Being Still in the Radiant Knowledge of God (Lent 22-2014)

I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to be up on the mountain top for 40 days with Moses while God was giving him the Ten Commandments. 

Was the view of the surroundings–both the panoramic view and God’s presence–so amazing that it made it hard to concentrate for that long? 

Was God visible in some way or was the scene like a giant fog? 

Was Moses frightened? 

What made Moses’ face shine?

Scripture doesn’t answer any of those things for us.

Exodus 34:1 The LORD said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. 3 No one is to come with you or be seen anywhere on the mountain; not even the flocks and herds may graze in front of the mountain.” 4 So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. 5 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming,

The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”

8 Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped. … 28 Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant– the Ten Commandments. 29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. 32 Afterward all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the LORD had given him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face. 34 But whenever he entered the LORD’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the LORD.

Take some time today to remind yourself of the privilege of being in Christ.  How we can access the presence of God because of His work on the Cross–for us!  Remember that we were once on the outside of this special relationship with God.  Separated by our sin.  But that God, in His goodness, chose to make Himself known to us by both His Living Word and His Holy Spirit.  We, too, can know what it’s like to be still in the radiant knowledge of God.

Be Still. You’ve been privileged to hear from Me in special ways: in prayer, in Bible reading, and in song.

Be Still.  My presence is an amazing place.  Enjoy every minute of being with Me.

Be Still.  When you’re in the habit of worshiping the LORD and Me alone,  I will bless you.  This light of life will show in your eyes and on your face.

Be Still and Know that I AM God.  Knowledge of Me makes you radiant.

Questions for reflection:

1. Moses was up on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights with no bread or water.  Read about Jesus and His disciples in John 4:30 They went out of the city, and were coming to Him. 31 In the meanwhile the disciples were requesting Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”  What about the presence of the Father must be sustaining?
2. When is the last time you were still in His presence and knew that amazing place?
3. Have you ever been there?  If not, how might prayer and Bible reading take you to that place?