Moses had a very unique relationship with the Lord. He had a personal face to face encounter with the Lord. He was allowed to come and meet with God when others around him were not allowed. Let’s read about Moses’ mountain top experience with the Lord.
16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, 19 and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
20 The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the LORD said to him, "Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the LORD and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach the LORD, must consecrate themselves, or the LORD will break out against them."
23 Moses said to the LORD, "The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, 'Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.' Exodus 19:16-23
15 When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, 16 and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud. 17 To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain. 18 Then Moses entered the cloud as he went on up the mountain. And he stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights. Exodus 24:15-18
Is it not interesting that Moses was not allowed to have anyone else with him on the mountain with God? Moses went up into the Cloud of Glory, and in verse 17, it appeared to be as a consuming fire to the Israelites. This obviously was a fearful sight to the people and probably represented the awful judgment of the Lord. However Moses was unafraid of death as he went into the Glory that was a consuming Fire. In effect he was consumed in the fire and stayed with the Lord 40 days and nights. He did not come down to the people until he had something to deliver to them, the very words of God with the evidence of the Glory upon his face.
And you ask what does this have to do with worship? I am glad you asked that question. Many pastors, worship leaders, worshippers, and leaders in churches run into complete exhaustion, and minister out of dry wells. Where God honors the sacrifices of our lives to bring forth his gospel to a dying world, I believe God is illustrating to us a better way, one that better serves his people. God is calling us to come higher with him and to dare to press through the familiar and the safe zones we have outlined for our lives and to move into higher realms with Him. Places that appear to be out of sight, places with denser oxygen, which might take our breath away, places of total dependence upon him for our sustenance, places where we no longer see the circumstances of normal living, places of His Spirit. Places that appear to be a consuming fire from others’ perspective and that may appear as judgment to them. And he may call you to go alone with no other companions along for the ride. Why would you dare make this treacherous and lonely trek?
It is for the people’s sake. When we dare to go into the Glory and reside with him, only then do we have anything of purpose to bring back to the people. Notice that Moses had to spend some time alone with God, 40 days to be precise. We are not told if he had a tent to sleep in or that he even slept during that time. Nor do we know if he ate or drank anything, but he was sustained and made it down the mountain. He came bearing the very words and the commandments of God to deliver to the people.
Could it be that the people of God are famished even starving for the Glory of God because we as leaders have been in a hurry with God and have not stayed and lingered in the Presence and the Glory of God until we have something of Heavenly substance to feed a starving generation. Could it be that we have been trying to get new nourishment from day old, month old even decades old Manna from Heaven and there is fresh Manna He wants to deliver to us, if only we would come up to the Mountain where His Glory resides. But how do we get to the mountain, the people were forbidden to go near the mountain. Let me show you Moses’ second encounter on the Mountain.
1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. 4 Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah."
5While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. "Get up," he said. "Don't be afraid." 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. Matthew 17:1-8
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.
5Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." 6 (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) 7 Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!" 8 Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. Mark 9:2-8
28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31 appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)
34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen. Luke 9:28-36
Not only did Jesus face also show the Glory, He was the very representation of the Glory. And notice that he invited three of his closest friends to come up and witness this with Him. His invitation is still standing even today to those who will dare go with him.
Notice that a very bright cloud enveloped them and that Jesus demonstrated who he truly was to his disciples as He was transfigured before them. There was lightening and there was the voice of the Father within that Glory Cloud. Notice also that the disciples were afraid to enter but they entered anyway. They also grew sleepy in the presence of that Glory. I believe that is a true manifestation in that when our flesh comes in contact with Glory, our flesh is weakened and we succumb to the effects of that Glory. It’s not that they were sleepy, their flesh came into contact with His Glory. And Moses was there seeing in person the very Word of God made Flesh, the very revelation and fulfillment of the words he delivered centuries before.
People of God, we do not need to wait for our leaders to go into the Glory, we each have a call and an invitation to come and meet with him in His Glory. God may have something very wonderful for us to deliver to famished people around us that can only be found on the Mountain of God.
In Christ’ Service,
Raelynn Parkin
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