Exodus 33:7 – 11 “Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it at a distance outside the camp. He called it the Tent of Meeting, and anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp. Then, whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would stand at the entrances of their tents and watch Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and remain at the entrance, and the LORD would speak with Moses. When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they would stand up and worship, each one at the entrance to his tent. Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.”
How much noise can two million people and all their livestock make??? Sheep baaing, cows mooing, children shouting as they were playing, and people talking – the noise must have been incredible! And as long as Moses had his tent in the center of camp, people probably began coming to him at dawn. Here in Ghana, if you have an important problem that you hope someone else will solve for you, you generally arrive at their gate or their doorstep first thing in the morning. Sure, Moses had appointed judges for various levels, but there were always people who insisted on having Moses hear their case personally.
Moses really had only one choice: to take his tent and pitch it at a distance outside the camp. (Remember, the Tabernacle does not yet exist.) Moses allowed anyone tho wished to hear from the Lord to come to the Tent of Meeting. Presumably, as long as other men came to the Tent of Meeting, the pillar of cloud remained where it was. But when Moses would enter this tent, the pillar of cloud that accompanied the Israelites would come down and remain at the entrance while God and Moses conversed. While God and Moses were meeting, the Israelites would stop their daily activities and stand up and worship where they were.
Only one man accompanied Moses when he was going to meet with God: Joshua. And even after Moses would leave the Tent of Meeting, Joshua would remain in the presence of the Lord.
APPLICATION; What could possibly move Joshua to remain in the Tent of Meeting after Moses had left? Only one answer seems appropriate: Joshua remained in the Tent of Meeting to soak up more of God’s holiness and peace. Joshua saw something in Moses that he wanted for himself, and he realized that he had to spend time with God if he was to be able to follow in Moses’ footsteps. What events took place in Joshua’s heart while he was in the Tent of Meeting? We may never know. But all the time that Joshua spent waiting on God, God was preparing Joshua so that eventually Joshua could take over from Moses and lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.
In the recent movie “The War Room,” an elderly Christian lady teaches a younger woman whose marriage is in trouble how to pray prayers over her family. This seasoned prayer warrior has a closet she uses as a prayer chamber and posts photos of people for whom she is praying and prayer requests on the wall of the closet. The younger lady eventually develops her own prayer room and prays fervently over her family. By the end of the movie, the younger woman’s marriage is healed and she is now praying for her neighborhood. When the elderly lady goes to sell her home of many years, one of the prospective buyers, a pastor, enters the room she has used as a prayer chamber and immediately senses the holiness in that room.
Some of us do not have the luxury of having enough space to devote one room to a prayer chamber. Some friends who are Catholic nuns have a single corner of their sitting room in which they have placed a small table they use as an altar. This is their worship corner. John Wesley’s mother raised nineteen children in small houses; her means of having private prayers was to sit in a corner with her apron thrown over her head. The children knew not to bother their mother until she uncovered her head and returned to her daily duties.
The “where” of having a place in which to meet the Lord is not as important as the “why.” When we are meeting God in prayer, we are meeting the One who knows us best and who loves us anyway. When we meet with God, we can put forth questions, resting assured that at the right time, God will give us His answers. And we can put forth our problems to God, knowing that He can bring perfect solutions.
“But,” you say, “I’m not even sure that I believe in your God.” No problem. Find a quiet place and pray this prayer: “God, I am not sure You are there. I am not sure if this lady is telling the truth. But if You are really there and if You really want to meet with me, please come and give me Your peace in my heart. Thank you for loving me. I am going to be quiet and hope that You will give me Your thoughts. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.” God is a good Father. You will find answers.
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