Text:
Exodus 33:7-11:
7 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.
8 And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.
9 And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses.
10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.
11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto 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.
Matthew 6:6:
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Theme:
Nobody’s Business But God’s
Introduction:
- The scripture is extracted from Exodus, the second book of the Bible and the second book of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the law of Judaism.
- The main character is Moses. Moses was born the son of Amram and Jochebed, the brother of Miriam and Aaron. But, later, by way of an ark of bulrushes, pharaoh’s daughter who unwittingly/unknowingly paid Jochebed to nurse her own child adopted him into the house of pharaoh.
- The years of the life of Moses are divided into three forties over the 120 years of his life:
- the first forty he spent as a prince in Pharaoh’s court
- the second as a shepherd in Midian with his father-in-law Jethro.
- the third as a king in the Jeshurunian wilderness, leading the Isrealites toward the Promised Land.
- Our text is found in this third era of Moses’ life…when he and the children of Israel were “wandering” through the wilderness
- The text in the 33rd chapter of Exodus depicts a time when the children of Israel sought God. They needed to commune with God à as we do when we are “traveling through a strange land”
- Moses created a “temporary” tabernacle by pitching a tent and placing the tabernacle within the tent.
- Wherever you are, God is already there
- Wherever you are is the place to pray!!!
- The tabernacle was pitched AWAY from the camp à “pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp“
- You have to get away to spend quality time with God
- We usually spend only EMERGENCY time with God IN our situations
- We need to learn to spend quality time with God, “as a man speaketh to his friend”, by then getting OUT of our situations and seeking His face again.
- God deserves a special place for Him and only Him
- 1st Commandment à Exodus 20:3, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”
- We can do like Saul and try to mix God in with other things!
- This preparation reflects the instruction of Jesus in the other portion of our text:
- Matthew 6:6, “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet….”
- .When you want to commune with God, go into your CLOSET!
- That place where no one will disturb you
- That place where you have no outside distractions
- That place that is not made for your eyes but for the God’s presence!!!
- GO INTO YOUR CLOSET!!!!!
- Whether it is Moses’ tabernacle or your own closet, it is all about communing with God in SECRET. Your prayer ain’t NOBODY’S BUSINESS BUT GOD’S!
- You have to get away to spend quality time with God
- Moses created a “temporary” tabernacle by pitching a tent and placing the tabernacle within the tent.
- There was a song in the early 1900s written by Porter Grainger and Everett Robbins that was sung by Billie Holiday, “Ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do”:
There ain’t nothing I can do, or nothing I can say,
Some folks will criticize me.
So I’m gonna do just what I want to anyway,
And don’t care if you all despise me.
If I should take a notion
To jump into the ocean,
It ain’t nobody’s business if I do.
If I go to church on Sunday
And I shimmy down on Monday,
It ain’t nobody’s business if I do.
- We need to have the same attitude in our prayer life à It ain’t NOBODY’s BUSINESS BUT GOD’S!!!
Body:
- However, the text in Exodus takes this concept of Divine Communion in secrecy to another level
- When Moses went into the Tabernacle, a cloud came over the tent and the spirit of God entered into the Tabernacle.
- Not only did Moses pray to God but:
- Exodus 33:11 said that, “the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend”
- As the old hymn says, “What a friend we have in Jesus. All our sins a griefs to bear. What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.”
- God was present in the Tabernacle and talked with Moses
- Exodus 33:11 said that, “the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend”
- When Moses came out, there were two that the Bible records remained in the Tabernacle
- The Presence of God
- Joshua
- Not only did Moses pray to God but:
- When Moses went into the Tabernacle, a cloud came over the tent and the spirit of God entered into the Tabernacle.
There are a few theories as to why Joshua was left or stayed behind in the tabernacle in the presence of God after Moses had gone out:
- Moses got in a rush to console the people of God’s Word and mistakenly left Joshua in the tabernacle.
- Moses intentionally left Joshua in the tabernacle because the tabernacle was not to be left unattended while the cloud of God’s Presence hung over it.
- Joshua, in youthful curiosity and excitement, did not leave the presence of God.
- Regardless of the reason, one fact remains consistent:
- The result was Joshua being in the presence of God in the tabernacle after Moses had left to tend to his responsibilities of leading the people. ==> Why didn’t Joshua leave with Moses?
- Joshua was noted as the young servant of Moses.
- Joshua followed Moses as his servant and “associate”
- Joshua went with Moses to ensure that Moses’ needs were met and Moses’ safety
- Joshua must have followed Moses into the tent
- Joshua’s remaining in the tent was the first recorded instance of Joshua’s communing with God without the intercession of Moses.
- Joshua relationship with God was realized without the intercession of Moses.
- The tie between Moses and Joshua was severed by the presence of God and His sovereignty over BOTH of their lives individually.
- 1Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”
- 1Corinthians 3:8, “Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.”
- Galatians 6:5, “For every man shall bear his own burden.”
- God calls us by NAME and not by ASSOCIATION
- As it says in Genesis 3:9, “And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”
- Romans 14:12, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
- Joshua had to answer the Call of God when summoned!
- Luke 16:13, “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
- Explained:
- God gives us parents
- Exodus 20:12, “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.”
- At some point, upon the Call of God, we leave (not stop loving) our parents to tend to the Work of God
- Luke 14:26, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”
- God gives us parents
- It was NOBODY’S BUSINESS BUT GOD’S
- Joshua was noted as the young servant of Moses.
- The result was Joshua being in the presence of God in the tabernacle after Moses had left to tend to his responsibilities of leading the people. ==> Why didn’t Joshua leave with Moses?
Conclusion:
- Ain’t it good that God calls us by name!!
- He don’t need anyone else to vouch for us
- He don’t need someone else to “cosign” for us
- He said to Moses in Exodus 33:17, “And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.”
- It’s NOBODY’S BUSINESS BUT GOD’S!!
- It’s God’s business,
- “Let Thy will be done ON EARTH as it is in Heaven”!!
- Whatever God does is ALRIGHT WITH ME!!!
- It’s God’s business,
I’m yours Lord
Everything I got
I’m yours Lord
Everything I’m not
- That’s why I can call on the Lord for myself!!
It’s me, it’s me, it’s me, oh, Lord
Standing in the need of prayer
It’s me, it’s me, it’s me, oh, Lord
Standing in the need of prayer
Not my mother not my father but it’s me, oh. Lord
Standing in the need of prayer
Not my brother, not my sister, but it’s me, oh, Lord
Standing in the need of prayer
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