Slices
Prepare
When the Royal Standard flies above Buckingham Palace, passers-by know the king is in residence. The pillar of cloud at the entrance to the tent of meeting assured the people that God was present. What signs of God’s presence do you recognise?
Bible passage
The tent of meeting
7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the ‘tent of meeting’. Anyone enquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshipped, each at the entrance to their tent. 11 The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
Explore
The tent of meeting was some distance outside the camp (v 7). The damage done in the golden bull-calf episode lingers because God is no longer among the people. He accompanies them at arm’s length. Moses and anyone who wants to meet with God now has to go outside the camp (v 7).
Moses’ relationship with God is close – perhaps uniquely so in the Exodus story. The cloud descends over the entrance to the tent when he is there, and like Aaron’s later blessing (Numbers 6:24– 26), the Lord turns his face towards him. Clouds often speak of God’s presence in scripture, sometimes also pointing to his glory, which we cannot bear unshielded (Exodus 16:10). Peter, James and John experienced something similar with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:5). Yet in the tent and under the cloud, Moses could speak with God ‘as one speaks to a friend’ (v 11).
There would come a time when God would walk with the people – indeed would become one of them. When we pray in Jesus’ name, we come as his friends (John 15:14).
Respond
Reflect on these words and what they mean to you: ‘A voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”’ (Matthew 17:5).
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Ezekiel 14,15; James 5
Pray for Scripture Union
Give thanks for all the young leaders who helped on SU holidays and missions over the last year. Ask that God might continue to deepen their faith and bless them as they use the gifts he has given them to bring him glory. (This week's prayers relate to this article in Connecting You.)
