JESUS and Speaking Face to Face (Ex.33-34)

God desires a personal relationship with each and everyone of us.  This is demonstrated in the way that Jesus of the Old Testament meets with Moses to talk...

(Exodus 33:9-11)  Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the Lord would speak with Moses. 10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. 11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. 

Something so cool, and difficult to imagine, but the Bible gives a bit of the conversation in this chapter.  Here is a portion of it...  Moses says to the Lord -

(Exodus 33:13-15)  "I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” 14 And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 Then he (Moses) said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. 16 For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?”

This should parallel how we speak with Jesus!  Remember King David and how God considered him to be a man after His own heart.  Even though David sinned big-time - several times - he would always confess, reconcile with God, and continue seeking after Him.  Or remember David's son, King Solomon, who asked God for wisdom.  Wisdom is good, but Solomon didn't ask for GOD's wisdom at first... just wisdom.  Eventually Solomon figured it out - all is vanity - except for the pursuit of God.  So, I love Moses' response here!!!!  Let us yearn to get to know God more and more, to know His ways, to desire to go where only God would go,,,  to desire to be more like Christ.

(Exodus 24:29-30)  It came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses’ hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him. 30 So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

Moses' face shone because of being with Jesus, because...

(John 8:12)  Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

And just as Moses' face shone after talking with Jesus of the Old Testament, how much should we desire to be a light to the world - so that the good news of Jesus can be seen and can be shared.

(Matthew 5:16)  Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.