“And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp; but his servant Joshua, son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.” Exodus 33:11
What is the great characteristic that we see in every man or woman who is greatly used of God? They all bear the same testimony…they are those who are seekers of God, true worshippers of God, alone and in private. From the account in the Scriptures, we see that Joshua, “a young man,” for some reason or another, was chosen to be the servant of Moses. Why was he chosen, and not someone else? First and foremost was most certainly that God chose him for the same reason He chose David, as a young man, to be king of Israel. After God had spoken to Samuel the prophet, during the reign of Saul, to anoint the one that He had chosen to be king in Saul’s place, not only did Samuel fear for his life with regard to Saul, but he was in dire need to truly be led by the Lord. After the Lord corrected Samuel concerning his “natural” choice of the right person to be king, He said to Samuel: “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) What did God see in the heart of David, that He did not see in the other sons of Jesse? God saw in David a young man who would do all His will, but also, one on whom the Spirit would come at his anointing. David would prove to be primarily one of the greatest worshippers of the Lord Jesus Christ that the world had ever known. It was out of such an attitude, and in the acts of worship, that God would reveal Himself to the heart and mind of David. The same would be true of Joshua. Joshua would be motivated by what God was to Moses, and how God revealed Himself to Moses. Joshua learned quickly that he could know God, pursue God, know His power and presence to the point that all else fell by the wayside. God could speak and reveal Himself to David, because in worshipping in Spirit and truth, David would recognize His voice. With regard to Joshua, the successful mission of leading the people of Israel into the promised land would depend on discerning the voice of God by the Spirit. For both David and Joshua, the private, individual worship of God was essential for this.
We might think, in light of the testimony of Scripture concerning the great men and women of God, that they alone could know God in an intimate way. However, if we look at the Tabernacle, or tent of meeting, which the Lord instructed Moses to build, we find that its purpose was intended for the use of all the people. In the book of Exodus we read, “And it came to pass, that everyone which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.” (33:7) It is true that Moses knew a special revelation of God, as he had been chosen to lead the people out of Egypt, and into the promised land. This visible manifestation of God’s presence and power was a confirmation that His hand was upon Moses. However, the call of God to every Israelite had its confirmation in the structure of the Tabernacle, for it was to be a tent of meeting for all Israel, and to every individual who would truly seek God.
We see this parallel in the New Testament, when Jesus said, quoting the prophet Isaiah (56:7), “…for Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for ALL people.” God’s call is to the nations to “take time to be holy.” It is also to the individual who can come unreservedly.
Dear Father, Strengthen us to worship. In Jesus’ name, Amen.