When you go for a walk with someone, something unspoken happens unconsciously, either you adjust to their pace, or they adjust to yours.
A kid walking alone through a dark alley in the night will be afraid of the dark and scared of what might happen. But the same kid walking through the same alley with his parent in the dark feels less afraid and more confident that nothing will happen and that he will be fine. The assurance and confidence of this kid in the same situation are not only because he is no longer walking alone but because of who he is walking with.
Time and again, people have asked me questions like, “how did you do it?” “How do you do it?” “How did you get here?” “How do you keep going?” The lessons and dynamics of the story in this post have been an instructional guide for me and often, it is what comes up as the answer to these questions.
For context, this article is hinged on the promise God made to his people (the Israelites), the promise of a land flowing with milk and honey. Through series of encounters, using Moses as their leader, God delivered them from captivity in Egypt and was taking them to this Promised Land. At some point, the people of Israel felt that Moses was taking too long to come down from the mountain where he went to seek the face of God. Perhaps, he wouldn’t even make it back, so, they made themselves an idol of worship and called it their god. Consequently, the Lord commanded Moses to return to the people immediately. Expressing His disappointment, He did mention to Moses that He would destroy the people. However, Moses pleaded on their behalf and the following conversation took place. Reading the passage in Exodus 33:1-19 before you continue this post is highly recommended.
2I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 3 Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.”
When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn. I think the part that distressed them the most was God saying He will not be going with them.
11The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.
This is reflective of the kind of relationship Moses had with God. As a matter of fact, it was more of a face-to-face relationship. He always came down to meet with Moses. And Moses was always present to meet with Him.
12Moses 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. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.
Moses was asking this because he hasn’t been told who God was going to send with him. But I was surprised that Moses is asking a question to which the answer was obvious (in verses 2 and 3). But he wasn’t. In verse 3, God was speaking about the Israelites, their stubbornness, and who He will send with them (an angel, some random angel I suppose, I mean He didn’t even specify which angel).
In verses 12 and 13, Moses is asking about himself, he had a personal relationship with God, and he knows the integrity, difference, Holiness, and power of His presence. So, he was asking to know what His plan for him was. Especially for the people he has entrusted in his hands.
12bYou have said “I know you by name and you have found favor with me
This is another indication of the kind of relationship Moses had with God. “I know you by name,” coming from God, that is a lot. To know someone by name is to be acquainted or fully know someone (to know them in and out). As used in ancient Hebrew and the Old Testament, to “know” is more personal and intimate. It is used to show/indicate more than a surface relationship. It is to know by experience, to love, spend time with someone, to recognize, to be familiar with, to be acquainted with, to have a level of confidence in someone. Moses had a relationship with God, they’ve been pals, spent time together, sort of going out for fun, and regularly go out on dates, played together.
13If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you.
It was more like Moses saying, God, you know me, so shouldn’t I know you more? I want to know your ways and plans, teach me your ways so that I may know you.
13bRemember that this nation is your people”
I think it is safe to say, the people of Israel did not have the same personal relationship with God as Moses did. But they were the chosen people of God, and although if you come after them, it is like coming after the eyes of God, they didn’t have an intimate, direct, personal relationship with God, but Moses did.
And so, you can see how Moses brings that up here, he’s like “hey God, these guys are your nation, I mean, your people.” Your beloved people that you love so much, to extent of taking them to the Promised Land, keeping with your covenant with their ancestors.
I think Moses was really good at communicating with God, standing in the gap for the people. An incredible intercessor he was.
Moses wouldn’t realize the importance or what “a people of God” meant to God if he didn’t spend some time or have a close relationship with God.
How to be known by God, (how to know God)
The previous points also explain or shows two different kinds of people and the different kinds of relationship with God.
Moses – known by his name to God, found favor by God.
Israelite – The nation that is God’s chosen people.
Our relationship with God matters and it reflects or affects how we interact with God.
Prayer: know me Lord; let me be known by you Lord. Help me to know you Lord, More and more.
Maybe you used to be known by God, but now you are far off, you are no longer as close to Him as you used to be. Maybe your relationship now is like that of “a people chosen by God” and no longer personal. Or maybe you haven’t experienced this personal relationship before. And you do not experience being ‘known’ by God as discussed here. You can begin that relationship now.
14The Lord replied, my presence will go with you, and I will give you rest”
This is such an interesting conversation here, following Moses’ intercession, look at what God said. “My presence will go with you”
In that statement is a whole lot!
By his presence, He was saying something like “yes, Moses I will go with you”
Look at it this way; wonder why God didn’t just say “okay Moses, I will go with you”? Instead, He says, “my presence will go with you”?
It’s like saying my almightiness, the characteristic of me will go with you. I think “my presence” here signifies the display of the God-ness of God that will be going with Moses.
Something like; you know that thing that happens wherever I show up? That thing that happens wherever I am. Well, all of that is coming with you.
The presence of God is a deep, exciting concept to think of and experience.
In addition to the display, and company of his presence he promised to give Moses, rest. “And I will give you rest” I often wonder why God added that last part.
The other intriguing thing here is how specific God is; it was Moses He promised his presence. He said, “My presence will go with you.” Also, He did not say I will send my presence to go with you (but my presence will go with you.) which is ranked higher than “I will send an angel before you” considering that “I will send an angel with you, is also different from “I will send an angel before you”
“With you” and “before you”
If you consider both to have different implications, the difference is what I’m pointing out here and how reflective it is of God’s relationship with Moses.
15Then Moses said to him, if your presence does not go with us do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?
Like, “hey God if you don’t go with us then what’s the proof that you are pleased with me and with your people.” Again, you see Moses starting with his relationship with God, then to the people’s relationship with God. God, I wasn’t expecting less than that, I mean if you don’t come with us, if your presence does not go with us, then are we not the same as the rest of the world? Your presence is what sets us apart from every other person on the face of the earth.
Also notice how Moses said to Him, “if your presence does not go with ‘us’?” He said if your presence does not go with “us”, not “me”.
Moses had a deep understanding of his relationship with God and even more, he knows the workings of God. He knew if God sends him His presence, then his presence will actively go with the people of Israel whom God has entrusted him to lead, so he uses his personal relationship to intercede on behalf of God’s people.
Moses also understood that the presence of God, the God factor is the ultimate/outstanding differentiator between them (the Israelites and himself) and the rest of the world. He understood this was the only thing that makes the ultimate difference. And a big difference it makes indeed.
17And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked because I am pleased with you, and I know you by name.
The smoothness of the conversation just amazes me, and it reflects the deep understanding of God’s principle by Moses, which is in play here. God said He will do exactly as Moses asked because He is pleased with Moses, and He knows him by name. This is so important; God is stressing the significance of “knowing Moses by name” again. Even more interesting is the fact that this is the reason He is doing what Moses has asked. “I know you by name”
18Then Moses said “Now show me your glory”
I will not stop being amazed by this conversation and the revelation of the kind of person Moses was in his understanding of God. His drive for more intimacy, hunger and desire for God continuously amazes me. Certainly, Moses knew that all these build trust, confidence, and strengthens relationship with God.
Conclusion
If you are walking alone or even with a friend say about your age through the street of a dangerous neighborhood where people often get mugged, you’d be afraid of being mugged. Because you possibly could. But say you are walking the same street with the most powerful, muscular, and influential person from that neighborhood, you will have zero fear and chance of being mugged. Not only because you are walking with someone but because of the person walking with you.
God is the best travel buddy you can travel with, and having Him in your court is all the difference you need. It gives you all the assurance you need, provides the strength you need, and points you in the direction of the work that should be done especially if you have a personal relationship with Him.
Maybe like the Israelite, you have been chosen but you do not have the personal relationship of Moses with Him. In practice, it can be a difficult thing to maintain but making sure that you journey with Him always is key and can make all the difference you need to stay the course.
So, If you are looking to start this journey and relationship with Him, and maintaining it, try going out on dates together and as often as possible.
