Faithful Friday Faves: Exodus

Posted a tad early by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock."- Ex. 33:21

Of all the gems in Exodus, this is the one that jumped out at me this week. So literal: God placed Moses on the rock as He passed by...and so prophetic: on Christ, the solid Rock, *I* stand (I suppose if you didn't grow up in a hymn-singing church, you might not recognize that..)

God has a place near Him where I can stand on a Rock.

Because I'm purposely limiting myself to the Faithful Fave scripture reference, I'm not gonna dig into 'Rock'...but if you get some time, pull out your concordance and see what significance attends the word 'rock'.

That episode in Moses' life has always intrigued me; he secured the promise of God's presence for the entire journey of the Israelites, then he actually asked God to allow him to see His glory.

And God said No. Not because He wouldn't allow it, but because Moses physically couldn't endure it.

But I wondered...do you suppose God just postponed it?

I wrote the following after doing the Bible Study Fellowship study on the Life of Moses, back in the spring of 2002. (I posted it on the sewing blog in Jan. of '08, but I think it fits so well I'll repost it here)


Crossing Over

I was foolish when I was young; I ran from my folly and hid until he called me.
I was yet foolish when he called me – “Send someone else!”
But he would not. Instead he gave me my own staff,
a charge to bring his people out of slavery,
and a promise to be with me.
And he told me his name, and I went.

Only one request of mine did he deny –
to blot out my name from his book
if the people’s sin was unforgivable.
But he said no – those who sinned against him
would be blotted out of the book
I could not substitute my name for theirs—
And the people suffered a plague for what they had done.

Only one request did he partly fulfill –
‘Show me your glory!’ I begged,
Desiring to see at last the face behind the voice
To know even as I was known.
But he said he would show me his goodness instead,
For no man could look on his face and live—
And he proclaimed his name as he passed by the shelter he gave me.
I saw only his back, and it was too wondrous to describe.

All the rest he granted. Every last one.
He sent the plagues on Egypt, gave us water when there was none,
Sent his own presence with us, healed my sister…year after year,
What I asked for, he gave. You’d think the people would’ve noticed the pattern.
But each hardship seemed to confuse their memory—
Egypt, they remembered as a place of comfort and plenty (They were slaves!)
The miraculous provision they’d had since they left there they remembered not at all.
I finally lost my temper and hit the rock. Twice.
He had told me to simply speak.
What can I say? I was wrong.

At the very end, I asked one more favor -- to be allowed to go in and see the land beyond the Jordan.
But that request only made him angry; I will get no special dispensation.
I must bear the consequences of my own sin…just like the rest of my generation.
So now I am foolish in my old age, and Joshua will lead the people into their inheritance.

It has been a long walk from Egypt.
One more walk up the mountain to gaze into the land I on which I will never walk.
It is a good land, and green. If the people learn obedience, they will do well there.

Here I am. Yes, Lord, I remember asking to see your glory.
Do you mean NOW?

Ah, my Lord and my God! The glory! The glory! The glory…!

But, you said no one could see your face and live…
Why are you laughing?
I did?

Oh. I hadn’t noticed.