The Law · Chapter 33 of 40

Exodus 33

After the golden calf, God threatens to send Israel onward with an angel but not his own presence. The people mourn and strip off their ornaments. Moses meets God at the tent outside the camp, where the LORD speaks with him face to face as a friend. Moses pleads that God's presence go with them, and asks to see God's glory. God promises his goodness will pass by while Moses is hidden in the rock.

What happens in Exodus 33

God commands Israel to leave Sinai for the land he swore to the patriarchs, but says he will send an angel and not go himself, lest his presence consume the stiff-necked people. The people mourn and strip off their ornaments. Moses pitches the tent outside the camp; whoever seeks the LORD goes out to it, and as Moses enters, the cloudy pillar descends to the door while the people worship. There the LORD speaks with Moses face to face, as a friend.

Moses presses God, longing to know his ways and be assured of his presence, for without it Israel is no different from any nation. God grants it, for Moses is known by name. Moses then asks to see God's glory. God promises to make his goodness pass by and proclaim his name, but says no one can see his face and live; Moses will be hidden in a cleft of the rock and see only his back.

Exodus 33 in context

Between the sin of chapter 32 and the covenant renewal of chapter 34, this chapter wrestles with the central crisis: will the holy God still dwell among a sinful people? The tabernacle was designed for his presence, yet the calf has made that presence dangerous.

Moses' intercession moves from securing Israel's survival to securing something greater, God's own accompanying presence, without which the land itself would be worthless. It is one of Scripture's deepest conversations about knowing God.

Main themes of Exodus 33

Exodus 33 (KJV)

1And 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: 2And 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: 3Unto 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. 4And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments. 5For 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. 6And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb. 7And 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. 8And 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. 9And 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. 10And 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. 11And 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. 12And 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. 13Now 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. 14And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. 15And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. 16For 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. 17And 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. 18And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. 19And 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. 20And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. 21And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 22And 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: 23And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Verses to carry from Exodus 33

“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.”Exodus 33:11

“And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.”Exodus 33:15

“And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.”Exodus 33:18

Reflection

Ask yourself honestly whether you want God's gifts or God himself. Moses would rather have the wilderness with God than the promised land without him. The glory he longed to see is now revealed in the face of Christ, who calls you friend. Do not settle for blessings. Seek his presence above all.

A prayer from Exodus 33