And the Lord said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:
And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.
And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.
And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.
And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.
And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.
And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.
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 Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
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:
And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
Exodus 33 is a pivotal chapter, revealing the delicate balance between God's justice and mercy, and highlighting the supreme importance of His presence in the lives of His people. It underscores the truth that blessings without God's presence are ultimately empty, and that a deep, personal relationship with Him is the true goal of the believer. This chapter in Exodus 33 offers profound lessons about repentance, intercession, and the insatiable desire for a deeper knowledge of God.
The Lord's Reluctant Promise (Exodus 33:1-3)
Following the Israelites' grievous sin with the golden calf (Exodus 32), the Lord commands Moses to lead the people to the Promised Land, promising to drive out their enemies (Exodus 33:1-2). However, a chilling caveat is attached: because of their rebellion, God declares that He will not personally accompany them, lest His holy presence consume them in their sin (Exodus 33:3). This passage presents a sobering truth: it is possible to receive blessings – a land flowing with milk and honey – yet lack the very presence of God. Knowing God, and not merely receiving His blessings, is the ultimate goal of a believer's life. The thought of living without Him should grieve us deeply. God's declaration signifies a withdrawal of intimacy; the tabernacle, intended to be the dwelling place of His presence (Exodus 25:8), is now under threat of becoming merely a structure without divine inhabitation.
A Time of Mourning and Repentance (Exodus 33:4-6)
The people's response to God's announcement is one of mourning and repentance. They remove their jewelry, a tangible symbol of the wealth obtained from the Egyptians (Exodus 12:35-36), recognizing that some of that very wealth had been misused in the creation of the golden calf (Exodus 32:2-4). This act of removing their adornments is a visible expression of their remorse and a humbling before the Lord.
Moses' Tent of Meeting (Exodus 33:7-11)
In a significant act, Moses takes the tent of meeting and pitches it outside the camp (Exodus 33:7). This is noteworthy because the tent of meeting was originally intended to be in the midst of the Israelite camp. Moses' action underscores the seriousness of God's threat not to accompany them to the Promised Land (Exodus 33:3). It symbolizes a separation, a distancing of God's immediate presence from the community.
Yet, God had not completely abandoned them. When Moses entered the tent, the cloud, representing God's presence, descended, and the LORD spoke with Moses (Exodus 33:9, 11). At this point, anyone who wanted to consult the LORD would go to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp (Exodus 33:7). God's presence was still available, but accessing it required a deliberate act of separation from the camp and a journey to a specific location. This physical act mirrors the spiritual reality: seeking God requires intentionality and a willingness to separate ourselves from the distractions and influences of the world.
This trek they made is a reminder that God makes his blessed presence available to anyone who makes the effort to seek him. We must, however, be willing to break away from the noise of the crowd if we want to hear what God has to say to us through his Word and his Spirit.
The LORD would speak with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend (Exodus 33:11). "Face to face" is a figure of speech that conveys a sense of openness, honesty, and intimacy. To be friends with God requires such transparency. Worldliness, with its values that exclude God, stands in opposition to this friendship (see 1 Corinthians 3:2-3). As James 4:4 reminds us, "Friendship with the world is hostility toward God." While we are called to be in the world, reaching out in love to those who don't know God (see John 17:14-15), we are not to be of the world, conforming to its sinful ways. True friendship with God demands honesty and openness, a willingness to lay aside worldly attachments.
Moses' Intercession and Thirst for God (Exodus 33:12-17)
Moses, though favored by God (Exodus 33:12) and having witnessed incredible displays of His power, is not content with past experiences. He desires a deeper, more intimate knowledge of God. He pleads, "Please teach me your ways, and I will know you" (Exodus 33:13). This is not a request for mere intellectual understanding, but a yearning for experiential knowledge, a desire to understand God's character and purposes.
Many Christians today are either not hungry for spiritual things at all or they hunger for the wrong things, things like emotional highs and purely academic knowledge about Scripture. This is one reason why God may bring difficulties into your life; he wants to help reorient your hunger so that you’ll crave a deeper connection with him. Whatever your circumstances, pray for true spiritual hunger, because God will satisfy those who hunger for him (see Matthew 5:6).
Moses understood what the psalm writer said: “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God. I thirst for God, the living God” (Psalms 42:1-2). This should be the attitude of every believing heart. God doesn’t want mere churchgoers. He wants people who are hungry and thirsty to know him. That, in fact, is the meaning of eternal life—to know God: “This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent—Jesus Christ” (John 17:3).
Moses further intercedes for Israel, reminding God that they are His people (Exodus 33:13). Because of Moses's persistent and heartfelt plea, God relents from His earlier threat and promises that His presence will indeed accompany them to the Promised Land (Exodus 33:14; see commentary on Exodus 32:11-14). Moses makes his position unequivocally clear: "If your presence does not go...don't make us go up from here" (Exodus 33:15). He recognizes that the people's success and well-being are entirely dependent on God's presence.
Moses understood that to be in God’s presence is everything. In fact, he would rather be in the desert with God than in the promised land without him. He would have agreed with the psalmist: “Better a day in your courts than a thousand anywhere else” (Psalms 84:10). This brings to mind a question we all face. What do we want more, if we have to choose between God’s presence and God’s blessing? Far too many Christians choose the latter. Nothing compares to knowing that the Lord walks beside you.
A Glimpse of Glory (Exodus 33:18-23)
Not content with even the assurance of God's presence, Moses makes a bold request: "Please let me see your glory" (Exodus 33:18). He desires a visible manifestation of the invisible God, a tangible display of His glorious being. Are you satisfied with listening to a sermon and singing a few songs to God? Or do you constantly long to see more of God in your life, to grasp a greater sense of God’s glory?
The Lord graciously responds to Moses's request, promising to show him a manifestation of His glory. He will allow His goodness to pass before Moses while proclaiming His name, the LORD (Exodus 33:19). However, even this remarkable encounter has limitations. Moses cannot see God's face, for "humans cannot see [his] face and live" (Exodus 33:20).
This signifies that while God would reveal a portion of His glory, the full, unfiltered essence of His being is beyond human capacity to comprehend or endure in this mortal state. To be exposed to the unfiltered glory of God on this side of eternity would be like entering a nuclear reactor or traveling to the sun; the divine holiness would consume us.
God instructs Moses to stand on a rock, and He will put him in the crevice of the rock and cover him with His hand until He has passed by. Then, God will take His hand away, and Moses will see His back (Exodus 33:21-23). This is a carefully orchestrated encounter, limiting Moses's exposure to God's glory for his own protection.
Of course, God, who is spirit (see John 4:24) has no body, so he has no back—just as he has no arm (see commentary on Exodus 6:6). This is anthropomorphic language, or the use of human concepts to explain a spiritual reality. God’s “arm” refers to his power. God’s “back” refers to the amount of glory that Moses was able to handle. (Think of it like the exhaust that’s left behind when a high-flying jet passes overhead.)
No one has ever seen God in all his glory, but the Son of God has revealed him (John 1:18). Jesus, in fact, told his disciples, “The one who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). One day, believers will see Jesus Christ in all his glory, as the apostle John did late in the biblical story (see Revelation 1:12-16). Until then, we keep walking with God by faith. Even this limited glimpse of God's glory had a profound effect on Moses, causing his face to shine with radiance (Exodus 34:29-35).
And the Lord said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it:
And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way.
And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.
For the Lord had said unto Moses, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and consume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.
And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.
And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp.
And it came to pass, when Moses went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle.
And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.
And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.
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 Moses said unto the Lord, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
And the Lord said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
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:
And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
Exodus 33 is a pivotal chapter, revealing the delicate balance between God's justice and mercy, and highlighting the supreme importance of His presence in the lives of His people. It underscores the truth that blessings without God's presence are ultimately empty, and that a deep, personal relationship with Him is the true goal of the believer. This chapter in Exodus 33 offers profound lessons about repentance, intercession, and the insatiable desire for a deeper knowledge of God.
The Lord's Reluctant Promise (Exodus 33:1-3)
Following the Israelites' grievous sin with the golden calf (Exodus 32), the Lord commands Moses to lead the people to the Promised Land, promising to drive out their enemies (Exodus 33:1-2). However, a chilling caveat is attached: because of their rebellion, God declares that He will not personally accompany them, lest His holy presence consume them in their sin (Exodus 33:3). This passage presents a sobering truth: it is possible to receive blessings – a land flowing with milk and honey – yet lack the very presence of God. Knowing God, and not merely receiving His blessings, is the ultimate goal of a believer's life. The thought of living without Him should grieve us deeply. God's declaration signifies a withdrawal of intimacy; the tabernacle, intended to be the dwelling place of His presence (Exodus 25:8), is now under threat of becoming merely a structure without divine inhabitation.
A Time of Mourning and Repentance (Exodus 33:4-6)
The people's response to God's announcement is one of mourning and repentance. They remove their jewelry, a tangible symbol of the wealth obtained from the Egyptians (Exodus 12:35-36), recognizing that some of that very wealth had been misused in the creation of the golden calf (Exodus 32:2-4). This act of removing their adornments is a visible expression of their remorse and a humbling before the Lord.
Moses' Tent of Meeting (Exodus 33:7-11)
In a significant act, Moses takes the tent of meeting and pitches it outside the camp (Exodus 33:7). This is noteworthy because the tent of meeting was originally intended to be in the midst of the Israelite camp. Moses' action underscores the seriousness of God's threat not to accompany them to the Promised Land (Exodus 33:3). It symbolizes a separation, a distancing of God's immediate presence from the community.
Yet, God had not completely abandoned them. When Moses entered the tent, the cloud, representing God's presence, descended, and the LORD spoke with Moses (Exodus 33:9, 11). At this point, anyone who wanted to consult the LORD would go to the tent of meeting that was outside the camp (Exodus 33:7). God's presence was still available, but accessing it required a deliberate act of separation from the camp and a journey to a specific location. This physical act mirrors the spiritual reality: seeking God requires intentionality and a willingness to separate ourselves from the distractions and influences of the world.
This trek they made is a reminder that God makes his blessed presence available to anyone who makes the effort to seek him. We must, however, be willing to break away from the noise of the crowd if we want to hear what God has to say to us through his Word and his Spirit.
The LORD would speak with Moses face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend (Exodus 33:11). "Face to face" is a figure of speech that conveys a sense of openness, honesty, and intimacy. To be friends with God requires such transparency. Worldliness, with its values that exclude God, stands in opposition to this friendship (see 1 Corinthians 3:2-3). As James 4:4 reminds us, "Friendship with the world is hostility toward God." While we are called to be in the world, reaching out in love to those who don't know God (see John 17:14-15), we are not to be of the world, conforming to its sinful ways. True friendship with God demands honesty and openness, a willingness to lay aside worldly attachments.
Moses' Intercession and Thirst for God (Exodus 33:12-17)
Moses, though favored by God (Exodus 33:12) and having witnessed incredible displays of His power, is not content with past experiences. He desires a deeper, more intimate knowledge of God. He pleads, "Please teach me your ways, and I will know you" (Exodus 33:13). This is not a request for mere intellectual understanding, but a yearning for experiential knowledge, a desire to understand God's character and purposes.
Many Christians today are either not hungry for spiritual things at all or they hunger for the wrong things, things like emotional highs and purely academic knowledge about Scripture. This is one reason why God may bring difficulties into your life; he wants to help reorient your hunger so that you’ll crave a deeper connection with him. Whatever your circumstances, pray for true spiritual hunger, because God will satisfy those who hunger for him (see Matthew 5:6).
Moses understood what the psalm writer said: “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so I long for you, God. I thirst for God, the living God” (Psalms 42:1-2). This should be the attitude of every believing heart. God doesn’t want mere churchgoers. He wants people who are hungry and thirsty to know him. That, in fact, is the meaning of eternal life—to know God: “This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and the one you have sent—Jesus Christ” (John 17:3).
Moses further intercedes for Israel, reminding God that they are His people (Exodus 33:13). Because of Moses's persistent and heartfelt plea, God relents from His earlier threat and promises that His presence will indeed accompany them to the Promised Land (Exodus 33:14; see commentary on Exodus 32:11-14). Moses makes his position unequivocally clear: "If your presence does not go...don't make us go up from here" (Exodus 33:15). He recognizes that the people's success and well-being are entirely dependent on God's presence.
Moses understood that to be in God’s presence is everything. In fact, he would rather be in the desert with God than in the promised land without him. He would have agreed with the psalmist: “Better a day in your courts than a thousand anywhere else” (Psalms 84:10). This brings to mind a question we all face. What do we want more, if we have to choose between God’s presence and God’s blessing? Far too many Christians choose the latter. Nothing compares to knowing that the Lord walks beside you.
A Glimpse of Glory (Exodus 33:18-23)
Not content with even the assurance of God's presence, Moses makes a bold request: "Please let me see your glory" (Exodus 33:18). He desires a visible manifestation of the invisible God, a tangible display of His glorious being. Are you satisfied with listening to a sermon and singing a few songs to God? Or do you constantly long to see more of God in your life, to grasp a greater sense of God’s glory?
The Lord graciously responds to Moses's request, promising to show him a manifestation of His glory. He will allow His goodness to pass before Moses while proclaiming His name, the LORD (Exodus 33:19). However, even this remarkable encounter has limitations. Moses cannot see God's face, for "humans cannot see [his] face and live" (Exodus 33:20).
This signifies that while God would reveal a portion of His glory, the full, unfiltered essence of His being is beyond human capacity to comprehend or endure in this mortal state. To be exposed to the unfiltered glory of God on this side of eternity would be like entering a nuclear reactor or traveling to the sun; the divine holiness would consume us.
God instructs Moses to stand on a rock, and He will put him in the crevice of the rock and cover him with His hand until He has passed by. Then, God will take His hand away, and Moses will see His back (Exodus 33:21-23). This is a carefully orchestrated encounter, limiting Moses's exposure to God's glory for his own protection.
Of course, God, who is spirit (see John 4:24) has no body, so he has no back—just as he has no arm (see commentary on Exodus 6:6). This is anthropomorphic language, or the use of human concepts to explain a spiritual reality. God’s “arm” refers to his power. God’s “back” refers to the amount of glory that Moses was able to handle. (Think of it like the exhaust that’s left behind when a high-flying jet passes overhead.)
No one has ever seen God in all his glory, but the Son of God has revealed him (John 1:18). Jesus, in fact, told his disciples, “The one who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). One day, believers will see Jesus Christ in all his glory, as the apostle John did late in the biblical story (see Revelation 1:12-16). Until then, we keep walking with God by faith. Even this limited glimpse of God's glory had a profound effect on Moses, causing his face to shine with radiance (Exodus 34:29-35).