His Presence

"His Presence" - Exodus 13:17-22

When God chose us, it is to guide and protect us. He led His people; Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, the reason being to keep them on the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that their steps would not be stopped. He "never" left His place in front of the people. (1 Corinthians 10:9) And let us not tempt the Lord, for we perish and cannot attain what God wants to give us.

I. That is, the Shekhinah.

A. A visible figure of the divine Majesty, who was a type of Christ.

1. An anticipated manifestation of the eternal Word, who, in the fullness of time, was to become flesh and encamp among us.

2. (1 Corinthians 10:9) Neither let us tempt the Lord, that is, the Shekhinah, nor murmur

(10) of the Shekinah, it is the Lord amid the people, the Word (John 1:14) made flesh.

3. The Word made flesh is our Lord.

4. (John 1:14) In Him was life.

5. He had always existed as the Son of God with the Father in heaven, but now He wanted to come into the world in a human body.

6. John "saw His glory," that moral glory of Jesus; His holiness, power, authority, glory, all that flowed from Him.

7. A perfect life lived on this earth.

8. John was on the Mount of Transfiguration.

9. The "glory," the Shekhinah that the disciples saw, indicated to them that He was truly the Son of God.

10. Jesus one of a kind.

11. Those who have made "the glory of God" their goal (end).

12. When you choose to live in the glory of God, their goal, God's Word their standard (guide, principle that is imposed, rule), the Spirit of God their guide, and God's providence their safety and rest, they can trust that the Lord goes before them.

13. (Genesis 28:15-16) Surely Jehovah is in this place.

14. I didn't know, says Jacob.

15. It was a ladder that stretched from earth to heaven.

16. That ladder rested on the ground, and its end touched heaven, and behold, angels of God ascended and descended upon it.

17. This suggests "the fact of a real, continuous, and intimate communion between heaven and earth and in particular between God in His glory and 'man in his solitude.'"

18. (Exodus 33:14) Moses asked for God's presence to lead His people to Canaan.

19. In grace, God promised that His presence would go with them.

20. Moses insisted that "nothing less would be accepted."

21. Safety does not depend on the absence of danger, but on the presence of God.

22. (Deuteronomy 20:1) God knows we have to war.

23. We have our battles against our enemies.

24. There the people fought against humans.

25. Our struggle is against darkness and its leader.

26. Don't be afraid.

27. Even if everything is bigger than one, "do not be afraid."

28. For "the Lord thy God" is, who saved thee.

29. (Isaiah 43:2) I will be with you.

30. In tones of tenderness and love, Jehovah tells His people that they need "not" be afraid, for the One who created them, "formed," "redeemed," and "called" will be with them in the flood and in the fire.

31. (Matthew 18:20) His Shekhinah is not for the thousands, it is gathering in "His name" means by His authority, in recognition of all that He is and in obedience to His Word.

32. No one can claim to be the only ones who gather in His name.

33. If so, His presence would be limited to a small segment of His body on earth.

34. He's where two or three congregated in acknowledgment of Him as Lord and Savior, He's there... with them.

35. (Matthew 28:20) No one takes away from us what we have learned and lived from the Lord.

36. Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.

37. The commission goes beyond evangelism; It's not enough to make converts and let them fend for themselves.

38. They are to be taught to "keep" the commandments of Christ as found in the Word.

39. It is to lead the disciple to become like the Master, and this is accomplished by systematic teaching of, and submission to, the Word.

40. In Christ there is, or is, the Shekhinah of Jehovah for everyone who comes to the Lord.

41. It's not that someone or some have it, it's for the one who has grown up in Him. Amen.