Exodus 33

The Goodness, Mercy, and Grace of the LORD

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

And He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.”  And He said, “Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see me, and live.”
Exodus 33:19-20

Moses had just asked the LORD, “Show me Your glory, ” and ends by tell us that no man can behold the face of the LORD, and live.

We read in verse 11 that Moses talked with God face to face, as with a friend, and we are told in the last verse of the chapter, “…but My face shall not be seen.” Seems like a contradiction, and I am not sure I can grasp the full meaning of that, but say,  when Moses was speaking to God face to face it was in a cloud, a veil or sorts, and when GOD shows Himself (His glory) there is no veil, but only His hand that guards Moses from death, and that Moses saw only the LORD’S back.

This revelation of Moses getting to view the glory of the LORD shows us that God is truly good, merciful, and gracious. It especially shows us that God can be seen.

God was seen by men when Jesus was on earth as a Man; God veiled by human flesh. Jesus Himself said, “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father” (John 14:9).

The LORD God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy; and He will be gracious to whom He will be gracious. I pray He will be merciful and gracious to you so that you will come to Him through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and He rose again. He also told us, “I will come again and receive you unto Myself that where I am there you may be also” (John 14:3).

Will you call on His name today?

…I know you by name

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

And Moses said unto the LORD, “See, Thou sayest unto me, ‘Bring up this people:’ and Thou hast not let me know whom Thou wilt send with me. Yet Thou hast said, ‘I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in My sight.’  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.”  And He said,
“My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.”
And he said unto him, “If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.  For wherein shall it be known here that I and Thy people have found grace in Thy sight? Is it not in that Thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, I and Thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.”  And the LORD said unto Moses,
“I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in My sight, and I know thee by name.”
And he said, “I beseech Thee, shew me Thy glory.”
Exodus 33:12-18

Bless the LORD, O house of Levi: ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD.
Psalm 135:20

Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Proverbs 27:5-6