Exodus 33

Exodus 33:1-5

1. Mofes brings a very humbling message from God to them, ver. 1, 2, 3, 5. which has a good effect upon them, ver. 4, 6. 2. A correspondence referred to as a God and then: God adjudging in a cloudy pillar, and the people worshipping at the tent-doors, ver. 7—12. 3. Mofes prays, and prevails. 1. For a promise of his presence with the people, ver. 12—17. 2. For a fight of his glory for himself, ver. 18—23.

2. AND the LORD said unto Mofes, 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: 2. And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizazite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: 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: left I confume thee in the way. 4. ¶ And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments. 5. For the LORD had said unto Mofes, Say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiff-necked people: I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment, and confume thee: therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee, that I may know what to do unto thee.

It was a discouraging message Mofes brought them, and bespoke God’s high dislocation against them. For, 1. God refuses to go up with them, and leaves them to Mofes and a ministry angel; against whom their provocations, though continued, might not be so aggravated as against himself in the midst of them; for the abuts of greater privileges brings along with it greater guilt. 2. He reproaches them with their stubbornness, as a stiff-necked people: he knew what was in them. Note, God sees our hearts, and of all our sins, is most offended with the inbred alienation of our affections from him. 3. He threatens to confume them, as justly he might. It becomes us to know and feel the justice of our condemnation, that we may be more affected with the wonders of God’s grace in pardoning. 4. He stands, as it were, to confide how to deal with them, and bids them humble themselves before him: if so be, yet he may have mercy on them. God delights not in the death of a sinner: he flays his descending arm, and when he sees us in the dust, stripped of every hope, then he will magnify his grace unto the uttermost.

6. And the children of Israel scrip themselves of their ornaments by the mount Horeb.

Exodus 33:6

The people were justly confounded at this message: to be forsaken of God, was master of bitter mourning, and therefore they humble their fouls, strip off their ornaments, and give every deep expression of a contrite heart. Note (1.) To be forsaken of God, is the heavenly punishment which can fall upon us: if he but withdraw the sight of his countenance from his people, they go mourning all the day long. (2.) When sin is committed, forrow and shame should cover us; and though tears cannot wash away our guilt, yet it is in the way of humble abatement we may expect to hear a message of peace.

7. And Mofes 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. 8. And it came to pass, when Mofes went out unto the tabernacle, that all the people rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Mofes, until he was gone into the tabernacle. 9. And it came to pass as Mofes entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Mofes. 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. 11. And the LORD spoke unto Mofes face to face, as a man speaketh unto

his

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 33:7-11

Whilst matters stood thus in suspense, God separates himself from them. The tabernacle where Moses, as God’s vicegrere, used to minister justice, is removed without the camp, in token that he left them: yet not to removed, but they, who were disposed, might follow it. Thither the people, who hears fought after God, restored; and thither Moses, as their advocate, went to intercede for them. The people followed him with their eyes, and God’s appearance in the cloud, at the door of the tabernacle, bespoke his returning favour to them, and brought each man on his knees at the door of their tents, to beg that mercy they had so justly forested. God there speaks friendly to Moses, and he returns to encourage the people, whilst Joshua remains before the Lord. Learn, (1.) That the removal of God’s ordinances are a great judgment upon any people. (2.) Whilst there is a praying remnant left, there is hope. (3.) The eye of faith which follows Jesus into the heavenly tabernacle, keeps the soul from shaking under its fears.

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. 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. 14. And he said, ‘My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. 15. And he said unto him, ‘If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. 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. 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.

12—17. Moses now appears before God, pleading for the people, and prevails. He had gained for them already a respite from wrath, but he seeks the manifestation of his presence and favour.

1. His prayer. Since it pleased God to employ him, he begs his presence with him: though Israel had forfeited all favour, he pleads God’s gracious expressions to himself, and that they may appear in the grant of mercy to the people, at his intercession. He desires the divine guidance, as sensible he else could never lead them aright; and introduces at last their covenant relation to God. Though they were rebellious children, he insinuates God was a father to them still: nay, he insists upon the unpossibility of advancing, unless God go with them, and rather chutes to die there, than move without him. He then chutes with an argument drawn from God’s glory, for the success of his petition, and if the people were unworthy, or himself undeserving, yet for his own great name’s sake, he pleads for his presence among them. Learn, (1.) Without Divine guidance, we never could find the way to heaven. (2.) If ever we are led thither, we must be indebted to the intercession of our dear Redeemer, for whose sake alone God can have any respect to us. (3.) God’s glory being engaged in the salvation of his Redeemed people, we may with confidence call ourselves upon him, who will never leave nor forsake us.

2. God’s answer. He grants his request, promises his presence, and acknowledges the efficacy of his pleading. Note, (1.) When Jesus is our advocate, we are sure of prevailing: not only guilt will be pardoned, but grace conferred, and glory secured to us. (2.) They will never fail of an answer of peace, who thus with Moses, in humble faith and importunity, make their requests known unto God.

3. And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. 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. 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.

Exodus 33:18-23

Mercies received, are an earnest of greater in before: one prayer answered, is the encouragement for renewed supplication. Whilst we are not weary of asking, God is never weary of granting. Moses had obtained one favour for the people, now he seeks another for himself.

1. He begs to see God’s glory; some more eminent display of it than had yet been manifested to him. They who have talked of God’s grace, are longing with Moses to behold God’s glory, to see him face to face.

2. God is pleased to grant him all that can be granted: the full blaze of uncruited glory the angels cannot bear, and much less man, who is a worm. But he shall see as much as he can endure and live. God will make his goodness pass before him, and shew him some glimpse of the transcendent brightness of his train, whilst hid in the clift of the rock from the unalterable blaze. Note, (1.) The glory God doth most display, is his sovereign mercy. Let others cavil against his distinguishing grace, and his sovereignty in the choice of sinners, but let us admire and adore it. (2.) All our views of God in this world, are poor and imperfect. It is relieved for the liberty of a better state, to see him as he is, and to know even as we are known. (3.) Whoever hopes to come to this beatific vision, must remember that there is no way to enjoy it, but he bring found in Christ, as Moses in the clift of this rock which represented him. Lord, I beseech thee, shew me the glory of thy grace, in the face of Jesus Christ on earth, and bring me to behold its most relentless brightness, in thy presence in heaven!