My first trip to the Holy Lands took place in 2000. My parents had always wanted to go to the Holy Lands, but they didn’t want to go and experience this journey in their faith walk without including their children. And so, we were given a “living inheritance” by my parents and were gifted with a trip of lifetime.
In 2000, the state of the Middle East was a little different than it currently is. This was before the tour groups were being pulled out of Egypt for safety reasons. As so much of the Bible includes Egypt, and the Israelites journey from that place of slavery, Egypt was included in our itinerary.
Just before leaving the country, we found ourselves out in the Sinai Desert. We were given an opportunity to start hiking at 2:00 a.m. up the mountain where God met with Moses and gave his people the 10 Commandments.
My siblings and I made the trek up the mountain. I remember thinking that when I finally reached the top, I was sure to feel God’s presence – or have a “mountain top experience” with God. While it was beautiful, while it felt special, my meeting with God did not take place there in the way I thought it would.
This morning I was reading about someone else’s trip up that same mountain. Their experience was completely different from mine. Honestly, I am not sure why I have missed this paragraph before when I have read through Exodus, but I did not miss it today. “Then Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel climbed up the mountain. There they saw the God of Israel. Under His feet there seemed to be a surface of brilliant blue lapis lazuli, as clear as the sky itself. And though these nobles of Israel gazed upon God, He did not destroy them. In fact, they ate a covenant meal, eating and drinking in His presence!” (Exodus 24:9-11)
This group gazed upon God! They had a meal with Him!
The Exodus account as the people are leaving Egypt says that there were around 600,000 men, not counting women who were freed from slavery and led by God into the Sinai wilderness. Out of that number, God called 74 of them to come and meet with Him. What did God have to gain by this experience? How about the impact this intimate gathering would have on the 74? Game changing, right?
But it appears the covenant meal with none other than the LORD God is not enough to keep the hearts of these men close to God. Within 40 years, the children of Israel lose all of their elders to death due to disobedience and forgetting God in the wilderness. There are only two exceptions mentioned: Caleb and Joshua.
We know that Joshua went up the mountain with Moses. But what happened to the others? Hearts hardened. Memories faded. Selfish desires take precedence over godly ones.
Friend, we have to be so careful to guard our hearts and our minds. We need to be deliberate about sharing and writing down what God has done in our lives lest we forget! When God meets with us – speaks with us – we need to be intentional about remembering so that we too are not given such extravagant gifts from our Father – only to discard them, or forget about them all together.
God wants to be known by His people. That is why He sent His son to walk among us. He wants us to know Him. See Him. Love Him. Draw near to Him. Remember Him.
LORD, may we be mindful of your presence among us. May our memories of your mighty hand never fade. May our lips ever praise you for all you have done and continue to do in our lives. Thank you for your willingness to meet with us. Thank you for the many ways you shower us with your love and blessings. We ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Blessings!