Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn’t depart from the Tent.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, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.And Jehovah spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.
4 sermons cite this verse
… presence of God. Oh, I love this about Joshua. Put it on the screen. Watch what it says of Joshua in Exodus. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend. And when Moses turned in again to the camp, his assistant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent. Other translations say here, Joshua would linger at the tent. I don't know if you love to eat. Raise your hand if you love a good meal right here. Come on, just let me see you. Some of my people right here. You know you're at a good meal when you push back your chair and you kind of go, and you just sit there for another hour. Who am I preaching to right now? Ain't nothing like a meal where you linger. You know what I'm talking about? You know, I just believe whatever you love, you linger around. Whatever you're about, you're all the way about. If you don't know the context of this, this is so crazy. The Israelites had rebelled against Moses and they had developed this golden calf, and they had developed this idol. And so all of a sudden, they got to take the tent meeting outside of the city. And the Bible says Moses would go into the tent, and God would meet with him face to face. And Joshua was on the outside of the tent. He was in the proximity of the presence of God. He could hear what God was saying to Moses. He could watch what God was …
… each at the entrance to their tent. And the Lord would speak to Moses face to face as one speaks to a friend. Why? Because we were created for relationship with God. So here we've got Almighty God Yahweh in a tent of meeting, cloud over the tent now, and the Lord God speaking to Moses like a man speaks to his friend. I'm sorry have we been around this too many times to think that it's possible for you and me to speak to the creator of the universe like a man speaks to his friend And then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide, Joshua, the son of Nun, did not leave the tent. If you need me, he said, you'll find me right here at the tent. because I want God. I'm desperate for God. I wonder if that could be said about you and me. If you need me, a friend of mine said a few days ago, I loved it, you'll find me at the tent. …
… And when Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent. And the Lord would speak to Moses. 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 at his tent door. thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face as a man speaks to his friend. This was a regular thing. It became a regular thing. The mountain experience suddenly came down into this tent of meeting. And so everyone would, they wouldn't go in that tent. They're looking going, Moses is going to go in the tent again. He's going to go in there. He's going to meet with God. And then God would descend descend in some physical way and they would just fall on their faces and worship. There he goes again. He's speaking to him. Man, is there any sense of awe when you speak to him? This is no different than what Moses did. And if you doubt that, that's probably why your answers aren't being answered. James says, if you doubt, you're not going to receive anything. And again, that's Nehemiah. He's just new. He goes, look, I could go try to start building the wall. I could try to do this, this, this. He goes, no, I'm just going to get on my face because he's in control of everything. …
… Now, today we're looking at this fascinating spot in verse 11 where it says, The Lord would speak to Moses face to face as a man speaks with his friend. What's friendship with God? Why would God dare call himself our friend? And let's ask the question of the text like this. Why is friendship with God so important? So why is it so important? Then secondly, what it is? And thirdly, what it brings? And lastly, how we get it. Why it's important, what it is, what it brings, how we can get it. Now, number one, why is it important? You have to understand this incident here where Moses goes out to the tent of meeting and gets things from God. You see, for example, it says, whenever Moses would go out, all the people rose and stood at the entrance of the tent. Anyone inquiring of the Lord would ask Moses, and then Moses would go into the tent, what is this all about? It's very simple. …