face to face with God

 

Moses life is challenging me as I have been reading a survey of the Old Testament.  In the book of Numbers the story is told of how Moses' brother, Aaron, and his sister, Miriam, were jealous of Moses.  They tried to undercut his authority and started rumors about him because he had a wife that was not from Israel.  It appears they wanted a bigger piece of the leadership action and they didn't mind stepping on Moses to do it.  But the amazing thing, to me, is that they have forgotten that God sees them in all their pettiness.  How is it that they could so easily forget that the same God who delivered them from Egypt, split the Red Sea, and just then had provided meat miraculously could see what they were doing to harm Moses?  I love what the Lord says about Moses during this situation: Numbers 12:3 "(Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)"  Wow...here is the man God has used so powerfully to save His people and yet it has not gone to his head.  Moses has reacted to God's reality by allowing self to diminish and God to increase.  I really enjoyed the discipline session the Lord had with Aaron and Miriam.  Look at Numbers 11:4-9 

 4 At once the LORD said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, "Come out to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you." So the three of them came out. 5 Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them stepped forward, 6 he said, "Listen to my words:
       "When a prophet of the LORD is among you,
       I reveal myself to him in visions,
       I speak to him in dreams.   

 7 But this is not true of my servant Moses;
       he is faithful in all my house.

 8 With him I speak face to face,
       clearly and not in riddles;
       he sees the form of the LORD.
       Why then were you not afraid
       to speak against my servant Moses?"

 9 The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he left them.

The thought that strikes me is that we have the same privilege Moses had of knowing God face to face.   This was purchased for us by Jesus and available for us by faith.  Why should we let any petty problems or trivial ambitions prevent us from the high-quality face to face relationship the God intends us to have with Him?

blessings,

Rob Smith

http://2daysthought.blogspot.com/