Moses | Paula Wiseman

A Friend of God

"So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." Exodus 33:11

Not as a man speaks to his servants.

Or to his son.

But to his friend.

Jesus reiterated this in John 15:15 "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you."

Not enemies. Friends.

This includes me. This includes you.

Filed Under: Monday Meditations Tagged With: Exodus, friends, Moses

On the Lord’s Side

By Paula

Then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the LORD'S side—come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. Exodus 32:26 NKJV

After a week of hearing much in the news about personal moral failure, I read this verse. Three things struck me about Moses' call.

It is personal. No one can make the decision for you.

It is public. The challenge is issued in front of the entire nation.

It is active. It requires that we separate ourselves.

Today and every day, you and I face that same challenge.

Am I, are you, on the LORD'S side?

Filed Under: Monday Meditations Tagged With: Exodus, Moses, sanctified

Show Me Your Glory

By Paula

This past week, I started reading The Pursuit of God, by A.W. Tozer.

I struggle with complacency when I crave passionate intimacy with God. Tozer cites a moment in Moses' life, on Mount Sinai.

(Exodus 33:17-18) 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.”

And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.”

I have found grace in God's sight. God knows my name.

I just need to ask.

Tozer ends chapter 1 with a prayer.

I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, that so I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away." Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Tozer, A. W. (Aiden Wilson). The Pursuit of God (pp. 14-15). Kindle Edition.

Filed Under: Monday Meditations Tagged With: A W Tozer, Moses, Mount Sinai, Pursuit of God

STT: Deuteronomy

By Paula

Deuteronomy. You make it through Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers only to hit some weird Biblical deja vu in Deuteronomy. It isn't just the "read the Bible in a year weed-out", "separate the saints from the sinners" test of true spirituality. It's unique recap of God's law for a new generation poised to seize God's promises and it's an intimate revelation of the God who made those promises. Being the nerd that I am, I like Deuteronomy.

Here are some things to remember as you read it-

It's a series of farewell addresses Moses delivers. These are the things he really wants Israel – the regular folks, not the priests or the Levites – to know and remember before he dies. You can almost hear the urgent parental pleading in his voice.

Jesus quotes Deuteronomy – a lot! In fact, in His epic temptation standoff with Satan himself, all the Scripture Christ uses as His defense comes from Deuteronomy.

The name means "second law", so yes there is some repetition of those legal details from Leviticus, but hang in there.

As you study Deuteronomy-

1. Keep a list of the things you learn about the character of God.

Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other. 4:39 NAS

2. Notice the special relationship God has with His chosen people. Even though we aren't Israel, God has chosen us as His through the blood of Christ.

For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 7:6 NAS (The following verses are good ones, too.)

3. Pay close attention to our responsibility to Him.

Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the LORD’S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? 10:12-13 NAS

Then toward the end, in chapter 27 there is an amazing convocation where the entire nation of two million or so is divided in half and they take their places on two facing mountains, Gerizim and Ebal. There, at Moses' direction, they take turns rehearsing the blessings and curses contained in the Law. Imagine what that must have been like!

Have you ever done a study of Deuteronomy? What did you learn?

Filed Under: Study Tip Tuesday Tagged With: Bible study, Book of Deuteronomy, Book of Leviticus, Israel, Moses

STT: Exodus

By Paula

Exodus, the epic story of God's deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage makes a great study. In fact I'm working my way slowly through Exodus right now. Often the detail and repetition discourage folks from reading and studying the book. For others, any study of Old Testament law seems irrelevant. However, here are a few things to watch that might help.

1. God speaks – Watch God's revelation of Himself through His words. I also love His conversations with Moses. After Moses' death, these words are recorded "But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face." That's a relationship worth studying!

2. God acts – Take note of how God intervenes on behalf of His people, both in Egypt and in the desert. Some of my favorite passages are God's display of power at the Red Sea and His holiness at Sinai.

3. Leadership lessons – Moses makes a tremendous character study. Key traits are his humility, his compassion and his intercession. His humanity shows through many times, too.

4. Object lessons – Everything about the Passover and the tabernacle point to the coming work of Christ.

What have you learned from your studies of Exodus?

Filed Under: Study Tip Tuesday Tagged With: Bible study, Exodus, Moses