Imagine, if you can for a moment that you are Moses. Yes, the same Moses that God called in Exodus 3, and was commissioned to return to the land of Egypt from which he fled to the desert having killed a man. The same Moses who tried to get out of the assignment by claiming to be slow of speech and slow of tongue in chapter 4. In the following chapter, Moses goes to God and asks in 5:22,” “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 From the time I went to speak to Pharaoh in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have certainly not rescued them!” Following this interchange, Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh and following each visit one of the ten plaques of Egypt occurred. (Exodus 7-11) Finally, in chapter 13 of Exodus the Hebrew captives were released and Moses led them out of Egypt. One of the ways God showed the now freed captives His favor or grace was that He chose to deliver them from captivity to the promised land by taking them the long route through the desert to the Red Sea. This would spare them from running into the Philistines, and avoid possible war and their running back to their former captors in fear. He also showed them His favor by leading them as they went. During the day He went before them in a pillar of cloud, and then by a pillar of fire by night. (Exodus 13) God led them to and through the Red Sea. They walked through the Sea on dry ground and got safely across the Sea just before God allowed the enemy troops in pursuit of them to be swallowed up into the Sea. God showed His provision, forgiveness and favor to His people many times during their forty-year journey in the desert in search of the promised land.
Our real grace verse for today is found in Exodus 33:12. Before we take a look at it, let’s set the stage or glimpse the context of this verse. We have just passed the verses that tell about Moses going up the mountain, God giving the ten commandments and the people growing impatient and talking Aaron into making a golden calf to worship. God has told Moses to take the obstinate people and go to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob but they will go without Him lest He destroy them along the way. It is here that Moses intercedes for the people. We read in Genesis 33: 12-16 “ Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor (chem) in My sight.’ Now therefore, 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.” And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. 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?” Moses was wise enough to know that it was God’s presence and favor among them was what had preserved them and distinguished them among all the other people of the world.
God responds to Moses pleas with this: “ The Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.”Exodus 33:17 NAS
Again as with Abraham yesterday, we see God granting favor or grace on his servant, hearing his bold prayers on behalf of the people and answering them. God’s grace threaded throughout His story. May His grace, favor and peace be with you and keep you!
Living in His Grace 