"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---
Moses is very earnest with God. Thus, by the intercession of Christ, we are not only saved from ruin, but become entitled to everlasting happiness. Observe here how he pleads. We find grace in God's sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord's presence. God's gracious promises, and mercy towards us, should not only encourage our faith, but also excite our fervency in prayer. Observe how he speeds. See, in a type, Christ's intercession, which he ever lives to make for all that come to God by him; and that it is not by any thing in those for whom he intercedes.
1. How he pleads.
(1.) He insists upon the commission God had given him to bring up this people, Exod. 33:12. This he begins with: “Lord, it is thou thyself that employest me; and wilt thou not own me? I am in the way of my duty; and shall I not have thy presence with me in that way?” Whom God calls out to any service he will be sure to furnish with necessary assistances. “Now, Lord, thou hast ordered me a great work, and yet left me at a loss how to go about it, and to through with it.” Note, Those that sincerely design and endeavour to do their duty may in faith beg of God direction and strength for the doing of it.
(2.) He improves the interest he himself had with God, and pleads God’s gracious expressions of kindness to him: Thou hast said, I know thee by name, as a particular friend and confidant, and thou hast also found grace in my sight, above any other. Now, therefore, says Moses, if it be indeed so, that I have found grace in thy sight, show me the way, Exod. 33:13. What favour God had expressed to the people they had forfeited the benefit of, there was no insisting upon that; and therefore Moses lays the stress of his plea upon what God had said to him, which, though he owns himself unworthy of, yet he hopes he has not thrown himself out of the benefit of.
By this therefore he takes hold on God: “Lord, if ever thou wilt do any thing for me, do this for the people.” Thus our Lord Jesus, in his intercession, presents himself to the Father, as one in whom he is always well pleased, and so obtains mercy for us with whom he is justly displeased; and we are accepted in the beloved. Thus also men of public spirit love to improve their interest both with God and man for the public good. Observe what it is he is thus earnest for: Show me thy way, that I may know that I find grace in thy sight. Note, Divine direction is one of the best evidences of divine favour. By this we may know that we find grace in God’s sight, if we find grace in our hearts to guide and quicken us in the way of our duty. God’s good work in us is the surest discovery of his good-will towards us.
1 comment:
ONLY through true knowledge of THE LORD, and HIS WORD are we able to resist the onslaught of deceptive teachings, and thus, REMAIN IN HIM, ON THE PATH! This involves daily studying, discovery, and adherence TO HIM!
When our knowledge is less than it could be, our understanding is less than it should be, then the powers of discernment are radically weaker than they would be!
Daily SEEK HIS WAYS, that HE IS dominate in the days, then utilize what HE has shown! All else is rapidly fading away, ONLY *GOD* and HIS own shall then, exist eternal, hence, KNOWING HIS WAYS IS imperative, for this is NOT about the body, instead HIS GLORY, which the spirit, the soul, housed in the earthly body, will share in!
PRAISE THE LORD for GRANTING us the knowledge we NEED to survive the valley, and to ascend UP the HOLY mountain! WORSHIP, and EXALT HIM forever, and ever, for HE, ALONE, IS WORTHY!!!
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