Longing for Divine Revival: Moses' Intercessory Prayer

 

Summary

In Exodus 33:12-17, we find Moses in a profound dialogue with God, seeking assurance and guidance for the journey ahead. This passage serves as a powerful illustration of the church's need for revival, especially when it finds itself in a state of spiritual decline due to faithlessness and rebellion. Moses, as a leader, intercedes for the people, demonstrating the necessity of prayer and repentance. He pitches a tent outside the camp, symbolizing a separation from sin and a return to God, and there he prays fervently for God's presence to return.

Moses' prayer goes beyond mere restoration; he seeks something extraordinary—a revival. He is not content with God's return; he desires a deeper, more profound manifestation of God's presence. This longing for revival is characterized by a desire for personal assurance, power, and a unique authentication of the church's mission. Moses wants to know God more intimately, to experience His love and presence in a way that is undeniable and transformative.

Revival, as Moses exemplifies, is not just about the church being blessed or aware of God's presence. It is about experiencing something extraordinary, something that cannot be explained by human efforts alone. It is a divine intervention that sets the church apart, making it a beacon of God's power and presence in the world. This is the essence of Moses' prayer and the heart of true revival.

Key Takeaways:

- Desire for Personal Assurance: Moses' prayer for personal assurance reflects a deep longing to know God intimately. This desire goes beyond mere acceptance; it seeks a profound manifestation of God's love and presence. Such a longing is a hallmark of those who yearn for revival, as they seek a deeper, more personal relationship with God. [12:54]

- Need for Divine Power: Recognizing the magnitude of the task ahead, Moses prays for God's power. This awareness of human weakness and the need for divine strength is crucial for revival. It is a reminder that without God's power, our efforts are in vain. [24:05]

- Unique Authentication of the Church: Moses' prayer for a special authentication of the church's mission highlights the need for the church to be distinct and set apart. Revival brings a supernatural manifestation that confirms the church's unique identity as God's people. [32:00]

- Revival as an Extraordinary Event: Revival is not just about regular blessings; it is an extraordinary event that cannot be explained by human means. It is a divine outpouring that transforms the church and impacts the world. [33:36]

- Urgency of Revival Prayer: The urgency in Moses' prayer for revival underscores the critical need for the church to seek God's extraordinary intervention. It is a call to move beyond complacency and to earnestly seek God's presence and power. [43:17]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - Introduction to Exodus 33:12-17
- [01:59] - The Church's Critical Condition
- [02:55] - Moses' Intercession and Repentance
- [04:48] - The Beginning of Revival Prayer
- [06:38] - Revival as Something Extraordinary
- [08:16] - Misunderstanding Revival
- [11:30] - Moses' Prayer for Personal Assurance
- [14:26] - Desire for Deeper Knowledge of God
- [19:24] - Seeking God's Plans and Purposes
- [23:46] - Prayer for Divine Power
- [28:59] - Awareness of Human Weakness
- [32:00] - Prayer for Church's Unique Authentication
- [37:00] - Need for Supernatural Manifestation
- [43:17] - Urgency of Revival Prayer

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Exodus 33:12-17

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#### Observation Questions

1. What specific request does Moses make to God in Exodus 33:13, and how does it reflect his desire for personal assurance? [12:35]

2. How does Moses' interaction with God in Exodus 33:15-16 highlight the importance of God's presence for the Israelites' journey? [23:46]

3. In what way does Moses' prayer in Exodus 33:16 emphasize the need for the Israelites to be distinct from other nations? [32:14]

4. How does the sermon describe the significance of the Cloudy pillar returning to the Tabernacle? [04:01]

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#### Interpretation Questions

1. What does Moses' request for a deeper knowledge of God suggest about the nature of true revival? [14:26]

2. How does the sermon explain the relationship between human weakness and the need for divine power in the context of revival? [24:05]

3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the church today might be failing to recognize its need for revival? [10:14]

4. How does the sermon interpret the concept of "unique authentication" of the church's mission, and why is it considered crucial? [32:00]

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#### Application Questions

1. Moses desired a deeper, more personal relationship with God. Reflect on your own spiritual journey. What steps can you take to deepen your relationship with God this week? [14:26]

2. The sermon emphasizes the need for divine power in the face of human weakness. Identify an area in your life where you feel weak. How can you invite God's power into that situation? [24:05]

3. Consider the idea of the church being a unique and distinct entity. How can your local church better reflect its unique identity as God's people in your community? [32:14]

4. The sermon speaks of an urgency in prayer for revival. How can you incorporate this sense of urgency into your personal prayer life? [43:17]

5. Reflect on the concept of revival as an extraordinary event. Have you ever experienced a moment in your life that felt like a personal revival? What was it like, and how did it impact your faith? [33:36]

6. Moses was not content with the ordinary; he longed for something extraordinary. Is there an area in your life where you have settled for the ordinary? What extraordinary step can you take to change that? [06:38]

7. The sermon highlights the importance of God's presence for the Israelites' journey. How do you ensure that God's presence is central in your daily life and decisions? [23:46]

Devotional

Day 1: Longing for Intimate Knowledge of God
Moses' prayer for personal assurance reflects a deep longing to know God intimately. This desire goes beyond mere acceptance; it seeks a profound manifestation of God's love and presence. Such a longing is a hallmark of those who yearn for revival, as they seek a deeper, more personal relationship with God. Moses' interaction with God in Exodus 33:12-17 shows a leader who is not satisfied with the status quo but desires a transformative encounter with the divine. This longing is not just for personal fulfillment but for a deeper understanding of God's character and will. [12:54]

Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'"

Reflection: In what ways can you seek a deeper understanding of God's character today, beyond your current knowledge and experience?


Day 2: Recognizing Our Need for Divine Strength
Recognizing the magnitude of the task ahead, Moses prays for God's power. This awareness of human weakness and the need for divine strength is crucial for revival. It is a reminder that without God's power, our efforts are in vain. Moses' prayer highlights the importance of acknowledging our limitations and relying on God's strength to accomplish His purposes. This reliance on divine power is not a sign of weakness but a recognition of the true source of strength and guidance. [24:05]

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to rely more on God's strength rather than your own abilities?


Day 3: Distinctiveness of the Church's Mission
Moses' prayer for a special authentication of the church's mission highlights the need for the church to be distinct and set apart. Revival brings a supernatural manifestation that confirms the church's unique identity as God's people. This distinctiveness is not about exclusivity but about being a beacon of God's love and truth in the world. The church's mission is to reflect God's character and purposes, and revival serves as a powerful reminder of this calling. [32:00]

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Reflection: How can you contribute to the church's mission of being a distinct and authentic representation of God's love and truth in your community today?


Day 4: Experiencing the Extraordinary in Revival
Revival is not just about regular blessings; it is an extraordinary event that cannot be explained by human means. It is a divine outpouring that transforms the church and impacts the world. This extraordinary nature of revival is what sets it apart from everyday spiritual experiences. It is a time when God's presence is felt in a powerful and undeniable way, leading to transformation and renewal. The church is called to seek this extraordinary move of God, not for its own sake, but for the sake of the world. [33:36]

Habakkuk 3:2 (ESV): "O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy."

Reflection: What extraordinary move of God are you praying for in your life or in your church, and how can you actively seek it today?


Day 5: Urgency in Seeking God's Intervention
The urgency in Moses' prayer for revival underscores the critical need for the church to seek God's extraordinary intervention. It is a call to move beyond complacency and to earnestly seek God's presence and power. This urgency is not about panic but about recognizing the importance of God's presence in the life of the church and the world. It is a call to action, to pray fervently and to seek God's face with determination and hope. [43:17]

Isaiah 55:6-7 (ESV): "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

Reflection: What steps can you take today to move beyond spiritual complacency and seek God's extraordinary intervention in your life and community?

Quotes

Moses now felt the necessity for prayer, for intercessory prayer, so he pitches this Tabernacle, this tent of meeting, outside the camp, and there he goes to pray to God. And other people, feeling the burden, would go out and join him in this prayer to God that he would return and have mercy upon them and be with them as he had been in times past. [00:03:13]

Moses was not satisfied. He desired more, so he goes back again into the Tabernacle, and he continues in his praying. All that has been given, he says, is not enough. He longs for more, and he begins pleading for more, for something extra. Now then, it is just there, I say, that we rarely come to the vital point in this whole matter of Revival. [00:06:15]

Revival is something extra. It is something additional. It is something which is quite unusual. Now, I'm emphasizing this because it seems very clear to me that there are large numbers of good Christian people today who have never grasped that point at all, that Revival, by definition, is something quite out of the ordinary, special, unusual, exceptional. [00:06:48]

Moses is not content with a mere knowledge of the fact that he is accepted by God and that he is in God's favor. He knows that, but he's not content with it. He wants more. That I may know thee, says Moses. Oh, he knew about God. He'd had manifestations of God's loving interest in him and God's kindness to him. [00:13:22]

He wants a personal knowledge of God. He wants a direct knowledge of God. He wants to know beyond a doubt and a peradventure that God really loves him. Well, he knows it, of course, but he wants a manifestation of it. He wants an absolute certainty with respect to it. Now then, here is something, I say, that you will find in the lives of all the great saints of God. [00:14:03]

The first thing that happens to them is that they themselves feel this desire for a deeper knowledge of God. Of course, they're good men. They're Orthodox men. They believe in God. They know they're saved. They've got Assurance of Salvation. They may have had it for years, but now they begin to feel a hunger and a thirst for something bigger and something deeper. [00:14:36]

He prays for a sense of personal assurance. That's the message of verse 13. Now, therefore, he says, I pray thee, if I have found Grace in thy sight. He knows that he has. He's using it as an argument. You can read it like this if you like: because I have found Grace in thy sight, show me now thy way that I may know thee. [00:12:26]

Moses said unto God, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. Here's a tremendous thing again, the prayer for power. This is absolutely invariable in the history of the church prior to Revival. This is the thing of which the intercessors always become most conscious: the need for power. [00:23:46]

Moses, we are told, was the meekest of men. He was, and that was his glory. He realized his weakness, his own inability. I won't go another step, said Moses to God, unless you promise to be with me. Who am I to meet this situation, even with the wisdom that thou has given me? It's not enough. [00:29:06]

He prayed also for a special authentication of the church and her Mission. God's presence is personal assurance, the power, yes, and the special authentication of the church and her Mission. That's the message of verse 16. He listened to Moses arguing wherein he says, for wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found Grace in thy sight? [00:31:47]

The prayer for Revival is the prayer that the church may again become like that, and my argument is that nothing but some unusual outpouring of the spirit of God can do that. What is needed is something that cannot be explained in human terms. What is needed is something that is so striking and so signal that it will arrest the tension of the whole world. [00:33:20]

What is needed is some Supernatural manifestation which will make it perfectly plain and clear that it's not of men, but that it is of God. The demonstration of the spirit and of power, says the Apostle Paul. Do you know what's needed? I'll tell you what is needed is what happened on the day of Pentecost. [00:36:48]

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Transcript
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