The Intercession of a Favored Prophet
Notes
Transcript
1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ 2 “I will send an angel before you and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. 3 “Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way.” 4 When the people heard this sad word, they went into mourning, and none of them put on his ornaments. 5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are an obstinate people; should I go up in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you. Now therefore, put off your ornaments from you, that I may know what I shall do with you.’ ” 6 So the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. 7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp. 8 And it came about, whenever Moses went out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent. 9 Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the Lord would speak with Moses. 10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. 11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent. 12 Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ 13 “Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” 14 And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. 16 “For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?” 17 The Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.” 18 Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” 19 And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” 20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” 21 Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; 22 and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. 23 “Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”
Introduction
Maybe you’ve heard the phrase, “It’s who you know, not what you know.”… The idea often comes up when talking about getting a job or advancing a career. Someone might have a great resume, it’s clear they know a lot. There’s an impressive education, maybe some proven competencies, but oftentimes there’s something missing from a great resume if there isn’t a reference or a connection of some kind. If there’s no one to speak on your behalf to the hiring manager or the potential employer oftentimes that job is going to be more difficult to get. “It’s who you know...” On the other hand, maybe someone has a decent resume - it’s not stellar, but they’ve proven their worth to someone who’s willing to speak on their behalf - maybe an employee of this potential future employer is willing to vouch for them. That simple reference, particularly if it’s someone on the inside already, goes a long way! “It’s who you know...”
The idea certainly has some truth in the ordinary of our lives, but there’s a sense in which that idea is found in Scripture as well. If you weren’t with us last week, Israel has worshipped the golden calf at the foot of the mountain and been found guilty before God’s holy law. At this point there may be a knowledge of the law, but there is nothing on the resume. It’s not even mediocre, it just has one massive failure on it. The extraordinary thing here is that the story actually continues. Israel still has a hope of entering the promised land, why? For one, God is faithful to His Word. We emphasized that last week, but in addition to that: they have an advocate before God. A favored prophet who speaks with God like a friend.
In the end it’s not according to any merits of Israel that God extends His grace and compassion to them to dwell among them and lead them into the land. Moses was not there to attest to the reputable character of Israel, He was there appealing to the grace of God that His glory might be revealed in and through His people.
At the end of our time together, it’s my hope that we might ask ourselves, “Who do we know? Who do we know who will vouch for us?” In our desire to be blessed and be a blessing to others we don’t have a resume to appeal to... God’s favor and glory among us is only possible because of the favor the Father has toward the Son, Jesus. But not only is it possible, it’s the ongoing ministry of Christ on our behalf as sons and daughters. Should we ever come to a point where we wonder, “Is God for me today?” “Is God with me today?” “Will God provide for me today?” We don’t need to look to a resume, when we can look to the ongoing ministry of Christ on our behalf.
The presence and glory of God is revealed to those he favors, and it’s through the gracious intercession of Christ, the favored Son, that we come to experience the presence and favor of God.
The presence and glory of God is revealed to those he favors, and it’s through the gracious intercession of Christ, the favored Son, that we come to experience the presence and favor of God.
The presence of God with an obstinate people
The presence of God with one favored prophet
The presence of God with a favored people
The presence of God with an obstinate people
The presence of God with an obstinate people
In comparison to the last chapter it sounds like all the problems are in the background. The Journey is going to resume and the blessings of the promised land are in view. The first three verses speak of the blessings God is going to give Israel according to His promise,
God actually quotes the promises he gave to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and assures Israel of the land they’re going to receive in verse 1
He assures them that an angel is going to go before them to grant them victory over their enemies. (vs. 2)
On top of it all the land itself is going to be full of abundance (vs. 3) a land flowing with milk and honey...
What more is there to ask for right?
But what’s the whole trajectory of the book of Exodus?
The people of God knowing and dwelling with God. It’s the trajectory of all of Scripture all the way from the garden of Eden. The need of man doesn’t stop with freedom from slavery in Egypt, freedom from surrounding enemies, freedom from hunger or thirst in a wilderness. The LORD graciously promises all these things, but as we’ve seen since the garden of Eden until the problem of sin has been addressed the promised land is of little help to the people of Israel. Until Israel comes to know true fellowship in the presence of God, they have yet to experience real and true blessing.
Up until the middle of verse 3 Israel is assured of many gracious blessings, but they are lacking in the greatest because of sin!
The LORD lays it out pretty clearly,
3 “Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way.”
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Twice for emphasis the LORD explains to the people, you’re sinful and stubborn, I’m holy and just. That is not good for you! The just punishment for sin will only be delivered again like it just has.
You might say there are two options on the table.
(1) Go into the promised land without the presence of God
(2) Go into the land with the presence of God and potentially be destroyed by His holy justice before you get there.
That’s not exactly good news. The people aren’t taking the deal here either. “Well, I guess we should settle for the land, and the freedom from our enemies and the prosperity. At least we won’t be destroyed in the wilderness.”
For a moment the people of Israel have come to their senses. Not even all the blessings of the promised land compares with the presence of God among them.
They mourn! And for good reason.
4 When the people heard this sad word, they went into mourning, and none of them put on his ornaments.
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I believe Israel’s response here is what Scripture refers to as a godly sorrow.
Paul addresses this in his letter to the Corinthians.
10 For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.
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There’s a kind of wordly sorrow that recognizes, “I got caught”, but continues to look for blessings apart from God. This worldly sorrow actually continues in idolatry and simply tries to avoid God and not get caught again. That’s why it produces death.
You’ll notice Israel didn’t take the deal. They weren’t willing to settle for the blessings apart from God Himself. How many people in the world would have gladly taken the offer? I’m going to give you a land flowing with milk and honey with no threat of enemies, and no glory or presence of God among you. That sounds like a sweet deal to a lot of people, but for those who recognize that God is the only source of true of prosperity, that is not a sweet deal. News like that is reason for mourning and sorrow!
I would hope that we can see the good that’s in this sorrow which Israel experiences. I believe there’s a real humility found in their response, but let’s not think that this resolves the problem.
Let’s make sure we don’t cut short the process.
Paul makes it very clear. This godly sorrow is intended to lead to repentance and ultimately faith unto salvation.
As a matter of application, we may recognize the darkness the world is in. We often see the rampant idolatry and the persistent pursuit of blessing apart from God... how do we call them out of darkness? I’m afraid there are many who take the first step then cut short the process. They bring these people who are in the darkness of the world into the presence of holy God by showing them the law of God - by showing them all the ways in which they’ve sinned against God and are deprived of His fellowship and then leave them there. Now what?
Holy God in the form of His holy law in the presence of sinful obstinate people is not good news. Even those who respond in sorrow, realizing their condition before God, there’s still no hope for them. If showing people their sin is where we stop I don’t think we should be surprised when people resort to trying to earn God’s favor with their own resume or just give up and accept the fact that they’ll never be in God’s favor and go in search of the promised land without God. As we know neither of those are good options. In the end should we have the opportunity to show someone their sin our goal is far beyond that first step of godly sorrow. It goes beyond to faith in a favored intercessor. At this point we ask, “Who do you know?” Hopefully we’ve helped them understand there’s nothing on your resume. It doesn’t matter how good you are at interviewing, there’s nothing on the resume. “Who do you know who can vouch for you?”
In Israel’s case, we have Moses who recognizes the problem in the room, but before we get to his work on behalf of Israel, the text shows us Moses’ relationship with God. It’s a pretty hard shift there at verse 7, but it shows what kind of person we need to vouch for us.
The presence of God with one favored prophet
The presence of God with one favored prophet
The text describes this temporary meeting place where Moses would meet with God outside the camp. It’s a tent of meeting before the tent of meeting (The Tabernacle). The scene would play out in front of all of Israel: Moses would enter the tent and the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of tent and the LORD would speak with Moses. In this moment everyone in Israel would worship.
But here’s the real striking verse.
11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
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You might imagine a scenario where God speaks to Moses like a king would speak to a servant who has just entered his throne room, but no. The LORD God of Israel, the God of all creation who made heaven and earth is speaking with Moses like a friend.
There’s having someone speak on your behalf, and there’s having a friend of the boss speak on your behalf. There’s a certain comfort for the people of God in watching Moses be welcome into the presence of God like a friend. The LORD may not be hesitant to draw near to the rest of us, but not Moses. And that by itself is reason for Israel to worship.
I want to get back to that in a moment, but let’s look at this friendship through the eyes of Moses first.
Moses is speaking with the LORD and candidly too!
12 Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ 13 “Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.”
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You’ll notice that Moses clearly acknowledges the LORD’s favor toward Him. He quotes the LORD’s own words, (end of verse 12) “I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.” Moses isn’t taking that for granted though He desires the LORD’s favor all the more. “let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight.”
If we come back to that question, “Who do you know?” “Who can vouch for you so that you might find favor in the eyes of the boss?” Our initial inclination might be to find someone who likes us. Who is for me? Who is interested in helping me out? At the end of the day no one is going to vouch for us if they don’t care about us, but in this context it’s of secondary concern. The people of God need an advocate who’s devoted to the glory and good pleasure of God above anything else. That’s what it is to be a friend of God to be favored in the eyes of God: to seek His glory and favor in all things!
You’ll see through to the end of even chapter 34, the favor of God toward Israel hinges on this fundamental relationship. The friendship between God and this advocate marked by a mutual desire for God to be known and glorified.
When we come to ask ourselves about God’s favor toward us, perhaps we’ve even come to experience that godly sorrow in the face of our own sin, I pray we would all look to the perfect advocate who is pleasing and favored in the eyes of God.
As Jesus began his ministry he was baptized by John the Baptist. In the midst of all these who had recognized their own sin before Holy God and responded to that call in repentance they were not left there alone to put together an impressive resume to submit to God that they might be favored once again, they were given a favored advocate who was more pleasing to God than any other.
17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
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This is no mere friend of God. This is the beloved Son whose come for the repentant and sorrowful to grant them eternal life. Moses continues to request of God in that conditional sense, “If I have found favor in your eyes, as if there’s a question about it.” Jesus comes before the Father as the beloved son in perfect favor.
We looked at this verse a number of months ago, but it’s relevant here as well. As Jesus goes to the Father on our behalf in the garden of Gethsemane as he’s about to go to the cross, how does he start?
1 Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You,
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The Son knows he is favored. He knows He is deserving of glory, but even in that Jesus seeks the glory of the Father.
4 “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. 5 “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
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We might be inclined to look for us in Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer straight away, but I want to pause here and stand as Israel did watching Moses enter the tent. Our hope of God’s favor toward, God’s presence with us, God’s glory shining through us rests in the favor God has for His own Son.
He want to the cross and his offering was pleasing to God and accepted for the atonement of our sins! How do we know?
He rose from the dead glorified! He ascended into heaven, welcomed into the presence of the Father to sit at His right hand having accomplished the work He set out to do, and yet He continues to intercede for us in a way that Moses never could.
Should we have the opportunity to show someone their sin.
Should the Lord graciously prompt our own hearts and show us how obstinate we can be and lead us to a godly sorrow.
Jesus Christ is the one we point to “You may not be favorable in the eyes of God in your sin, but Jesus is.”
Jesus Christ is the one we look to. “I may not uphold the law of God as I should. I may have idols in my own heart, but i know Jesus is favored and well-pleasing to God.” When John the Baptist point to Christ lets listen to him. We were never meant to remain in our sorrow. Sorrow leads to repentance and repentance to faith in Jesus Christ. He’s the only one who can offer an acceptable sacrifice for us! He’s the one who is deserving of glory. He’s the one who conquered death and is now seated at the right hand of the Father.
Don’t settle for a Godless promised land.
Don’t resort to trying to put together an extraordinary resume.
There’s reason to worship today for the beloved Son who now sits at the right hand of God advocating for us! Might our sorrow turn to worship at the sight of Christ’s ministry on our behalf.
“We know someone who will vouch for us.”
That’s really the wonderful news here isn’t it? Not only is this advocate pleasing to God, he cares for us as he’s seeking the LORD’s favor.
Let’s look back to Moses and notice how he really takes on this role of priest once again. Prophets come to deliver the law of God to the people of god and show them their sin. That’s what John the Baptist did, but I believe Moses goes one step further in this moment when Aaron is found wanting.
He pleads for the favor God to be for the people as well! He’s not content with God’s favor toward Himself.
The presence of God with a favored people
The presence of God with a favored people
Look there with me at verse 14 and 15
14 And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.
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There appears to be a bit of a contradiction here doesn’t there? God says His presence is going to go up.. He’s going to provide His rest, but then Moses appears to not hear what God just said.
“If your presence does not go up… Don’t lead us up from here.
If you look closely at the grammar though, God is speaking to Moses. God is saying his rest and His presence is with Moses.
Moses here and following is asking for more though!
His response includes the people! There’s an emphasis on us.
“If your presence does not go up (“with us” is implied there from the pronoun in the latter phrase) do not lead us up from here.)
Moses is saying what about the people!!??
Verse 16 makes it very plain. Moses isn’t mincing words any more.
16 “For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?”
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Moses is asking that God extend his favor for Him to the people. How else will the people be the holy people they are supposed to be? They will be just like any other nation without the presence of the LORD among them.
In rather bold fashion Moses pleas for the people three times.
“Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people....”
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I don’t know about you, but that’s bold if you ask me. We as humans need to hear things a couple times for it to land sometimes. God doesn’t need to hear it more than once, but it speaks to the devotion of Moses, this advocate of Isreal. As devoted as Moses is to the favor and glory of God, he’s also very devoted to the people of God.
Just as a reminder, Moses is writing this to an Israel that is about to leave him behind. They’re about to enter the promised land without him. In this note of Moses’ devotion to the well-being of Israel, it begs a question, “Who do you know without me?” “Who will be devoted to you and intercede for you when you sin?”
For this moment in Israel’s history, Moses is instrumental in an extraordinary way in interceding for Israel in the way he did, but there will come a day when Israel will need to find someone else, a greater High Priest who will intercede for them.
For now though, God listens to Moses. Notice the relationship between God’s favor toward Israel and the favor God has toward Moses.
17 The Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.”
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God’s willing to not only give Moses rest and go up with him, he’s also going to go up with Israel and grant them His presence among them. The LORD has heard the prayer of this favored intercessor and grants his request! The journey will continue, but there’s more than the hope of a promised land with all its blessings there’s the hope of God with them for the people of Israel. Perhaps once again the favor of God will be for His people?
If you step back and look at the narrative verse 17 seems like good place to stop. There’s reason for a sigh of relief here. The people of God haven’t been forsaken, the prayer of Moses has been heard… time for celebration! The people have reason for hope again, but before we get to the renewed covenant, the building of the tabernacle, and this continued journey... this interaction between God and Moses isn’t quite over.
Moses is writing this account and relaying it to the people of God and as extraordinary as this interaction is I believe we see a glimpse of Moses’ humility in this interaction. At this point Moses has done an extraordinary work on behalf on Israel is boldly approach the LORD God with such a request, but before the praise and glory could be delivered he openly admits to everyone the mere man that he was.
In another bold request, Moses asks, “Show me Your glory!”
Moses is favored in the eyes of God, but he will not experience the glory and presence of God in all His fullness because He can’t! There’s something lacking in Moses. There’s in implication here! If God’s favor toward Israel is hinging on His favor of Moses, what does this partial experience of God’s glory and presence say about God’s presence and glory among the people for years to come?
We see the positive there in verse 19.
19 And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.”
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Moses will witness first hand the goodness and proclamation of His name and this only by the sovereign grace of God who reveals Himself to those He wills. Moses is not the sovereign here. It’s only by God’s grace that Moses can even catch a glimpse of His glory, yet even in the abundance of God’s grace there’s a hitch.
20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”
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Not even this favored prophet who pleads on behalf of nations and talks with God as a friend can see the face of God.
God will set Moses in a cleft of a rock and cover Him with his hand so as to show Moses His back, but again the emphasis here is that final phrase.
“but My face shall not be seen.”
The perfection of the glory and presence of God still remains out of reach for the people of God, even Moses. Covenants will be reestablished that threaten death if they are not faithful. The tabernacle will be built with all the veils and coverings separating the fullness of the glory of God from His people.
As much as this story moves on, Israel awaits for a great priest.
I’d like to close with John 17 again, and see the perfection of Christ, and the glory of the presence of God he extends to us.
I’d like to read John 17:22-26. Listen for the glory and presence of God among us which Jesus prays for.
22 “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. 24 “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. 25 “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
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Jesus isn’t praying to see the glory of God. He is glorious Himself, and prays that we, His church would be glorified with Him. That we would be united with Him. He prays for His presence in us so that the world would know (Moses prays in the same sense, “How will the nations know that these are your people?” Jesus prays for His presence among us that the world would know that we have been loved by God, favored by Him.
That’s just two verse. (vs.24) “Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” Jesus prays that we His church would be welcomed into that throne room like Moses was so that WE might see His glory. This is the Son of God praying that we would receive what not even Moses was granted. God said that Moses would here the name of the LORD proclaimed before Him, and this too Jesus prays for us. “I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
According to the sovereign grace of God we as His church have received the presence of Christ in the Holy Spirit, we know His favor and love because the Father delighted in the Son. Today, Jesus sits at the right hand of God praying for us and His desire here in these verses has not changed. He wants to be known by us! He wants to be near to us. He wants us to know that we are favored and loved, not because we’ve extraordinary achievements on our resume, quite the opposite. Jesus is appealing to his own merits and favor with the Father. “The love with which You love Me may be in them.” Jesus life death, resurrection, ascension, and intercession is the hinge point of God’s love and favor toward us, and there is nothing lacking in it. There’s nothing to be added to it.
