Reading: Exodus 33 and Joshua 11
Earlier this week I read thru Deuteronomy 5 which is where Moses is giving the law. What I had found so interesting in reading this account was that Moses was between God and the people. It states that the people heard God, but they were afraid thinking they would be consumed by the fire, in which He spoke from.
In todays, reading we are back to Moses and God has called His children stiff-necked people and commands them to take off their ornaments. Essentially, they were stubborn, and He was leaving their presence. They had to take off the ornaments that God had ordained them with to wear in His presence. God will clothe us in His glory when we are in His presence. As New Testament believers, we have God living inside of us. What are we clothing ourselves with? This question has me really thinking. It is deep to think about our body being the temple of the living God.
However, Exodus 33 continues and explains about the tabernacle of meeting. This tabernacle is where God’s presence is, because He left the people. Moses goes into the tabernacle to meet and talk with the Lord. What I love is verse 11, “So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.” Jesus said he no longer calls us servants but friends because He has told us all things that He heard from His Father (John 15:14-15). We are friends to Jesus, and we can have this same face to face conversation with the Him. The Lord shares with Moses that He will be with him and that he has found grace in His sight. We too have found grace in His sight because of our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
God speaks to Moses in verse 14 announcing, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” I believe there are people that need to hear these words today. These words although spoken years ago are a promise to the New Testament believer. His presence WILL go with us and He will give us rest. Praise God.
The word to give rest is the word nu’ach meaning to rest, settle down; to be secure; to be still; to dwell peacefully.
Wow I hope this word can encourage all that can come to understand it. This word is new to me but what it means is a comfort to my soul. God will give us rest, give us security, and we can dwell peacefully. He is our peace. In Hebrews 13:5 it says that “For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” This is a promise. Never means never. PRAISE GOD!!
After reading Exodus 33, I continued in my reading for today to Joshua 11. Here Moses has passed away, and Joshua is carrying on into the promised land. First let me say, we all have a promised land that God wants to lead us into. Finally, Joshua is taking what rightfully belongs to the people and killing anything that moved in their path based on what the Lord had spoken. In verse 12 it indicates, “He utterly destroyed them (the cities and kings), as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded.
What I find interesting is that in verse 13 it says they burned none of the cities except Hazor. They were intending to inhabit these lands they were entering. The Israelites were going to live in homes they did not build. Not only that but in verse 14 they took all the spoil and livestock. We serve a God that will provide above and beyond what we can think or ask. This was an inheritance to Israel because they were children of God. We now are grafted into this family and because of that adoption we too can receive the benefits of what God has for us.
Psalms 103:2 states, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits”. His word is full of promises and blessing that we must seek out and find. I can see from today’s reading that God wants us to take care of us and bring us into our promised land.