Exodus 33:14-16 (NKJV) 14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”
Yesterday we found that rebellion and unbelief had stolen even more from Israel than their destiny. It had stolen their identity as God’s people. They still had a covenant and God was going to honor that covenant by giving them the Promised Land. God had not disowned them but because of rebellion, they did not see themselves as God’s people.
In our day, we see a similar situation in 1 John 1:8-10. John tells us that when we confess our sins God is not only faithful and just to forgive our sins but he also cleanses us from all unrighteousness. Every Christian sins sometime. When we sin, it does not negate the righteousness that we received in salvation due to Jesus’ sacrifice. It does cause us to lose our sense of righteousness, or right standing with God. We know something is wrong and we are hindered in our ability to enter God’s presence or receive from his Word. When we confess our sin, Jesus cleanses us from that sense of separation.
Today I want to look at something else in this story. I use this often in teaching leaders. I believe it is one of the most important lessons we can learn either as leaders or as followers. Moses did not want success unless he could have the presence of God as well.
Think about what Moses has seen up to this point in the story of Israel. He was raised in Pharaoh’s house. He was educated in the ways of Egypt. He had tried and failed to help his people. He was exiled to the desert under threat of death. After forty years, God himself appeared to him in the burning bush. God gave him a calling, empowered him, gave him help and sent him to deliver Israel from Egypt.
He was the vehicle God used to bring the ten plagues on Egypt causing the Pharaoh to set God’s people free. He saw the crossing of the Red Sea. He watched as God dried the land in the midst of the walls of water when he raised his staff. He presided over Israel with pillars of fire and cloud as his ministers. He saw Manna fall from the sky and water flow from a rock. He watched as Israel’s shoes and clothes never wore out for forty years. Think of the power this man has seen.
He stood before the almighty as Israel rebelled in the valley below. Instead of God holding him accountable for the behavior of the people, which is what every leader understands to be right, he says he will destroy the people and start again with Moses. Moses intercedes for the people and God, because of Moses’ faith, is able to preserve the innocent among the guilty. In this chapter, God tells Moses, “I am going to give you success, but I cannot allow my presence to go with you because these people are so stiff-necked I would end up destroying them.
Moses might have said, “I understand. They are a tough bunch. Leave them to me God. I have gotten them this far, I can handle it from here.” Moses did not say that. Instead he says just the opposite.
There is a focus in the church and especially among leaders on success. One minister made a career out of preaching on “Success in Life.” Do not misunderstand me. I believe God wants to give us success in life but I wonder if our definition of success and God’s is always the same. What is an acceptable cost for success? For too many of my brothers and sisters, outward success becomes the goal. I believe it should be the result of something not the goal.
When success is the goal, we will find that we do things we probably should not in order to get it. When success is the goal, once we attain it we will tend to do whatever is necessary to keep it. I do not believe success alone is a worthy goal for a Christian, be he leader or not. I believe we see this in Moses.
He had seen success. He had seen God do miraculous things through him. He was right with God. God had endorsed him to the degree that that he was willing to start the whole process that was to end in the birth of the Messiah over again with Moses as the father of the nation. Moses showed his character by refusing the offer because it would bring less glory to God.
Now, Israel has crossed a line and even Moses’ intercession seems to be inadequate to save them. God will give them the Promised Land. His presence will not go with them. Moses can have success but he must have it without the presence of God.
I wonder what I would say in Moses’ place. I hope I would respond just as he did. Many are saying, “That sounds good. Bring on the success. Once we get it, we will try and fit the presence of God in.” Of course, that is impossible.
Moses says to God, “You say you are giving me the land, but you have not told me who will go with me.” I do not believe Moses is asking this question because of some doubt as to his ability to succeed in taking the land. God promised him he would give it to them and Moses did not doubt the promise of God. There was something else on Moses’ heart.
God says, “Alright Moses. My Presence will go with you.” Moses response is a statement that should guide all of our lives. “If your presence does not go with us, we do not want to go.” In other words, “Lord, without your presence I don’t want success.”
One of the ways we guard against any foothold of rebellion or unbelief is to have the heart that Moses had. He tells the Lord that success that does not glorify God is no success at all. When we cultivate that kind of attitude, we will have the success we need and the presence of God. The success may not be what we envisioned, but it will be success that blesses us and brings glory to God as well.
The presence of God is the true path to success without which we have nothing. Jesus gave us a scripture that says much the same thing.
Matthew 6:31-33 (NKJV) 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Seek the Kingdom of God first in your life. Make His presence a priority above success. If you do, faith will flow, unbelief will flee from you and rebellion will find no place in your life.
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