Before Jesus came to earth as the Messiah and Savior of the world, He was known by the children of Israel as the Lord God Almighty, or the great 1“I Am”. 1“God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.” (Exodus 3:14) Even Jesus said that 3“before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58) Moses was one of these people that knew Him and had the opportunity to be in God’s awesome presence. One special time came when the Lord was delivering unto Moses His commandments. All throughout his time with Him, did He hear His voice and be in the midst of Him. However, it wasn’t until the Lord told Moses to bring with him 2“Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off,” (Exodus 24:1) that something even more amazing happened. Because Moses went and told the people of God’s commandments and they 2“said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do,” (Exodus 24:3) this is when the heavens were opened up to them. Their willingness to follow God and to give an offering to Him showed their love towards Him. And so it was that after Moses sprinkled a part of the blood sacrifice onto the people, that God’s elect were made manifest. These people were then able to take part in something truly amazing. It was then that 2“Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel” (Exodus 24:9) went up near the mountain. 2“And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.” (Exodus 24:9,10) Wow, what a time to see the Lord Jesus in all His glory.
How awesome is our God! This story of God’s people being in God’s presence is amazing. However, it only gets better from here. It reads, that 2“upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.” (Exodus 24:11) Therefore, God’s hand were only upon those that were in His presence. These were God’s servants, who were able to sit down with Him and have supper with their King. Much like Jesus did for His disciples, there was most likely bread and wine there also. However, no matter what they were able to eat or drink with God, it must have been amazing in every sense of the word. It was then that they worshipped God. They had experienced something that is lifechanging and there were praises to give unto their God. As the night continued, 2“the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.” (Exodus 24:12) God’s laws were soon to be written on these tablets of stone. Which would help them remember God. So 2“Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount. And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud. And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.” (Exodus 24:15-17) What a sight to see and to experience God’s presence! The fire of the Holy Spirit was over Moses. Praise God, that He was worthy. If you are not worthy, then repent! The Lord is waiting.
Let us pray:
Oh Lord, it is truly awesome to be here in Your presence. You are oh so glorious in every sense of the word and to be here with You now is amazing. All the praises and honor to Your holy Name. I worship You, God. Thank You for giving me direction in this life and for leading me away from it evil and to do what is righteous. It is because of the cross that my life is changed. You have saved me through Your blood. What a merciful and forgiving God, You are. Thank You for Your love and compassion. You have breathed upon me the Spirit, and it has taught me what is right and what is wrong in Your sight. So I give You thanks. Thank You for teaching me Your laws, that they may be upon my heart continually. Without Your wisdom and knowledge, I am left wondering in this world. I have nothing to give me clarity on the situations I am in, without Your presence with me. So I ask that You make Your home in my life. Abide with me Jesus. My whole heart desires to be with You and to no longer be overtaken by temptation. Your ways mean more to me than the temporary satisfaction I get with sin and addictions. I don’t need any more things in my life that leave me feeling guilt and empty. What I want is to be on Your path that leads to heaven. So lead me now, off of the path of destruction and onto Your righteous path, which leads to eternal life. I love You Lord. You are my God, and I will serve You and You alone. All my heart, mind, and strength, I give to building up Your kingdom. May You do many good things through my life. I am Your servant and am ready to do work in Your kingdom. Surely, living for You is the best feeling a person can get. Nothing is greater than to experience Your blessings in my life. Thank You God. I praise You, my King. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Exodus 3:1-14 (KJV)
1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.
2 And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
4 And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.
6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
7 And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.
11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?
12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.
13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
14 And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.
2Exodus 24 (KJV)
1 And he said unto Moses, Come up unto the Lord, thou, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship ye afar off.
2 And Moses alone shall come near the Lord: but they shall not come nigh; neither shall the people go up with him.
3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the Lord hath said will we do.
4 And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.
5 And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord.
6 And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
7 And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.
8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.
9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
12 And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have written; that thou mayest teach them.
13 And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.
14 And he said unto the elders, Tarry ye here for us, until we come again unto you: and, behold, Aaron and Hur are with you: if any man have any matters to do, let him come unto them.
15 And Moses went up into the mount, and a cloud covered the mount.
16 And the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
17 And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.
3John 8:31-59 (KJV)
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
37 I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
39 They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?
49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me.
50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.
51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.
53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
