Exodus 33:12-23

v12: Moses said to the L-rd: This is unique. Usually it is the L-rd saying something to Moses.

· “See” – This is a word of understanding, a word of perception. Moses wants G-d to know that he understands his call to bring the people into the land. Moses also understands that in order for him to complete his call he needs help – he cannot do it in and of himself.

· What Moses doesn’t understand is who G-d will send with him in order to do this job (This messenger – see 32:34, 33:2)

· G-d has told Moses (Moses reminds G-d of this) that He knows him by name (Acknowledges him) as Moses has found grace in the eyes of G-d. This is an important truth – it is only through the grace of G-d that He will acknowledge us and bring us into His Kingdom.

v13: Show me Your Way: Moses is not speaking of a road or path here. In context he is calling the promised messenger “the Way”. The Way is a person! (John 14:6) When you know the Way, through grace, you know G-d! (“that I may know You”)

v14: Go with you – the implication is that it will lead him.

· Rest – usually associated with the Sabbath, which is prophetically a picture of the Kingdom. This messenger is going to bring us into rest (Matt 11:28-29)

v15: Your Presence – Face, in Hebrew. Face is related to blessing -Num 6:24-26

· It’s only with G-d that the purposes of G-d can be fulfilled.

v16: Grace brings about the presence of G-d among His people. The outcome of this is discrimination (in a good sense), a separation, a distinction between G-d’s people and the people of the world (1 Peter 2:9-10).

v17: G-d is going to move because of His grace. Only those who have received G-d’s grace (those He knows by name- Isaiah 43:1) – through His messenger, the servant Messiah – will be

in the Kingdom of G-d.

v18: Moses wants the Presence of G-d in his life. He wants to be led and in submission to the Way and purposes of G-d. When G-d is operating in our lives His glory is manifested.

v19: G-d agreed to show Moses His glory, but it came with conditions.

· Goodness – the word ‘good’ is related to the will of G-d. There is a relationship between G-d’s glory and His will being done.

· Name is synonymous with character. G-d was going to show Moses His character – His chief characteristic being His grace and mercy. Without these two things we can never experience His Presence or be instruments of His glory. Without them we could never arrive at the place where He wants us to be, or do the things He wants us to do.

v20: The people who came out of Egypt experienced physical redemption (spiritual redemption only came about through the Lamb of G-d). For this reason, no one could see G-d and live.

v21: A good Hebrew translation of this verse would not say “a place by Me”. “By me” implies that there is a separation – which is not the case. It should read “a place with Me”. “With me” shows intimacy and togetherness (a need to be “In Christ”). G-d places Moses on THE rock (Ps 62:1, Matt 21:42).

v22: “I will put you” – the personal work of G-d

· “IN the cleft of the rock” – Paul frequently emphasizes the theological truth of being “in Christ”. Until we are “in Christ” no theological truth is going to bring change into our lives.

v23: Moses saw the back of G-d and not His face. This reminds us that we should be looking for a greater fulfilment. Yeshua, the face of G-d, brought about a new testament fulfilment of this passage. It is through Yeshua that we can have intimacy with G-d (Heb 4:14-16)