Exodus Chapter 33

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Exodus, chapter thirty three. The Eternal One instructing Moses, the
time has now arrived. Leave and take all the people
you have let out of Egypt with you. Now go
to the land I promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
to whom I said, I will give this land to
your future generations. I will send a messenger to guide you,
and I will force out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites,

(00:23):
the Perizites, Highvites, and the Jebucytes. Travel to the land
that flows with milk and honey, to the land of
your inheritance. However, because you are such an incredibly stubborn people,
I will not be going with you, Otherwise I would
completely destroy you during the journey. When everyone heard the
dreadful news, they began to grieve and stopped wearing their
jewelry to remind them of the calf made from their

(00:45):
gold earrings. You see, the Eternal One had instructed Moses
give the Israelites this message. You are such unincredibly stubborn people. Therefore,
I am not going to travel with you. If I
allowed myself to travel with you for only a moment,
I would completely destroy you. Stop wearing your jewelry, so
I can figure out what to do with you. So
the Israelites took off all of their jewelry. From the

(01:06):
time they left Mount Horeb, Moses used to take a
tent and put it up far away from the camp.
He referred to it as the meeting tent. Everyone who
sought the Eternal One would go out to the meeting tent,
which was located well outside the camp. When the people
heard that Moses was going out to the tent, they
would get up and stand at the entrance of their
own tents and watch him until he had gone inside.
When Moses entered the tent, the cloud pillar descended to

(01:29):
the tent's entrance, and the Eternal would talk with Moses.
When people witnessed the cloud pillars standing at the meeting
tent's entrance, they would stand and bow in worship at
the entrance of their own tents. The Eternal spoke with
Moses face to face, just as a friend speaks to
another friend. After they were done, Moses would come back
to the camp, but his young assistant, Joshua none Son,

(01:51):
would remain behind. Moses said to the Lord, look, you
tell me lead these people, But you haven't yet told
me whom you will send you accompany me. Yet you
tell me I know you by name, and you have
gained my trust and blessing. If I have gained your
trust and blessing, reveal your way to me so that
I can truly know you, and so that I may

(02:12):
gain your favor. Remember that this nation is your covenant people.
The Eternal One said, my presence will travel with you,
and I will give you rest. If your presence doesn't
travel with me, then don't lead us away from here.
How will the people know that I have gained your
trust and blessing if you do not travel with us.
Isn't it the very fact that your presence travels with

(02:34):
us that distinguishes us from every other people on earth?
I will do what you have said, because you have
gained my trust and blessing and I know you by name.
If your presence will go with us, Moses said, then
let me see your glory. The Eternal One said, I
will cause all my goodness to pass before you, and
I will declare my name the Eternal One before you.

(02:57):
I will show mercy to whomever I choose to show mercy,
and I will demonstrate compassion on whomever I choose to
have compassion. You cannot see my face, for no one
can see me and live. Look, there is a place
next to me on the rock where you may stand
while my glory is passing by you. I will place
you in a large crevice of the rock and hide

(03:19):
you beneath my hand until I have completely passed by.
Then I will remove my hand and you will see
only my back, but you won't be able to see
my face.