Exodus 33

Exodus 33 Commentary

by Brad Boyles

Perseverance.

Can you imagine being Moses? On one hand, he is a spiritual leader for these obstinate people. He lives among them. He leads them. He loves them. On the other hand, the Lord is leading Moses. God lives among Him. He leads Moses. He loves Moses.  On so many levels, Moses is stuck between the Rock (God) and a hard place (the people’s hearts). So, what does he do?

It’s an interesting question to reflect on. What do you do when you receive bad news? How do you respond when you no longer feel the hand of the Lord? I can remember years back being in a situation like this. I knew I needed to move on from my current role in ministry, but I really had nothing lined up that I was passionate about. I believed God was asking me to resign my current position, but it was so difficult to walk away from.

That summer, I accepted a new job that I was not good at or necessarily passionate about. It was an opportunity I am grateful for, but it really was just there to support me and my family. I began to wander away in my faith. I whined. I felt sorry for myself. I didn’t want to be here. Why did I do this???

In the middle of this experience, I remember calling up Hank and vehemently arguing with him that the Lord’s presence had vanished. I felt like I was walking in the dark with no direction whatsoever. This period of my life forced me to seek God even more. I wrestled with Him daily. I went through phases of questioning Him, apologizing to Him, pleading with Him, arguing with Him, and seeking Him. Some days were better than others, however, the point is, I began to thirst for His presence like never before. Like a man wandering in the desert with no water, I earnestly and persistently chased Him for a single drop.

Coming off the heels of the Lord telling the people that His presence would not go with them on their journey to Canaan, (but it would instead be an angel) Moses chases after the Lord. He aggressively questions God for reassurance. Moses knows that the people cannot succeed in their quest without the face of God among them. God answers.

Then He replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Exodus 33:14 HCSB

God assures Moses that His Presence (literally ‘His Face’) will be with the people. But that’s not enough for Moses. He desperately wants to KNOW God. Moses is not satisfied. He has tasted the Lord and now desires more. He wants to see God’s face! Amazingly, God agrees to this request, though there are parameters set into place because no one can see the Lord’s face and live.

But let’s circle back to the main idea. When you feel God has removed Himself, how do you respond? Do you believe He is there, waiting for your obedience? Do you persevere? Do you seek more of God’s presence and beg for Him to show Himself? This chapter illustrates the beautiful reality that God’s desire is to dwell with His children.