Let Me See! (Please!) | The Bold & The Faithful | Exodus 33:1-4, 7-23

All this week, you and I are going to be studying the most bold prayers that are prayed in the Bible, and we’re going to meet some of the most faith-filled people. So how do you and I become faith-filled people? How do you fill up on faith? Well, I want to encourage you right now because you’re doing it. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. So when you open God’s Word, you are immediately increasing your faith. Let’s find out more!

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Transcription:

God’s got you covered today. More on that in just a moment. But first, I want to welcome you to the Bold and the Faithful series this week on the Bible for Busy People. I’m Erica, your host, and yeah, maybe you’ve heard of the soap opera, the bold and the Beautiful. So this is kind of like a fun little spin on that phrase. All this week, you and I are going to be studying the most bold prayers that are prayed in the Bible, and we’re going to meet some of the most faith-filled people. So how do you and I become faith-filled people? How do you fill up on faith? Well, I want to encourage you right now because you’re doing it. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So when you open God’s word, you are immediately increasing your faith. I love that.

So without further ado, join me. We’re going to reveal the first bold prayer of our week here together. Picture yourself almost at an art gallery, and there’s a white sheet over a beautiful sculpture or painting, and we’re getting ready to pull off that white sheet. Here we go. Exodus chapter 33, beginning in verse one,

God said to Moses: “Now go. Get on your way from here, you and the people you brought up from the land of Egypt. Head for the land which I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I will send an angel ahead of you and I’ll drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. It’s a land flowing with milk and honey. But I won’t be with you in person—you’re such a stubborn, hard-headed people!—lest I destroy you on the journey.”4 When the people heard this harsh verdict, they were plunged into gloom and wore long faces. No one put on jewelry.

Quick note here. This is actually The Message version of the Bible. So if you’re hearing more modern phrases and words, that’s why I like plunged into gloom. Boy, what a wonderful phrase that is. Okay, we’re going to skip down to verse seven now.

Moses used to take the Tent and set it up outside the camp, some distance away. He called it the Tent of Meeting. Anyone who sought God would go to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp. It went like this: When Moses would go to the Tent, all the people would stand at attention; each man would take his position at the entrance to his tent with his eyes on Moses until he entered the Tent; whenever Moses entered the Tent, the Pillar of Cloud descended to the entrance to the Tent and God spoke with Moses. All the people would see the Pillar of Cloud at the entrance to the Tent, stand at attention, and then bow down in worship, each man at the entrance to his tent.

So I want to pitch a tent here. Ha. I know. Isn’t that extraordinary? The people were in awe that God would come down and visit them, but it was inside this tent, just God and Moses, and I just want to remind you that today God is present with us right now. The Bible says where two or three are gathered there, Jesus, the Lord is in the midst. So God is with us right now and I think it’s so easy to not remember that, to not be in awe of the fact that God is alive and he chooses to keep company with us. Oh, that just makes me feel so good inside. Okay, verse 11 now.

And God spoke with Moses face-to-face, as neighbors speak to one another. When he would return to the camp, his attendant, the young man Joshua, stayed—he didn’t leave the Tent.

Okay. I just want to point out here that the New Living translation says the Lord would speak with Moses as one speaks to a friend. Oh my goodness. You and I get to be friends with God, and the reason we can have that kind of relationship is because Jesus died on the cross for us. He took our sins upon himself so you and I could be reconciled with God. The cross is our bridge back to God. Jesus also opened the door to heaven when he paid the price for us, and I can tell you from personal experience, there is no better friend you will ever have than Jesus. Okay, I want to move down now to verse 12.

Moses said to God, “Look, you tell me, ‘Lead this people,’ but you don’t let me know whom you’re going to send with me. You tell me, ‘I know you well and you are special to me.’ If I am so special to you, let me in on your plans. That way, I will continue being special to you. Don’t forget, this is your people, your responsibility.” 14 God said, “My presence will go with you. I’ll see the journey to the end.” 15-16 Moses said, “If your presence doesn’t take the lead here, call this trip off right now. How else will it be known that you’re with me in this, with me and your people? Are you traveling with us or not? How else will we know that we’re special, I and your people, among all other people on this planet Earth?” 17 God said to Moses: “All right. Just as you say; this also I will do, for I know you well and you are special to me. I know you by name.”

Woo! God knows your name too. Now, here comes the bold prayer.

Moses said, “Please. Let me see your Glory.”19 God said, “I will make my Goodness pass right in front of you; I’ll call out the name, God, right before you. I’ll treat well whomever I want to treat well and I’ll be kind to whomever I want to be kind.” 20 God continued, “But you may not see my face. No one can see me and live.” 21-23 God said, “Look, here is a place right beside me. Put yourself on this rock. When my Glory passes by, I’ll put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with my hand until I’ve passed by. Then I’ll take my hand away and you’ll see my back. But you won’t see my face.”

Wow. Moses gets super bold here and God gets super tender and kind. Remember, I began this episode by saying, God’s got you covered. You can hide in the cleft of the rock of his faithfulness. You can rest in his nail scarred hands that cover you, and you can talk to him like you would talk to a friend. Wow, you are covered and you are loved.

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