ExodusStudy Guide

Chapter 33

Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.

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Scripture

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.

Key VerseExodus 33:14

And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

Overview

God tells Israel to go up to the promised land but says He will not go in their midst, lest He consume them because they are a stiff-necked people — He will send an angel instead. The people mourn. Moses pitches the tent of meeting outside the camp, and when he enters, the pillar of cloud descends and the LORD speaks with Moses 'face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.' Moses boldly prays, 'Shew me thy glory.' God responds that He will make His goodness pass before Moses and proclaim His name, but Moses cannot see His face and live. God places Moses in the cleft of the rock, covers him with His hand, and allows him to see His back.

Key Themes

1

The Indispensable Presence of God

Moses refuses to move forward without God's presence, saying 'If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence' — the promised land without God's presence is worthless.

2

Face-to-Face Intimacy with God

God speaks with Moses as a friend — a remarkable level of intimacy that reveals what relationship with God can be, even under the old covenant.

3

The Glory of God: Both Revealed and Hidden

God shows Moses His goodness but shields him from the fullness of His glory — even the most intimate encounter with God in this life is partial, seen 'through a glass, darkly.'

Study Questions

1.

What does Moses' insistence 'If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence' (v. 15) teach about the priority of God's presence over God's gifts?

2.

What does it mean that God spoke to Moses 'face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend' (v. 11), and how does this shape our understanding of what intimacy with God looks like?

3.

Why does Moses ask to see God's glory (v. 18), and what does God's response reveal about the tension between human longing and human limitation?

4.

What is the significance of God placing Moses in 'a clift of the rock' and covering him with His hand (v. 22)?

5.

How does this chapter demonstrate that the deepest desire of the redeemed heart is not escape from trouble but the presence of God?

Connection to Christ

The cleft of the rock where Moses is hidden to behold God's glory is a profound picture of the believer's position in Christ — hidden in the Rock of Ages, shielded by God's hand, we behold the glory of God. Jesus said, 'He that hath seen me hath seen the Father' (John 14:9), fulfilling the longing Moses expressed. In Christ, we see the very glory of God that Moses could only glimpse from behind (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Personal Reflection

Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Exodus 33. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?

Exodus

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