Moses and You – A Pattern for Effective Living

Today, in my Bible reading, I read Exodus 40. This is one of my favorite Old Testament books. Over the years, I’ve read this passage scores of times until it finally struck me. From verse 16 to 33, there is repeated eight times that Moses did what the Lord commanded him. What it is referring to is the construction and assembly of the tabernacle.

Once completed, the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle and Moses could not enter it. One other time in the Old Testament does a similar thing happen and that is when Solomon completed the temple. At that time, as recorded in 2 Chronicles 7, the people bowed with their faces to the ground in the presence of God’s glory.

The Hebrew word for glory is kabod, which means weighty. When the people experienced the glory of God, the weight of his glory had them with their faces to the earth!

A Pattern

There is a reliable pattern that emerges from Exodus 40 that we can emulate.

1. Moses was called. He was given an historic role to play. He reluctantly accepted the call. Every follower of Jesus, every believer, is also called. We don’t have a role to play such as Moses but there is something we must do.

2. Moses was obedient in his calling and to the tasks God gave him. This is highlighted in this passage. We, too, have tasks to complete. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that God has prepared work for us to do in the kingdom.

3. When he completed his tasks, he experienced the glory of God. While we probably won’t experience God’s glory in the same way, we do experience his glory when we are obedient. It may be a sort of elation. It could be an indescribable lightness of being – a peace and contentment beyond expression. Or it may be something else but it is unmistakable.

What Next?

You have a task to do, work to complete, a sacred trust and a holy calling. What is it? If you do not know, it’s time to find out.

Pray about it and search the scriptures. You will find the answer and hear the call eventually. It is up to you to say yes and begin that work. Then you will experience the glory of God.