Waiting

Exodus 24 (ESV)

12 The LORD said to Moses,

"Come up to me on the mountain and wait there, that I may give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction."

13 So Moses rose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God.

14 And he said to the elders, "Wait here for us until we return to you.

And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute, let him go to them."

15 Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.

16 The glory of the LORD dwelt on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days.

And on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.

17 Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD

was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.

18 Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain.

And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

wait there

on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud

Why did Moses have to wait? Why did God call on the seventh day, and make him wait six days? Why do we have to wait?

I think in these days of instant access and communication, it is especially important to remember God's timing. He stands outside of time and space, but time and timing is very important to him. The Bible repeatedly says "the time is not yet" or "the hour has come". It is an essential part of our obedience and humble submission to God to wait on his time.

Psalm 123:2

Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,

as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us.

Waiting reminds me that:

I am not in charge.

The general, not the private, gives the order to "Attack!"

I don't have all the information necessary, to determine the timing- nor the ability to process it correctly if I did have it.

This is not "my show", my project, or even my life. I am a foot-soldier in a vast army. I must seek first God's kingdom purposes, and my personal needs will be provided for.

Near and Far

Exodus 24 (English Standard Version)

1 Then he said to Moses, "Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar.

2 Moses alone shall come near to the LORD, but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him."

Near and far. Only Moses was allowed to come near. Not even Aaron, the "grand-daddy of all high-priests" was allowed to come near!

Ephesians 2

11 Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—12remember that you were at that time separated from Christ,alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Far=

* Defined by who we aren't (Israelites), and by our lack of covenant relationship to God "the uncircumcision"

* separated from Christ

* Alienated from the commonwealth of Israel (see #1- must be really important!)

* Strangers to the covenants of promise (ditto)

* having no hope and without God in the world (the worst 8 words in the Bible)

Ephesians 2

13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.14For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility 15by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, 16and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

Near=
* Brought near by the blood of Christ- moved to the front of the line ahead of Aaron et al.

* Peace

* Free access- The dividing wall of hostility is broken down

* Reconciled to God

and

Hebrews 4

4 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

* confident, bold in prayer on the basis of our better high priest and better covenant