Success Is Born in the Secret Place
Exodus 33 is a chapter in 3 seemingly unconnected movements where God seems to be going back and forth on what He's going to do. But as with all scripture, there is more than meets the eye.
The chapter opens with God offering the rebellious Israelites a gold mine of an opportunity:
Exodus 33:1–3 (ESV) The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give it.’ 2 I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”
Do you see what God is saying? He's saying I'll give you all the blessings I promised you but I will not be with you. In other words, "Israel, you can do all these great things but I'm not going to be part of your experience."
The sad reality is this: Most people (especially Americans) take that offer every day. They want God to give them their prosperity and success and simply do not concern themselves with His presence in their lives. It's really the most discouraging reality of the human condition. To want the blessings but not the blesser. To want the gifts and not the giver. To want the benefits of God but not the presence of God.
Thankfully, the Israelites woke up and responded the right way:
Exodus 33:4 (ESV) When the people heard this disastrous word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments.
The Israelites took of their jewelry. This harkens back to the last chapter where the last time they took off their ornaments was to create the golden calf. This time they take them off so that they might have the TRUE God with them! They repented. Now their desire for God's presence was more important than their appearance or possessions. Money is often the barometer of our spiritual lives. And here Israel says God before our finances.
But there's another part of Exodus 33 that calls us deeper. We turn our attention to a tent Moses set up to meet with God. This not the tabernacle or the holy of holies. This is Moses' personal meeting place with God almighty.
Exodus 33:7 (ESV) Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.
Moses goes outside the camp as the people stand in worship as God meets with Moses.
Exodus 33:10 (ESV) And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door.
Then it describes what happened there:
Exodus 33:11 (ESV) Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
Moses MET with God! Where Israel could not yet dwell with Him because of their recent sin and stiff-necked ways, Moses has access! What a contrast. God cannot dwell closely where sin is accepted.
But notice one more part of the text: "his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent." Joshua the warrior has become Joshua the meditator. He stays where God meets with Moses. He doesn't want to miss out on an appearance of the Lord! He has a heart for MEETING with God.
And you know what's interesting about this? Joshua becomes one of two people in that entire generation to actual do what God called Israel out of bondage to do! In fact, Joshua becomes one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Israel's history. He leads them to victory, he conquers kingdoms, and he establishes Israel's presence in the Promised land. Of course we know he did this by the strength of God, but it is that reality we often disconnect with in our modern "Just do it" mentality.
We tend to think that people interested in prayer and meditation with God are too spiritual to be too active or successful. There are thinkers and prayers... and then there are action oriented accomplishment achievers. But Joshua blows that rule to bits! He is both completely committed to meeting with God in prayer and a wonderfully successful doer throughout his life.
This is the message of Exodus 33. Yes, Israel repented... but Joshua did more than simply avoid sin... he drew near to God! It is the prayers who beocme God-empowered doers. It is they who spend time with HIM that believe Him for great accomplishment as Joshua would in Numbers 13 when the nay sayers wanted him stoned to death!
We all want to be doers in life. But do we value the time of prayer? When we get to know God and come to understand He is large enough for any task and powerful enough for any opportunity. That is what Joshua learned in that tent.
And you can too.
The chapter opens with God offering the rebellious Israelites a gold mine of an opportunity:
Exodus 33:1–3 (ESV) The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give it.’ 2 I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”
Do you see what God is saying? He's saying I'll give you all the blessings I promised you but I will not be with you. In other words, "Israel, you can do all these great things but I'm not going to be part of your experience."
The sad reality is this: Most people (especially Americans) take that offer every day. They want God to give them their prosperity and success and simply do not concern themselves with His presence in their lives. It's really the most discouraging reality of the human condition. To want the blessings but not the blesser. To want the gifts and not the giver. To want the benefits of God but not the presence of God.
Thankfully, the Israelites woke up and responded the right way:
Exodus 33:4 (ESV) When the people heard this disastrous word, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments.
The Israelites took of their jewelry. This harkens back to the last chapter where the last time they took off their ornaments was to create the golden calf. This time they take them off so that they might have the TRUE God with them! They repented. Now their desire for God's presence was more important than their appearance or possessions. Money is often the barometer of our spiritual lives. And here Israel says God before our finances.
But there's another part of Exodus 33 that calls us deeper. We turn our attention to a tent Moses set up to meet with God. This not the tabernacle or the holy of holies. This is Moses' personal meeting place with God almighty.
Exodus 33:7 (ESV) Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.
Exodus 33:10 (ESV) And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door.
Then it describes what happened there:
Exodus 33:11 (ESV) Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
Moses MET with God! Where Israel could not yet dwell with Him because of their recent sin and stiff-necked ways, Moses has access! What a contrast. God cannot dwell closely where sin is accepted.
But notice one more part of the text: "his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent." Joshua the warrior has become Joshua the meditator. He stays where God meets with Moses. He doesn't want to miss out on an appearance of the Lord! He has a heart for MEETING with God.
And you know what's interesting about this? Joshua becomes one of two people in that entire generation to actual do what God called Israel out of bondage to do! In fact, Joshua becomes one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Israel's history. He leads them to victory, he conquers kingdoms, and he establishes Israel's presence in the Promised land. Of course we know he did this by the strength of God, but it is that reality we often disconnect with in our modern "Just do it" mentality.
We tend to think that people interested in prayer and meditation with God are too spiritual to be too active or successful. There are thinkers and prayers... and then there are action oriented accomplishment achievers. But Joshua blows that rule to bits! He is both completely committed to meeting with God in prayer and a wonderfully successful doer throughout his life.
This is the message of Exodus 33. Yes, Israel repented... but Joshua did more than simply avoid sin... he drew near to God! It is the prayers who beocme God-empowered doers. It is they who spend time with HIM that believe Him for great accomplishment as Joshua would in Numbers 13 when the nay sayers wanted him stoned to death!
We all want to be doers in life. But do we value the time of prayer? When we get to know God and come to understand He is large enough for any task and powerful enough for any opportunity. That is what Joshua learned in that tent.
And you can too.
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