EXODUS 33
7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the Lord would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. 8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. 9 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. 10 And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. 11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent. – Exodus 33:7-11
EXODUS 33 THE TENT OF MEETING
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
Moses was persistent to restore the Israelites’ relationship with God
So, he built his own tent to be the tent of meeting outside the camp
When Moses went out to the tent, everyone would rise up at their tent’s door
Then they waited until Moses went inside and then the pillar of cloud came
As soon as they saw the pillar of cloud, they would rise up and worship
Moses’ assistant Joshua would not depart from the tent until Moses returns.
Moses was relentless to reconcile the Israelites with God and so he made his tent a meeting place between him and God so the Israelites could worship the Lord. Even though Moses didn’t see God face to face as he would die if he did, the pillar of cloud was the way God communicated and directly spoke with Moses. When the pillar of cloud came, the Israelites knew that God’s presence was at the tent of meeting and that Moses is directly having a conversation with the Lord.
At this time, the Israelites repented from their grievous sin and gave up all their ornaments when they knew that God’s punishment would come upon them. This was the time for restoring their relationship with God by truly worshiping him alone and being in his presence through Moses’ intercession.
REFLECTION
- How did God show mercy to the Israelites in this account?
