Moses – The Making of a LeaderSample

Day 14: God speaks to Israel 

Thoughts on the Passage

Two things we see here:

1. People who are afraid of the presence of God; and 

2. Moses, who chooses to enter the presence of God.

We see a massive transformation with Moses. Moses at the burning bush was afraid of God’s presence and hid his face. Now Moses goes into the presence of God on behalf of people too frightened to come near to God.

For anyone who has never been in a violent storm, what Israel faced was scary. Smoke and fire, thunder and lightning, violent shaking of the mountain, the blast of a trumpet and hearing the voice of God filled their hearts with fear. Their fear was well-founded. God takes His holiness seriously and requires that His people (all mankind) do as well. God did this so that they would never become complacent with His presence – they would always remember that God is holy and powerful.

I want to talk more about Moses though. Over the next series of devotionals, we see Moses in the presence of God or releasing what he received in the presence of God to God’s people. Moses moved from just leading God’s people to becoming God’s spokesman for the people. This required that Moses become intimately connected with the heart of God. How? 

First, time in His presence. Moses spent time with God – face to face. Moses had to get past his fear in order to seek His presence. 

Second, Moses had to learn the ways of God. He had to move past just knowing the great power of God and learn why God does what He does. That can only happen by taking time with God face to face. 

Third, Moses must learn how to take that knowledge of God’s heart and transfer it faithfully to God’s people. We will always add a bit of ourselves to any message we give – so our heart must look EXACTLY like God’s heart for us to faithfully give His message to others. 

Fourth, Moses is changing through this time. The things Moses is learning from His time with God is making him into another man. This transformation enables Moses to not only wait in God’s presence, but to want to stay there.

It is a journey that we need to watch closely – and desire it for ourselves as well.

Application to our Life

How has the fear of God changed our lives? What does it cause us to do in God’s presence? 

Have we allowed the fear of God move us into His presence? Have we become satisfied with His acts of power and authority, or have we longed to know His heart? It takes time in His presence!

Time to Pray
Father, this is why I want to look at the life of Moses – he was able to push past the point where the rest of us stop. He allowed the passion of Your presence to drive him past the storms, the shaking world, or the thundering noises and go to the place where he met You. That is where I want to go. Help me get there I pray. It is a journey – a lifetime journey. It needs to start by watching how this man did it and seeing the cost of it in his life. It is watching how You – my heavenly Father – transformed Moses as he waited there. Give me eyes to see and a heart to desire the same for myself. In Jesus' name, Amen.