Moses, Friend of God - Exodus Series
Today, in Calvary Kids, we learned that God wants to be our friend (Exodus 33:11, John 15:15). We also learned that we do become like who we hang out with, (Exodus 33:11) (2 Corinthians 3:18) and God's presence is more important than anything else (Exodus 33:15-16, Psalm 16:11) Jesus also reveals God's glory fully (Exodus 33:18-23, John 1:14, 18).
Read Exodus 33:7-23; 34:29-35
After the golden calf incident, Moses set up a special tent outside the camp. This was called the "tabernacle of meeting" or "tent of meeting" - a place to meet with God. Anyone who wanted to seek the LORD could go there. This wasn't the fancy tabernacle they'd build later, but just a simple tent for meeting with God. Sometimes we need to find a quiet place away from distractions to pray and spend time with God. Where's YOUR 'tent of meeting'? Maybe your bedroom? A quiet corner? A special place where you talk to God?
When Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud came down. This was God's visible presencе! All the people would stand at their tent doors and worship when they saw the cloud. God spoke to Moses "face to face, as a man speaks to his friend" This is amazing! God wasn't just a distant, far away entity, like a scary ruler; He was with them, He was Moses' FRIEND! Face to face didn't mean Moses actually saw God's face, but it means Moses spoke with God in a close personal way and not through an angel or vision; He spoke with God directly. This is just like what Jesus said to His disciples in John 15:15 where Jesus says, "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends." God wants to be YOUR friend too! Prayer isn't just asking God for stuff; It's talking WITH Him like you talk with your best friend. You can tell Him anything - your worries, your joys, your questions, your problems. He listens! And His response comes from reading the Bible, His word".
During their conversation, Moses had a request. Moses boldly asked God to show him His ways and to be with them as they go about the wilderness. God's response was: "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Moses wanted to be absolutely sure though! He said, "If Your Presence doesn't go with us, don't send us!" Moses understood that God being close by is more important than the destination. Just like we want our friends to be around us; it doesn't matter where you're going as long as you have your friends because that's the most important thing. God's presence is THE most important thing! Would you rather have everything you want WITHOUT Jesus, or have Jesus even if life is hard? Moses chose God's presence above everything else!
Moses made an even bolder request to ask: "Show me Your glory!" Each step in this lesson we see the close friendship between Moses and God. Moses keeps getting closer and closer with God. First, they talk as if face to face, then God promises His presence, and now God is going to show him His very glory. Moses is as close a friend to God as anyone. Just like friends can be really close, Moses got special access to God. But the really cool thing is that we get that special access to God as well through Jesus. Jesus gave us His spirit to guide us and comfort us, and promises to never leave us. So God hid Moses in a rock and passed by him.
Moses spent 40 days and nights with God on the mountain. When he came down, his FACE WAS SHINING with God's glory! Moses didn't even realize that his face was glowing, but the people saw and were afraid to come near him because he was radiating God's glory. This glow didn't last forever. It would fade, but whenever Moses would spend more time with God, he would get that glow back. There is a huge lesson for us in this: It shows us that whoever you hang out with, you will start to reflect what that person is like. For Moses, he was shining bright because he was spending time with God.
Who do you hang out with? Do you reflect the bad behaviors in your friends or the good behaviors in your friends? It is so important to choose your friends wisely. Sometimes your parents help you with that, and we should trust our parents' judgment even if they tell us not to hang out with certain kids. Overall though, we should be spending time with Jesus. When we do spend time with Him, we will start to reflect Him to everyone around us. We then become more kind, more loving, and more patient. The Bible says to let your light shine before men and that happens the most when we spend time with Jesus praying and reading the Bible.
So remember: God wants to be our friend, He is close to us, He is always with us, He is not far away, and the more we spend time with Him, the more we shine, and never want that to fade. Moses met with God in a tent and saw His glory partially. We meet with God through Jesus and see His glory FULLY! Moses' face shone temporarily. Jesus IS the light of the world permanently! We get to have an even closer relationship with God than Moses did because of Jesus!"
Christ Connection:
Key Connection: Moses spoke with God face to face and saw His glory partially. Jesus IS God face to face with us and reveals His glory completely!
1. Moses met with God in the Tent of Meeting (Exodus 33:11) → Jesus IS "God with us" - Immanuel and tabernacled among us (Matthew 1:23; John 1:14).
2. Moses spoke with God face to face as if a friend (Exodus 33:11) → Jesus calls us friends (John 15:15).
3. Moses spoke with God face to face (Exodus 33:11) → We have 'The glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).
4. Moses asked to see God's glory (Exodus 33:18) → Jesus IS "the brightness of His glory" (Hebrews 1:3; John 1:14).
5. Moses was hidden in the rock when God's glory passed by (Exodus 33:22) → Jesus is our Rock and our shield (1 Corinthians 10:4; Psalm 18:2).
6. Moses saw God's glory partially - only His "back" (Exodus 33:23) → In Jesus we see God's glory fully revealed (John 1:18; 14:9, Colossians 2:9).
7. Moses wore a veil before the people but removed it before God (Exodus 34:33-34) → Jesus' body was the veil, and it was torn so we could come directly to God (Matthew 27:51; Hebrews 10:19-20).
8. Moses needed to keep returning to renew the glow (Exodus 34:35) → Jesus remains with us always through the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:20; John 14:16-17).
9. Moses' glory was temporary and fading (2 Corinthians 3:7) Jesus' glory is eternal and never fades (2 Corinthians 3:11).
10. People were afraid to approach Moses because of the glory (Exodus 34:30) → Through Jesus, we "come boldly to the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16).
11. Moses' face reflected God's glory (Exodus 34:29) Jesus shines through us, in us in the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27, Ephesians 5:8, Matthew 5:16).
The Gospel in This Story: Moses had an incredible privilege. He spoke with God face to face and saw God's glory. But even Moses' access was limited, and he couldn't see God's face and live. He needed protection as well. The glory he reflected was temporary and fading. We have something even BETTER through Jesus though! Jesus IS God in the flesh (John 1:1, 14). When we see Jesus, we see the Father (John 14:9). Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." Jesus is "the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person" (Hebrews 1:3). Moses saw God's glory partially and briefly. We see God's glory fully and permanently in Jesus Christ! And here's the best part: Through Jesus, we have direct access to God! Moses wore a veil. But 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 says, "Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away... But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." When Jesus died, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). This symbolized that the barrier between God and us was removed! Now we can "come boldly to the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16). We don't need a special tent or mountain. We can talk to God anywhere, anytime, because Jesus opened the way! Moses' face shone with reflected, temporary glory. But through the Holy Spirit living in us, we're being transformed into Jesus' image from "glory to glory" - from one level of glory to the next! This is a permanent, ongoing transformation, not a temporary glow!
Supporting Scriptures:
John 1:14 - "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
John 1:18 - "No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him."
Hebrews 1:3 - "Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person"
2 Corinthians 3:18 - "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory"
Hebrews 10:19-20 - "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh"
Application Questions:
1. Have a Daily "Tent of Meeting": Set aside a specific time and place each day to pray and read your Bible. Make it your special meeting place with God! Tell God everything - your worries, joys, questions, and thanks.
2. Prioritize God's Presence: When making decisions or plans, ask yourself: "Will this help me stay close to God or pull me away?" Like Moses said, "If Your Presence doesn't go with us, I don't want to go!" Put God's presence above success, popularity, or fun.
3. Talk to God Like a Friend: Prayer isn't just a list of requests. Have conversations with God! Share your day with Him, ask Him questions, listen for His voice through His Word, tell Him how you feel. He wants friendship, not just formal prayers!
4. Spend Time in God's Presence: The more time Moses spent with God, the more his face shone. The more time you spend with Jesus (prayer, Bible, worship), the more you'll reflect His character. People will see Jesus in you!
5. Remember Jesus Removed the Veil: You don't need to be perfect or special to talk to God. Jesus opened the way! You can pray anytime, anywhere. Thank Jesus for giving you direct access to God!
Small Group Questions:
1. What was the Tent of Meeting? What happened there?
2. What did Moses value more than reaching the Promised Land?
3. What happened to Moses' face after spending time with God? Why?
4. How is Jesus better than Moses' experience at the Tent of Meeting?
5. What does it mean that we're being transformed "from glory to glory"?
Memory Verse:
"My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." - Exodus 33:14
Read Exodus 33:7-23; 34:29-35
After the golden calf incident, Moses set up a special tent outside the camp. This was called the "tabernacle of meeting" or "tent of meeting" - a place to meet with God. Anyone who wanted to seek the LORD could go there. This wasn't the fancy tabernacle they'd build later, but just a simple tent for meeting with God. Sometimes we need to find a quiet place away from distractions to pray and spend time with God. Where's YOUR 'tent of meeting'? Maybe your bedroom? A quiet corner? A special place where you talk to God?
When Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud came down. This was God's visible presencе! All the people would stand at their tent doors and worship when they saw the cloud. God spoke to Moses "face to face, as a man speaks to his friend" This is amazing! God wasn't just a distant, far away entity, like a scary ruler; He was with them, He was Moses' FRIEND! Face to face didn't mean Moses actually saw God's face, but it means Moses spoke with God in a close personal way and not through an angel or vision; He spoke with God directly. This is just like what Jesus said to His disciples in John 15:15 where Jesus says, "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends." God wants to be YOUR friend too! Prayer isn't just asking God for stuff; It's talking WITH Him like you talk with your best friend. You can tell Him anything - your worries, your joys, your questions, your problems. He listens! And His response comes from reading the Bible, His word".
During their conversation, Moses had a request. Moses boldly asked God to show him His ways and to be with them as they go about the wilderness. God's response was: "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Moses wanted to be absolutely sure though! He said, "If Your Presence doesn't go with us, don't send us!" Moses understood that God being close by is more important than the destination. Just like we want our friends to be around us; it doesn't matter where you're going as long as you have your friends because that's the most important thing. God's presence is THE most important thing! Would you rather have everything you want WITHOUT Jesus, or have Jesus even if life is hard? Moses chose God's presence above everything else!
Moses made an even bolder request to ask: "Show me Your glory!" Each step in this lesson we see the close friendship between Moses and God. Moses keeps getting closer and closer with God. First, they talk as if face to face, then God promises His presence, and now God is going to show him His very glory. Moses is as close a friend to God as anyone. Just like friends can be really close, Moses got special access to God. But the really cool thing is that we get that special access to God as well through Jesus. Jesus gave us His spirit to guide us and comfort us, and promises to never leave us. So God hid Moses in a rock and passed by him.
Moses spent 40 days and nights with God on the mountain. When he came down, his FACE WAS SHINING with God's glory! Moses didn't even realize that his face was glowing, but the people saw and were afraid to come near him because he was radiating God's glory. This glow didn't last forever. It would fade, but whenever Moses would spend more time with God, he would get that glow back. There is a huge lesson for us in this: It shows us that whoever you hang out with, you will start to reflect what that person is like. For Moses, he was shining bright because he was spending time with God.
Who do you hang out with? Do you reflect the bad behaviors in your friends or the good behaviors in your friends? It is so important to choose your friends wisely. Sometimes your parents help you with that, and we should trust our parents' judgment even if they tell us not to hang out with certain kids. Overall though, we should be spending time with Jesus. When we do spend time with Him, we will start to reflect Him to everyone around us. We then become more kind, more loving, and more patient. The Bible says to let your light shine before men and that happens the most when we spend time with Jesus praying and reading the Bible.
So remember: God wants to be our friend, He is close to us, He is always with us, He is not far away, and the more we spend time with Him, the more we shine, and never want that to fade. Moses met with God in a tent and saw His glory partially. We meet with God through Jesus and see His glory FULLY! Moses' face shone temporarily. Jesus IS the light of the world permanently! We get to have an even closer relationship with God than Moses did because of Jesus!"
Christ Connection:
Key Connection: Moses spoke with God face to face and saw His glory partially. Jesus IS God face to face with us and reveals His glory completely!
1. Moses met with God in the Tent of Meeting (Exodus 33:11) → Jesus IS "God with us" - Immanuel and tabernacled among us (Matthew 1:23; John 1:14).
2. Moses spoke with God face to face as if a friend (Exodus 33:11) → Jesus calls us friends (John 15:15).
3. Moses spoke with God face to face (Exodus 33:11) → We have 'The glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).
4. Moses asked to see God's glory (Exodus 33:18) → Jesus IS "the brightness of His glory" (Hebrews 1:3; John 1:14).
5. Moses was hidden in the rock when God's glory passed by (Exodus 33:22) → Jesus is our Rock and our shield (1 Corinthians 10:4; Psalm 18:2).
6. Moses saw God's glory partially - only His "back" (Exodus 33:23) → In Jesus we see God's glory fully revealed (John 1:18; 14:9, Colossians 2:9).
7. Moses wore a veil before the people but removed it before God (Exodus 34:33-34) → Jesus' body was the veil, and it was torn so we could come directly to God (Matthew 27:51; Hebrews 10:19-20).
8. Moses needed to keep returning to renew the glow (Exodus 34:35) → Jesus remains with us always through the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:20; John 14:16-17).
9. Moses' glory was temporary and fading (2 Corinthians 3:7) Jesus' glory is eternal and never fades (2 Corinthians 3:11).
10. People were afraid to approach Moses because of the glory (Exodus 34:30) → Through Jesus, we "come boldly to the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16).
11. Moses' face reflected God's glory (Exodus 34:29) Jesus shines through us, in us in the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27, Ephesians 5:8, Matthew 5:16).
The Gospel in This Story: Moses had an incredible privilege. He spoke with God face to face and saw God's glory. But even Moses' access was limited, and he couldn't see God's face and live. He needed protection as well. The glory he reflected was temporary and fading. We have something even BETTER through Jesus though! Jesus IS God in the flesh (John 1:1, 14). When we see Jesus, we see the Father (John 14:9). Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." Jesus is "the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person" (Hebrews 1:3). Moses saw God's glory partially and briefly. We see God's glory fully and permanently in Jesus Christ! And here's the best part: Through Jesus, we have direct access to God! Moses wore a veil. But 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 says, "Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away... But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord." When Jesus died, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). This symbolized that the barrier between God and us was removed! Now we can "come boldly to the throne of grace" (Hebrews 4:16). We don't need a special tent or mountain. We can talk to God anywhere, anytime, because Jesus opened the way! Moses' face shone with reflected, temporary glory. But through the Holy Spirit living in us, we're being transformed into Jesus' image from "glory to glory" - from one level of glory to the next! This is a permanent, ongoing transformation, not a temporary glow!
Supporting Scriptures:
John 1:14 - "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
John 1:18 - "No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him."
Hebrews 1:3 - "Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person"
2 Corinthians 3:18 - "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory"
Hebrews 10:19-20 - "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh"
Application Questions:
1. Have a Daily "Tent of Meeting": Set aside a specific time and place each day to pray and read your Bible. Make it your special meeting place with God! Tell God everything - your worries, joys, questions, and thanks.
2. Prioritize God's Presence: When making decisions or plans, ask yourself: "Will this help me stay close to God or pull me away?" Like Moses said, "If Your Presence doesn't go with us, I don't want to go!" Put God's presence above success, popularity, or fun.
3. Talk to God Like a Friend: Prayer isn't just a list of requests. Have conversations with God! Share your day with Him, ask Him questions, listen for His voice through His Word, tell Him how you feel. He wants friendship, not just formal prayers!
4. Spend Time in God's Presence: The more time Moses spent with God, the more his face shone. The more time you spend with Jesus (prayer, Bible, worship), the more you'll reflect His character. People will see Jesus in you!
5. Remember Jesus Removed the Veil: You don't need to be perfect or special to talk to God. Jesus opened the way! You can pray anytime, anywhere. Thank Jesus for giving you direct access to God!
Small Group Questions:
1. What was the Tent of Meeting? What happened there?
2. What did Moses value more than reaching the Promised Land?
3. What happened to Moses' face after spending time with God? Why?
4. How is Jesus better than Moses' experience at the Tent of Meeting?
5. What does it mean that we're being transformed "from glory to glory"?
Memory Verse:
"My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." - Exodus 33:14
Posted in Calvary Kids