33:1-6, THE THREAT OF GOD'S PERSONAL WITHDRAWAL FROM THE ISRAELITES, AND THE HUMILIATION OF THE PEOPLE.
33:1 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:
33:2 AND I WILL SEND AN ANGEL (NKJ, MY ANGEL) BEFORE THEE; AND I WILL DRIVE OUT THE CANAANITE, THE AMORITE, AND THE HITTITE, AND THE PERIZZITE, THE HIVITE, AND THE JEBUSITE:
33:3 UNTO A LAND FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY: FOR I WILL NOT GO UP IN THE MIDST OF THEE; FOR THOU [ART] A STIFF-NECKED PEOPLE: LEST I CONSUME THEE IN THE WAY.
A.In a modern English paraphrase, Jehovah is saying, "I would
go with my people, but they are so rebellious that I would destroy them before they get there."
B.This is a threat that they would lose God's actual Presence and Personal protection in the rest of the journey, and would have only the help of AN ANGEL.
C.God's saying I WILL DRIVE OUT THE CANAANITE, ETC. seems to be a renewing of this part of the covenant -- The whole covenant had fallen through the breaking of it by the people; Now He by grace renews this part of the promise.
D.I WILL NOT GO UP IN THE MIDST OF THEE: They had shown them-selves to be unworthy of His near Presence, so He was going to withdraw from them.
33:4 AND WHEN THE PEOPLE HEARD THESE EVIL TIDINGS (NKJ, BAD NEWS), THEY MOURNED: AND NO MAN DID PUT ON HIM HIS ORNAMENTS.
A.EVIL TIDINGS: Bad news, "harsh" things. They had enjoyed so many Divine privileges -- This was a terrible loss.
B.They were so saddened by this bad news that THEY MOURNED, and did not wear the jewelry and ORNAMENTS they usually wore.
33:5 FOR THE LORD HAD SAID UNTO MOSES, SAY UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, YE [ARE] A STIFF-NECKED PEOPLE: I WILL COME UP (NKJ, COULD 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.
A.I WILL COME UP...IN A MOMENT: If He were to go with them, He would quickly kill them for their rebellion.
B.PUT OFF THY ORNAMENTS FROM THEE: Verse 4 says they did not put on their ornaments, so this must be saying they are to lay them aside permanently -- Verse 6 indicates this is the idea.
33:6 AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL STRIPPED THEMSELVES OF THEIR ORNAMENTS BY THE MOUNT HOREB.
A.STRIPPED THEMSELVES...BY THE MOUNT HOREB: From this time forward, starting at this place, they wore no ornaments.
B.This shows they finally began to understand how richly blessed they had been, and they were now penitent for their sin.
33:7-11, HERE IS THE FIRST ACTUAL TABERNACLE (TENT) WHERE THE PEOPLE COULD COME TO THE PRESENCE OF JEHOVAH.
33:7 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.
A.The Tabernacle which was earlier described had not yet been constructed, so it is assumed Moses took his own tent and con-verted it to sacred use as a temporary "tent of meeting."
B.AFAR OFF FROM THE CAMP: Apparently to show that the sacred and the profane are not to be too close together.
C.Verse 9 shows that God approved of this arrangement.
33:8 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.
**Since Moses would be going there to pray for the people, they stood up in respect for him as they saw him go.
33:9 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.
33:10 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.
**When they saw THE CLOUDY PILLAR they recognized the Presence of God, so they WORSHIPPED.
33:11 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.
A.THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES FACE TO FACE: The emphasis must be on AS A MAN SPEAKETH UNTO HIS FRIEND. In other words, in close contact, not at a distance; But also, not in a visible form - Cf Num 12:5-8 (5 And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood [in] the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth. 6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, [I] the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, [and] will speak unto him in a dream. 7 My servant Moses [is] not so, who [is] faithful in all mine house. 8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speech-es; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?")
B.Also note that right here in this context, a visible sighting was not allowed Moses - Verses 20-23 ("20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. 21 And the LORD said, Behold, [there is] a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 22 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: 23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen").
33:12-17, GOD REVOKES HIS THREAT OF WITHDRAWAL FROM THE PEOPLE.
33:12 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.
33:13 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.
A.Perhaps for several days Moses had spoken with God, but he still did not know exactly what God was going to do, so he finally takes advantage of the closeness of speaking FACE TO FACE (Verse 11), and asks God plainly: SHOW ME NOW THY WAY.
B.He wanted to know who would be sent with him (Verse 12); Would it be an angel or a man? and what is his identity?
33:14 AND HE SAID, MY PRESENCE SHALL GO [WITH THEE], AND I WILL GIVE THEE REST.
A.MY PRESENCE SHALL GO WITH THEE: God's answer to Moses' request was that God Personally (not an angel) would be with him.
B.AND I WILL GIVE THEE REST: Apparently the promised REST of the Land of Canaan.
C.This seems still not to be as much assurance as Moses wanted, so he suggests he needed more information about the future of the people with whom he was associated (Verses 15-16).
33:15 AND HE SAID UNTO HIM, IF THY PRESENCE GO NOT [WITH ME] (NKJ, WITH US), CARRY US NOT UP HENCE.
A.In Verse 14 God had promised, "I will give THEE rest," not "I will give YOU rest."
B.If the Father was not Personally going with all of the people on the journey, then Moses asked that they not have to go.
C.Note how in Verse 16 he emphasizes his union with the people when he says, "I AND Thy people," and "Thou goest with US."
33:16 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.
**SO SHALL WE BE SEPARATED: That is, distinguished from all other nations on earth -- By having Jehovah as their Leader.
33:17 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.
A.In answer to Moses' request for fuller assurance, God agreed to go with the people.
B.This is the satisfaction Moses had sought: Thus they would be SEPARATED (distinguished) from all other peoples in the world.
C.THOU HAST FOUND GRACE...I KNOW THEE BY NAME: So the threat of withdrawal is cancelled, and the promise of Divine guidance and protection is renewed, because Moses has a special per-sonal relation with God.
33:18-23, MOSES' REQUEST TO SEE GOD'S GLORY, AND GOD'S REPLY.
33:18 AND HE SAID, I BESEECH THEE, SHEW ME THY GLORY.
A.Moses had been granted his request that the people be restored to the fellowship of God, so he now asked for even a greater blessing for himself.
B.In asking to see the unveiled glory of the Creator, he asked for that which no human being can be given, and live; But he did not yet know that.
33:19 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.
A.ALL MY GOODNESS...THE NAME OF THE LORD: Contemporary English Version (which brother Wallace would have called a "perver-sion"): "I will let you see my glory and hear my holy name."
B.Whatever is involved here, God promised Moses he would be allowed to see more than any human being had seen before, and all that one could be allowed to see.
C.WILL BE GRACIOUS...WILL SHOW MERCY: This was all in God's Hands, and He could choose the outcome; Because Moses had found favor in His Eyes, He will grant this much to Moses.
D.NOTE: This emphasizes the Sovereignty of God -- He, and not sinners, fully controls the manner in which MERCY is extended; We do not tell Him what to do, either in our own case, or in the case of anyone else; And we dare not challenge Him.
33:20 AND HE SAID, THOU CANST NOT SEE MY FACE: FOR THERE SHALL NO MAN SEE ME, AND LIVE.
A.A view of the full glory (the unveiled radiance) of God would kill a human being.
B.In Gen 32 Jacob wrestled with a man, and then said he had seen God, but Hos 12:4 says the one he wrestled with was an angel.
C.John 1:18 says, ("No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him]").
D.PULPIT COMMENTARY ("Y"): "What of Divine glory is manifested to us has to be manifested in a way that is safe; and surely this is part of the salvation wherewith we are saved, that by-and-by, when all pollution is cleansed away, we may be able to bear visions and revelations which, if they were to be at-tempted not, would only destroy us."
33:21 AND THE LORD SAID, BEHOLD, [THERE IS] A PLACE BY ME, AND THOU SHALT STAND UPON A ROCK:
33:22 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:
33:23 AND I WILL TAKE AWAY MINE HAND, AND THOU SHALT SEE MY BACK PARTS (NKJ, MY BACK): BUT MY FACE SHALL NOT BE SEEN.
A.On this occasion (the location of which is unknown), God in some way concealed Moses and protected him from death which would have come without God's Hand covering him.
B.THOU SHALT SEE MY BACK PARTS (NKJ, MY BACK): This use of words which have human connotations (HAND, BACK, FACE) is called anthropomorphisms, that is, words which refer to an anthropoid (a human being). There is no other way we can think, yet.
C.After God had passed by, Moses would be permitted to see as much of His Glory as he would be able to see and still live.
D.What he saw may have been some reflection of God's Glory, or some kind of afterglow which it produced.
E.When we get into this kind of thought we are reminded of Paul's words in 2Co 12:1-4 ("1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter").
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