Be There!
Exodus 24:12 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them’. NKJV.
How many times have I read this Scripture over the last 45 years? And yet when I read it just the other morning, some much truth leapt out, that I wanted to share it with you.
Our text for this “Brief Word” comes from the second book of Moses, known to us as the Book of Exodus. The word Exodus means ‘departure’. This book covers the period from the death of Joseph to the erection of the tabernacle in the wilderness, about 145 years.
It records an event that is referred to more than any other event in the history of Israel, the exodus from Egypt. This is one of the greatest movements ever in the history of any nation.
It was in the wilderness that the nation of Israel was officially born, through the covenant at Sinai.
There’s some amazing and applicable things in this one 1st Testament (Old Testament) verse.
“Be there”.
God called Moses, the leader of the people of Israel, to, “ …Come up to Me on the mountain and be there… ” He was obedient and did so.
As leaders, of churches, groups, businesses and families, responsible workers, diligent students, busy Mums, I believe there is also a call to us to do the very same thing. God is calling us to “ …be there… ”, with Him, on the mountain. On the mountain, away from distractions, away from the mundane of life, up with The Lord.
Time, and place, are important in meeting with God. Do you and I have a place, a time, a habit, of meeting with the Lord? I know and understand this is not easy in certain seasons of life. However, there is value, and revelation to be had for our responsibilities when we do.
“ …Come up to Me on the mountain and be there… ” There’s a journey involved, some preparation, some focus, planning, and energy to be there. It takes focus, preparation, decision, for us to ‘be with’ the Lord in the place we’ve prepared.
All that we are, all that we become, all that we have to give, comes from this encounter. All that we have to hang on to, all the promises we hang our life on, all the hopes we have for the present, all the hopes we have the future, all the anointing we need to live our life and make a real difference, comes from here.
All the answers to our problems, all the peace for our anxiety, all the comfort for our sorrow, all the freedom for our pain, all the direction for our pathway, comes from here. From the Lord and our meeting with him.
‘I will give”.
Then, in that place of worship, separation, consecration, dedication, God gives! God always loves to give, and He gives no matter what we say, do, or are. He just gives. At His core is grace – giving to us what we don’t deserve, and not giving to us what we do deserve.
But God also gives in response to what we do, what we say, and how we live. Many of God’s promises are conditional. The answers depend on our actions. But you can be sure, that when you and I “ …be there… ”, He will give!
This next bit is interesting.
“Tablets of stone”, and “The law and commandments”.
All Scripture is profitable. All Scripture is helpful. All Scripture is beneficial. (2 Timothy 3:16). God’s Word lasts forever. God’s Word is God’s Word and carries with it His backing. God watches over His Word. God’s Word is creative, it achieves things outside of the natural realm.
Like “… tablets of stone …” God’s Word is strong, dependable, and it lasts for a long time – like forever!
Paul says, 1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (NKJV).
Taking on board God’s Word in its entirety only does us good.
His Word, brings LIFE! Righteousness. Freedom!
Jesus promised us LIFE! (John 10:10). As we LOOK into His word, LEARN what it teaches us, LIVE out in our daily lives the truths and principles it reveals, LIFE will be the result!
There are some things about His Word, the Bible, that we only come to understand when we are there, on the mountain, and He opens our heart and spirit to ‘see’ things we’ve never seen before, know things we’ve never known before, and understand things we’ve never understood before.
What a privilege to “ … be there … ” on the mountain and ‘receive’ stuff from God!
“that you may teach”.
God’s giving is about us and for us for sure. He loves us. He wants us whole, healed and holy.
But it is not all about us or all for us. It is to be given away again. It’s the Blessing of Abraham principle; ‘Blessed, to be a blessing’.
God is amazing! He fills us, and we thrive on Him. Then, there’s an overflow that touches others. They too are filled, and overflow. On the mountain He shares with us things for us, and, He shares with us things to be given. Wisdom knows the difference.
So let’s PASS IT ON!
2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. (NKJV).
I noticed a couple of other very interesting references in my reading of the Book of Exodus.
Exodus 25:40 … according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain … (NKJV).
Exodus 26:30 … according to its pattern which you were shown on the mountain … (NKJV).
Exodus 27:8 … as it was shown you on the mountain … (NKJV).
We know these are encouragements to Moses, to whom God gave the intricate details (to be passed on to gifted artisans) for making the Tabernacle.
And I got to thinking. What would God shows us, when we’re ‘on the mountain’?
Whatever role we have in service of the King, whatever responsibilities we carry big or small, whatever part we play in God’s eternal plan, how much better would our life be if we too were ‘up with Him on the mountain’, where we ‘heard from God’, the plan, the details, the instructions for our part in that eternal plan?
I for one am hungry to ‘be there’, to commune with Him, to be changed and to receive what I need for me, and to receive what I can give.
Lets build the habit, make a track, and walk the path ‘up the mountain’, and ‘be there’ in His presence.
