Moses the Intercessor

Please turn with me in your Bibles to Exodus 32.

Review: Prayer Theme

Luke 11:1-13: “Lord, teach us to pray.” (structure, attitude, assurance)

Luke 18:1-8: Persistent Prayer (the widow who wearied the judge)

Introduction

Today, I want us to look at Moses, as an example of intercession in the OT.

Hopefully as soon as I say Exodus 32 your Bible content knowledge kicks in. What major event happens in Exodus 32? (Golden Calf)

God is mad. Look at verses 9-10, “And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.”

God is mad because of wrong worship (point to verse 5)

It is in this context of God’s anger that we see Moses pray and intercede for the people. We call this intercessory prayer. One person praying on behalf of someone else or a group of people. Intercessory prayer is when we ask God to intervene in a situation (we ask God to save someone, we ask God to heal someone, we ask God to guide our church, we ask God protect our family, etc)

Transition: When Moses intercedes - when he appeals to God on behalf of the people - what does he base his appeals on? As we intercede what should we base our appeals on?

1) He bases his appeal on concern for God’s glory

Exodus 32:11–12 KJV 1900

And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.

Moses is concerned about how Egypt will think of God. His greatest concern is God’s glory. And he knows that’s God’s greatest concern too. His first concern is not the people, His first concern is God.

How often do we get this flipped? We pray for people and situations primarily because we want to see people gain something rather than we want to see God gain something.

And sometimes it’s ourselves...we want a dear friend to get saved because we love them on a personal level, we want our church to be protected from sin because we don’t want the consequences, we desire grandma to get healed so that we get more time with her. Those are all really good motivations.

But our primary concern and motivation needs to be God! God, save another sinner and glorify yourself! God, protect your church so that it can be a clear light shining your truth in the darkness! God, prolong grandma’s life so that she can bear more witness to your goodness and grace!

Let your intercession find root in a concern for God’s glory.

2. He bases his appeal on God’s promises

Exodus 32:13 KJV 1900

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.

Moses recalls the promises God made in Genesis to Abraham in particular. He rehearses these in his prayers. Moses’ requests aren’t something outside the scope of Scripture, they are rooted in Scripture.

We must make sure our requests are rooted in themes of Scripture. (Pastor comments, “there are some things we have no business praying about” - that could certainly be the case).

But the encouragement is to find Scriptural themes and pray them. Pray in keeping with God’s character - his faithfulness, mercy, longsuffering. Pray in keeping with His Word - He has the power to make alive, he has the ability to heal, he has the peace to pass understanding.

Let your intercession be rooted in God’s promises.

3. He bases his appeal on his own relationship to God

Exodus 33:16–17 KJV 1900

For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth. And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.

This is remarkable (if you don’t get anything else get this)...the Lord’s response to the intercession was based on his relationship to the intercessor.

“I will do this because thou hast found grace in my sight...and I know you by name.” This is intimate. Moses and God had an incredibly close relationship, and God was inclined to answer Moses partly due to the closeness of their relationship. Look a few verses earlier at Exodus 33:11 “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend...”

In Genesis 18 God says something similar about Abraham...he says, “I know him.” The idea is as a personal, intimate friend.

Could God say the same of you? “You are my friend, I will answer this request because I know you. We have a deep friendship.”

Do you have a relationship with God? (Wednesday night - my greatest need is God himself. We so often run to the gifts instead of the giver.)

Conclusion

What does your intercessory prayer life look like? Who are you praying for? What situations are you praying for? What churches and organizations are you praying for?

Do you want to see God answer prayer? Do you want to see God save, protect, guide, restore, and shape?

Well, God answered Moses’ prayers - his intercession.

There is much for us to learn here. We may need to make some adjustments.

Is God’s glory my number one driver in my intercession?

Is my prayer rooted in the character and promises of God? Is it truly a Scriptural prayer?

Do I have a friend to friend relationship with God?