Saturday

Related Verses
Exo. 33:7-14
7 Now Moses would take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, some distance from the camp; and he called it the Tent of Meeting. And everyone who sought Jehovah went out to the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp.
8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up and stand, every man at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses, until he entered the tent.
9 And whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stay at the entrance of the tent, and Jehovah would speak with Moses.
10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, every man at the entrance of his tent.
11 And Jehovah would speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his companion. And Moses would return to the camp, but his attendant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart out of the tent.
12 And Moses said to Jehovah, See, You say to me, Bring up this people; but You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, I know you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.
13 Now therefore if I have found favor in Your sight, please let me know now Your ways, that I may know You, so that I may continue to find favor in Your sight. Consider also that this nation is Your people.
14 And He said, My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.

Related Reading
Before they made and worshipped the golden calf, the people of Israel as a whole were the unique realm and circle related to the Lord’s presence (Exo. 19:5-6). But after they made and worshipped the golden calf, a separation came into being. Exodus 33:7 says, “Now Moses would take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, some distance from the camp; and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought Jehovah went out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.” The tent in this verse refers to the tent of Moses. Before this time the tent of Moses was always within the camp because the presence of the Lord was in the midst of the people of Israel. But because Moses realized that the Lord’s presence would no longer be in the midst of the people, he removed his tent, which then became the tent of God, and pitched it outside the camp. This means that there was a separation between the tent where God was and the camp…At the tent there was not only the presence of the Lord but also the fellowship of the Lord. (CWWL, 1963, vol. 1, “Spiritual Applications of the Tabernacle,” pp. 77-78) 

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The Hebrew word rendered “companion” [in Exodus 33:11] is different from the word for friend used with respect to Abraham in 2 Chronicles 20:7 and Isaiah 41:8. As a friend of God, Abraham had been separated from idolatrous people (Josh. 24:2-3), and he interceded for Lot (Gen. 18:16-33). The apostle James also tells us that Abraham was God’s friend (James 2:23)…God regarded Abraham as a beloved one, a person held in affection. However, Moses was not only a friend of God like Abraham; he was also a companion of God. 

The word companion includes the elements of friendship, but it goes much further to include the thought of intimate association. One meaning of the Hebrew word for companion is “associate”…If you and someone else are associates, you have a common interest, a common enterprise, in a common career…To the uttermost, God and Moses were partners in a great enterprise…Moses and the Lord were not only intimate friends; they were associates, partners, companions. 

The conversation between them was not only that between friends but that between companions, partners. God and Moses were both concerned with their “corporation,” with their “enterprise” and “career.” 

After Moses pitched his tent outside the camp, God’s glory was at the door of the tent, but it was not within the camp. This indicates that God’s presence was at the door of Moses’ tent, not in the camp. However, we should not say that God was not at all in the camp with the children of Israel. This principle applies to us today. We may say that God’s glory is not present in a situation where there is idolatry among Christians. However, we cannot say absolutely that God is not among these Christians. As we have pointed out, this is a matter of degree. 

We need to know God’s heart and also be a person according to God’s heart. Then we shall have God’s presence as Moses did. Moses had God’s presence to the full extent. But the children of Israel had God’s presence in a very limited way, for they were far from God’s heart. Moses, however, was a person very near to God’s heart, a person according to His heart. This was the reason he could have God’s presence to the full extent. We all need to learn that only a person like Moses can be a companion of God. Only this kind of person can share a common interest with God and be used by God to carry out His enterprise on earth. (Life-study of Exodus, pp. 1869-1871, 1882-1883) 

Further Reading: CWWL, 1963, vol. 1, “Spiritual Applications of the Tabernacle,” ch. 2 

Further Reading:
Further Reading: The Issue of the Dispensing of the Processed Trinity and the Transmitting of the Transcending Christ, ch. 1

Hymn: #1290
1 O Lord, we’ve seen Your purpose to bring the many sons
To share in Your full glory and see Your kingdom come.
We praise You, Lord, this glory is You, Yourself within,
Spread out in all Your people to shine in all of them.

2 Since we received Your life, Lord, a seed’s been growing there:
The seed of inward glory, the glory we will share!
By growing ’til the blossom of glory blooms in full,
We’ll thus enjoy Your increase and glory bountiful.

3 Hail! Captain of Salvation! Our heav’nly Pioneer!
Our praises, midst the battle and tumult, You will hear.
We’re following our Captain all through the mighty fray.
Our glorious, faithful Captain sustains us all the way.

4 Lord, fighting on to glory, You now have gone before;
Now fighting in Your footsteps we’ll conquer o’er and o’er.
From glory unto glory, we’ll fight until we see
The glory from within us shall manifested be.

5 Then, Lord, at last the fighting and battle cry will cease,
And we’ll appear in glory, Your kingdom and increase.
That day we’ll be completed, that day Your face we’ll see,
For in that blessed day, Lord, we’ll in the glory be!