at me is ““I know you by name.”  God said this of Moses, and it is a crucial part of their relationship.  Moses would not have received the power, leadership, and authority that God gave him if he had not been known by God.  This word “know” is that of intimate knowledge.  It is the same word used in the physical relationship of marriage and denotes intimacy and closeness.  Therefore, God is saying that He intimately knows and cares for Moses in a personal, close, and loving way.  He is not familiar and aware of Moses, He knows him—knows him by name.
 
Because of this, God honored Moses’ supplication and promised to go with Moses into the Promised Land.  He also honored Moses’ bold request and protected him from the danger he was unaware of.  So Moses got to see all the goodness of God without fear of death.  He saw God’s glory in its fullest possible extent this side of heaven and felt God’s gentle covering of protection as he sheltered in the cleft of the rock.  His intimacy with God and personal, intentional relationship with the LORD of all led him into deeper places and amazing experiences. 
 
What will we experience in our relationship with the Lord?  Will we walk in deep places with our Savior?  Will we grow our relationship and enjoy such intimacy that God could say what He said of Moses, “You have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name?”
 
I want that!  I want the power of being known by God.  I want my promise-based petitions to move God’s heart.  I want to behold the glory of the Lord and feel His protective hand covering me in the cleft of the rock.  I want what Moses had.
 
But in order to get that, we must be intentional to spend time with God.  Moses’ relationship with God didn’t happen overnight.  He spent many hours, days, and nights with God.  He listened to God and obeyed His Word.  Now, Moses is able to speak with God as a man speaks with a friend—freely, openly, and without fear.  Oh, may we reach the same place of intimacy with our Creator!
 
While being known by God is such a precious and treasured thing, the opposite of it should be highly feared.  Jesus shared a story about the danger of not developing a relationship with our Creator in Matthew 7. 

Oh, what a tragic outcome that would be when we arrive in heaven!  These men thought that they were doing works for the Lord, but because they never had a relationship with God, they arrived at the end of their life and discovered that it was all in vain.  May that not be our story!  We want to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” when we’ve finished our life. 
 
Therefore, take time to cultivate a powerful, intimate, and real relationship with the living God so that you might be fully known by Him and experience the power, privilege, and protection your Father wants to lavish upon you.  May we be like Moses who behold God’s glory and walked with God in such a special, close way that everyone knew when he had been with God by his shining countenance.  Oh, the joys of being known by God!  So seek it, desire it, and begin to devote time to developing your relationship with your Maker, Creator, and Savior today.

The saga of the golden calf ends on a tragic note as the LORD sent a plague upon the people because of their sin.  However, Exodus 33 opens with a beautiful reminder that even though the Israelites had failed, God is faithful to keep His promises and that His word remains true.  Therefore, even though the Israelites experienced moral failure at the base of Mount Sinai, it was time to move on and march forward into the Promised Land under the blessing of God.

​The Israelites’ sin lost the presence of God.  The LORD would no longer go up with them.  However, they did not lose the promises of God.  God reaffirms His promise to them and commands them to get up and go take possession of all that He had promised them.
 
As I read this passage, I am further amazed at the Israelites’ forgetfulness.  Here, the LORD explicitly states that He will drive out the current inhabitants of Canaan in order to give the descendants of Abraham the land He had promised.  “Drive out” is a pretty strong and active phrase.  The LORD wasn’t just going to subdue the peoples of the land, He wasn’t going to make them weak; He was going to actively purge the land, destroying its inhabitants so that His children, the people of His covenant, could take possession of it.  From this text, it almost sounds like the Israelites wouldn’t even have to lift a finger to subdue their enemies.  God would do all the work.
 
But did the Israelites remember and believe this promise?  When they came to the edge of the Promised Land, did they march in with confidence?  No.  They took one look at the people living in the land God had promised them and they ran.  They ran back to the wilderness and spent the next forty years walking circles in the dessert because of fear and lack of faith.
 
Sin has long-lasting consequences, some of which we may never realize until the end of our lives.  For the Israelites, I wonder how much of the golden calf experience hindered their faith.  Because the seed of doubt was planted at the foot of Mount Sinai, I wonder how much that doubt continued to grow until it paralyzed them and they could not act on the promises God had given them. 
 
Remember, this generation of Israelites had seen God work in miraculous ways.  They had seen God do signs and wonders that we can only read about.  They had watched God make promises and then keep them in spectacular ways.  They not only walked through the Red Sea on dry land, but they heard God speak.  They actually heard the booming, audible voice of Almighty God.  Yet, when it came time to possess the promises God had made hundreds of years earlier, they did not trust the LORD their God.
 
Sin is powerful.  The consequences for it are not only deadly in some cases, but long-lasting.  Even though God’s love and forgiveness reaches out and washes us when we repent, the doubt that is planted can continue to grow if we are not careful.  Because sin not only separates us from God, but it deceives us and makes us believe that God’s Word may not be true, His promises may not be realized, and His will towards us may not be good. 
 
We see this pattern from the very beginning.  Adam and Eve sinned because doubt was placed in their hearts.  They started to believe that maybe God was wrong and that the fruit of the tree might be good for them.  So they ate and were banished from the garden and the presence of God, and their sin has afflicted us ever since.
 
Similarly, the children of Israel began to doubt at the foot of Mount Sinai and created an idol for themselves to worship.  And even though many paid for their sins with their lives and God did forgive His people, the doubt planted at that time impacted the rest of that generation.  They did not enter the Promised Land, and, because of their doubt, they would never live in God’s promise.  Instead, the Israelites of the Exodus would aimlessly wander the wilderness for forty years until the entire generation died.  Then their children would be raised up and return to faith in the God of Abraham and march into the land of promise.
 
So what can we glean from all this?  What truths and applications can we make?  Don’t let doubt become planted in your heart!  Doubt will keep you from the promises of God; it will keep you from living the best life God has planned for you.  As evidenced by the Israelites’ wanderings, living in doubt will leave us living without purpose.  God’s purpose for our lives is in His promises.  He wants us to go up and take possession of what He’s given us.  However, if we doubt His Word and never act on what He has promised, we’ll wander in our own wilderness without purpose and direction.  So be careful not to let doubt grip your heart and paralyze you from taking hold of your own promised land.
 
And be warned, no one is immune from sin and doubt.  Adam and Eve walked and talked with God in the garden of Eden, yet they still sinned.  The Israelites saw some of the greatest acts of God in history, they heard His voice, and ate His manna, but they also sinned and built an idol to worship.  Therefore, no one is free from the deception of doubt. 
 
So take heed and be on guard for this subtle enemy.  The stakes are high and the consequences dire, so make sure your heart and mind are fixed on your Savior and His faithfulness so that you will not be tempted to believe the lies of the enemy and begin to doubt God’s promises.  For God has great and wonderful things in store for you and rich promises He wants you to take hold of.  So believe His Word and walk by faith into your own promised land.

Moses interceded on behalf of the Israelites, and his prayer turned the heart of God.  However, that didn’t mean that the Israelites didn’t have to face consequences for their sin.  On the contrary, their sin brought death and other severe results.  So as we look at the closing story of the Golden Calf, we are going to focus on three different people and their responses to God’s judgment:  Aaron and his pitiful excuses, the sons of Levi and their willingness to serve the Lord at great personal cost, and Moses and his heart of sincere love and compassion for the Israelites. 

Aaron’s Pitiful Excuses
 
When Moses came down from Mount Sinai and saw the debauchery the Israelites were participating in, he was rightfully angry.  So angry, in fact, that he broke the stone tablets God had made and given him.  However, after experiencing the glory of God’s presence, the sin of the people must have been especially disgusting in his sight.  Once Moses was able to compose himself a bit, he approached his brother Aaron whom he had put in charge during his absence and asked what happened.  Aaron’s response is rather interesting considering that the golden calf was his idea.

​First and foremost, this is a pitiful answer for a leader.  As the responsible authority for the Israelites, Aaron should have manned up and taken responsibility for his actions.  But instead, he played the blame game.  The game that points fingers at others and blames them for the issue rather than taking responsibility for one’s own shortcomings.  So instead of confessing the error of his way, he blames the people.  Not a very good move for a leader.  Obviously, Aaron knew he was guilty and didn’t want to feel the wrath of his brother.
 
However, the part of Aaron’s excuse I find most interesting is his account of the creation of the golden calf.  He says, “so they gave it [gold] to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”  Does that sound believable? No!  Idols don’t create themselves, and gold thrown into a fire just melts—it doesn’t automatically recast itself into the image of a calf.  The golden calf would have required crafting, molding, and creating.  Aaron would have needed to spend a lot of time making that idol; it didn’t just pop out of nowhere.  And I don’t think Moses was fooled by his response.  He knew what would have needed to happen.
 
So what can we learn from this?  Don’t make pitiful excuses!  Own up to your sin and confess it.  God cannot be deceived and sees right through our feeble lies and attempts to blame others.  So when confronted with sin, take ownership, confess, and repent.  For God delights in giving forgiveness, grace, mercy, and love.  But He can only do so if we take responsibility for the things we have done.
 
 
The Sons of Levi Called to Service
 
The next sequence of events is probably the most tragic in the book of Exodus.  Sin demands judgment, and for the Israelites, that meant death at the hands of their own brothers.  Death may seem like a strict punishment, especially since Moses had just interceded for God not to wipe out the people.  But sin is a serious offense and is punishable by death.  The grace and mercy here is that not all the people were annihilated.
 
Now if we look beyond the immediate judgment of Israel, we find a beautiful thing.  In the midst of a generational rejection of God, some of the Israelites chose to follow God.  When Moses asked for anyone who was on the Lord’s side, the sons of Levi responded.  They chose to serve God rather than partake in the wickedness around them.  That choice led to sacrifice and great loss as they were called to bring judgment on their fellow brothers by killing them with the sword.  However, their obedience led to a multi-generational blessing.

​Because of their valiant decision to follow God and their obedience in the face of extreme difficulty, the sons of Levi and their descendants were set apart as the priestly family.  Their choice to follow God in the tough moments led to being called to service as part of the spiritual leadership of Israel for generations.  Therefore, let’s learn from these courageous men and not be afraid to follow God when our peers have blatantly rejected Him.  For at the end of the day, God will bless our decision that may have come at a great sacrifice.
 
 
Moses’ Second Plea
 
Finally, after the destruction of the golden calf, the judgment of the people, and the obedience of the Levites, Moses returns to Mount Sinai to seek God’s favor and intercede on behalf of the people.  In this second conversation with God, Moses reveals even more of his heart of love and willingness to sacrifice on behalf of the people.  While we didn’t see this side of his heart during the destruction of the golden calf, Moses truly cared for the people God had put under his leadership and was willing to die on their behalf.

​God does not tolerate sin.  It must be dealt with, and justice must be served.  The Israelites’ desire for fleeting pleasure had deadly consequences.  However, in God’s great mercy, He also forgave and extended grace.  He told Moses to lead the people into the land He had promised.  A grievous sin had been committed, justice was served, and now it was time to move on—move on from the place of failure and move forward toward the promises of God.
 
This is an important lesson for us.  Like the Israelites, we sin and break God’s heart, but afterward we need to repent of our wrongdoing and accept God’s love and forgiveness.  We must thank Jesus for taking the judgment we deserved and confess our sins.  If we do so, God is “faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)  But then we must move on.  We must not stay in the place of defeat.  That is not where new life can grow or where hope can reside.  We must pick ourselves up and start moving towards the promises of God.  Like the Israelites, we must continue our journey to all that God has in store for us.  We cannot let the shortcomings and mistakes we make along the way keep us from finishing the journey.  We must move on and follow God to our promised inheritance.