Seven Lessons We Can Learn From the Israelites and Their Journey Through the WildernessSample

His Presence

Moses was well acquainted with God’s presence. He would spend days in the presence of God receiving messages to relay to the Israelites. He even asked to see God’s glory and God passed before Him. He was a friend of God, and, unlike the Israelites, He had a close and personal relationship with Him. The Israelites shied away from the presence of God out of fear. 

God’s presence is His greatest gift to us as Believers. We get to be infilled with the very presence of God. In Exodus, the Israelites were instructed how to build the tabernacle of God so that God’s presence would have somewhere to reside, to meet with them, and be among them as His people. Only the priests and a few chosen people entered the holy of holies where God’s presence resided. They had to go through a cleansing process before entering in, and they even had a rope tied to them in case they displeased the Lord or they didn’t follow the requirements for being in the holy of holies and were killed in His presence. The glory of God and His presence are not something to be trifled with. 

We can so easily take this for granted now. The Israelites had to go to great lengths to be in the presence of the Lord before Jesus came and died to cover our sins and make us right before God once and for all. Now we can enjoy the presence of God at all times. There is nothing like being in the presence of the Lord! Israel had many opportunities to meet with God, but sadly chose to stay at a distance and let Moses go and meet with Him for them. 

How does the fact that you are now the temple of the Holy Spirit and have access to His very presence at all times change your day-to-day life? Do you relish knowing that His presence which fills and sustains you is the greatest gift we have been given? 

Prayer: Thank You, God, that You have given us Your presence without measure. Help me to never take for granted how close You are at all times and what Your presence means in my life. Thank You that You transform me in Your presence to be just like You. What an amazing gift Your presence is to me!