Topical Bible: Communion With God: Moses

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Topical Encyclopedia

Moses, one of the most prominent figures in the Old Testament, is renowned for his unique and profound communion with God. His life and leadership are marked by direct encounters with the Divine, which shaped the course of Israelite history and provided a foundational understanding of God's covenant relationship with His people.

Early Encounters

Moses' communion with God began with a dramatic encounter at the burning bush. In Exodus 3:4-6 , God calls to Moses from the bush, saying, "Moses, Moses!" to which he responds, "Here I am." God reveals Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, commissioning Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. This initial encounter sets the stage for Moses' role as a mediator between God and His people.

Mount Sinai and the Giving of the Law

One of the most significant moments of communion between Moses and God occurs on Mount Sinai. In Exodus 19:20 , "The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the summit." Here, Moses receives the Ten Commandments and the Law, which would govern the Israelites' covenant relationship with God. Exodus 33:11 further emphasizes the intimacy of their relationship: "The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend."

The Tent of Meeting

Moses' communion with God is also evident in the Tent of Meeting, where he would go to seek God's guidance. Exodus 33:7-9 describes how Moses would enter the tent, and "the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses." This ongoing dialogue underscores the personal and direct nature of Moses' relationship with God.

Intercession for Israel

Moses' role as an intercessor is another aspect of his communion with God. In instances of Israel's rebellion, Moses pleads with God on behalf of the people. In Exodus 32:11-14 , after the sin of the golden calf, Moses implores God to relent from His anger, reminding Him of His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The LORD listens to Moses, demonstrating the power and effectiveness of his intercession.

The Glory of God

Moses' desire to know God more deeply is evident in his request to see God's glory. In Exodus 33:18-23 , Moses asks, "Please show me Your glory." God responds by allowing Moses to see His goodness and hear His name proclaimed, though He covers Moses with His hand to protect him from seeing His face. This encounter highlights the holiness of God and the privilege of Moses' unique access to the Divine presence.

Legacy of Communion

Moses' communion with God is a testament to the depth of relationship that can exist between God and His chosen servants. Deuteronomy 34:10-12 reflects on Moses' unparalleled relationship with God: "Since that time, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face." His life serves as an enduring example of faithful leadership, intercession, and the transformative power of divine communion.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 33:11-23
And the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Call of Moses
... It was not cowardice which prompted Moses' answer, but lowliness. ... but these hot days
were past, and age and solitude and communion with God had mellowed ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the call of moses.htm

Blessed and Tragic Unconsciousness
... Moses' experience teaches us that the loftiest beauty of character comes
from communion with God. That is the use that the Apostle ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/blessed and tragic unconsciousness.htm

A view of God's Glory
... Whence, then, came faith like this? How did Moses obtain so eminent a degree
of this virtue? Ah, beloved, it was by communion with God. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 54 1908/a view of gods glory.htm

Meditations of the Blessed State of a Regenerate Man in Heaven.
... 1. By a beatific vision of God. 2. By possessing an immediate communion with this
divine nature. ... All that God bestowed upon Moses could not satisfy ...
/.../bayly/the practice of piety/meditations of the blessed state.htm

If God Demands Obedience from Man, if He Formed Man, Called Him ...
... having need of nothing, but granting communion with Himself ... of sweet-smelling savours,
even before Moses existed. ... to persevere and to serve God, calling them ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xiv if god demands obedience.htm

'The Love of Thine Espousals'
... For the present, it warranted Moses in preparing for the morrow's ritual. ... The one
symbolised entire consecration; the other, communion with God on the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the love of thine espousals.htm

Why it was the Son of God, and not the Father or the Spirit, that ...
... of our communion with God (for what communion hath light ... people that He saved, as
when through Moses He divided ... was looked upon by them as their God: but now ...
/.../john/exposition of the orthodox faith/chapter iv why it was the.htm

Abraham
... This"this communion with God, is the especial glory ... his name through all generations,
The friend of God. ... Abraham may be (unless we except Moses) the greatest ...
/.../kingsley/the gospel of the pentateuch/sermon v abraham.htm

The Golden Calf
... Moses was so absorbed in his vocation that his life was ... if thereby Israel might continue
to be God's people. ... To die, whatever loss of communion with God that ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the golden calf.htm

Come Rest Awhile
... a place of retirement, where they could hold communion with Jesus ... their strength
was not in self, but in God. Like Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, like David ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/white/the desire of ages/chapter 38 come rest awhile.htm