Exodus 33:1 NKJV
1Then the Lord said to Moses, “Depart and go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt,
That’s kind of a funny statement, isn’t it? God performed great miracles bringing these people out. But all of a sudden, it’s Moses who did it. Why? Because they’re complaining, they’re grumbling, they’re stiff necked, they’re hard-hearted people. And it got to the place where God’s like, you brought them out.
you and the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ 2 And I will send My Angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”
4 And when the people heard this bad news, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments. 5 For the Lord had said to Moses, “Say to the children of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and consume you…”
But the conversation goes on, and Moses, it’s almost as though he said, “God, can I speak to you over here for just a second?” And they go to the tabernacle of meeting and Moses is in the presence of the Lord. He’s in that cloud. He said, can we talk about this for just a second? And I want you to see what Moses said to him in verse 12.
Exodus 33:12-18 NKJV
Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, (We might say it like this, look. See, that’s the same thing, right? Look. So, Moses starts this conversation with God. You see how close they are. Look.) You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, (Now listen to this) and you have also found grace in My sight.’
Are we reading Old Testament or New? Old Covenant or New? This is Old Testament stuff. Is Moses an Old Testament guy or New? This is Old Testament. And yet he’s talking about getting grace. He’s gotten grace from God. Here we are living on the other side of the cross, living on the other side of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Aren’t we supposed to be the ones that get the grace? What’s this Old Testament dude doing with your grace? You said, I found grace in your sight.
13 Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.” (Verse 14 Paraphrased: “Fine”) 14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Now hold on time out. I thought we were the ones. I thought we were the ones that were never forsaken. I thought we were the ones that got this gift of rest. Come to me Jesus said, right? All you who labour, heavy laden, I’ll give you what? Rest. What’s this Old Testament dude doing with my grace? Doing with the presence of the Lord? Everywhere he goes. What’s he doing with my rest? What’s he doing with your rest? What’s going on here? This Old Testament guy is flirting with a New Testament God. And he’s walking a fine line. And you can start to see that because Moses responds to Him and says in verse 15.
15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.
What’s he saying? If you ain’t going, we ain’t going. That’s a good attitude to have, don’t you think? Why don’t you say that out loud? If he ain’t going, we ain’t going. That’s ought to be something we say to each other, especially husbands and wives, when you’re making decisions about your family and your future and finances and where you’re going and what you’re going to do.
The big thing you need to say is, look, if he ain’t going, we ain’t going. And Moses knew enough to say that. If your presence does not go with us, don’t bring us up from here. I’d rather live right here in a wilderness with your presence than in some promised land without it. If your presence doesn’t go with us, don’t bring us up from here.
16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight (grace is found in how God sees you), except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”
17 So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”
Verse 18, he said, ”Show me your glory.”
“I got his grace. I got his presence. I got his rest. He knows me by name. I know how he sees me. I’m going for it. Show me your glory.” God basically looked back at him and again, I’ll paraphrase. He said, “No. I could show you, but then I’d have to kill you.” Is that not what he said? No man can see my face. There’s revelation. Where’s the glory? It’s in the face.
He saw something for sure. He had to put a veil over his face. But did he see everything? No. He got so close to a New Testament experience. So close man.
Exodus 33:16 CEV
But if you do go with us, everyone will know that you are pleased with your people and with me. That way, we will be different from the rest of the people on earth.”
We’re being told lies right now from the pulpits of the media, that the biggest difference that could possibly exist between us is our skin tone, our gender, our socioeconomic status, our nationality. But these are not the biggest differences.
The biggest difference is born-again and not born-again. That’s the difference between having a spirit that is alive to God and one that is dead. That’s the difference between having a covenant with God and not having one. That’s the kind of difference, the separated, distinguished difference that there’s supposed to be between us and the rest of this world.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-5 NKJV
But you, (Vessel Church), brethren are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.
What kind of difference is there supposed to be between us? Night and day. It is a night and day difference. Listen, that’s supposed to be between us, and that’s between the body of Christ and the rest of this world.
I figured out something early on as a kid, yes, we’re a part of the family of God. But how many of you have family within the family? Sometimes I feel like us people, and when I say us people, I mean people of faith, people who are determined to live by faith and walk by faith and talk faith and live faith and just night and day faith. I feel like we’re that side of the family. Have you ever felt that way about us? Oh sure, we’re part of the family, but we’re that side of the family. The ones that are like, “Oh did we forget to call you for the reunion? I’m so sorry.” I’m just being honest with you. Sometimes it feels that way. Sometimes it feels like the body of Christ can divide into two groups, us, and everybody else. Are you okay being different? Yes. I’m okay with it.
And we’re surrounding ourselves with people who live like this and talk like this and believe like this. Why? Because we are different, but we are not alone. Look at us here together, we are not alone. I’m with you, you’re with me. I’ll be your two, we’re here to believe with you.
And I imagine this pressure has been in the world on the church since there was a church. But it seems to me that it’s been increased more in our time than ever before. And it’s the pressure on the church to not be different.
The pressure on the body of Christ to not stand out but to blend in. And there are those, and this is not an attempt or an effort to judge anybody. You have to do what the Lord tells you to do. But endeavouring to dress things in a way, say things in a way, present things in a way that looks so much like the rest of this world in an effort to win the world.
I appreciate the motive. But is there anybody in here that came to Christ because somebody else was just as worldly as you were? We can’t be afraid. Give the Holy Spirit more credit. Listen, what I mean by that is, say it the way the Bible says it. It worked on you. It worked on me. Let the Holy Spirit have some credit. His Word is an honour. You can trust Him to say it that way, to do what He needs to do with it.
You see it in the book of 2 Corinthians chapter 3. It is the New Testament account of that day that day Moses had with God, where that Old Testament man was flirting with this New Testament God. But you can see more accurately what was taking place.
2 Corinthians 3:7-12 NKJV
But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, 8 how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? 9 For if the ministry of condemnation (these are not good names if you want to start a ministry) had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.
So, you’ve got glorious (Old testament) and you’ve got more glorious (Us in the new testament). You’ve got exceedingly more glorious.
10 For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels.
Can you see what’s happening? It’s comparing two glories.
11 For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious.
12Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—
And every time you see that, and you hear it, you need to think “we” as “me”. There is an us and them in this world. And the us is the body of Christ and them is everybody else. And I’ve said this is the biggest difference that could possibly exist between two people. So, when he says “we”, who’s he talking about? Me, we, us.”
Every time you see “We” say it with me.
12Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech (One of the big things that makes us different is we use great boldness of speech.) — unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Now going back to Exodus 33, what was it Moses said? If the presence doesn’t go with us. How’s anybody going to know? But it’s the presence of the Lord with us that defines us, that makes us who we are. Stuff can’t do that. Material things, finances, it can’t define you. The presence of the Lord with you, it’s the presence of the Lord on you. It’s the presence of the Lord working with you.
It’s not the stuff, God offered them the land flowing with milk and honey, but without His presence. How many people would say no to that today?
Is the Lord in it with you? You can enjoy 500 square feet with the presence of the Lord.
Or you can sit in 10,000 square feet and be suicidal. It’s not about the emblem on the car or the acreage you own. It doesn’t matter how big or how little it is, is God in it?
12Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech— unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel (we are different than that) could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ.
What is the veil? You know this, you women who walked down the aisle on your wedding day. And there was a veil that covered your face. And that represented something. It said, until this covenant is made, there’s something between us. You don’t get to see through that. There’s a shape and there’s a shadow, but there’s something between us.
And this is what Moses was done with. This is what he was fed up with. This is why he said, show me your glory. I’m done looking at you through a cloud. I’m done trying to see you through the smoke and through the haze. I want to see your face. I want to see you. I want to see what makes you. I’m done looking through a cloud. And God said, “Hmm, not yet. It’s not time for it.”
And that’s why there’s a veil that remains over their face. When they read the Old Testament, that veil lies on their heart.
15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Now we’ve used that phrase a lot. Oh, how you doing, brother? “Oh, faith the faith, glory to glory.” And we use that to say, you know, things are getting good. Things are getting better. And that’s fine. But this reference right here is a comparison of two glories.
Remember, glorious and more glorious. You’ve got this Old Testament dude flirting with a New Testament God. He’s got his grace. He’s got his rest. He’s got his presence. But when he asked to see the glory, not yet. We got to put something between us, not yet. But now he’s talking about people who are different.
Now he’s talking about people who with an unveiled face. Nothing between us. He said, we go from glory to glory. It’s a different glory. It’s a glory with an unveiled face. This is what Moses asked to see and he couldn’t. I want to see your face. I want to see your glory. And God said it would kill you on the spot.
2 Corinthians 4:1-13 NKJV
Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
There it is. In the face. In the face of Jesus Christ. “Show me your glory.” I can’t show you Jesus yet, it’s not time. But now we’re different. We’re separate you and I. We see Him with an unveiled face. We get to see this thing that Moses cried out to see. He’s shown it in our hearts, the light of the knowledge of the glory. And look what it does.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels (What treasure? That glory), that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death is working in us, but life in you. 13 And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,” we also believe and therefore speak,
This is what makes us different. Yes, it’s the presence of the Lord in us, on us, working through us. But it’s what His presence produces. And it’s what His presence produces is a different way of speaking. It’s a different way of talking. It’s putting a different premium on words.
Yes. We watch our mouths, we guard it. Now this is different. What’s happening every time they say we? You’re finding out who you are. You’re finding out what makes you different than everybody else on the block.
You just got to remember that faith is so simple. It’s just a response. Grace is God speaking to you. Faith, is you speaking to Him. That’s how it works. And that’s our whole lives. We live in that conversation. Grace has spoken and said, I love you and I’ve saved you. I’ve paid the price. Faith in response says, thank you. I believe that.
And you can apply it to your healing. You can apply it to your marriage. You can apply it to your body. You can apply it to your finances. Find out what grace has spoken and then respond only with what faith says. We believe; therefore, we speak.