Mercy vailed in judgment. I. GOD 'S SEPARATION FROM THE PEOPLE AND ITS EFFECTS . 1 . The separation. 2 . Its effects. (3) They were troubled by fear of judgment, for the Lord had said, " I will come up into the midst of thee in a moment and consume thee." These are the effects of the Spirit's work to-day. The same cry is lifted:—"Flee from the wrath to come." II. THE SEPARATION OF GOD 'S PEOPLE FROM THE MIDST OF SURROUNDING SIN AND... read more
A nation in garb of penitence. On this section consider— I. THE CONDITIONED PROMISE ( Exodus 33:1-4 ). God has consented to spare the nation. They are to set out forthwith on the journey to Canaan. But his presence is no longer to go with them. He would send an angel. Notice— 1 . Everything, in one sense, remains the same . The people are to be conducted to Canaan. They are to inherit the promises. God will drive out their enemies before them. The land will still flow... read more
I will send an angel before thee. Note the change from " my angel" ( Exodus 32:34 ) to " an angel;" which, however, would still have been ambiguous, but for what follows in Exodus 33:3 . The angel of God's presence is "an angel" in Exodus 23:20 . I will drive out . The whole covenant had fallen with Israel's infraction of it, and it was for God to retract or renew his part of it as it pleased him. He here of his free grace renews the promise to drive out the Canaanitish nations.... read more
Unto a land . Exodus 33:2 is parenthetic, and Exodus 33:3 coheres with Exodus 33:1 —"Go up hence, thou and the people, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham—unto a land flowing," etc. On the milk and honey of Canaan, see the comment upon Exodus 3:8 . For I will not go up in the midst of thee . At length there was an end of ambiguity—God's purpose was made plain—the people had shown themselves unfit for his near presence, and he would withdraw himself. So it would be best... read more
When the people heard. Moses had communicated to the people what God had said to him. They felt it to be evil tidings —they woke up at last to a feeling of the ineffable value of the privileges which they bad hitherto enjoyed—his guidance by the pillar of the cloud ( Exodus 13:21 )—his counsel, if there were need to ask anything ( Exodus 15:25 )—his aid in the day of battle ( Exodus 17:8-13 )—his near presence, by day and by night, constantly ( Exodus 13:22 )—and they dreaded a... read more
― For the Lord had said unto Moses, etc. Rather, "And the Lord said unto M ." (so most recent commentators, as Keil, Kalisch, etc.) The message was sent to the people after their repentance, and in reply to it. It was not, however, as our version makes it, a threat of destruction, but only a repetition of the statement made in Exodus 33:2 , that, if God went up with them, the probable result would be their destruction. Translate—"Ye are a stiff-necked people; were I for one moment to... read more
See Exodus 3:8.For I will not go up in the midst of thee - The covenant on which the original promise Exodus 23:20-23 was based had been broken by the people. Yahweh now therefore declared that though His Angel should go before Moses, He would withhold His own favoring presence. The nation should be put on a level with other nations, to lose its character as the people in special covenant with Yahweh (see the note at Exodus 33:16). Thus were the people forcibly warned that His presence could... read more
I will come up ... - Better; If I were to go up for one moment in the midst of thee, I should consume thee.That I may know ... - By that sign of their repentance Yahweh would decide in what way they were to be punished. read more
Exodus 33:3. I will not go up in the midst of thee By my own special and gracious presence, as hitherto I have done, but I will depart from thee. In pursuance hereof, God removes his tabernacle without the camp. I will only make good my promise to thy fathers, and send an angel to accomplish it, but I will show no particular and further kindness to thee. Lest I consume thee in the way Lest thy sins should be aggravated by my presence and favour, and thereby I should be provoked utterly to... read more
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 33:1-6
The hiding of God's face from man. When God hides away his face from his people, it may be— I. AS A JUDGMENT . It was as a judgment that God separated between himself and man after the Fall, and "drove man forth" from the Garden of Eden ( Genesis 3:24 ). It was as a judgment that he withdrew from Saul, and "answered him not, neither by dreams, by Urim, nor by prophets" ( 1 Samuel 28:6 ). When he "hid his face" from David, and forgot all his misery and trouble, it was because... read more