by Debra Neybert, Training Specialist

The Lord said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here...” When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud.
Exodus 24: 12; 15-16

The Lord’s presence meant everything to Moses, in fact at one time he declared, "If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” (Exodus 33:15) A few verses later, he prays, "Please, let me see your Glory" (Ex. 33:18). Moses had such a desire for something more, something eternal. He wanted to behold God face to face, and his desire was satisfied according to Deuteronomy 34:10.

How was Moses prepared for His encounters with the Lord? For a season he lived in the wilderness 40 years when suddenly, one ordinary day became an extraordinary day when... “the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.” And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush. (Exodus 3:2-4)

The book of Hebrews gives us more insight into the relationship the Lord had with Moses. In the eleventh chapter it says, “He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.” (Hebrews 11:25-26). The word for “looked or looking” in the Greek, is apoblepo, (away from) and blepo (to look), hence to “look away from” all else. Moses turned his gaze away from everything, and fixed his gaze on a reward that waited for him beyond this present age.

In verse 27 it says, “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.” Moses was able to persevere because “he saw” the unseen real. When our eyes of faith are fixed on the King of all Kings, we will walk by faith, not fearing the kings of this earth, persevering through tribulation and trials because “the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His Glory and Grace.”

Amazing! Moses first turned aside to see, then he chose to look ahead to his reward, and eventually he saw Him who was invisible. When Moses died at the age of 120 years, the Bible says his eye was “not dimmed” (Deuteronomy 34:7).

We naturally gravitate toward the things we set our sight on; and when our sight is set on things above, we ascend!

Moses was invited into the cloud of God’s Glory on the seventh day. The seventh day is when God rested from creating heaven and earth. (Exodus 31:17). It is out of that place of rest...ceasing from our works that the Lord calls us from within “the cloud.” He calls us as a lover calls his beloved. There will always be things to do and places to go, but will we take the time to turn aside and see, look ahead, and behold Him who is invisible? In the seeing we are drawn into that secret place, and there really is no other relationship on earth that fulfills like knowing our Beloved Jesus, the one who “knows us best and loves us most!”