Exodus 33 - Introduction

The Command To Go Forward - God's Revelation of Himself to Moses (Exodus 33:1).

In this chapter we learn of Yahweh's command that it was now time to go forward. But there is a difference in that His people would no longer know His personal presence as they had previously. However, an angel would go before them. We do not know how long after the previous incident this was, but it links with Numbers 1-4.

Note the sequence in the chapter.

a They are to go forward with an angel, but Yahweh Himself will not be with them (Exodus 33:1).

b Moses meets Yahweh regularly in the old Tent of Meeting face to face as a man speaks with his friend (Exodus 33:7).

b It is this closeness to Yahweh that now makes possible his bold request, and at his pleading Yahweh then promises that He will Himself go forward with them (Exodus 33:12).

a Moses asks to see Yahweh's glory and is finally be allowed to see the back part of His glory (Exodus 33:18).

The contrast between ‘a' that they will only from now on have an angel with them, and that Yahweh will not be with them, is gloriously countered in the parallel by the His glory, even if partly hidden, will be seen by His friend Moses. And in ‘b' we are told of his closeness to Yahweh, and in the parallel the result of that closeness is that Yahweh promises that He will after all go up with them.