I am amazed each time I journal. I read from the Bible thinking, "I don't have much to write about today..." or "Do I even need to take the time to write today because I just didn't get much out of what I read?" or even "I'll write about this, but I'll never be able to write more than one or two sentences." Today was another of those days.
It is hard for me to really get deep into this book Numbers. It could be all the legalism no longer necessary for us as Christians because of Christ's perfect sacrifice, or just a hard heart thinking this Old Testament "stuff" doesn't matter any more so why take the time, or somewhere in between. Regardless, I found myself with little self-discovery this morning after reading chapters 7 & 8. Yet, as I wrote the Holy Spirit lead me to a little nugget of wisdom.
It began with verse 89 of chapter 7, "Whenever Moses went into the Tabernacle to speak with the Lord, he heard the voice speaking to him from between the two cherubim above the Ark's cover - the place of atonement - that rests on the Ark of the Covenant. The Lord spoke to him there." Moses was the only Israelite allowed into this most sacred place and therefore the only one allowed to hear the voice of God.
If you are a dear friend of mine, you will occasionally hear me say, "God told me..." I was struck by this verse because the Israelites heard from Moses what God said, but never heard God speak directly to them. I do believe that I "hear" from God. It may not be an audible voice as Moses most surely heard, but it is God's voice nonetheless. I am addicted to hearing from Him. It is when He falls silent in my personal time with Him that I begin to struggle.
Realizing not everyone hears God's voice like I do, I thought about my life before I began listening to Him speak. When reading a passage from the Old Testament, I might lament about wishing God were more audible or visual like He was here with Moses or in parting the Red Sea. Surely then I could not deny the very presence of God in my life. How lucky those of the Old Testament must have been to see such glorious miracles! (Enter the Holy Spirit...) God acted so boldly for them because they did not have personal access to Him. His actions confirmed for them that Moses was actually hearing Him and speaking His Truth. His actions in miracles brought credibility to Moses' time with Him in the Tabernacle.
Now each of us has personal access to this most amazing God. Because of Christ we can boldly approach His throne for intimate time with Him. ("And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus... And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him." Hebrews 10:19,21-22a) While you are there, ask God to speak to you. You will know it is His voice as He reveals Himself in your circumstances that miraculously confirm the voice you heard.
