Earlier this morning I have flown from Roanoke, Virginia down to Chattanooga, Tennessee … near our home.
In fact, I have just landed.
So, sitting in the airport … I am writing this Lesson!
Give me about an hour and it will be completed. Yes, it takes that long at least!
God is good!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
The Lesson has now been written and posted. (“THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS … MOUNT SINAI AND THE TABERNACLE, AN AMAZING COMPARISON!)
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I know I’ve perhaps spent too long preparing for this Leviticus Series. With weeks of foundational study in both Genesis and Exodus.
But I (really) never realized how the Pentateuch is arranged so beautifully! Genesis (man going away from God, beginning with the “Fall”). Then Exodus (man being called back toward God, ending with the “Tabernacle,” God’s Home on earth). Followed by … Leviticus (man now, via bloodshed, capable of constant fellowship with God)!
But back to Exodus this morning … I’d like to show you something else about the “Presence” of God and the very “Heart” of God.
Read this please: “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. 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. And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the CLOUDY PILLAR (SHEKINAH GLORY) descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses. 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.” Exodus 33:7-11
God “dwelling/communing/fellowshipping/talking” with man!
The “PRESENCE” of God, among His people.
This is God’s very “Goal” for humankind!
Then one more corollary thought today …
When Moses descended the Mount that second time… “And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that THE SKIN OF HIS FACE SHONE while he talked with him.” Exodus 34:29
Then a typically human reaction … “And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were AFRAID to come nigh him.” Exodus 34:30
So in verse 33, Moses is veiled! “And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a VAIL on his face.”
There’s parallelism here!
Moses spends 40 more days on the Mount (where God lives) … and the radiant, divine Glory of God gets all over Moses! His very face shining!
It seems … God’s Glory/Presence now upon Moses, within Moses!
Quickly … add a “veil!”
Now … we have a symbol of the Tabernacle itself, just prior to its actual building! With God inside (the Holy of Holies) and a “veil” hung to keep man away, to save his life. (Only blood atonement and only by a qualified priest could avail, could equip any man to so enter!)
Moses, God-inhabited!
Yet Moses veiled, as was the Tabernacle.
And Aaron and the people fearful of approaching Moses!
Next … we find that Glory abiding on/over the (newly constructed) Tabernacle itself! (Exodus 33:7-11 above, for example.)
Now, look what has just happened … GOD’S VERY GLORY HAS BEEN MEDIATED (MOVED) FROM THE HOLY MOUNT (SINAI) TO THE TABERNACLE OF MEETING … VIA MOSES THE INTERCESSOR!
And God’s Presence has now in our lives been mediated, moved, INTERNALIZED into our very bodies … via the Intercessory/Cross of Calvary Ministry of our Saviour (Jesus Christ), a greater Intercessor than Moses could have ever been!
Yes, God the Holy Spirit now lives in each of us believers … because of Jesus’ Finished Word on Golgotha’s Hill, on the Cross.
Wow!
THE PRESENCE OF GOD … lost in Genesis, regained in Exodus … but maintained (personalized) and elongated in Leviticus!
Hallelujah!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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This Lesson was written and posted late yesterday afternoon, around 5:00 pm in fact. Solely due to my travel schedule. See the “Standing with the Bagwells” page for details. So I am not posting today’s new Segment until later this morning. I do not want anyone to miss it!
Moses was, among other things, an intercessor for Israel. Much as the High Priest Aaron would later be an intercessor for the whole Nation of Israel on its annual Day of Atonement, most fully described in Leviticus 16.
And the apex of Moses’ intercessory ministry was (undoubtedly) in Exodus 32-33, AFTER Israel had so egregiously sinned in that well-known “golden calf” debacle!
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.” Exodus 32:7-8
“Have corrupted” (the Hebrew verb “shachath”) is the same word used back when the pre-Flood civilization went so corrupt. And so is the noun “way” (spelled “derek”) common to both apostasies!
“And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” Genesis 6:12
Wow!
This blatant idolatry (back to the golden calf event) is perhaps the furthest mankind has drifted from God since the dark days of Noah, days that precipitated the Flood.
Pretty bad!
And just as God determined to destroy the world by flood waters … He would now destroy these Jewish people! Astounding!
“And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will DESTROY them with the earth.” Genesis 6:13, hence the Flood.
God to Moses regarding the sensual “calf worship” … “Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may CONSUME them: and I will make of thee a great nation.” Exodus 32:10
Intercession needed … or Israel is gone!
God’s Wrath is burning that HOT!
By the way, the sin of Israel (golden calf worship) occurred right in the middle of the Tabernacle Corpus of Exodus. Chapters 25-31 being dedicated to the instructions for building that Edifice. And then chapters 35-40 being involved with the actual building of it, that special Place.
So … the “apostasy” of these idolatrous Jews occurs right in the middle of God trying to build a Sanctuary where He can come down and live with His people! Where they can commune with Him and worship Him!
Wow!
But then watch Moses … with God threatening to destroy Israel!
The man becomes an intercessor par excellence!
But in a special way.
God (angry, but righteously so) and Moses (a picture of Jesus) … “And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a GREAT SIN: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an ATONEMENT for your sin. And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.” Exodus 32:30-32
See it?
Moses, willing to die to appease God’s Wrath!
Willing to die to bring atonement, propitiation!
Yes, he is the consummate Old Testament intercessor!
All of which points to JESUS!
The Consummate Intercessor of all eternity!
Jesus, not only willing to die for our sins (a veritable death sentence in each of us) … BUT ACTUALLY DOING SO!
And thereby, God’s Wrath fell upon His Only Begotten Son … there on Calvary two thousand years ago!
Bringing about my salvation, via faith in Jesus’ Blood!
Providing atonement for you and me!
Folks, these are the very principles which make the Book of Leviticus such a fundamentally vibrant Necessity in Scripture.
Bloodshed!
Forgiveness!
The Need for a Mediator!
Hallelujah!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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Oh yes, on the Day of Atonement (the central Idea of Leviticus) a priest was absolutely essential, an intercessor! In Leviticus 16 that “go-between” would have been Aaron.
And as Israel settles around Mount Sinai … we see (comparably) the need for an intercessor then as well. In Exodus chapters 19-24, that “go-between” was Moses!
In fact, if you recall … Moses was “up and down” that Holy Mountain numerous times, as God gave His Law to the Jewish Nation! (Maybe a little like the angels of God were ascending and descending Jacob’s “ladder” back in Genesis 28:12.)
Hint: God and man in communion!
Watch this …
In Exodus 19 the Hebrew verb “dabar” (or one of its cognates, relatives, derivatives) occurs 7 times! The verb means “to speak, talk, communicate.” Plus the verb “yarad” (or a relative) appears 7 times … with “yarad” meaning “to descend, to go down!” HERE IS THE MEDIATOR MOSES PRESENTING GOD TO THE PEOPLE! WITH MOSES AND GOD CLEALY BEING IN CLOSE CONTACT!
Then in Exodus 24 (after the Law is given, after God enters into personal covenant Relationship with Israel) we again see ” dabar” 7 Times! (A lot of close COMMUNION still happening!) And we also see the verb “alah” used 7 times (what prefect balance) with “alah” meaning “to go up! HERE IS THE MEDIATOR MOSES PRESENTING THE PEOPLE TO GOD!
Wow!
This Symmetry (several sets of “sevens”) is beautifully intricate, and amazing!
God longing to be with His people! (Exodus 19)
THE LAW AND RATIFICATION CEREMONY … A PICTURE OF GOD AND ISRAEL ENTERING INTO PERSONAL RELATIONSHP!
Then the people (at the Lord’s Behest) being brought into God’s Presence … Moses gong back up into the Glowing Aura of the Holy Mount, where God abides! (Exodus 24)
It’s a perfect Picture of Intercession!
Moses, the mediator!
More about this tomorrow, Lord willing.
Oh, let me add … today Moses is no longer our Mediator. We need no man to fill that job! Calvary is history. The Blood has been shed! More specifically … “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:6
Hallelujah!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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Mount Sinai (as the Place where God comes down to meet man) is a dominant feature of the Pentateuch, the Bible’s first five Books. All written by Moses, we believe.
Beginning at Exodus 19:1, we see the importance of that Place. “In the third month, when the children of Israel were gone forth out of the land of Egypt, the same day came they into the wilderness of Sinai. For they were departed from Rephidim, and were come to the desert of Sinai, and had pitched in the wilderness; and there Israel camped before the MOUNT. And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the MOUNTAIN, saying …” (Only the first three verses of the chapter.)
Then continuing for the rest of the Book of Leviticus, THROUGHOUT ALL THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS, and up through Numbers 10:11. “And it came to pass on the twentieth day of the second month, in the second year, that the cloud was taken up from off the tabernacle of the testimony. And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.” (Verses 11 and 12, leaving Sinai, the Mount of God.)
That’s a lot of Bible, 68 chapters!
Did you see that, ALL OF LEVITICUS?
Where God instructs His people about HOW to fellowship with Him. HOW to maintain right relationship. HOW to enjoy the Divine Presence!
Now … let me show you something I learned earlier today, or at least saw it in “new light.”
The first time Moses ascended that Mount (Sinai, God’s Abode) … “And the glory of the LORD abode upon MOUNT Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.” Exodus 24:16
Six days God is there, visibly present!
Then on the seventh day … Moses is summoned for some time of fellowship and learning and delightful (life-changing) communion!
A “picture” (reenactment) of creation week!
God preparing for six days!
Then on the seventh day (sabbath day) Moses is summoned to come up!
As Adam had been created to fellowship with God (except that Adam sinned and was expelled from the Presence of the Almighty!)
Moses, a new Adam!
But keep in mind, Jesus is the LAST ADAM! (1 Corinthians 15:45)
Furthermore Exodus 24:17-18 tells us of Moses, when he arrived … “And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the MOUNT in the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the MOUNT: and Moses was in the MOUNT forty days and forty nights.” Amazing!
God’s overarching Goal then (the Bible, from Cover to Cover) … is loving His creation, his people, humanity! And living in harmony with them! Genesis 1:26 … “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”
And Genesis 3:8 has God “walking in the garden in the cool of the day!” The verse labels that Condition as “the Presence of the Lord,” too!
Is this not sweet Holy Conversation?
What a great God we serve!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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