Exodus 33

Recap before going into Exodus 33..

The Lord is angry at the Israelites because they were worshipping the golden calf that Arron had made. They are wearing idolatrous ornaments. But even though they are in rebellion and sin, God does not deny them of the Promised Land.

Exodus 33 Notes

“You are a stubborn and rebellious people. If I were to travel with you for even a moment, I would destroy you. Remove your jewelry and fine clothes while I decide what to do with you.” ⁶ So from the time they left Mount Sinai,^[a] the Israelites wore no more jewelry or fine clothes." (Exodus 33:5-6)

When God says, "If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy you." This is not a threat to be mean. This is a warning of a reality. It's like a healthcare professional telling a patient, "Before going inside an MRI machine, you need to remove any metal object you have and if you have a metallic thing inside your body, you cannot go in there because the metal can heat up and cause injuries." This is not them trying to be mean to the patient. This is them giving a warning out of care and concern so that they patient does not get hurt. So here, God is telling the Israelites that He and sin cannot co-exist. God is holy, sin is unholy. People have died when they accidentally touched the Ark of the Covenant (Uzzah in 2 Samuel 6), because only the levitical priests were allowed to handle the ark, and they could only touch the carrying poles! This is why in the NT, Jesus tells us that we cannot serve two masters.

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money." (Matthew 6:24)

So then the Israelites removed their ornaments and then Moses goes into the Tent of Meeting to talk to God.

"You have been telling me, ‘Take these people up to the Promised Land.’ But you haven’t told me whom you will send with me. You have told me, ‘I know you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ ¹³ If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.”

¹⁴ The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.” (Exodus 33:12-14)

But let's go back to verse 2-3--

"I will send an angel before you to drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. ³ Go up to this land that flows with milk and honey. But I will not travel among you, for you are a stubborn and rebellious people." (Exodus 33:2-3)

What changed? Why is it that in v. 2, God says He's going to send an angel, but then in 12-14, He says, that He Himself will go with Moses and the Israelites? --v. 4, 6

In verse 4 & 6, it says that they mourned and then they removed their ornaments, jewelry.

God is moved by our repentance. When we are convicted and we allow that godly sorrow to really hit us and we don't just brush it off, we feel that sadness that we're supposed to feel so that we are empowered to do better.

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." (2 Corinthians 7:10)

"...let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1)

When God saw that the Israelites genuinely felt godly sorrow and REMOVED their items of idolatry, God was like, "Okay, instead of sending an angel, I personally will go with you." Wow...what an honor!!

Let's keep going to Exodus 33:15-16

Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.”

Moses knew that it was not the things that God gives that sets them apart from everyone else or make them stand out. It was the Presence of God! So Moses was saying, "Wherever You want us to go, You have to come with us and if not, we're not going!" Wow. That is so beautiful!! A lot of the times, we're like, "God I want to go here and there. I want this and that!" But if God is not in it, would we still want that thing? Would we still want to go down that way? There is nothing wrong with wanting things, because God cares about our desires. BUT we have to pause and ask God is our desires are even HIS desires. Our prayer should be, "God, wherever You want me to go, I will only go if Your Presence is gonna be with me."

Let's go back to verse 14.

The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.” (Exodus 33:14)

Another beautiful reminder that wherever God leads us, our spirits will be at rest. That doesn't mean that it's going to be easy, because obedience is not easy and the enemy attacks those who are being obedient to God, but obedience produces peace is our spirits! 

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you. 27Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid. (John 14:26-27)

We have been blessed with the Holy Spirit to help guide us and remind us of God's teachings. And when we obey Him, we are given a peace that is so different from the world's definition of peace!

"God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing." (C.S. Lewis)