Exodus 33 - Bible Study - Pastor Daniel Batarseh

Exodus chapter 33 beginning in verse 17 and the Lord said to Moses this very thing that you have spoken I will do for you have found favor in my sight and I know you by name Moses said please show me your glory and he said I will make my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name the Lord and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy but he said you cannot see my face for man shall not see me and live and the Lord said Behold there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock and I will cover you with my hand until I pass by then I will take away my hand and you shall see my back but my face shall not be seen father we come before you in light of your word and Lord there are many people here tonight some visiting for the first time some may know you personally some may know you traditionally some truly know you and Lord we ask that you would do one thing for all these people from different backgrounds and different walks and different levels of understanding show us your glory this is our desire Lord in this room right here right now we're asking that you would do that very thing as we unpack your word assist us by the Holy Spirit we pray in Jesus name Amen you may be seated if you're here for the first time we are going through a series in the book of Exodus chapter by chapter verse by verse because we are hungry for the whole counsel of God we don't want to shy away from the Old Testament we don't want to dismiss the fact that you know we're in the New Covenant and so the Old Testament has no relevance there is great reverence in the Old Testament concerning the New Covenant believer and if you were not here last week we've been discussing the reality of the presence of God and how Moses was a man like you and me who had this craving to know God more and up to this point the people of Israel even before the Ten have come down the mountain broke the law and in sinning the same reality for you and me they forfeited the nearness of their God and God offered them everything else except his own presence and when the people heard this it was a disastrous word and so Exodus 33 we've learned about what it means to know God intimately what it costs what price it comes with and this whole chapter really is about God in His grace restoring his presence to a people who have forfeit it because of their sin and we learned about the glorious truth of our faith that we serve a God that is knowable we serve a God that longs to have intimate relationship with you and me and we come to realize that there is a pattern throughout the Bible that the nearness of God is possible when a man chooses to sever sin from his life and to embrace whatever it takes for this one cause to know him and to make him known and that reality unfortunately is for so little because so let are willing to pay the price of knowing God intimately and Moses was one of those men and he pleaded with God he asked God please do not let us go into the Promised Land without your presence how will we be distinct how will people know that there's a difference between us and the others and when we we just read in verse 17 that the Lord answered that request the Lord said okay my presence will go with you the awareness of my person will be a reality for you and your people and really if this whole chapter was really about that it should have ended there it would have made sense for Moses who was pursuing God for the sake of the people of Israel and for his own sake that the chapter would ended there and we were moved on in the wilderness journey Moses should have got up and said thank you lord thank you for hearing your gracious you're a merciful so you're coming with us yes I'm coming great and that they should have packed their bags and move forward but something happens here we see that God and Moses continued in their interaction and shockingly the chapter doesn't end here why because Moses asks for more and more interaction was added to the relationship between Moses and God because Moses knew how to ask God for more and you and I can continue our story with God if we simply learn the simple truth of asking him for more this that's why so many people who have been in the faith for twenty years are still in Chapter one of their faith because they don't know how to seek and asked but Moses knew how and Moses says this wonderful thing he says your presidents coming with us wonderful and he reassures him yes it's coming I'm coming with you and he goes please he was requesting for the nation now he's requesting something personally please show me your glory now we use a lot of Christianese don't we we say a lot of things we sing a lot of things and we don't really know what it means sometimes if we really take our terminology and put it on the table and really evaluate what we're trying to say we were honest with ourselves we would not really know the depth of what we're saying one of those words is the word right here glory show me your glory you know you want to know how you get answers from the Bible ask the Bible questions that's the best way to get revelation instead of just reading by and trying to get something that you know you can it's just a nice thought from the scripture that's fine if you really want to dig deep we know this rule ask the text questions you know what my question is I see Moses heart here he wants more of God but what in the world is glory I understand presence I understand that God can manifest his presence and make himself known to us in such a real way where he becomes the most real person in your life but what is Moses asking for here when he's saying please show me your glory and this is Bible study this is not a sermon tonight and I know there's quite a few people here tonight so don't be shy but I'm curious to know when you hear the word glory what comes to mind what do you think of when you hear glory his face so something to do with this person absolutely glory the glory of God God's character going public with who he is and making himself known is his glory absolutely and we say it all the time we sing it all the time do we really know what it means something glorious it's not easy to define glory try to define beauty try to define beauty in your mind right now try to define glory it's not an easy task because the Bible has much to say about the glory of God and associates much of different elements concerning his glory and so I'm gonna need some participation here we're going through a lot of Bible today but hopefully it'll give some answers I need three volunteers right now three volunteers just lift up your hand brother back there can you open up to Isaiah chapter six one two three don't read it yet I need somebody else to read John 12:41 but you got to read aloud and lastly if you can read rather if you can read Romans 3:23 so Isaiah's to begin with us please the year that each has six wings with two he covered his face with the two he covered his feet and one call to another ones that holy holy holy Lord what did the angel say holy holy holy the whole earth is filled with his glory so the angels are seeing him and they're saying holy holy holy who did Isaiah see did he see Jesus according to John 12:41 can you read it for us but look what it does is out of detail concerning John's account of this scene when he saw his Wyatt when he saw his glory but the angel said holy the angel said holy when they saw him holy holy holy and through John's account talking about Isaiah seeing holy yes but glory Romans 3:23 who has it yeah they're all and on ball Jordan glory fall short of what the glory of God Isaiah saw the angels and angels saw God and saw Christ's holy holy holy John tells us that they saw his glories Isaiah saw his glory Romans 3:23 we all know it that we have all fallen short of the glory of God so there is a great and strong connection between God's glory and his holiness God's glory and his holiness is intricately woven but not just his holiness Psalms 19 I need any three volunteers again different ones maybe Psalms 19 verse 1 if you get up to Psalms 96 verse 3 and one more person numbers 14 22 Psalms 19:1 Psalms 96 three numbers 14 22 Psalms 19:1 please help us yes the what glory of God Psalms 96 3 tell of all is glory among the nations his wonderful deeds among all the people do you see the parallelism there tell declare his glory among the nation's his marvelous works among all the peoples this is this is a linguistic a poet poetic linguistic tool here there's a parallel glory with marvelous works numbers 14 22 none of the men have seen my glory none of them who've seen my what my glory and my signs so you're hearing all those things and what are you making a connection concerning God's glory with standard of excellence that's a beautiful way of putting it what else the heavens declare the glory of God creation so not just creation but behind creation his power his greatness his ability that is not limited so we can categorize it with his greatness his greatness is strongly connected to his glory and one more verse revelation 21:23 if somebody could read revelation 21:23 last book of the Bible revelation 21:23 if it's on the screen already you can just read it need the Sun don't need the moon don't need any light because his glory will be enough so this speaks of his splendor this speaks of his brilliance this speaks of his dazzling light so it's not as easy as we would like it to be to define glory but if I were to take all those things all that what scripture the Bible interprets the Bible the Bible answers the Bible I take all those puzzle pieces I put it together and this is what I would say the glory of God is it is glory is the immeasurable unmatchable greatness splendor and holiness of God that is his glory the immeasurable the unmatchable greatness splendor and holiness that radiates from God and you know what Moses is asking for a greater degree of Revelation of these men of full perfections of his being show me your glory do you ask him for it is that ever a prayer request of yours Lord I long to see your glory I long for you to show me yourself the heavens declare the glory of God so God has to some measure reveal his glory to us the heavens declare the glory of God and so you drive in the morning when you're going to work and you see that sky painted with pink and blue and that streak of yellow and guess what shouting god is glorious you go up north a little bit and you go see your friend out on the farm and you see all those stars you know what they're shouting god is glorious when you see that sunset what goes on through your mind it should be god is glorious the heavens declare the glory of God you know what it doesn't stop there though the measure of Revelation of the glory of God comes through someone you know his name I hope Hebrews 1:3 he was 1:3 she being Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature do you pray for God to reveal his glory you have every right to but do not be surprised if God answers it with greater revelations of the person of Jesus Christ I want to see your glory do not be surprised when the spirit of wisdom and revelation comes into your heart and opens the eyes of your soul and you behold something of Christ that you did not know before do not be shocked when God longs to reveal his glory through the son who wants to show you his love his immeasurable greatness his power his holiness his compassion is all these things God longs to reveal his glory to his people through the radiance of the person of Jesus Christ he is the radiance of the glory of God we have beheld him I have another question because I'm reading this and something else popped mine okay I know what glory is now I know what I'm saying when I sing songs now I know what I say glory to God I know what I'm saying God is glorious I know but you know what I have another question because there's another element to glory concerning us have you ever wondered what it means to glorify the glorious God we are called to glorify God so I got a second question concerning glory what does it mean for me to glorify this glorious one any idea acknowledge and give credit to him yes absolutely yes to love him first to recognize him as priority yes to reflect him yes reflect his character his attributes yes reverence him absolutely to allow him to move in our lives through our trials yes to yield to him sure what else how do we ascribe glory to God as mere mortals well Psalms 29 9 a lot of Scripture today whoever can turn there and read it read it like you mean it Psalms 29 9 how do i glorify God holy mountain is that Psalms 2099 2099 it's okay it's still Scripture what's the lore basis of the earth the voice of the Lord makes the deer give birth that sounds something glorious that sounds like power so when God says give birth the deer do it okay that sounds powerful and because of his power because of the immeasurable unmatchable reality of this power all of his people cry out glory how do we glorify God when we recognize who he is and we ascribe worship we ascribe praise we ascribe Thanksgiving when we give ourselves to acknowledging one or more of his attributes as the people of God he receives glory when we choose to highlight who he is so when you hold yourself back from worshiping him we hold ourselves back from glorifying him and he deserves glory all the people that temple say glory but it's not just that there's all there's a there's a there's a harder and more difficult task and certainly glorifying God the singing part isn't hard he deserves that he is worthy of it but it gets a little bit more complicated this is what God is really after concerning us and Jesus said in John 17 for Jesus himself the perfect one reveals what it means to glorify the father what did he say in his prayer in the heist priestly prayer I have glorified you in the earth how by doing what you have commanded me to do I've glorified the glorious one by doing what He has called me to do now what did that look like what did his life look like for for him to glorify God john 14:9 john 14:9 I know we're bouncing around but that's okay what happens jesus said to him because philip has show us the father have I been with you so long and you still do not know me Philip whoever I seen me has seen the father how can you say show us the father how do we glorify God how do we glorify the father imitate him live like him reflect him when people see you we should be able to see say like Jesus now in boasts not imp ride not in self-righteousness but that should be our ambition when people see me they see the father and then as a result of that God receives glory let your light shine before men let your good works seen before men that they may glorify your father who is in heaven that's how you and I get to glorify the glorious one oh so we know what it means concerning glory and we know what it means to glorify him but look how God answers the requests in verse 19 of Exodus chapter 33 please show me your glory verse 18 and he said I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you mine name the Lord and I will be gracious to my be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy now look at this this is God's answer to the request of show me your glory and if you scroll down to verse 20 verse 21 excuse me and the Lord said Behold there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock verse 22 and while my glory passes by well he just said my goodness will pass before you so there's another connection there that his goodness equates his glory and so as the Lord is answering Moses what is he saying three things my glory my goodness will pass before you my name will be said and His mercy I will show mercy to emotional mercy his goodness his name his mercy includes his glory and this is how it moves on in verse 20 he says but you can't see my face because I'm gonna do these things I'm gonna answer your request but there's one thing I cannot do in your request to see my glory and that is for you to see my face now why is why is that because why because they say love love yeah cuz you're gonna die that's why so there's an element of the glory of God that can be so noble it's something that we can perceive but God in His mercy holds that back that facet of his glory because we do not have the capability to register that aspect of his glory because you and I would literally disintegrate to find powder there is something of his glory that splendor element that brilliant light that he he veils himself because you and I in this frame jars of clay we cannot be able to receive such amount of glory lest we be destroyed and so that part of God's glory see how complex is glorious that element of the glory of God is reserved for a future glory you realize that right so he goes Moses right now in the state that you're in if you see my face you will be completely destroyed so the Bible promises as though it goes through the scriptures telling us about a future glory that we're gonna we're gonna be able to receive and walk into so he says you shall not see my face but you know what revelation 22 says revelation 22 verse 3 tells us this this is concerning when the heavens the new heaven comes and there's a new earth and the end of all things has ushered in no longer will to be any accursed but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it and his servants will worship him they will see his face they will see his face and his name will be on their foreheads so that's that part of God's glory is reserved for a future glory and so you know what first Corinthians 13 tells us that we see through a mirror dimly right now we see through a mirror that we only get glimpse we only get samples we only get touches of his glory but one day we're gonna see a face to face when they gonna come in we're gonna have the full revelation of it there's gonna be no hindrance we're gonna have our new bodies we're gonna become like him as we see him and be able to for all eternity bask in his glory so what do we do about that well Romans 8:18 for I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us let me go through let me enter tribulations let me enter through hell and high water I have a glory that I'm entering into that's why when you hear people say he's entering into glory here he entered into glory that's exactly what we're talking about unhindered unreserved no limitation to knowing God intimately so what do we do with this text what do I do with verse 19 verse 20 all these things about Moses and asking for the glory of God this is what we do we pray the same prayer but this is how we pray a please show me your glory to the maximum capacity with which my mind and heart can contain bring me to the edge bring me to the edge where I can almost smell eternity I want to know you as much as I can on this side of heaven is that your prayer life or what are you chasing after because I can tell you that this Moses was not just some random figure in the Bible he was a prince in Egypt he had the policy of the education he had the connections and it says that he considered the treasures of Egypt of no worth compared to the sufferings with the people of God why because he was looking to the reward Hebrews 11 24 so this man tastes it's something that we all need to taste he had it and he knew that there is more remember this brothers and sisters as you grow in your knowledge of God you were realized in your pursue that there is more of God that you did not know remember this the more you seek God the more you will want God that's the spiritual law I don't understand it but it's true you've heard me say before but I'll say it again for those who have never heard it do you want how you get hungry for God it's the opposite of the physical if you're hungry you don't eat if you want to know what hunger feels like don't eat food for a few days don't eat food for you know a few hours and then you can feel those pains you're gonna feel now everything you know what men know what more than anything right hangry you guys know that right where everything now becomes about you and finding anything you just want to eat anything because you're hungry okay and the spiritual is the opposite in the spiritual if you want to know how you can experience hunger and you want to know what it means to pursue God and and and long for him you eat I don't understand it but the more you read the more you're gonna want to read and some of you guys know this when you just discipline yourself to do that your appetite begins to be enlarged I don't get it but when you pray you're gonna want to pray more but when you stop it takes forever to be reignited again some of you guys can testify to this so this is a spiritual and this is what Moses is showing us right here in a very practical way I want more of the glory of God he promised you his presence here but there's more this is convicting this is this is encouraging and so God's glory is about to be revealed now we come to Exodus chapter 34 verse 5 what happens the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of the Lord hey guys guess what we're reading the glory of God is showing up and look how it is manifesting before Moses the Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness keeping steadfast love for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin but who will by no means clear the guilty visiting the iniquity of the father's on the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation this is the glory of God you know what I was expecting when God was going to reveal his glory I was expecting Exodus 19 times 10 I was expecting the mountains to Trump I was expecting that mountain to go up greater smoke greater fire greater trumpets that's what I was expecting when Moses was asking for the glory of God and that is true of the glory of God there is that power and there is that that charge there is that revelation of the fact that I can't even stand here because I know that I will be swallowed up by this but look how God is choosing to reveal his glory how the revelation of his person they see it here that it's less about what he's seeing and more about what he's hearing this so God in the Old Testament shows II to reveal the glory of himself before his servant describing his qualities a clearer perception of his person is what it means to understand the glory of God according to this text so then it teaches me something else about God's glory that if I'm pursuing it and I'm not asking for it you know what God's gonna do he's gonna remove the layers in your heart that are hindering you from understanding him and beholding him and comprehending him and seeing him for who he is there is a great connection between the glory of God and revelation of his person knowing his heart knowing his attributes knowing his dealings with man and guess what it doesn't do only it doesn't touch your intellect and not reach down to your heart we're talking about a glory yes it is knowledge of who he is but sinks so deep into you that it will cause you to do what Moses did and look at Moses reaction to the very things the qualities and the descriptions of God look what happened to Moses when he receive that because it was a heart thing what happens verse a Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped three things will happen if you ask for God's glory and you touch anything of his glory you better expect these three things to happen and I doubt somebody's experience the glory of God if these things have not happened in their life the first thing will happen when you understand the glory of God when he decides to manifest his glory in a way that you've never known the first thing that will happen to he will humble you any thought of self will be deflated any thought about self exaltation and he thought about self pleasure self seeking glory all of those things will be weighed down by the majesty of your maker and you will find your head directed towards the earth and guess what happened to Moses his vision he was humbled how so his eyes was directed towards the earth and you know what he must have maybe even reminded up maybe not but I like to think so that's what I am I'm dust this is where I came from this is all dust and ashes and that's what the glory of God will do when I manifest in your life you'll realize how small you are you realize how he is everything and you are nothing and anything that you are is by His grace if you don't believe me concerning God's manifest glory all you need to do is understand the glory of Psalms 19:1 the heavens declare the glory of God you want to feel small study astronomy you want to feel tiny you want to feel humbled you want to feel like this study the universe you might go crazy if you do it too long though so the heavens alone can Humble us how much more of God reveals who he is concerning his person and his dealings and His Holiness the thing that happened to Moses that he was humbled but not just humbled he worshiped says he bowed his head but he also worshipped adoration is activated when God's glory is manifested true worship true worship I doubt that there was music in the background to get his emotions going when he saw this glory there wasn't some talent in the background there to get him going to worship no no it was just a revelation of his glory and that was enough for him to worship and raw form where he got down to the ground and he began to adore the very one that he was beholding so if you touched the glory of God or he reveals it to you you better expect him to humble you in that moment you better know that you will worship you will truly worship as a response but look at the last thing here verse 9 and he said if now I have found favor in your sight O Lord please let the Lord go in the midst of us for it is a stiff-necked people and pardon our iniquity and our sin and take us for your inheritance do you see what if Moses is doing here the third thing that will happen when you know something of the glory of God is that you will separate yourself from sin and you will do anything to know him deeply he is humbled he worshiped and lastly he said were stiff necked people forgive us of our sin and come amongst us please God no one as he didn't say forgive them notice he didn't say God thank you that I am by your grace holier than everybody none of that he included himself amongst these sinful people because when you know the glory of God you will not dare elevate yourself you want to dare elevate yourself before the majesty of this person when you get a glimpse of his holiness even if you are a 2018 version of Moses you will say I am a sinner I am wretched I don't care if I'm the only person standing here it does not matter who you are what your track record is what kind of things you've done for God when you get a glimpse of his glory you will not dare put yourself above any other sinner and what happens here God News the Covenant it begins to remind him of the laws because as they're renewing this covenant in the rest of chapter 34 what God is trying to say is I haven't changed with my standard we're still going for holiness here we're still moving forward concerning what I instituted for you people of Israel but something amazing happens when you come down to verse 29 look at verse 29 of Exodus 34 when Moses came down from the mount from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses and behold the skin of his face shone and they were afraid to come near him but Moses called to them and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him and Moses talked with them afterward all the people of Israel came near and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in mount sinai and when Moses had finished speaking with him he put a veil over his face he put a veil over his face and it says and 34 down that he would go up he would remove his veil he would come back down and was shining he would talk with the people hide his face go back and just that was the pattern so there is a manifestation of the glory got even on Moses and how long was he up there for he was up there for a long time we see it early on we see in verse 28 40 days 40 nights he comes down does not know that his face is beaming with light and it's freaking everybody out and so they're running away from and he realizes all there's light shining from my face and so he calls to them they come near and then he finished thought and he hides it then he goes back up and he removes his veil that he comes back and he does the same thing but here's my question why is Moses veiling his face yes he doesn't want the people in insulting because he's in the presence of God and God shines through Moses so he doesn't want worship he doesn't want them to come to a place in which they begin to praise him because of this manifestation that's one understanding it's not the final conclusion but we're just brainstorming here what other thoughts some of us have talked about this late Wednesday night you guys know why did he hide his face scared that's the common conclusion people have that because he knew the reaction of the people he hid his face so that he can actually commune with them and converse with them lest they be afraid lest they be blinded by this light who knows but there is an answer in Scripture does anybody know where the answer of Scripture is found yes yes yes we need to turn there because the way the Apostle Paul and this is what we're ending interprets this passage is absolutely profound the answer is in 2nd Corinthians 3 verse 12 2nd Corinthians 3 this is how the Apostle Paul interprets the scene and he gives us insight and this is what makes the Bible amazing you find answers in other parts of the book look at verse 12 since we have such a hope we are very bold not like Moses who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end why did he veil his face because that light was diminishing and he did not want them to see that and so he would go back up into the presence of God it was like he plugged it back in and the battery was charged again he comes back down and the glory is revealed again but then it begins to dwindle again and he didn't want him to see that glory fading so he hides his face so that they would not realize it goes back up to the mountain and does the same thing over and over again so it wasn't because of fear it wasn't because they you would get some worse note it was because he did not want them to see this light leaving you know how Paul interprets this whole scene it's not for some mystical experiences not if you spend time war with God you're gonna have light shining from your face it's none of that this is this is the argument of Paul's making here concerning this scene here in Exodus he's speaking about the Old Covenant and the New Covenant and he's saying that Moses represents the law he represents the Old Covenant and he's saying that this glory like the light shining from his face is fading and the glory of the Old Covenant is diminishing if you don't see it look at verse 7 now the Ministry of death of 2nd Corinthians 3 carve and letters of stone came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses face because of his glory its glory which was being brought to an end so he's taking this actual light and he's lining it up with the reality of the Old Covenant and he's speaking about Jews this is the context and he's saying that this light that was on Moses face the same way that it was diminishing is the same way that the Old Covenant is diminishing and there's a greater glory a more permanent one in verse 11 for what was being brought to an end came with glory how much more well what is permanent have glory the Old Covenant like Moses his face shining is gone because it's been replaced with a greater glory which is permanent we're not looking for another covenant we're not looking for extra we have it all and this is a permanent glory it's a never-ending glory it's a glory to glory for us and so we see here that he's making this argument that Moses his face being hidden as a picture of the law disappearing because of the New Covenant but it goes on deeper than that he says that veil that was on Moses face is actually on the hearts of the Jewish people what does he say here at verse 14 but their minds were hardened for to this day when they read the Old Covenant that same veil remains unlifted because only through Christ is it taken away yes to this day whenever Moses has read a veil lies over their hearts so the same way that the goal of that veil was to give the impression that the glory has not faded pay attention it's the same way that the hearts of the people the Jews have this idea because their hearts are veiled that there are still glory in the Old Covenant and so every time they look at the Old Covenant they go there's still glory in this every time they read Moses like yes this is it there's nothing greater than this because there's a veil over the hearts the same way in the Old Testament when they saw Moses with that veil they perceive that the light has not left if you know Jewish friends and you've been witnessing to them and they are not getting it guess why because there's a veil over their hearts and they look at the Old Covenant and they see it and they said this is glory this is glorious and the only way that can be removed as if they turn to Christ and when they turn to Christ he will remove that veil and once that veil is removed oh then they see true glory then they see true light then they see true brilliance then they see true holiness true love but until then there's a veil not just for the Jews to some degree every person who is not in Christ the god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers that they may not see the light of the glory or the gospel of Christ 2nd Corinthians 4:4 if you're in hearing you're not a believer in Jesus Christ and you're not being moved you're not being stirred know this you have a veil over your heart and the reason why you don't hear this and you're not moving you're not touching you know it's because you're blind you're not deaf so you can hear me you're blind let me say this if you just give a glance tam and humility he's willing to rip open that veil and for you to perceive him in a way that you never thought you could but you need to humble yourself my friend unless you walk out of here just as blind as you came in turn to the Lord when you turn to the Lord he's willing to remove that veil you want to stay blind keep stumbling in life maybe God by His grace will bring you into another Bible study so you realize that you need him but let me say this this is why prayer is so important in evangelism this is why before this Bible study we take the time to pray lest people come in and leave the same way we want God and we need God because only Christ can remove the veil doesn't matter who's behind the microphone only God has the power to do that so we must be a people as long as we want to serve God and make this gospel known we also must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit Lord only you can remove that veil from my neighbor's heart only you can remove that veil from my co-workers heart only you can remove that veil from my family's heart do it lord please have mercy let me get a glimpse of it at least we are totally dependent upon the power of the Holy Spirit even in making Christ known says there's a veil there's a veil and look what happens here when that veil is removed there's something amazing and verse 18 it tells us here and we all and we all with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord beholding the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another for this comes from the Lord who is the spirit so this is the parallel that we can make between Moses and us Moses had boldness to go before the Lord and remove his veil in the presence of God but guess what and a new covenant is not just for one person who's a mediator for a nation and we all every single one of us has the confidence to come before God with an unveiled face not just a leader not just Moses no no and we all have the ability now with unveiled face come to God face to face in Christ and behold his glory we all have access to that we all have the ability to behold him and guess what the byproduct is as you behold him you become like him listen this is the secret to the Christian life if you've been falling asleep as entire time wake up right now please let me tell you why you are so frustrated in your Christian walk because you are spending more energy trying to behave for him than investing and simply beholding him you are striving you are working you hear commands he goes okay I'm gonna do this you know what God is saying do you really want to become like me behold me and so many believers do not understand this they don't understand that it comes from that place when you become like him it's a result of beholding and what I mean by behold exactly what Moses did do you want to know how to effortlessly strive in the Christian walk and become like the one that you know saved your soul behold him as one person said it so beautifully the Christian command is to behold not behave you will behave when you first behold and you will see the ease that comes with it because when you realize his beauty and you realize his grace and his holiness and by the Holy Spirit he begins to teach you and show you and illuminate things to you you as a response say Oh Lord make me like him change my heart O God do you behold him and you say well how do I behold him well Exodus 34 shows us if there's anything we can take for the Christian walk it's to know how to behold him like Moses beheld him and so you come to Exodus 34 again and this is what we're ending I know I said that but what we're gonna hear one more time Exodus 34 verse 2 be ready by the morning and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai here's a good principle to the practice of beholding do it the first thing of your day make it the priority of your day to sit at his feet and to behold who he is and watch how your day will change I promise you not because it's my word because the scriptures you take the time to be hold them and watch how you will be more like him throughout the day and some of you in here know what it's like not to start your day with Jesus and when you go through your day you're not really acting like Jesus you're not reacting like Jesus you're not taking that phone call like Jesus you're not responding to situations that you did not plan to go your way that day like Jesus I can tell you why because you missed beholding him that day verse 3 no one shall come up with you and let no one be seen throughout all the mountain here's another principle behold him alone this is a corporate expression of beholding him and it's wonderful but God wants to reveal himself to you we know this do you see the consistency of Scripture you're like brother I've heard this you even we've been talking about it for the past few weeks because the Bible wants to get it in our heads behold me come up alone and see me and what else did with universe six the Lord passed before man proclaimed the Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious slow to anger dig deep into who he is dig deep into his characteristics dig deep into his attributes stay there until you begin to see a rub off on you begin to realize that it's touching your heart I can tell you when you behold them and you behold them and you beholding you will see things of him that you did not see before it's true it's always true there's always details of Jesus's life that I keep seeing that I've never seen before the way he answers the way he responds to situations his boldness the fact that he's in control of all things his self-control knowing when to answer knowing when not to answer knowing how to just continually humbled by him continually falling in love with him the radiance of the glory of God Lord let me behold him and as you spend that time as you do it the first thing in the morning as you do it alone as you open this word just like Moses hearing the things of God see the things of God in this word and lastly verse eight and Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped I find it so true that so many believers in their private lives can do the first three and not do the last part they really don't know how to worship God alone it changes everything when you learn how to adore him and you find a way to do it watch how it would change your life watch how it brings you in to the courts of God so it's not just even let me just get over my devotion real quick so I can start my day and I know it's so tempting to do that especially when you have a packed day but it's to see the things of God like Moses did to perceive it to understand it to hear it and then as a response to take the time to worship Him in light of it you are glorious you are wonderful and you can do it in every book of the Bible I was just we were praying earlier and I was reading proverbs proverbs chapter one concerning wisdom how she calls out and I was reading it earlier today and how it says that if you turn at my reproof I will pour out my spirit on you concerning wisdom wisdom is a spirit there's a spirit of wisdom I thought to myself Lord you want to pour out wisdom in my life you just begin to engage with what you're beholding and what happens as you do that over time what happens you begin to melt you begin to melt and be molded and shaped into the very thing that you are beholding this is what the Bible promises us and you go from glory to glory the glory and you're wondering how does this work that sounds too good to be true he says this comes from the Lord who is the spirit so when the Holy Spirit sees you in that place of humility and hunger of beholding him he begins to as a response rewire you renew you fill you empower you change you and you don't have to tell people just like Moses didn't need to tell anybody else but you begin to reflect him do you begin to reflect him I hope that that is liberating to your walk as a so many are striving and are really frustrated because they are putting so much energy in behaving for him when he invites us to simply behold him do it and watch how it change your life do it and watch how you're gonna actually enjoy your Christian walk do it and watch how it will transform the way you serve him it will literally it would literally alter the way you live there's some people here and I've never seen before so I'm closing with the gospel you came here you don't know what you're hearing but I want to tell you something this is God's opportunity to you to receive eternal life you have come here you were invited I don't know you stumbled here somehow some way but I want to tell you something that if you do not have the assurance of eternal life know this that your life is short and you know that and know this that you will one day stand before a holy God it doesn't matter if you believe in him or not it doesn't matter if you have some proof there is no proof there is more proof that God is real than there is that he isn't the Bible says in Psalms 14:1 that the fool says in his heart there is no God and you know who professes to be wise those who say that there is no God baba has a whole different commentary of so many Christians that are so intimidated by those who say that there is no God and prove some idea that he's not there you know the Bible describes a man a fool I want to tell you something this is not about a list of do's and don'ts it about doing the right things enough so that you can stand before God and hopefully your good outweighs your bad you're in the wrong idea concerning Christianity but this is what the gospel is that you can't do good enough and you can't do enough to get his approval for your life and God as much as he is holy and glorious as much as his brilliance will disintegrate you he's also loved and God so loved the world that He sent His Son Jesus Christ and this man whether you're an atheist or agnostic you have to acknowledge this that historically he actually lived historically there was a man named Jesus Christ who walked on this earth but claimed to be more than a man he came on a mission and that mission was to die on the cross for the sins of humanity including yours he had you in mind when he died on the cross and when he was nailed and when he was whipped it was greater than that the wrath of Almighty God that deserves to be poured out on you my friend was poured out on God on God himself and Christ received the wrath of God he took your sin and the sin of the whole world upon himself and the greatest pain that he had in that moment was not the whips the bruises his bare skin against that wooden cross Noah was the moment in which the Lord his father separated himself and he felt that cold isolation between him and the one that he was an eternal union with and he was separated in that moment so that you can be with him for eternity but I want to tell you this about this person Jesus because when he died and paid that price this is what happened you had a debt you could not pay that debt he paid that debt for you you know what he's doing for you tonight you came because you thought you were just gonna meet some people and God is here to offer a check for your debt and he wants to make sure that your account is paid in full didn't want to make sure that you have no debt before God and you can't pay enough you can't do enough no no he's done at all and when you humbly acknowledge that he transfers everything necessary for you to be debt-free before God Almighty and you will stand before him debt-free and here's the glorious thing about this Jesus he died but he rose from the grave and so you know what we were singing to earlier we're not singing about a dead philosophy we're not singing about a dead God he heard us he's in this room and he perhaps is touching your heart right now and this Jesus who died rose from the grave signifying what that his payment was approved by God and that those who join themselves with him will also raise from the dead including you so you're in a room filled with people that are not afraid of death because they know that in Christ death is just a transaction it's just a transfer point into glory as we've been talking about here's the reality of this Jesus as I close here I might say that two more times be patient with me this Jesus that rose is coming back and this is Jesus who's coming back is coming to do what to receive those who have accepted this gospel and humble themselves and say Jesus you are my Savior I cannot save myself and he's doing a second thing the first time he came to make peace the second time he coming he's making war and he will judge all those who heard this truth the truth that you're hearing tonight and he will hold it against him not for a moment but for all eternity and there are people right now that wish that they could hear a message like this again they are begging to hear the word repent again they are begging to hear the words believe on him again the Bible says that they are weeping and there is gnashing of teeth this is your opportunity not to go to a place like that God wants to give you salvation so what is the response to this good news repent and believe realize that your sin put them on the cross realize that you can't save yourself you turn from sin as an inward change you say I don't want this anymore and I want to believe on him and in that moment even if you don't make it home tonight you will enter into glory I can't do anything for you but there's a living God that's by his spirit in this place and if you have anything within yourself of any sense of conviction left and this depraved the wicked twisted generation if you have any hint of conviction would you call upon him tonight and all it looks like is saying lord I know that this is this is about me and I don't know all the answers but I know this one truth that I need to be saved would you change my heart I'd give you my life would you bow your heads all of us please believers would you pray in this moment show me your glory would you in your own heart say Lord show me your glory and if you do not know Jesus Christ tonight would you say please save my soul I realize I'm a sinner I realized that I cannot attain eternal life I realized that Jesus paid it all for me so I give him my life if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you shall be saved God in heaven we are in awe of your glory tonight but Lord we want more and so give us the ability to behold you in a way that we've never known and Lord we just ask like Moses show us your glory teach us to behold you day by day let our inner man know the attributes of this glorious God and as a result may we become like the very one that we stare at Lord if there's anybody in this place tonight that has come and does not know you would you reveal yourself to them only you can remove that veil from their hearts we acknowledge that tonight so father we pray by the power of your Holy Spirit remove that veil remove that veil and let them see their need of you would you stand with me please and we're gonna do what Psalms 2099 says that as a revelation as a response to the revelation of the power of God the glory of God the majesty of God all the people in God's temple shout glory and we do that by song would you find it within yourself to give him what he deserves to highlight to ascribe how glorious he is

Channel: UE Church - Chicago

Views: 2,500

Rating: 4.9344263 out of 5

Keywords: exodus, exodus 33, bible, study, bible study, old testament, daniel batarseh, Uec, ue church, united evangelical church, agape young adults services, ue church agape, christians, sermon, preaching, teaching, Jesus, god, holy spirit, Christ, Christianity

Id: BN41RQroxfQ

Length: 60min 24sec (3624 seconds)

Published: Fri Nov 09 2018