Beholding God

This week we are studying Exodus 24, today we will zero in on verses 9-14: Beholding God #Gen1toRev22

Exodus 24:9-14 (NKJV)
⁹  Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, ¹⁰  and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. ¹¹  But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So they saw God, and they ate and drank.

¹²  Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.”  ¹³  So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God.  ¹⁴  And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we come back to you. Indeed Aaron and Hur are with you. If any man has a difficulty, let him go to them.”

The called Levite leaders and 70 elders of Israel went up and beheld God! And they celebrated! Yet it was to Moses that the Lord called up closer, to be with Him. As Adrian Rogers put it, “God has no favorites but He does have intimates.” Moses was close to the Lord and He was called to go up.

It is important to look and see that Moses was being called up to be with God and receive the 10 Commandments engraved upon the stone by God. Also, Moses took Joshua up closer, Joshua was also intimate with the Lord the Scriptures display. Yet even to the 70 elders, were instructed to wait in a certain place until both Joshua and Moses came back to them. Aaron and Hur were to assume leadership during Moses’ Sabbatical. But the length of Moses’ time away, we shall see later on in Exodus, brought with it an impatience and sacrilege.

Applications/Lessons

• Do you worship the Lord from afar being satisfied with seeing His Glory or are you intimate with Him, pressing into His presence, drawing closer to the Lord?

Pray It

James 4:8a (ESV)
^“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

Father, thank You, that because of the Blood of Jesus I can draw near to You without reservation or fear (Hebrews 4:14-16). Father, my soul longs for You. As a deer pants for water, so my soul longs after You. Thank You for thirst which reminds me of my need for Your Presence. I love Knowing You and Enjoying Your Presence and so shall be my blessing all of eternity. Wow! Thank You Lord for this inexpressible gift that is mine in Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior. Amen.