Exodus 33:14-17 My Presence Will Go with You WC McCarter
Overview
In chapter five of The
Story, we found the Israelites still wandering around in the desert. They
have now made it to the Desert of Sinai and to the mountain of God
In this chapter, we also read about the people’s grievous
rebellion and great sin in building the golden calf to worship. After this, God
said that He would not go with them any farther. He did promise to send an
angel to lead them the remainder of the way to the Promised Land, but Moses
knew that He needed God Himself to lead them every step of the way.
Introduction
This overview leads
us to our main passage today. We will see that the Lord forgives the people
and, in His grace and mercy, makes a renewed promise to Moses. Just as you may
feel separated from God at times or you may actually be far from Him because of
sin, you can take courage. Maybe you have been wandering around in a spiritual
desert and you see no glory cloud to lead the way. You may think that you have
gone too far to find forgiveness once again, but you are mistaken. Let us take
a look at this passage to learn more about our God and to find comfort in His
grace and promises. The very first line of our main text is one of the most
glorious verses in all of holy Scripture. Let us open our hearts to His Word.
Scripture Reading
Who God is
Essentially
After Moses’ request to learn God’s ways, God answers by
saying that He would go with Moses. Now that is grace. After all that Moses had
been through, the sin that he had committed, and the disobedience of his
people, God showed him His ways-which is grace. It is a merciful God that will
go with Moses despite the instability of the people.
God said this wonderful line, “My presence will go with you,
and I will give you rest,” not because of what Moses had done, but because of
who God is essentially. God has already declared who He is when He said, “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.”
My Presence Will Go with You
God had previously said that He would not go with the people
because if He did He would have to destroy them. Instead, He said that He would
send an angel. This would not do for Moses. He did not want to take a step
without God Himself leading the way. So, Moses says to God, “Let me know whom
You will send with me.” That is how we get the magnificent response.
When God says, “My presence will go with you,” He is
literally saying, “My face will go with you.” He will personally and intimately
be present with the people as they make this journey. And let’s be clear, Moses
didn’t want God to go with only him, but also with the people.
Not only does God say that He will go with the people, but
He also promises, “I give you rest.” “Rest,” here, refers mainly to settling in
the Promised Land, but maybe it also refers to the hassle and stress that Moses
had been enduring. Without God, who knows what Moses would have suffered? But
God promises to go with Moses. God would bare the burden and carry the load of
leading. A third idea that I think is of value is that rest refers to “faith
rest.” Moses could rest in faith based on God’s promise. We must also
rest in faith based on God’s promises. The author of Hebrews picks up on this
notion. He says, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God. .
. .” He goes on to say, “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by
following [the Israelites’] example of disobedience.”
Of course, it is difficult to think about rest in the
biblical sense and not think of what Christ said. In some of the most
comforting words ever spoken, Christ said, “Come to me, all you who are weary
and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from
me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
So, you see, there is something about God’s personal and
intimate presence that allows rest. The Lord also tells us that He will
personally see to rest for His people. This rest is more than Israel
God is with
you. You are going to be alright. There is nothing to worry about.
There is
nothing to fear. God is the source of my salvation. God is the source of my strength.
God is my protector. Although I do not know the future, my God does.
God is my protector. Although I do not know the future, my God does.
God has
made promises to me and has always been faithful. Stop chasing this world.
The Distinctness of
the Saints
If there is one theme that can be realized from this chapter
of The Story, it is the theme of
holiness. Why does God issue all of these new commands and establish a new
covenant? Because He is holy and if Israel
“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall
not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the
still waters. He restores my soul: He leads me in the paths of righteousness
for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil: for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff they
comfort me.”
I Am Pleased
What a glorious thing to hear from the mouth of God, “I am
pleased with you and I know you by name!” Did this mean that Moses was perfect?
Did Moses live a sinless life in order to hear those words? Of course not;
Moses was sinful like the rest. His sin may not have as blatantly terrible
against God as the Israelites’ incident with the golden calf, but we know of at
least one sin that was equally as terrible against another human being. Moses
murdered a man. But God forgives. God’s grace was rooted in His intimate knowledge
of Moses. God knew Moses’ heart. God knows what is inside a man. He looks to
the depths of us.
Why was God pleased with Moses? He was pleased because Moses
had a heart that longed for God. Although he was not perfect, Moses had a
hunger and a thirst for righteousness. Let me also say, that it was Moses’ request,
which God ordained, that allowed God to forgive the people once again.
Sometimes God does what He wants to do without waiting on us to move, but often
times, He desires for us to call out to Him before He does anything. He waits
for a man to stand in the gap. This teaches us to trust in Him. What a merciful
and gracious God we serve.
Conclusion- Finding
Your Story in God’s Story
1) It seems that
God forgave Israel
2) Where is sin’s
force strongest in your life, pulling you away from God’s presence?
3) How can you
intercede for others today? Who needs intercession in their behalf?