The Blessedness of the Presence of the Lord

The people of Israel have been led out of Egypt from a land of toil and misery. They have been led into the wilderness, a land of drought and dangers. They are on the way to Canaan, the promised land. Our life is a journey, and we are on the way to our eternal destination. There is a people to whom it is a wilderness journey, people who have learned to know their misery and bondage in Egypt but have been led out by God’s mighty hand. Yet, Israel is a stiff-necked people. God had made a covenant with them. The blood had been sprinkled upon them. They have promised faithfulness to Him but have made a golden calf and offended the Lord. He said that He would destroy the people and make a new great nation. Moses became an intercessor for them and pleaded on God’s own name and honor. What would the Egyptians say? The Lord answered him; He will send an angel with the people on their way to Canaan.

An earnest request

The tent of the tabernacle was placed outside the camp of the Israelites as a visible token that the Lord was not dwelling in their midst anymore. Moses was not content but grieved. He would rather be in the wilderness with God than in Canaan without Him. Do we know this desire? What do we prefer: riches, ease, convenience, pleasure, or God’s favor and nearness? Moses pleaded with God to show that He had not forsaken them, for God’s presence is life. We could also read verse 14 as a question that is asked by the Lord. Shall My presence go with you? And shall I give you rest? So it is also rendered in the Dutch Statenvertaling Bible. Moses does not want to go farther without God. What a blessing it would be if, not only on Prayer Day but every day of the year, we would desire God’s nearness. Then we would not be able to take a step without Him. Asaph says in Psalm 73:28, “But it is good for me to draw near to God.” Do we know such a desire? It was the petition of Moses.

God’s presence

It was as if the Lord tested and tried Moses, as if He asked, “Would it not be enough for him to have an angel leading them?” No! Moses desired God’s presence, or face. The poet of Psalm 4 knew this as well in verse 6, “LORD, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us.” It is the experience of God’s true pilgrims that God’s kind face gives joyfulness and light. A token of God’s presence was visible in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. God’s presence or face gives: 1) an acknowledgment that His people belong to Him and are His people, indeed; 2) preservation and protection amidst all dangers; 3) direction and guidance into an unknown future, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way thou shalt go” (Psalm 32:8a); 4) real worship where they may behold His face and may also adore Him; 5) them to see how it is in His heart, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love.” His presence is sufficient for all their needs and trials.

His presence is sufficient for all their needs and trials. They are never alone. His presence is efficient; it is not merely observation but provision and supply. His presence is continual. When their flesh and heart faileth, God is the strength of their heart and their portion forever. His presence gives encouragement. Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.” However, how is it possible that God would show His kind countenance unto such foolish and undeserving people? That could only be because of Christ who would be nailed to the cross and experience the hiding of the Father’s countenance. There was no light of His countenance for the Lord Jesus, but darkness was upon Him. He descended into the breach between God and them. The righteous Judge was against Him, but in Him who is now the great Intercessor, God’s presence can go with such a rebellious people. What a wonder this is!

True rest

It was not enough for Moses that an angel would lead the people to Canaan, but only God’s presence would give them rest, or literally, a resting place. We live in a world full of unrest and turmoil. Also, in the heart of pilgrims the rest is so often missing. They are assaulted by many enemies and may fear that they would never arrive in Canaan to be with the Lord. However, the Lord promised to give Moses rest, and this applies to all spiritual pilgrims. After the conflicts of life, there is the rest of triumph in the heavenly Canaan. There are resting places here already and Elims from the toils of the wilderness journey. There is rest from fears, anxieties, and dangers of the way. There is rest from sufferings and afflictions of life. There is rest from the spiritual warfare, from the burden of sin, and at the end of the journey, there is the rest of eternal and heavenly glory. “There is a place by Me.” Christ is the resting place. He is the Shiloh. He promised, “And be content with such things as ye have: for He has said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5b). Christ is the greater Boaz who would not be “in rest, until he had finished the thing this day,” as Naomi said to Ruth.

He invites, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Of Him the prophet testified, “In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them: in His love and in His pity, He redeemed them; and He bare them, and carried them all the days of old” (Isaiah 63:9). When faith may be in exercise, then they may rest in His good pleasure which is from everlasting. In His wisdom He knows what is best for them. There is rest in His faithfulness—“I am the Lord, I change not”; in His immutability—He will not alter the words which He has spoken; in His power—all power is given unto Him in heaven and earth; in His love— although He may hide His face, His love is an everlasting love. There is rest in His balm which he pours into their wounds—rest in His nearness when He speaks to their heart—rest in the Ark of God where there is safety, and finally, rest at the heart of God when pilgrims may come home. To follow Him, the Rest Giver, gives rest. Let Him rule and reign, although this is something that we can never do in our own strength. We are totally dependent on Him to draw us unto Him and to keep us in the way we have to go, yet His care is sufficient for all our needs. It is our comfort that He will do what He has promised us.

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