Are You Protected in the Place of Refuge?
© 2017 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)
Recently, while pondering one of God’s conversations with Moses, I noticed something I hadn’t noticed before. Moses had just asked God to show him His Glory. God responded by first providing protection for Moses.
“And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by…” (Exodus 33:20-23)
Could “the place,” of which God here speaks, picture Christ in His place of honor at God’s right hand?
“Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Romans 8:34)
God also mentioned that “the place” was a rock upon which Moses would stand. Yet Christ is The Rock!
“Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:1-4)
The Psalmist, David, proclaimed,
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. (Psalms 40:2)
One aspect of God’s glory is His righteous wrath and war against sin (see Revelation 19:11). What if God had showed Moses the glory of His grace without shielding him from the glory of His wrath? Moses would have been eternally destroyed. God the Son, Jesus Christ, died and rose again to bear the penalty of sin. He is the only foundation of refuge from God’s wrath.
“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11)
Have you asked for mercy from Jesus Christ, the only foundation rock of refuge, at God’s right hand?
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