A Passion for His Presence
A Passion for His Presence
Text - Exodus 33:13-18,20
SHM – 1-16-05 A.M.
I. Desiring to See His Glory
A. Moses - Hungry for More of God (the good ol’ days)
1. He had witnessed the burning bush and had spoken with God – Exod. 3
- Most people today are content to stay at the burning bush instead of going on into Egypt and witnessing the dynamic power of a delivering God.
2. Had been on the mountain with God to receive the 1st set of commandments
3. Had received the plans for the tabernacle of God – Exod. 26
- When God first came to Moses, Moses hid his face. But now by being in His presence he gained confidence and wanted to see even more of God.
- To many Christians are “Bryl Cream” Christians – “A little dab’ll do ya.” – But no longer for Moses.
B. He wanted to be “closer yet” to God - 33:18
1. Moses had an insatiable (could not be contained) appetite for God’s presence.
· Literal Heb. – “Show me thy glory – Make me to see it.” – His glory is all around us and oftimes we are unable to comprehend or perceive it. David – “Open thou mine eyes that I might behold wondrous things out of thy law.”
2. William Seymour – one-eyed black Holiness preacher at the Apostolic Faith Gospel Mission.
a. Held all-night prayer meetings...he interceded with his head buried between 2 milk crates.
b. Preached with a brown paper bag over his head...didn’t want to receive the glory that belonged to
God.
1. From this man’s hunger was birthed the Azusa Street Revival...the touchdown of the Holy Ghost on
American soil
2. The results – 3 services/day; 7 days/week for 3 years. (1906)
- Nov. 1906 – G.B. Cashwell of Dunn, N.C. – large-framed preacher – hungry for what he had heard about in L.A. When his name was called at roll call at the P.H. Conference, a letter was read from Mr. Cashwell that stated that he was departing for Los Angeles, “Where I shall seek for the baptism of the Holy Ghost.” Upon arriving in the area, He could feel the power of God from several blocks away. It was unsettling for this Tarheel visitor with his ingrained Southern racial prejudices to sit under the preaching of this black man. Finally, after five (5) days of seeking God, he invited Seymour and several young black men to lay their hands on him and pray that he might receive the Holy Ghost. In a few days he received Him with power and became known as the “Pentecostal Apostle to the South”! 1
II. No Man Can See God and Live - 33:20
A. The Old Testament discloses and the N.T. confirms
1. Exod. 33:20 by God’s own words
2. Jn. 1:18 - “No man hath seen God at any time...” - I Tim.6:16 “no man hath seen, nor can see...”
B. Therefore, one must die in order to experience God’s glory.
1. The man on death row at the time of his execution. (Dead Man Walking)
a. This is the picture of how the Christian’s walk should be...Rom. 12:1 (a living sacrifice)
1. Dieing to the soul and living in the spirit.
- Before Salvation -
- After Salvation -
C. The Jewish High Priest – Depicted a life of Consecration
· His consecration: Applied blood to the right earlobe, right thumb, and right big toes (symbolic of
one who is dead).
· To the right ear: The story’s told of two old Dutchmen, sitting on a park bench. The night
had come and the moon started to shine. Not far from the bench where they sat, a river flowed,
and from the river came the chorus of the crickets. Pete, the first old gentleman, listened to the
crickets and said, "Crickets sure do sing." John, sitting next to him agreed, saying, "Yep, they
sure know how to sing." Just then he heard the voices of the choir coming from the nearby church
and remarked, "Beautiful music, isn't it?" Pete said, "Yeah, and to think they do it just by rubbing
their legs together!" Each heard a different music. One was listening to the crickets and one was
listening to the choir. What you hear depends largely on what you're tuned in to.
· To the right thumb: the symbol for service, serving, or ministry.
· To the right big toe: the feet speak of the walk and conduct. (Custom of the East – Kings that
were conquered would face the humiliation of having their thumbs and big toes amputated. That
way they could never hold another sword, shield, or spear. Their gait would no longer be agile
and their balance sure. They would be humiliated before their people.
In the act of consecration of the priesthood, by anointing these particular members with blood we have a picture that is the reverse. Instead of being incapacitated by amputation, the priest was to have each member QUICKENED BY CONSECRATION. The ear was anointed to be sensitive to the voice of the Spirit and to hear the cries of humanity. The thumb was anointed that it might do the bidding of God, fight the good fight of faith, and touch and minister God’s people. The big toe was anointed that it might walk in the ways of God and WALK OUT the mind, nature, character, glory and power of God upon the earth.
1. The Day of Atonement
· Paul wrote, “no flesh should glory in his presence.” 1 Cor. 1:29
a. He was so cautious about approaching God’s presence that he didn’t sleep the night before.
1. Didn’t want the possibility of any dreams defiling him - they read scripture to him all night.
b. Poured incense upon the censor and waved it back and forth behind the veil to hide his flesh.
1. “That it may cover the Mercy Seat that he die not.” – Lev. 16:13
2. Then with much fear and trembling, he pulled the heavy veil aside and entered into the Holy of
Holies.
d. Everything he did behind the veil was by [feeling, not by sight], that’s how thick the smoke was...faith.
1. “For we walk by faith and not by sight.” – 2 Cor. 5:7
III. I Must Die To the Flesh
A. Death is necessary for revival - Gal. 2:20
1. Frank Bartleman - Pentecostal pioneer that said of the Azusa Str. Revival
a. “The depth of your repentance will determine the height of your revival.”
2. Throughout the Bible, it reveals that only through death can God draw close to man
a. Adam/Eve (skins); Abram (when God walked between the sacrifice); Ultimate Sacrifice
B. Repentance & Brokeness is the N.T. equivalent to death
1. This will bring the manifest presence of God
a. John was abandoned on the isle of Patmos; left to die; but it was here that God was revealed to him
b. John the Baptist knew of this for he declared, “He must increase but I must decrease.” Jn. 3:30
2. The fire of revival doesn’t fall on empty altars...there must be a sacrifice!!
There must be… “A Passion for His Presence!”
1 The Old-Time Power; The Advocate; May 29, 1930, Vinson Synan