Please forgive this rough draft format, as these are my raw study notes on the book of Exodus. I felt a great sense of urgency to publish them rather than waiting until I had the time to pretty them up. Thank you and I pray that God blesses you through this material.
Stacey
Take a few minutes to savor Exodus Chapter 33. Then return here and ponder the thoughts, answer the questions, and be sure to leave comments about your own revelations…
33:1-6 – God loves us so deeply, we can affect Him!
33:2 – See 23:20-23 – God is still sending the angel to wipe out the “ites”.
33:3 – the Israelites sinned. Stiff-necked – “it’s a farming term – when a beast refused to wear it’s owner’s yoke.”
God was being loving to remove Himself from such a rebellious people who would be destroyed by His physical closeness. He cannot be in the presence of sin – not because He is incapable, but because His goodness will destroy it!!!
33:4-6 – the people felt ugly. Ornaments enhance our beauty. They stripped theirs off, so they must not have felt very beautiful.
33:4 – Did the people hear this news from Moses? Or the Lord?
33:5 – and I will decide – Why did He have to decide? He is omniscient, but allows Himself to experience the process of deliberation. He can know the end and still fully experience the means.
33:7-11 – this interaction shows what’s at stake if God doesn’t accompany them to the promised land.
God wants us to develop a close friendship with Him. Sharing secrets, engaging in intimate, but not profound small talk, and knowing each other’s business are elements of that friendship.
33:7 – Why pitch the tent some distance away? To give the people travel time to prepare their hearts? To keep the tent away from common sin? To make sure that only those who really wanted to be with the Lord would make the journey?
Anyone could inquire of God at the tent! Did they? Would you? What would keep them, or you, from approaching God, here?
33:8-9 – Why did the people watch Moses enter the tent? To see the cloud? Why didn’t they enter the tent, themselves?
33:10 – The people watched because this was their call to worship.
33:11 – Joshua didn’t leave the tent when Moses did.
33:13 – Great prayer!
33:15-16 – The Lord already said He would go with them. Why did Moses go on like this? Did the Lord’s statement in verse 14 make Moses doubt?
33:15 – God just said in the previous verse that He would go with them. Moses must have been so upset over the possibility of losing God’s fellowship that he didn’t hear Him.
We need to be with God and people. Idolatry happens when we confuse our “with” need for God and our “with” need for people. God gave Moses Aaron in Exodus 4 and he made them an idol of gold in chapter 32.
33:16 – As God’s children, we should stick out – not blend in.
33:17 – Doesn’t God know everyone by name? Why would scripture say this?
33:18 – Now – na – particle of entreaty: please, beseech, beg.
glory – kabod – that which makes You God, alone.
33:19 – this actually means, “I am free with My mercy. I am free with My compassion.” (A Woman’s Heart: God’s Dwelling Place – Beth Moore)
goodness – tov – covenantal friendship. See Deuteronomy 23:6.
Pass – abar – covenant language speaking of passing through the pieces of broken bodies to make a covenant. See also verse 22.
33:20 – see 33:11. How can these scriptures support each other?
33:23 – Why do you suppose God’s back may be seen, but His face may not?
What attributes of God have you observed in your study today? How will this change your relationship with Him?
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