God commanded Moses to depart from Sinai and take Israel to the land 'flowing with milk and honey' that He promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exodus 33:1,3). God told Moses that an angel will be sent before them to "...drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite,...the Hittite,...the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite...; however, God will not be in the midst of them because they were a stubborn people. (Exodus 33:2,3). Also, God could choose to destroy them if He were in their midst (Exodus 33:3).
Israel mourned when Moses delivered word that God was not going to be in their midst "...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" (Exodus 33:4,5,6).
Then, for the people who sought the Lord, Moses pitched a tabernacle--the Tabernacle of the congregation--far outside the camp (Exodus 33:7). "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 peoople rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door" (Exodus 33:8-10).
"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). Moses interceded for the people to the Lord and said, "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" (Exodus 33:13,14).
Moses did not want to continue without God's presence and said to 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 race 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" (Exodus 33:15-17).
"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 33:18-23).
God's Hand in the Matter: Initially, God was not going to be in the midst of Israel because of their stubborn ways, but Moses interceded which left God finding favor for him and the people; thus, God's presence was going with them.
Are you seeking God's grace and mercy today?
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