Adopted from Jonathan Seed’s ‘Hiddeness part 7: ‘Hidden in the Cleft of the Rock. http://adailydevotion.com/blog/2017/12/12/hiddenness-part-7
Introduction
: Moses had on several occasions seen ‘the glory of the Lord’.
• There was a hidden scene in the desert sands (Ex 3),
• multiple moments on a desert peak (Ex 19),
• and on another occasion, he would even ‘breathe the same air,’ as he shared a meal, in holy fellowship, with the Lord himself (Ex 24).
There is one aspect of God’s glory, however, that Moses had not experienced until he specifically requested it.
It is difficult for us to comprehend the magnitude of the petition, “show me your glory” (Ex 33.18) but it was an astounding request.
Transition: The answer to the great petition was clear:“I will make all my goodness pass before your face,” Ex 33.19, and the instructions were even clearer: “You cannot see my face, for no one can see me and live” Ex 33.19 (notice a contrast with Songs 2.14).
“The LORD said, ‘Here is a place by me; you will station yourself on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and will cover you with my hand while I pass by. Then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back, but my face must not be seen’” Ex 18.20-23.
I. Proximity – “a place by me”
This principle is one that must be proven by experience: You will not grow in appreciation of God’s glory from a distance.
Applications: How often do we neglect the daily discipline of taking our “place” in his presence? Make it a habit, a conscious daily choice, not an arbitrary weekly or bi-weekly decision.
Question: Where does God abide? How can I find Him and experience Him?
II. Place/Position
– “you will station yourself on a rock”
Moses knew the territory well and was comfortable on the rocks of Sinai but it was not chosen for sake of familiarity.
Transition:
III. Provision/Protection
– “I will put you in a cleft in the rock and will cover you”
‘All of my goodness.’
Few scenes in the books of Moses give such a clear foretaste of our permanent position in Christ (1 Cor 10.4, c.f. Rom 8.1). Not one religion can claim to provide the protection provided by Christ, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish” John 10.28. If you are a true believer “you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Express this position daily with private appreciations of his glory – with God’s Word and by God’s Spirit.
Question: The places of needed covering?
• Health
• Home
• Faith
• Future
Conclusion: In these rare and difficult times, more than ever we need to be in God’s special place, present among His powerful provision, settled by and surrounded by His glorius presence!
Participation
Introduction: Week Two. Preparation. Question: Have you ever wondered what Mary / the Virgin Mary did in preparation for what the angel pronounced to her about being with a child? Luke 1:3, ‘You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus’. (NLT) I will get to Mary and that…
Anticipation
Introduction: Well, the Christmas season is here! When fall has given way to winter and snow covers the ground while lights twinkle from house to house, you know Christmas is coming. Decorated Christmas trees are everywhere you look. Presents a crowd for space under the tree and families come together for a turkey feast. Christmas…
Grateful For Missions
Introduction: Missions, Missionaries, The Great Commission, Missions Trips, Outreaches, etc. Missions Heroes William Carey William Carey is regarded as the “father of modern missions”. Trained as a shoemaker, William Carey became known as the ‘father of modern missions’ for his missionary work in India. The story goes that in 1787, he suggested that all Christians…
That All Might Hear
Introduction: Missions, Missionaries, The Great Commission, Missions Trips, Outreaches, etc. ‘A Christian missionary is someone who dedicates their life to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and serving others in His name. It is a challenging and rewarding path, but one that can transform lives, both the missionary and those they serve. ‘Missionaries are individuals…
A Person
Matthew 1 Introduction: Week 3 – Biblical Israel – The Person. We have finally arrived at the story of Jesus, which will bring the entire biblical story to a climactic fulfillment. The arrival of Jesus will introduce a massive twist into the drama, but it’s one that we’ve seen coming. In fact, to track the…
Biblical Israel – A Promise
Introduction: Genesis 12:1-3 ‘Now the LORD had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will…
Biblical Israel
A People Introduction: Given all the news about the War in Israel, I decided it would be important to spend a few weeks sharing what the Bible has to say about Israel: The People, The Promise, The Person, and The Plan. It could very well be that not only do our children not have an…
Pleasing Faith
Hebrews 6 taken from – https://www.gotquestions.org/faith-vs-belief.html Introduction: On one hand, there is no difference between faith and belief. The two terms are often used interchangeably. On the other hand, in popular English usage, the word faith often has a deeper meaning. Application: Most people believe it is important to eat healthy foods and exercise regularly; however, most…
Keeping it Lit
Introduction: On last week on what we’ve been discussing about preaching the gospel because the last days are getting nearer and then judgment. Transition: Matthew 25 is a continuation of chapter 24 as Jesus continues to teach about being aware and prepared. I ended last week on Matthew 24:14 The rest of chapter 24 looks…