Old Testament - Exodus 33 - April 28, 2022

4/28/2022 – Exodus 33

The Israelites made a very poor decision when they thought back to their times in Egypt, where many gods were worshiped, and when they decided to create the gold calf – they were temporarily  away from Moses, their leader for at least 46 days; they were on their own and evidently not strong enough to be on their own. In v 5, the Lord told Moses to “say unto the children of Israel, Ye are a stiffnecked people.” And then the Lord begins the process of helping them repent of their poor behavior. They had come to a time and place they did not understand, and instead of going to the Lord, they fell back on the poor model that the Egyptians had given to them.

The Lord told them to get rid of their ornaments—which they did for these were left-overs from their attempts to fall back on Egyptian ways. 

Moses moved the tabernacle a great distance from where it had been within their camp. He now called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. (v 7) All of the Israelites “rose up, and stood every man at his tent door, and looked after Moses, until he was gone into the tabernacle. (v 8). They are now fully focused on their prophet.  They watched as Moses entered the tabernacle, and they saw, once again, the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door. They recognized the Lord’s message that He was with Moses, and he could be with them, too, for “all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.” (v 10)

Moses, in the tabernacle, speaks to his God, asking for help in guiding this people: “Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.” (v 13) Moses has just come down from the mountain after having been taught by the Lord for 40 days. And now, Moses continues to plead for the Lord’s help and guidance. 

Moses communes with the Lord everyday. His prayers are not just for himself, but for all of Israel, and he prays for the Lord’s guidance. The Lord’s response was one of a loving father: “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” (v14) There is a deep and warm peace that the Lord can give to us, even in the most difficult times, and that peace doesn’t need to change our condition, but it changes us and charges us with peace and comfort. I know that, for I have pleaded for His help in my most difficult times, and I have immediately felt that amazing peace and comfort he sends.

The JST helps us better understand v’s 19-23: 

JST V 19: “And no man hath seen God at any time, except he hath borne record of the Son; for except it is through him no man can be saved.” It reminds me of John 6:45: “It is written in the prophets, And they shall all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.”  He is helping the people to begin to understand the huge blessings the atonement will give to all. It’s a blessing we should never forget that we only have to ask for—making sure our actions and our thoughts are bringing us closer to Him and our Heavenly Father.

 

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