“But when you heard the voice from the heart of the darkness, while the mountain was blazing with fire, all your tribal leaders and elders came to me. They said, ‘Look, the Lord our God has shown us His glory and greatness, and we have heard His voice from the heart of the fire. Today we have seen that God can speak to us humans, and yet we live! But now, why should we risk death again? If the Lord our God speaks to us again, we will certainly die and be consumed by this awesome fire. Can any living thing hear the voice of the living God from the heart of the fire as we did and yet survive? Go yourself and listen to what the Lord our God says. Then come and tell us everything He tells you, and we will listen and obey.’ “The Lord heard the request you made to me. And He said, ‘I have heard what the people said to you, and they are right. Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear Me and obey all My commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever.”
Deuteronomy 5:23-29 NLT
“He made known His ways unto Moses, His acts unto the children of Israel.”
Psalms 103:7 KJV
Have you ever invited someone to come inside, move closer, move toward the front, get a better view, and they responded “ no thank you, I’m good right here? “ You try to explain why it would be better if they did move forward a little, but they stubbornly insisted they’re ok where they are. As frustrating as their response may be, that’s their right. We cannot make people do what we want even if it’s for their own good. It’s obvious that the Israelites didn’t die when they witnessed the presence of God, but now they’re pulling back on an assumption. Running away instead of drawing near. Nearness comes with accountability, that’s why most Christians won’t draw near.
God has the same problem with us as He did with Israel. Some folks are just satisfied with the periphery, close enough to know what’s going on and reap the benefits but far enough away to not be committed. You cannot know the ways of God from a distance. There’s no long distance learning experience here. You have to come near.
The children of Israel, instead of embracing the nearness of God, wanted a middle man. Moses tried to explain what God was wanting to do, but their response was, “you go near and come back and tell us what He says.” God understood their fear, but He wanted reverential fear not dread. God said “if only they would have hearts to reverence me like this always. Then their descendants would prosper always.” What was He saying? The fear or awe they’re showing now would serve them well, then they wouldn’t sin against Me. But that was short lived as we all know.
Consequently, we read that all they knew was what He could do, but never knew who He was or His ways. The ways of God are the heart of God His very nature and character. Most of us only know Him by what He does, that’s not bad in and of itself, but it makes us beggars not sons and daughters. This is the main reason why we mistake His will as meanness when it doesn’t align with our plans. We learned last week in our Bible study that He will use whatever means necessary to get us where He needs us to be. If you don’t know His ways, you’ll see His corrections as harsh, you’ll misunderstand His motives. Moses knew Him. He had a face to face relationship with Him. He was able to speak God’s heart to Israel.
God desires closeness with His children, so much so that He sent Jesus. Jesus told Phillip that to see Him was to see God the Father. Jesus demonstrated the ways of God by doing and saying only what He heard and saw of His Father. Most of us shy away from sharing our faith because what we know of God is not based on a friendship or relationship with God but one of convenience, what you can get. He’s the God who meets needs, parts the sea, subdues our enemies, heals our diseases these are all acts. But who is He? He’s more than what He does. How would we feel if our children just took from us but never wanted nearness to us? Unfortunately there are some kids today that if you were to ask them who their parents were they couldn’t tell you. But God isn’t missing, He’s ever present. He’s always wanting us to draw near. I said last week that blessing without obedience leads to carnality, a gimme attitude. That’s what happens when we become leeches instead of enjoying face to face fellowship. Leeches are never satisfied. They take but never give.
It is important that we do not become content with the substance of God's gifts, blessings, and miracles and fail to acquire a relationship with the giver of those gifts, blessings, and miracles. As exciting as our experiences in God may be, they should never become a substitute for a relationship with God. God describes the difference between His relationship with Moses and that of even the other prophets of his day:
Hear now My words: if there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream. Not so, with My servant Moses, he is faithful in all My household; with him I speak mouth to mouth, even openly, and not in dark sayings, and he beholds the form of the Lord." (Numbers 12:6-8)
God in Christ desires to speak with us face to face. No middleman. Knowing His ways, nature and character is born out of closeness, an exchange of affection. Can you imagine being married to someone you never got to know? Or being in a marriage where one partner is more a taker than a giver? That relationship wouldn’t last long. God said draw near to Him and He’ll draw near to us. Get to know His face more than His hands.
The difference between knowing God’s works and knowing God’s ways is the difference between rest and relapse.
Israel found no rest in the wilderness even though they “saw My works forty years” (Hebrews 3:9). They only saw what God did. “So I sware in My wrath, They shall not enter into My rest” (v. 11). But Moses knew something the rest of Israel did not know. He had insight into God’s character. Moses knew God’s ways.
If all you see are the works of God, then you don’t have that intimacy. But when you know the ways of God, to know Him is to love Him, to love Him is to trust Him, to trust Him is to obey Him, and to obey Him is to be blessed. Therein lies our rest. We enter Into His rest when we know His ways. Why wasn’t Moses terrified by the presence of God? He knew the fire wasn’t meant to destroy but to demonstrate nearness. God knew they’d be terrified but He spoke His heart through Moses. Whenever angels showed up their first words were peace do not be afraid. When Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to the disciples He spoke peace. When you know His ways, even if He shows up by fire, your heart will be at peace.
I recall one morning in prayer when I saw the hand of an angel with a sheet of paper and I heard Him say “write.” My eyes were closed but I saw the vision. I said, “Lord if this is of you I shouldn’t be afraid.” The fear lifted and He repeated, “write!” and proceeded to give me a message for my church at that time. I wrote the entire message with my eyes closed. Then He left and I opened my eyes. It was written perfectly as though my eyes were opened.
The nearness of God opens up opportunities for the supernatural. He has so much that He desires to share with us. Seek His ways, trust His heart, see His hands.
Holy Father, when I can’t see Your hands I can trust Your heart. You’re the best thing that ever happened in my life. Where would I be without You? I embrace Your presence, I welcome Your chastening because it speaks of Your love for me. Your nearness is my comfort, joy and delight. In the face of my Savior I behold You. Face to face is how we meet and I’m blessed. I love You Lord with every breath. In Jesus Name. Amen
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant