WHOM WILL
YOU SEND WITH ME?
Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have
not let me know whom you will send with me (Genesis 33: 12)
The Israelites were brought out of Egypt through
many mighty miracles. Two months after leaving Egypt they had reached the Sinai
desert. It is on Sinai Mountain that God had given the ten commandments and various
other laws. God called Moses to climb up the Sinai Mountain to receive the
stone tablets containing the ten commandments that was inscribed by God
Himself. While Moses was on top of the mountain, arrangements for a grave sin
was going on at the base of the Mountain. Aaron had made a golden calf and the
Israelites were thrilled with their new god that was going to lead them through
the desert.
Make us gods who will go before us:
The
Israelites request to Aaron was specific, “We want gods who will go before us!”
(Exodus 32:1). What is surprising is that, just few days before, God had spoken
directly with the Israelites. They had seen the lightning, smoke, fire and
heard the thunder and a loud trumpet sound that they had trembled (Exodus
19:10-19). Then why did the Israelites ask Aaron to make gods to go before
them? The reason could be, before camping at Sinai, they had camped at Rephidim
where they did not have water to drink. There they had contended with Moses and
they had tested the Lord to see whether God was among them or not (Exodus
17:1-7). So, God had let his intention known to Moses that he would send an
Angel to go before them (Exodus 23:20-23). God will not go before
them! This could be the reason why the Israelites told Aaron to make
gods that will go before them.
The Lord’s Anger Burns:
God
called Moses to climb up the Sinai mountain to receive the stone tablets
inscribed by God. But at the base of the mountain, Aaron had made a new god, a
golden calf for the Israelites. They were sure that this new god would lead
them through the desert. But up in Sinai Mountain, God’s anger was burning
against them. God wanted to destroy them and make Moses into a great nation.
But Moses interceded for them and God spared them. But God once again made
his stand clear, He will not go before them (Exodus 33:2,3).
The Tabernacle of Meeting:
Moses took a tent
pitched it away from the camp and he called it the “Tabernacle of Meeting”. Perhaps
he didn’t want any interruption in the presence of God or any hindrance from
the camp that would stop the pillar of cloud from descending. The Tabernacle of
Meeting was a place where God descended to speak with Moses, not in an ordinary
way. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks with a friend
(Exodus 33:7-11). It was on the basis of this friendship that Moses proceeded
to ask something of God!
You have not let me know whom you will send with
me:
Moses went to speak with God and said, “You are telling me to
lead these people, but you have not let me know whom you will send with me!” But
is it true that God did not tell Moses, whom he is going to send? No. God had
already told him twice, God was going to send an Angel who would go
before them (Exodus 23:20; 33:2). But for Moses that was as good as not having
an answer. Moses was not willing to have an angel go before the Israelites
and lead them.
Moses even reminded God that, He had told him that he had
found grace in his eyes. So, Moses asked God to let him know His ways. Moses
requested God to share about his plans for the Israelite people. Moses is once
again summoning God’s promise that was made to him so that he could know what
was in store for his people.
My Presence will go with you:
As a close friend reading the desires of his or her friend’s
heart, God had read the heart of Moses. God did not tell Moses, I have already
told you whom I will send with you. Of course, God could not tell that to
someone who had found favour in His eyes. So God made the ultimate
declaration, “My Presence will go with you and I will give you rest.” (Exodus
33:14) Moses caught that promise and he let his heart known to God, “If
your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”
Moses let God knew that he wanted nothing less than the very
presence of God. Moses was even willing to let the Israelites make their home
at the Sinai desert and stay there forever, if God did not go before them. An
angel would not suffice. But the very presence of God. God had already seen Moses’
restless heart that could not bear the idea of God not going along with them.
That’s why God told him, “My presence will go with you and I will give you
rest!”
God changed His heart (also read Exodus 33:2 & 34:11). Previously
God said that His Angel would chase the heathen nations, but after Moses’
request, God said that He himself would chase them away.
For Moses it was not enough that God was descending on the
Tabernacle of Meeting and speaking to him like a friend, he wanted God to go before
the people of Israel. It was not enough if he had found grace in the eyes of
the Lord, but he wanted grace for the people of Israel also! Dear men and women
of God, today ask God whom He is going to send with you, remind about the
promises made to you and rest not till He says, “My presence will go with you
and I will give you rest!”
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