Thurs.’s Devo - Dwelling With God

Read Ex. 33:4-11 God called Israel a “stiff-necked” people and because of this he said he would not dwell with them or he might get so mad he killed them all. Instead, he would send an Angel to go before them. What a rebuke! At least they took it hard and mourned. God had told them to take off their costumes they had made for their orgy. They probably looked like Bourbon Street during Marti Gras. Then Moses picked up the tabernacle of God and pitched it outside the camp. This was to be a visible picture to the children of Israel to see that God had moved outside the camp. The people would watch Moses walk out to the tabernacle and once he entered in, a cloud would descend and stand at the door of the tabernacle and God would talk to Moses there. This picture would evoke the people watching to rise up and worship God also. Joshua was with Moses wherever he went. He was on the mountain when God gave Moses the commandments and now he is in the tabernacle with him. Even though he watched from afar, he was learning from his great mentor, Moses how to lead the people and how to communicate with God. When Moses would leave to go home, Joshua stayed. He must have lived in the tabernacle, always in the presence of the Lord. No wonder he grew up to be such a great leader and was the one to lead them into the Promised Land. Moses was the epitome of the law - which took a conscious effort to be in God’s presence. Joshua is the epitome of a child living in the promise land. He lived in the presence of the Lord, and never left it. Lord, give us a heart to want to dwell in the midst of your presence all day long like Joshua.