Introduction
Greetings! Exodus Chapter 33 is a truly remarkable chapter. Why do I say this? Because the truths revealed in this chapter surpass the importance of many others. Comparing it to our lives as Christians, you will find that there are two types of Christians: those who constantly face calamities and those who find favour in God's eyes. In this chapter, these two types of Christians are clearly depicted. I have titled this chapter: Seeking God's Presence, Seeking God's Face, Seeking God's Glory.
Consider this: what are we truly seeking when we believe in the Lord? I have come to realise that seeking God's presence and God's glory has become the mainstream among us. It is no easy feat to achieve this. In most churches today, you will see pastors praying for someone's permanent residency, for their job, for finding a boyfriend, and so on. They seek all sorts of things!
I must say in all honesty that there are very few who seek God's presence, God's face, and God's glory. Because they are few, they are precious in God's eyes! People seek different things and receive different things. Are the things you seek rubbish or treasures in God's eyes? Does God consider these things good or bad? Let us share this bit by bit. Initially, God commanded Moses, saying:
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I will send an angel before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I myself will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.” (Exodus 33:1-3)
Is this what people seek? Brothers and sisters, ask yourselves, do you simply want a good life? Do you simply want to go to a land flowing with milk and honey? The question is, can you even get there? If believing in the Lord is just for a land flowing with milk and honey, just to live well, then there is trouble! Those who believe in the Lord should seek imperishable glory. Brothers and sisters, where is your level? You may not understand when you first come to church, but that is alright. I will explain it to you now.
When did the Lord say He would lead them into a land flowing with milk and honey? It was after the Israelites made the golden calf and idols. Moses was truly exhausted at this time. After Moses came down from the mountain, he was quite disappointed with the Israelites. If God said to Moses, "Look! These are the people you brought out of Egypt," I would feel ashamed if I heard that, because they look like misfits. What I mean by misfits is that they don't look right. Actually, I learned this phrase from someone else.
Once, a pastor among us who is in charge of ministry said, "Look, the people he shepherds are all a bunch of misfits, and the church he shepherds is also a misfit church." As for whether that is the case, I tell you, I also think it is a misfit. Now, God sees these Israelites as misfits too. What if God feels ashamed of these people? Pass the buck to Moses: "These are the people you brought out; it has little to do with me." If our God has this attitude towards us, then there is trouble. Why is this so?
God just wants to bring them in quickly and be done with it, leaving the rest to the Israelites' own devices. "You can do whatever you want! Anyway, I promised it to Abraham. From now on, I will get you all in there. After you get in, you can do whatever you want." God dusts Himself off, claps His hands, brushes off the dust, and slips away! Is this God's plan? Yes, it is! Do not think that God is looking for a bunch of misfits. God is looking for treasures!
Why did God promise Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Because Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob sought God's presence, sought God's face, and sought imperishable glory! These people were not worthy of this world. So when God mentions them, He says He is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. It feels so good to say that! I am the self-existent God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. How wonderful! But when some people are mentioned, oh dear, quickly, quickly, for Abraham's sake, shove them in. Anyway, it's okay to shove these misfits in!
Do not think that God has this attitude. Actually, I have this attitude too. Do not think that I want everyone here. I do not want everyone. I only want to bring those who want to seek God's face, seek God's presence, and seek God's glory into God's kingdom! These words are not my own. I read them in the Bible, where Jesus said this.
See What People Seek
“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. (Matthew 13:47-48)
Are you ashamed of the gospel, or do you glory in it? The Apostle Paul said, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God, the glory of God!" So what do you want? If you do not want God's presence, God says, "I will not go with you. I will send someone to lead you in, but I myself will not go with you. I do not want to mix with you people, getting all dishevelled, a bunch of misfits." When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, they experienced so much of God's mighty arm, unprecedented miracles, and God's power was constantly manifested, bringing them out of Egypt.
Brothers and sisters, you must know that if you have experienced God's power, experienced God's healing, experienced God's salvation, and still do not seek God's presence, what kind of mind is that? Someone had cancer, and after I prayed, his illness was basically cured. As a result, he wanted to enjoy life! But his illness was not completely cured yet. He thought, "I escaped from the gates of hell this time. I have seen through the brevity of life. I must fulfil my life's desires. I must travel around the world." After travelling around the world, he came back and died. I said, "What kind of mind is that?" It was God who healed him!
All who have experienced God's power, if they do not seek God's presence, God's face, and God's glory, and only have their eyes on these lands flowing with milk and honey, how stiff-necked are they! I have a small fear: the seriously ill patients I serve, they have experienced much suffering and calamity, experienced God's mighty salvation, but their minds are still filled with those things—business, work, money—and they do not want God's presence!
How important is God's presence? Without God's presence, how can you win the battle? Without God's presence, your eyes are only on that land flowing with milk and honey. Can you live well? The answer is no. All who have experienced God's power and still are self-righteous, going their own way according to their own will, are like these misfits, a stiff-necked people in God's eyes. When you are a stiff-necked people, God says:
But I myself will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.” (Exodus 33:3)
Some people say, "Aren't you always saying that it is the Spirit that gives life, and people live by every word that comes from the mouth of God, so they can live well, right?" You might say, "I am living quite well now! There is nothing wrong!" There is nothing wrong, but the problem is that it is not the word of God! Everyone gradually understands that if you are seeking the land flowing with milk and honey, if your eyes are only on milk and honey, you may not even get in! Not only will you not get in, but you may die in the wilderness.
God Will Destroy You on the Way He Leads You
God will destroy you on the way He leads you. Brothers and sisters, think carefully. I have seen many such Christians, far too many. Sometimes I worry about these people. What are you pursuing? If you are a stiff-necked misfit, God will destroy you on the way. This is what the Bible says. Do you think God will not destroy you?
Of the six hundred thousand Israelites written here, only Joshua and Caleb entered the Promised Land. Only two people out of six hundred thousand entered. Don't you think this ratio is too small, too tragic? How dare people go against God? You build a church, neither seeking God's presence nor seeking God's face, only saying it with your mouth, but everything you actually do is not the word of God. I am very surprised! When the people heard this bad news, they began to mourn.
So tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’ (Exodus 33:5)
Aren't you seeking a good life? "Look, isn't my earring beautiful? Look, isn't my necklace beautiful? Look, isn't this beautiful?" I think it is just showing off. The problem is that people's minds are filled with this. What can you do? Fortunately, God does not often come upon you in an instant!
I want to remind everyone that among the people I have seen, many start to experience calamities as they live—one moment they get cancer, the next moment the cancer recurs, the next moment their business has problems, the next moment they get into lawsuits, the next moment things do not go smoothly, and they are constantly dealing with smoky messes. Businessmen's minds are filled with their business all day long; workers' minds are filled with their work all day long; housewives' minds are filled with their husbands all day long, making their lives smoky messes. What is the result? If you do not seek God's presence, do you think you can escape calamity when you encounter it? Can you live through this?
Recently, I just saw a helper receive a Christian who has believed in the Lord for twenty years. His life is really hard! After being a Christian for twenty years, all he has sought is calamity. It is all tears to talk about it. Is that the life people live? Is that what a Christian should be like? It is constant calamity! I really hope that everyone can fear God! If a person becomes a Christian and is still a misfit Christian, if God comes upon you, it is barely tolerable if He is not with you; but if God suddenly comes upon you, it is calamity after calamity. Do you say that the calamity does not come from God? Where does it come from? So you cannot be a misfit Christian. If you are going to be a Christian, be a resounding Christian. We have no other choice.
Otherwise, you might as well become a monk or build a temple, shave your head and become a nun or a monk, or build a Taoist temple and refine an elixir. You can do whatever you want! If you are a Christian and do not seek God's presence, and you are always thinking about the land flowing with milk and honey, and you are always talking about these things, God sees you as a misfit. If you do not seek God's presence, and God suddenly is with you, it is calamity after calamity. Do you say this is life-threatening?
So sometimes I tell everyone that I suffer when I serve people. Telling the truth offends people, and not telling the truth does not edify them. If I deceive them, I will deceive myself. I will end up with cancer like other pastors. That will not do! I do not care what happens; I will tell you the truth. Can you understand this account if we tell the truth? If a Christian does not seek God's presence, and God is with him, it is calamity after calamity. What is this doing? So many years ago, when I became a Christian, I felt that being a Christian was quite risky! Isn't it? So Moses is amazing. Moses' taste and pattern are beyond our imagination.
Learning from Moses' Pursuit
If you want to be a certain type of person, it is quite easy; just do whatever you want. But if you don't want to be that way, you must learn from Moses' pursuit. Let me explain it to you. Moses was remarkable. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Every time I read this, I deeply admire Moses.
Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people up,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor in my eyes.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you and I have found favor in your eyes unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:12-16)
You may not have fully grasped this, so let me explain it a bit. God said to Moses, "I know you by name, and you have found favor in my eyes." This favor God showed to Moses was a personal favor to him! It was about Moses himself, whom God knew by name and who had found favor in His eyes. As for those misfits, we won't talk about them. What was so remarkable about Moses? Moses was not seeking favor for himself.
Christians can be very selfish, selfish to an outrageous extent! I don't know how many selfish Christians there are among you, but I am working hard to change this situation. If Moses had only cared about himself, he would have thought, "Oh! God knows me by name, very good, really thank the Lord! I have found favor in God's eyes, oh! Look at you misfits, see how good I am, I have already found favor." How selfish that would be.
Many Christians have no Mingding Destiny, only selfishness and greed, seeking only their own trivial matters. My work, my studies, my grades—all your petty concerns, and God will categorize you among the misfits. Brothers and sisters, why should we follow the path of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? They didn't place much importance on their own trivial lives. Because Abraham sought to be a blessing to all nations on earth, Isaac and Jacob sought to be a blessing to all nations on earth; they were all people with Mingding Destiny. If you listen to my study of Genesis, you will see that even Tamar having children from Judah was due to Mingding Destiny. Are you gradually understanding this?
Selfishness is a very critical issue for Christians. Let's put it this way: whom have you served or blessed in the past year? Whom have you blessed or served in the past month? What are you thinking about in your heart? I must warn everyone, if you come to believe in the Lord just to enter a land flowing with milk and honey, to receive God's promises and blessings, that is not the goal. Do you understand? I have said this before, but I also said that it is a byproduct, a critical choice!
I will correct as many as I can. If you haven't experienced enough disasters and know you are a misfit, quickly repent and become a proper fruit. Start becoming a person with Mingding Destiny, for there is no blessing outside of Mingding Destiny. Selfishness is definitely not a solution to problems, and it is definitely not how a Christian should be.
So Moses was not satisfied with God saying, "I know you by name, and you have found favor in my eyes." Moses said, "Teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find true favor with you." Do you understand? The latter favor is not the same as the former favor. The former favor is personal, while the latter favor is about leading God's people, leading them to become God's people. Then God said:
The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you and I have found favor in your eyes unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:14-16)
As for those misfits, let them see what their fate will be. What a heart, what a vision! You must also have such a vision, and even if you don't, you must create one. Always saying, "My grades are not as good as his; my ministry is not as good as his; Pastor, you are not as good to me as you are to him"—what kind of vision is that? Your mind is full of evil. Do you want to be a misfit? I must remind everyone, it is easy to be a misfit; you don't have to do anything, just follow your nature. Moses had such a vision; Moses sought God.
I deeply know God's heart. Sometimes, dealing with people, especially those with a pastoral background, is very tiring. Deep down, I really hope that thousands of Chinese Mingding Destiny rise up. I will do one if I can, two if I can. I painstakingly tell people, but they respond: "You have your interpretation, I have mine; you have your pursuit, I have mine; you have your way of doing things, I have mine." I am not hurt, why am I not hurt? Because no matter what they say, I will bless one if I can, two if I can; this is my Mingding Destiny.
Actually, every time I hear that a pastor has ruined a church, I feel very sad. A few years ago, I met a pastor, and I taught him step by step. I bought a plane ticket to go see him. I paid for the plane ticket and hotel myself, and then spent a long time in the hotel, teaching him lesson by lesson. In the end, he ruined the church himself. Why? He turned the church into a club. Did I not know he was that kind of person? Of course I knew, but I was sad. I didn't gloat, I didn't think, "The members of their church can come to us now." I didn't; I was very sad.
Isn't our Mingding Destiny to be a blessing to many people? Everyone must know that the path I am leading you on is a path to becoming a blessing to many, not a path to being blessed. The path to becoming a blessing to many is the path to being blessed. Many times, what we say doesn't really count, but we do what we can. My colleagues often tell me, "Teacher, cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again." I serve these people, and no matter how busy I am, I make time to serve them. What am I after? I am after God's heart being satisfied. I am learning from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses. When I see these figures, I am deeply moved. I don't say, "God, destroy them, let them fail quickly!" This is not God's heart.
How will anyone know that you and I have found favor in your eyes unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth? (Exodus 33:16)
God's presence is so important. How can God be with a stingy person, a person without vision? If you really value God's presence, you must know what kind of person God is with. So everyone must start thinking about these words of Moses, which are very meaningful. Because you are with us, you distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth, so that we are different from them, we are your people. As a result, God said to Moses:
And the Lord said, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” (Exodus 33:17)
This time it is not something else, it is really like this, God will do as Moses asked, so that he may receive greater grace. What kind of person is Moses? Moses is the greatest prophet in history, deeply understanding God's heart. Then Moses sought these things, and God said: "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you." It is because what Moses asked pleased God, was in accordance with God's heart, and was exactly what God wanted, just like the ancient emperors said, "It is exactly what I want." But Moses was still not satisfied.
Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” (Exodus 33:18)
Moses further sought, Moses sought God's face, God's glory. Do you know what kind of person would seek this? What kind of person would seek God's presence? Seek God's glory? Seek God's face? It is only those who have seen through the matter of living that would seek this. If a person cannot see through the matter of living, he will not seek this, but only seek to eat well, drink well, and live well. A land flowing with milk and honey is good, but it is also a temptation. If all these worldly dreams are not broken, what people seek is only worldly dreams.
There is a businessman who seeks all day long to expand his business, business, business! As a result, he owes the bank a lot of money. The bank will not joke with you; if you can pay it back, you must pay it back; if you can't pay it back, you must still pay it back. In the end, they will bankrupt you. Brothers and sisters, if our lives in this world are all vanity, would we still be so serious? If we seek only milk and honey through God, it is a very troublesome thing. Because you have made milk and honey your god. If a person knows that this is a byproduct, walks in God's presence through God's heart, all these byproducts will be added to him. The New Testament also says:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33)
Once, a person called me and asked if I could pray for his money. I couldn't find an example of praying for money in the Bible. Someone said that his house was going to be rented out, and asked me to pray for his house, so that he could find good tenants. What are we asking for these things for? Someone said that he had three businesses, and asked me to pray for him, asking for a confirmation, to see which one he should do? You want to do whichever one you want to do. The things you are asking for are so low!
Someone said to quickly pray for his family's child, that his family would have a child. I have to tell you, what are you asking for that for? Later, I thought, if a child with Down syndrome is born, wouldn't that become my burden? Someone said that he has three jobs now, which job should he do? Is this important? It is very important to you, but it is not important to me at all. Compared to God's presence, everything in the world pales in comparison. Brothers and sisters, sometimes I am embarrassed to refuse you, but you must know what I mean.
What Moses sought was to see God's face. Why is it so good to see God's face? A person lives in this world for seventy or eighty years, living to seek God's face. Are you seeking the face of the King of Hell? Don't live your whole life seeing the face of the King of Hell. In the King of Hell's courtyard, there are several big pots, some frying twisted dough sticks, two people twisted together to fry; some frying fried dough sticks, two stuck together to fry; some frying fried cakes, piled together to fry. Think about it slowly. I am not cursing you; the Bible says so. If you are stiff-necked, you ask for your own things, and what you ask for is nothing but disaster. The disasters you have experienced in the past have already proven a lot.
Summary
Seeking God's glory, seeking God's face, seeking God's presence, this is not just for this life, but for all eternity. Some people say that this way is very difficult. In our Bible study, many times when I preach, I preach many people away. I think it is good to preach people away! You have come to the wrong place. I must tell you that this place is to seek God's presence, to seek God's face, to seek God's glory. In this place, if you want to get Singapore citizenship, permanent residency, or find a job, this place has God's blessing, but after you find the blessing, go do what you need to do. This place has God's grace, but if you only have God's grace in your eyes, it is troublesome.
Brothers and sisters, I am determined to lead everyone into Mingding Destiny, which is that we will always enter into eternal glory. As Christians, we must be careful that these stiff-necked people are killed in the wilderness. Even if they take off their earrings and decorations, they cannot escape God's killing them in the wilderness.
Brothers and sisters, do you say that what I am preaching is difficult? It is difficult and it is not difficult. It depends on what you choose to want. If this is not what you want, then go seek what you want. Aren't there many different kinds of churches and gospels waiting for you to choose? If a person has experienced enough, should we wake up and ask ourselves what we are seeking? I have finally come into this world, what should I seek?
What Moses sought, I also seek. Moses sought God's Mingding Destiny, and God was with him, and God called him by his name and showed him grace. Those who sought a land flowing with milk and honey did not enter the land flowing with milk and honey in the end. Isn't this a tragedy? Do you say that Exodus 33 is very sobering? Brothers and sisters, reopen our vision, what exactly are we seeking? Establish the foundation of what we seek, unshakable, no matter what happens, still seek God's glory.
But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” (Exodus 33:20-23)
Although Moses could not see God's face or God's glory, he was still seeking, and God showed him a glimpse of His back. I hope that one day, God can reveal and manifest this word to us. Finally, I will ask everyone one more question: what are you seeking?
May God bless everyone!
Reflection Questions
With what kind of people does God not dwell? ()
A: Selfish and stingy people
B: People without vision
C: People who do not understand God's heart
D: Those who pursue God's presence
E: Those who pursue God's gloryGod promises that we will enter a land flowing with milk and honey. Is that land flowing with milk and honey our goal?
After listening to Exodus 33, have you begun to realize: what were we seeking before? What should we seek now?
What kind of Christians are misfit Christians? What will be the result? How can we avoid being a misfit Christian?