How to Talk to Friends

O. T. #247  "How to Talk to Friends"
March 17, 2014
Exodus 33-Part 2
The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.  Exodus 33:11

LET IT GLOW

When I was a child, we had a rotary dial phone connected to a party line. When I wanted to  talk to a friend, I had to make sure the line was clear. On a party line, neighbors could hear our conversation and we could hear theirs, just by being on the phone at the same time. So the best way to talk with my friends was face to face, if it was a private conversation.
Today, we have several means of communication-text, cell phone, email, land phone, Facebook, and snail mail (an envelop with a stamp). Moses did not have those modern technologies, as he talked with God. Read on to find out about their communication back in the Old Testament days.

Moses took the tent of meeting, the tabernacle, the Tabernacle of the congregation, as it was called, and pitched it outside the camp some distance away. There he set it up. It was used only for one purpose-a place to meet with God. And that is where Moses met with God. When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses.
Verse 7b says, Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp.
Yet, we only read of Moses and Joshua going inside. Were the people too scared to enter, although they were allowed? Where was Aaron?

The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. (verse 11)

Face to face may mean in open, apparent ways rather than through dreams and visions (Num.12:6-8); or it may include seeing the similitude (temunah in Hebrew) of the Lord. (Falwell)

Similitude means manifestation; likeness. (Strong's Concordance)

So I wonder if Moses conversed with Jesus in human form? Guess I can ask him one day in heaven.

Do we have a special tent, a room, a church building, a special place where we meet with God?


LET IT GROW

Do you recall that 3,000 of the Israelites who worshiped the golden calf idol died by the swards of the Levites. (God instructed them to do so.) Those who lived, I call survivors.
Can you imagine how these people felt experiencing such an event and living? Wouldn't it shake us up, wake us up, stand us up? God holds our life in the palms of His hands.

What did the surviving people do?

• All the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. (verse 8)
• Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. (verse 10)

Do we stand at the reading of God's Word, showing respect? How do we show respect to our pastor?
Do we stand when he enters the worship service?

LET IT GO

...of any idols or things which are more important than God.
...of my pride.
...of my time and spend it with God.
...and show respect to the men of God.