You have been rebellious against the Lord from the day I knew you. - Moses - Deuteronomy 9:24

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1 Show Me Your Glory Lessons from the Life of Moses Inductive Discovery Lesson 12 M oses could not imagine going forward without the Lord s presence. How could he lead the people rightly if God Himself was not there to show him the way? How could they be known as God s people if He wasn t present with them? Please don t distance Yourself from us, he pleaded. For the sake of His servant Moses, God agreed to continue with them. Background You have been rebellious against the Lord from the day I knew you. - Moses - Deuteronomy 9:24 Although the Israelites had blatantly disobeyed Him, God demonstrated His mercy. Instead of completely destroying these disobedient people, He spared them. He disciplined them so they would learn from their sin, and then He gave them a second chance. He forgave them and finally blessed them with His presence. In this tragic story is the central message of the Bible: Despite the repeated sinfulness of His people, God is merciful. He forgives those who repent (Acts 2:38). --Excerpted from The Nelson Study Bible, 1997 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. Exodus Ch. 33 Read the entire passage in one sitting. If possible, read it again from a different Bible translation. Briefly describe in your own words what is happening

2 Write down your OBSERVATIONS Read the section and record what you see. Use the first column to keep track of what you find in the Bible passage. (Who? What? When? Where?) Look for clues that tell you when and where the story is taking place. What events are recorded? Who is mentioned and what role do they play? What choices do they make? Do they succeed or fail? How do they respond to circumstances? What attitudes or motives do they display? Use the second column to record information you gather from other sources. Are more details of the story recorded somewhere else in the Bible? What else can you discover about the people and places mentioned? You may want to look up names and places in a Bible dictionary, map or encyclopedia. You can also use this section to jot down your own thoughts and impressions about people and events. Imagine the people, places and events you read about. Don t use your imagination to produce facts, but use it to bring those biblical facts to life. Exodus 33:1-6 Facts from the passage: My Research and Personal Observations: Exodus 33:7-11 Facts from the passage: My Research and Personal Observations: 2

3 Exodus 33:12-23 Facts from the passage: My Research and Personal Observations: 3

4 Moses Character Profile This section is provided so that you can get to know Moses, the man. Use the suggested areas on the chart below to track what you have observed about Moses this week. Characteristics/Personality Traits: Training/Growth: Obstacles/Challenges: Accomplishments/Failures: Attitudes/Motives: Relationship with God/With Others: 4

5 INTERPRETATION What does it mean? Look for a spiritual lesson. Be careful not to read into the Bible an idea that is not there. Examine each verse in light of the verses around it. To help you find a spiritual lesson, ask questions such as, Is there a command to obey? A promise to claim? A condition to that promise? Is there a warning to heed? An example to follow or avoid? Looking at a character, ask questions such as, How did God deal with this person? How did they respond to their circumstances? What strengths or talents are revealed? What faults are exposed? Did they learn from their failures? Who did they depend on? How did they influence others? What did they accomplish? State the lesson in one simple sentence. APPLICATION How does it apply to me? We don t study the Bible just to gather information we want to spiritually grow. Our heart needs to be open to change. The only way to move truth off the pages of your Bible and into your life is to put it into action. To apply a spiritual lesson, we must examine ourselves and take deliberate steps to do something with what we have learned. Ask yourself: Is this a new lesson, or does it reinforce what I already know? What does it challenge me to do? Does it point out error in my attitude or actions? What changes does it require? Think of how the lesson relates to you and what specific course of action you will take. Write your application in the form of a question to make it personal. Exodus 33:1-6 Lesson: Application: Exodus 33:7-11 Lesson: Application: Exodus 33:12-23 Lesson: Application: 5

6 Summary Write a simple sentence that summarizes what the passage is about. Give a title to the chapters that will help you personally to remember them. Take a Closer Look Then Moses said to the Lord, 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. Exodus 33:13 NAS Moses prayer was heartfelt and urgent, but it wasn t blind. He knew that, in spite of their sadness, the people were still stubborn. But his own heart beat for God, and he could not bear to go forward without Him. What a contrasting scene this chapter paints for us. The people intently watch as Moses goes into the tent and the pillar of cloud descends. They know that he is having intimate conversation with God. Their relationship with God is strained. Yet they stand, every man in the doorway of his own tent, and worship from a distance. Look closely at this picture and consider where are you standing? The Tent of Meeting The Tabernacle was not yet built and dedicated. According to Exodus 33:7, what was the purpose of this tent and who was allowed to approach it? Why did Moses set the tent up a good distance outside the camp? From a Distance When they first arrived at Sinai, God warned Moses to set bounds for the people, so that no one would come near the mountain. This was for their own protection, since they did not yet know how to approach God. Through Moses, God would teach them but they were afraid. God had said do not touch the mountain on pain of death, but how did they distort the warning? Go back and read Exodus 20:18-20 for the answer. 6

7 Fear held them back. Stubbornness blocked their progress. Persistent unbelief would eventually prevent them from entering the land God had promised them. They kept God at a distance in their heart. What do we miss when we keep God at a distance? Reflect and share what you find. Psalm 34:8 Psalm 73:28 Isaiah 48:17-18 Jeremiah 31:3 Hebrews 4:15-16 Drawing Near, Falling Back Some people in this scene aren t mentioned by name, but we know they are there. Moses brother, Aaron. Nadab and Abihu, Aaron s sons. Seventy elders of Israel. What did these men have in common? Read Exodus 24:9-11 for the answer. These had the privilege of being drawn closer to God. They shared a meal together in God s presence, but when they returned to the camp the old ways set in. They went along with the crowd in spite of what they had seen and learned about God. What does God s Word say about drawing near and falling back? Reflect and share what you find. Matthew 6:19-21, 24 Matthew 7:26-27 Luke 9:32 James 1:22-24 What more does God s Word say? Write your answer in your own words. Isaiah 55:7 Joel 2:12-13 Acts 3:19 James 4:8-10 Do you need to go out to the tent of meeting? Take time to consider what if anything has caused a strained relationship between you and the Lord. Don t allow it to prevent you any longer from drawing near to God. Call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord. Jeremiah 29:12-14a Leviticus 10:1 7

8 If you are willing, take God at His promise and tell Him here and now what is holding you back. Let Me Know Your Ways We see Moses enter the tent, and the Lord s presence descends. Whether on the mountain or in the tent of meeting, God always spoke to Moses just as a man speaks to his friend. As we go through this study of Moses life, we gain access to some of those intimate conversations. We have the blessing of learning more about God as we watch this amazing relationship unfold between the Lord and Moses. Someone else was listening, watching, and waiting for God s presence. See him there, near the tent of meeting? Every time we see Joshua, he is in the right place ready, vigilant, obedient. As yet, he is still just Moses faithful young assistant, but his actions speak loud and clear, revealing what s in his heart. Let me know Your ways. Where do you find yourself in this scene? Briefly share what you have learned about yourself and your relationship with God. Let me know Your ways. Write down the following promises given to all who long for a deeper, more intimate relationship with God. Which one will you choose to memorize and take with you into the next week? Joshua 1:9 Isaiah 58:11 Psalm 36:7-9 Proverbs 16:20 8

9 Something to Think About... We are at this moment as close to God as we really choose to be. True, there are times when we would like to know a deeper intimacy, but when it comes to the point, we are not prepared to pay the price involved. so we settled for a less demanding level of Christian living. 1 - J. Oswald Sanders - God s Word Bearing Fruit For you, personally, what has been the most important lesson from this study? How will you put what you have discovered into practice? 1 J. Oswald Sanders, Enjoying Intimacy with God (Moody Press, 1980) pg. 12 9

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