Exodus 33:21-23 "In the Cleft of the Rock"

Title: “In the Cleft of the Rock” Text:  Exodus 33:21-23 Theme: The believer’s joy and Security   Exodus 33:21-23 21And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 22And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 23And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.   Introduction:  • Who: Moses   • What: The journey to the promised land is resumed. (The joy and security of the believer)   • Where: Sinai   • When: 1446 B.C (Timeline of Events) - The 10 commandments are given - The Law is given - The Tabernacle instructions given - The Golden Calf: Moses goes up to Mt. Sinai to commune with God, Israel fashions a golden calf and there is Disciplinary Judgment. There is confession and intercession. - (Chapter 33) God commands Moses to resume the journey to the promised land.   Exodus 33:1 1And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:   • Why: Deliver Israel out of the Wilderness - Wilderness: A time of testing and trials - Jesus; Elijah; Abraham; Jacob; David. All had a wilderness experience. - Canaan: Is a type of rest. It is not God’s Will we stay in the wilderness. He wants us to enter that joy and rest here on earth. o Reactions: Exodus 33:1-11   God commands Moses to leave the wilderness and resume. He promises Him that He will send an Angel with them and that He will drive out their enemies from within the land.   They are still wearing ornaments of the heathen gods and God tells them to remove them or they are going to be consumed. (idolatry and the dangers of it)   Moses pitches the tabernacle outside of the camp (still under construction) and enters. This is where the cloudy pillar fills the tabernacle and Moses talks with God. Like friends speak to each other face to face, God spoke to Moses .   • How: Moses prays and God answers   It is not God’s Will for us to stay in the Wilderness. He wants us to enter Canaan and rest. He wants us to go to the next level in our Christian walk.   Moses knows that he needs God’s help on their journey to Canaan.   A. A Desire to know God v.12-15 - (Ex. 33:6 “stripped themselves of their ornaments) - Phil 3:10 “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;” - The desire to know God more is evidence that He is the Lord of our life and that there is no idolatry.   B. A Desire to live for God v.16,17 - Moses wants to be peculiar. Not to be strange (weird) but to stand out because God is leading them. He does not want them to wander off on their own, he desires God to lead them and because of God’s leadership and constant communion, they will stand out from all other nations. - Religion will stand out; legalism will stand out; extremist (you name it) but why do you stand out? We should be a peculiar people because we are people for God. STANDARDS ARE WORTHLESS IF WE ARE BREAKING GOD’S LAW AT THE SAME TIME. - Notice what God says in v.17 “for thou hast found Grace in my sight”    C. A Desire to see God v.18-20 - Moses is becoming very intimate with God and is now requesting to see God’s glory - Moses could not see God face to face but God is going to grant His request. The Glory mentioned is a representation of God. - TO BEHOLD THE GLORY OF GOD - Revelation 21:22-23 22And I saw no temple therein: for the LORD God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. - The request of Moses is the evidence of an intimate relationship with God. This is a Christian entering into Canaan. The place of Joy and Peace (Maturity) - “’ And he said I beseech thee, show me thy glory’ Pondering this verse next in the light of its immediate context, we are shown what is the sure product of intimate fellowship with God. The great Jehovah had condescended to draw very near to the one who had separated himself from evil, for we are told, "the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend" (v. 11). And what was the consequence of this upon Moses? Not only did he have freedom in supplicating His grace, but there was a holy longing to know more of Himself. Such is ever the outflow of real and close communion with God: the more we know of Him, the more we desire to know. The closer God deigns to draw near to His people, the more constrained are they to cry, - Pink, Arthur W.. Gleanings in Exodus - v. 19 – (I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee) This is a confirmation of his original call. (I am that I am) Exodus 3:15-15.  (be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy) There were those who are willing to follow and those who are still in rebellion. Moses is the mediator. There are those who God will be gracious to and give us what we need to get to the next step, and there are those who are in rebellion that He is merciful to. - V.20 – We cannot see God’s face and live - Do you want the immature wilderness Christian experience or the Mature Canaan experience (draw comparison)   - Key verses:  Exodus 33:21-23 21And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 22And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 23And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.   “This is most blessed. In order for sinful man to be able clearly to contemplate the Divine perfections of an infinitely righteous, holy God, it is necessary that he should be put into a place of security and peace. This God has, in His infinite condescension and grace, provided for us.”  -Pink, Arthur W.. Gleanings in Exodus     Outline: “In the Cleft of the Rock” Exodus 33:21-23 Cleft of the Rock define – “ a space or opening made by or as if by splitting” (Webster) Cleft of the Rock is a Christian who has entered into that rest, that joy and peace that only God can give. They want to know God and are learning more of Him, they want to live for God and are being set apart, they want to experience God’s glory and are in communion with Him. They have been placed in the cleft of the rock and have an experience like no other.   “A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, A wonderful Savior to me; He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, Where rivers of pleasure I see. He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, That shadows a dry, thirsty land; He hideth my life in the depths of His love, And covers me there with His hand.”  – Fanny Crosby   A special thank you to my Friend Michael Barnette for the song "All things new" and to my friend Dave Compton for the opening remarks. 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