Ex. 33: This is God

By this time, God is ready to lead the Israelites again from where they were, at Mount Sinai. In Ex. 33:3, God reiterates the promise he made in Exodus 3 and Exodus 13: To lead them into the promised land, drive out the Canaanites et al, and that it will be a land flowing with milk and honey. It actually goes back to a promise the LORD made to Abraham.

But, then again, God might destroy them on their way for being so stiff-necked (probably nothing to do with torticollis). Obviously, this stressed the Israelites out. If God were to go with them for a moment, he would destroy them. Not exactly the most encouraging thing they've heard from God lately. This speaks to God's complete and total intolerance for imperfection and sin. It was so great that people would die. They would not survive in a holy environment. I think it would be like planting a cactus in a rain forest.

Perhaps this threat from God was a message to Israel to get serious. To loosen up their necks. God instructs Israel to take off their ornaments (jewelry) while He decides what to do with them. And again, something tells me God didn't need a moment to think of what he wanted to do, to weigh any evidence or whatever. Perhaps He wanted to give Israel this time to swallow their pride and arrogance, and have a little dread of this God who has led them so far.

In time past, Moses would apparently go into the tent of meeting with Joshua, and all of Israel would watch him walk through the camp, watch as the pillar of cloud came down, and then they would worship God as He spoke with Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Wait a minute. How did Moses not die with God in there talking to him face to face? Is that not the rule? Does face-to-face mean something else? If not, what a relationship to be able to have with the Creator. God didn't give this treatment to everyone, Moses was separate. Moses was chosen at the burning bush to be God's mouthpiece. Did certain rules not apply to Moses because of this selection?

Verse 12 begins one of the most fascinating exchanges between God and man that I have read up to this point. Moses is unsure of what to think, and probably lacking in self-confidence, despite all of God's reassurance and promises. And promising to spare him if he destroyed Israel (Ex. 32:10).

Moses tells God the following:

"...You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people..."

Can you imagine saying something like that to God? God, who just threatened to wipe out Israel. Maybe. Who among us could say these things to God? Moses is able to pour out his heart before God. There are things Moses wants to know, needs to know. And what an amazing thing to say..."Teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you." Isn't that amazing? Moses of all people, who had the closest relationship with God outside of Adam in my opinion, who breathed the very breath of God, wanted one thing: To be taught the ways of God. What kind of hunger do I have for this? Moses wanted to continue to find favor with God.

Knowing God is finding favor with God. It makes God happy to know us! Amazing, energizing and so completely humbling at the same time. I love this passage. This is why I read.

God replies to Moses, not who He will send with him in regards to people (which I think was Moses' question), rather that God's very presence will go along with him, and God will give him rest. This was a very hard time for Moses, his people were idolatrous, his reputation muddied, his faith shaken...and God (who has repeatedly spoken of the importance of Sabbath) offers rest. Peace.

Moses continues, and says that he does not want to go anywhere if God's presence does not go with him. He is apparently still concerned with how he is viewed by other people. In a way, God's view of Moses colored how Moses perceived other people saw him. If God was pleased with Moses, that made Moses look better to other people. Is that how it is today? Other people's view of me trumps God's view of me. This is how it should not be.

And Moses offers a question I hear a lot about the nature of God..."What will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" Finally! I was wondering when that was going to be asked. Why did God choose Moses? Why did God choose Israel?

God says he will go with Moses, and will give Moses what he asks, because Moses' questioning and recommitting himself to God pleased him, and God knows Moses by name. Who else would we want knowing us by name?

Moses says, "Show me your glory." I don't think this is Moses bossing God around, or demanding something from him. I think Moses says this without cynicism, and out of sheer awe. I don't think Moses was asking God to prove anything to him. Moses wanted to see God's glory by seeing His face.

To answer Moses' question, God says "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." Basically saying, "Because I am." I will. He is God. Then God tells Moses that he cannot see God's face, because no one can see His face and live. God will show Moses his glory in that God will put Moses safely in a cleft of a rock, and cover him with His hand until He passes by. Then God will remove His hand, and will allow Moses to see his back.

I'm still thinking about 33:7 though, about them talking face to face, and then afterwards, God telling Moses that he can't see His face. Was this kind of like the burning bush, in which God didn't show his face, but was there right in front of him? God clearly manifests himself in different ways: The pillar and the cloud, the wrestler with Jacob, the bush and all that.