Does God speak directly to His people?

How do you know when He is speaking to you?

Can you distinguish the voice of God from your thoughts?

Some people believe that God will only speak to pastors, ministers, or church leaders.

But, God will speak to anyone who is obedient to Him. He will speak to anyone willing to listen and obey His voice.

When the Lord speaks to us we must first apply His Word to our lives before delivering it to anyone else.

We cannot speak the life-giving Word of God to others if our lives do not reflect it.

We cannot lay hands on the sick if our souls are not in tune with God.

We must, therefore, endeavor to seek an intimate relationship with God to recognize His voice.

The Good Shepherd said, “ My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John10:27 NKJV)

Face-to-face communication with God on earth

During the Old Testament period, Moses received specific instructions from God to construct the Ark of the Covenant.

The cover of the Ark was called the mercy seat and it was made of pure gold. Two cherubim were also made of gold and one was placed at each end of the mercy seat.

The mercy seat played a vital role in the Tabernacle because this was where God rested when He descended to earth to speak to the priest.

The Lord instructed Moses, “You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark, you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel. (Exodus 25:21-22 NKJV)

Thus we recognize that when God speaks to us, He does so from a foundation of mercy because we are mere dust and will be consumed in His glorious presence.

Yet, there was one man who was privileged to speak face-to-face with God inside and outside the protective realm of the Tabernacle.

The reason God chose to communicate with Moses face to face.

So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle.

(Exodus 33:11 NKJV)

According to Numbers 12:1-3, God spoke to Moses face-to-face because he was more humble than all the men on the earth.

Evidently, face-to-face communication with God is one of the greatest blessings of being humble.

Moses’ siblings, Aaron and Miriam, were critical of Moses’ marriage to an Ethiopian woman.

One of the strict instructions that God gave the people when they entered the Promised Land was not to intermarry with the other nations (Deuteronomy 7:1-6).

So Miriam and Aaron questioned Moses’ relationship with God. They said that Moses could not be the only one hearing from God and not them.

But, immediately God reprimanded them for their unfaithfulness.

He told them that He spoke to other prophets in dreams and visions but because Moses was more faithful than all the others He spoke to him face to face in plain language and not in parables (Numbers 12:6-8).

Moses’ siblings did not understand how Moses had achieved this intimate relationship with God.

Note that in verse 8, God asked them why were they not afraid to speak against their brother who has seen the form of God?

How and when did Moses see the form of God?

We will know the answer to this question when we examine the entire chapter of Exodus 33.

After the Israelites had committed idolatry with the golden calf, the Lord told Moses to continue the journey to the Promised Land and He would send His angel to lead them.

The Lord said He would not travel with the people because they were stubborn and rebellious, and if He went with them He would destroy them along the way.

So God told the people to remove their expensive clothes and jewelry until He determined their future. God was teaching them humility.

The Tabernacle where God spoke to Moses was set up outside the camp. When the people wanted to request something from God Moses would go to the Tabernacle but the people would stand at the entrance of their tents.

When Moses went inside the Tabernacle the pillar of cloud would come down and hover at the entrance while the Lord spoke to Moses. As soon as the people saw the cloud they would bow down and worship the Lord.

Exodus 33:11 says that the Lord would speak to Moses face to face as one who speaks to a friend. Afterward, Moses would return to the camp to relate God’s Word to the people.

However, Moses was not satisfied with this relationship. He felt that He needed a stronger commitment from God.

So he said to the Lord, ““You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.” (Exodus 33:12-13 NLT)

The Lord assured Moses, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14 NKJV)

But, Moses wanted more. He refused to go anywhere unless he could see the literal presence of God with them.

“Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.” ” (Exodus 33:15-16 NLT)

“The Lord replied to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.” “(Exodus 33:17 NLT)

Despite this strong reassurance from God, Moses wanted more!

So, Moses decided to make a tremendous request from God.

“Please, show me Your glory!”

No human being can withstand the glory of God. Yet, Moses was willing to sacrifice his life just to get a glimpse of the literal glory of God.

The Lord was willing to grant Moses his desire but based on some conditions.

“The Lord replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.” 

“The Lord continued, “Look, stand near me on this rock. As my glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice (cleft) of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and let you see me from behind. But my face will not be seen.” ” (Exodus 33:19-23 NLT)

In the cleft of the rock

Because Moses was never satisfied with anything less and always desired more from God, the Lord placed Moses in the cleft of the Rock, to shelter and protect him as His glory illuminated around him.

God sheltered Moses in the cleft of the Rock by proclaiming His name, Yahweh, Jehovah – the existing and eternal God.

In the cleft of the Rock, the name of the Lord protected Moses because “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10 NKJV)

The name of the Lord is a deliverer. The name of the Lord brings mercy, compassion, and forgiveness.

The name of the Lord is a provider! (Genesis 22:14)

There is salvation in the name of the Lord! (Psalms 116:4; Romans 10:13)

“Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalms 124:8 NKJV)

You can call on the name of the Lord – the Everlasting God because He sees and hears, and will deliver you from your afflictions (Genesis 16:11, 13; 21:33)

My questions for us today are:

Has God placed us in the cleft of a rock so that He can show us His glory?

Are we in the cleft of a rock to know God intimately?

Are we in the cleft of the rock so that God can speak to us directly?

Are we in the cleft of the rock to receive mercy, forgiveness, and compassion from God?

Are we in the cleft of the rock because we want more from God?

More of His love and compassion!

More of His grace and mercy!

More of His glorious presence in our lives!

As I wrote this post, I am reminded of the chorus of the old hymn that states,

He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock that shadows a dry, thirsty land. He hideth my life in the depths of His love and covers me there with His hand, and covers me there with His hand.

Let us pray

My prayer for us is taken from the priestly blessing that God gave to Moses.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.” ’

“So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”

(Numbers 6:24-27 NKJV)

I pray that like Moses we will desire more of God’s glorious presence in our lives.

I pray that we will humble ourselves in total obedience to God so that He will speak to us.

I pray that His face will shine upon us and He will be gracious unto us.

I pray that the Lord will lift up His countenance upon us and give us His peace that passes all understanding.

I pray that He will open the windows of heaven and pour us overflowing blessings.

I pray that He will grant us exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think of.

I pray that we will put the name of the Lord in our lives and never depart from His presence.

May the Lord grant unto us all these desires of our hearts. in Jesus name, Amen!

Do you want to experience more of God?

Share with us!