Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Women of the Word Exodus 33





As this chapter opens, the Lord is still angry with the Israelites over the incident of the golden calf.  He reiterates to Moses His promise that the people will settle in the land of Canaan, “a land flowing with milk and honey,” but He announces that He will no longer journey with them “for fear that I will annihilate you on the way; for you are a stubborn people.” (vss. 3-4)  Some translations use the term “stiff-necked” for “stubborn.”  Either word shows God’s extreme displeasure, and, in response, the Israelites strip off their ornaments as if they were in mourning and do not wear them again.  (This chapter is an earlier version from the J writer, whereas the incident of the golden calf was penned by the P writer; thus here the Hebrews are still in possession of their jewelry.)  



Moses always meets with the Lord in a special Tent of the Presence, which he pitches at some distance outside the camp.  This Tent, not to be confused with the Tabernacle, whose construction and decoration have been described in chapters 26-27, is from an older memory inserted here by the J writer before the institution of the priesthood.  Whenever Moses enters the Tent of the Presence, a pillar of cloud comes down and stays at the entrance while he is inside.  All the people stand at the entrance to their individual tents watching the pillar and waiting for Moses.  Meanwhile, within, Moses and the Lord would speak, face-to-face, “as one speaks to a friend.” (v. 11)  Afterwards, Moses would return to the camp, but his assistant, Joshua, would stay inside the Tent.



In the next five verses, Moses pretty much asks God to change His mind.  He points out that, although God has told him to lead “this people up, but thou hast not told me whom thou wilt send with me . . . for this nation is thy own people.”  The Lord relents and agrees “I will go with you in person and set your mind at rest.” (vss. 12-14)



God then reminds Moses that “I know you by name,” and, with that, Moses asks for an enormous favor in return: “Show me thy glory.”  God acquiesces.  First He tells Moses His name, “I Am That I Am” (transliterated as Yahweh), a name so sacred in Judaism that it can only be uttered by the High Priest on certain Holy Days in the Temple.  He has only given Moses this name once before, when he spoke to him from a burning bush and commissioned him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt (Ex. 3:13-15).  God expands further on His name saying that He will “be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”



Next God tells Moses that He will “pass by” him, but he must hide in the crevice of a rock, because “no mortal man may see me and live.”  God then covers Moses’ face with His hand until He goes past the rock, and Moses is only able to see His glory reflected from the back.  These four verses (20-23) are a later insertion from the Priestly writer and contradict the J writer’s earlier description of God and Moses meeting face-to-face as friends (vs. 11).



Once again, we are reminded that the Book of Exodus describes the formation of a united people from a disparate group of tribes, and that this Sinai event is a critical episode in moving them forward toward their goal of settling in the land of Canaan.  Furthermore, “one of the most striking features of biblical religion, which the story of the Exodus-Sinai event underscores, is the activity of God in the course of history.  He is an intensely personal God who plays a direct role in the activities of mankind.” (Education For Ministry, Book Two: From Egypt to Canaan, p. 97) 



Submitted by Karilyn Jaap


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