Worship

"The Tent of the Meeting" "Moses and the Glory of God " Exodus 33

When I am reading sometimes I seem to stay in one place for a while. About a year ago I had come across this very chapter. I have often tried to envision myself to be alive and well in that time period the excitement, thrill and the mystery of inquiring the Lord in a tent in the middle of a dessert somewhere outside a camp attempting to enter this place of wonder. Or to be a person there watching from afar in the valley of weary wanderers, cooking dinner while the coldness of the dessert evening starts to creep in and the sun begins to set. When all of the sudden I see in the distance a huge pillar of cloud staying in one spot wondering oh my gosh is this a dust storm or a tornado, and all these other people around me come flying out of there tents and standing at the entrance! When they start to singing, praying, wailing, dancing, or even painting, all different type of worship. Because "When the people saw they worshiped." While they were worshiping, "the Lord spoke to Moses face to face as a man speaks with his friend."

Can you even fathom to imagine what the face of God looks like at that time. I try to think of him as father time with the long white beard and a clock, but that is not a good description because God is not bound by time, a discussion for another time. How about a white haired big belly red suit man, oh wait that is santa. Ok, on a serious note the face of God, the face of God! Talking to him just like a friend. Could Moses even look him in the eye? How often do you look into your friend eyes when they are speaking to you and you even listening, or are you giving them your full attention?

Anyway, so this conversation goes on between the two of them for sometime Moses states the fact that God knows him by name and that He has found favor with him. Finding favor something else to ponder on another day perhaps? Moses also states that, If God is pleased with him then teach him so he will know God and continue to find favor. To really know God? Do you really know your friends? Moses also reminded God of his promise to His people, not that God really needs to be reminded about anything, but then again Moses was speaking to Him like a friend, and how often do we have to remind friends of things? So Moses goes on pleading for the people saying hey if You don't go with us please don't send us. Moses asked a question, "How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? And the Lord said to Moses, " I will do the very thing you ask, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name." So it sounds like God and Moses were on a first name bases. But the fact God says I know you by name, by his name Moses or by the name that is written in the book? A different name God may have given him? Kind of like Jesus did for his disciples.

Now comes the Glory the Glory of God part! I guess I will let scripture speak for itself, for fear I will mess it up. So I will be quoting word for word.

"And the LORD said, " I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy , and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live" (Thy will be Done)

Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock, When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

The Glory of God passing by The Creators Hand touching you holding you, protecting you. Not only to have the Hand of God touch you, but to see the Glory of God! His Glory, and as he passes or walking on by with all His Glory you are blessed with catching a glimpse of your Fathers back, overwhelmed by His Touch and His Glory, His Face remains but a mystery.