Friday, July 22, 2011
Read: Exodus 40, Deuteronomy 34
You have finally come to the end of God’s detailed instructions for Tabernacle construction! And you have made it to the end of RevoDevos. Well done.
At the end of Exodus 39 a very touching passage is shared: “The Israelites had done all the work just as the LORD had commanded Moses. Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the LORD had commanded. So Moses blessed them.” (vs.42-43).
And in Exodus 40 we see God rewarding faithfulness with the blessing of His presence. “Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.” (vs.34-38).
Isn’t it interesting that when God’s glory entered the Tabernacle they had just finished building that there was no room for anyone else (v.35)? Not even Moses could squeeze in there!
And then in Deuteronomy 34 we witness the death of God’s Revolutionary. Honestly, this is one of the most beautiful portions of scripture that I know. At 120 years old Moses climbs to the top of a mountain and God shows him all the land that was promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Deuteronomy 34:4). The land that Moses had started a Revolution to possess.
“And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone.” (vs.5-7). Wait a second, who buried Moses? That’s right, God buried him. Isn’t that insane? God was faithful to Moses from birth to death even going so far as to bury His Revolutionary. But the Revolution doesn’t die with Moses.
The Revolution continues in verse nine: “Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses.” Joshua was mentored and discipled by Moses for exactly this purpose: to continue the work of the Lord, to continue the Revolution. Every good Revolutionary makes sure that there are other Revolutionaries to fight with them and replace them when needed.
Process:
God honors those who are faithful. But through thick and thin he loves us. He showed his love to Moses by calling him, leading him, fulfilling his promises to him, and later at the end of it all, burying him. What have you learned this summer about the way God loves? Do you still want a Revolution? What are you going to do about it?