LESSON 38
THE LORD TALKS WITH MOSES
By E. L. Bynum, Pastor
Memory Verse: Ex. 33:14 Lesson: Ex. 33:1-23
In the last verse of Ex. 32, God plagued the people, because they made a golden calf. Great blessings would have come to Israel if they had faithfully followed the Lord. We miss many blessings and victories, because we not faithful to the Lord. Psa. 81:13-14, Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
I. THE JOURNEY RESUMED. v. 1-6
A. Divine Instruction And Rebuke. v. 1-3
1. The covenant-keeping Lord. v. 1. Gen. 12:7, And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him. Gen. 13:15, For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.
a. The performance of the past, “out of the land of Egypt.”
b. The promise of the future, “unto a land.”
c. The people of the covenant. The “seed” of Abraham.
2. The care of the Lord. v. 2
a. Loss is suffered because of sin. Ex. 23:20-25
b. Such loss calls for repentance. II Cor. 7:10, For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
3. The condition of the people. v. 3
a. God’s promise is fulfilled. Ex. 3:8
b. God’s presence is withheld. No longer in the “midst.”
c. God’s purpose is hindered by sin.
B. Their Destitute Condition. v. 4-6
1. Their response to the message. v. 4. Luke 13:3, I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
2. The repeating of the message. v. 5. God rebukes sin.
3. The result of the message. v. 6. This is an indication of their desire to be in favor with God. II Cor. 7:8-10, For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
a. We must turn from our sin if we want God’s forgiveness.
b. Churches are putting on too many of the ornaments of the world. We should take them off and come back to God’s way.
II. THE TABERNACLE PITCHED. v. 7-11
Not to be confused with the tabernacle that was yet to be built!
A. Pitched Outside The Camp. v. 7
1. Note three things here involved.
a. An act of submission by Moses.
b. An act of faith. (He expected the Lord to respond.)
c. An act of grace. (The people could once again seek the Lord.) Psa. 40:16, Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
2. The tabernacle was separated from the camp, because of their sin. Heb. 13:13, Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
B. Moses Enters The Tabernacle. v. 8-9
1. The departure of Moses from the camp. v. 8
2. The destitution of the people in the camp. v. 8
a. The leader (Moses) went outside the camp.
b. The Lord was not in their midst. v. 3. Isa. 59:2, But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
c. It seems that many did not separate, but watched at the doors of their tents.
3. The descent of the Lord. v. 9. Only when the servant is separated, will the Lord reveal Himself. II Cor. 6:17-18, Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
C. The Lord Talks With Moses. v. 10-11
1. The effect upon the people. v. 10
a. They witnessed the Lord’s position.
b. They worshiped the Lord’s presence.
2. The intimacy with Moses. v. 11a. Num. 12:8, With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? I Sam. 2:30, …for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
3. Moses returns to the camp. Joshua remains. v. 11b. Joshua always the faithful minister. Ex. 24:13, And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.
III. MOSES’ PRAYER AND GOD’S ANSWER. v. 12-17
Moses typifies Christ our mediator. I Tim. 2:5, For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
A. The Ground For Intercession. v. 12. Ex. 32:34
1. Moses had followed the Lord’s command.
2. Moses had found grace in the sight of the Lord. Gen. 6:8, But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
B. The Grace Needed. v. 13
1. Grace needed to lead in the way.
2. Grace needed to know God more perfectly. Eph. 3:19, And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Phil. 3:10-11, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
3. Grace needed to petition God for others.
C. The Glorious Reply. v. 14
1. The great need for the journey. Psa. 23:4, Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Heb. 13:5, Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
2. The great need for the task.
D. The Granted Request. v. 15-17
1. Moses’ request was based upon three things. v. 15-16
a. He wanted to go only where the Lord would lead.
b. God’s leading would assure their position in grace.
c. God identifies Himself with a separated people. II Cor. 6:18
2. God’s answer based upon three things. v.17
a. Prayer was made. “Thou hast spoken.” Phil 4:6, Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. James 4:2, Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
b. Position was assured. “Thou hast found grace.” Jer. 31:2, Thus saith the LORD, The people which were left of the sword found grace in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
c. Possession was affirmed. “I know thee.” John 10:1-5.
IV. MOSES’ PLEADING AND GOD’S PRESENCE. v. 18-23
A. The Petition Stated. v. 18
We must first desire to know His way (v. 13), before He will show us His glory. v. 18
B. The Proclamation Issued. v. 19-20
1. The name of the Lord. v. 19
2. His goodness, grace, and mercy all come from our Sovereign God. v.19. Notice that goodness comes before grace, and grace comes before mercy.
3. The present restriction. v. 20. John 1:18, No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. John 14:9, Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
C. The Provision Made. v. 21-23
1. The location identified. v. 21. We have to be in the right place to see His glory. Remember that wonderful song, “Rock of ages cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee.”
2. The Passing Glory. v. 22-23. Isa. 6:1-3, In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. Rev. 21:11-23
3. We shall see Him as He is. I John 3:2, Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
—by E. L. Bynum
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. What covenant had God made with Abraham?
2. Why would God no longer be in the midst of the camp?
3. What act did the Israelites perform that would indicate repentance?
4. Was the tabernacle in v. 7, the one made according to the pattern? Why do you believe this?
5. Why was the tabernacle outside the camp?
6. Who went with Moses outside the camp?
7. Explain the appearance of the Lord at the tabernacle.
8. How does Moses typify Christ in this lesson?
9. Briefly give the Lord’s reply to Moses’ request, “Shew my thy glory.”