"For I am Not Among You"

"And the LORD said to me, 'Say to them, "Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; otherwise you will be defeated before your enemies." So I spoke to you, but you would not listen. Instead you rebelled against the command of the LORD, and acted presumptuously and went up into the hill country.The Amorites who lived in that hill country came out against you and chased you as bees do, and crushed you from Seir to Hormah." Deuteronomy 1:42-44 (NASB)

The Israelites heard the clear command of the Lord, yet did what they wanted instead. God told them not to go and fight because He wasn't with them and they would be defeated. And guess what happened when they decided to go fight...they we chased the way bees chase a threat to their hive and crushed! No mercy whatsoever.

Now, we can all say we know that God knows best, but when it comes down to actually listening to God we all sudden begin to think that WE know best. We shut our ears and in our arrogance make a decision for ourselves even when God says "Don't go or you will be defeated!" But we can also see that God says "for I am not among you." God told them that He wouldn't be with them if they decided to go. That is a very complex statement. We believe that God is everywhere, at all times, so how could He not go with them?

"The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here." Ex. 33:14-15

Here in Exodus Moses and God are having a conversation and God tells Moses that He will send his presence with them. And Moses' response is key, he has an almost shocked reaction to the Lord's statement. He was taken back by the idea that God's Presence doesn't have to go with them! Now God is talking about His manifested power, as in the Pillar of Fire. Moses and the Israelites took that power and guidance for granted. And God now in Deuteronomy is talking about the same thing; yes, His glory and weight is going to be where they are, it has to be, but the power of God was removed from them becasue of their disobedience. Are you not listening to God? Are holding back his Presence from going before you? I pray that today your ears are open to the voice of the all-knowing God. Hear him and obey.