Page 61 - Pentateuch - Student Textbook

built to occupy a central spot in the encampment of Israel. Moses had a tent outside the camp where he
met with YHWH. The people watched from a distance as Moses entered. They worshiped at a distance.
God spoke to Moses “face to face” with only Joshua nearby as an assistant. So how could God actually
move into camp?
Knowing the spiritual truth about Israel, God leads Moses through a series of discussions to teach him,
and through him to teach Israel, the antidote to the problem. First God threatens to destroy the nation
and start over with Moses (32:10). Moses appeals to God on the basis of the world’s opinion of God. The
Egyptians will interpret the events in light of some “evil intent” on the part of God (v. 12). Moses also
refers to the promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (v. 13). But the key word in this initial interchange is
“favor.” “Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God (v. 11).” This is the OT word for grace, something
completely undeserved. The word is not used a lot before this chapter (Gen. 6:8; 18:3; 19:19; 33:5, 11;
43:29). Here we find the key to this section of Exodus. God demonstrates more thoroughly his gracious
nature.

Moses returns to the mountaintop to plead for God’s forgiveness, offering his own soul as payment for
their sin (v. 31-32). God insists on blotting out the real sinners, promises to lead the nation anyway, and
sends a plague on Israel while Moses is with him (v. 33-35). Apparently, the text doubles back on itself to
explain more fully this interchange. God refuses to go with the people. Knowing their “stiff-necked”
nature, he can foresee the ongoing need to destroy them (33:3, 5). Moses does not let up in his appeal
to God’s favor. He quotes God about favor (33:12) and appeals for more for himself (v. 13) and for
others (v. 16). God gives reassurance (v. 17) and even agrees to give Moses a glimpse of his very nature.
“I will have mercy [grace or favor] on whom I will have mercy [grace or favor] (v. 19).”

We come now to the most remarkable passage in the book of Exodus. God passes before Moses. Moses
is actually shadowed by God’s hand. He cannot see the full effect of God’s presence and live (vv. 22-23).
Yet he sees God at the same time that he hears YHWH describe himself as “the compassionate and
gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and
forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the
children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation (34:6-7).”

This is the antidote to Israel’s problem. This is the way God can go with Israel. His grace, stated here in
multiple ways, will overcome their sin. Here is the fullness of the glory of God. The description becomes
the chief paradigm of God throughout the OT (cf. Num. 14:18; Neh. 9:17,
31; Ps. 86:15; 103:8; 145:8; Jer. 32:18; Joel 2:13; Jon. 4:2; Nah. 1:3).
Following the law under threat of punishment cannot change a person’s
heart. Breaking the law, realizing the rightness of the death penalty for
that rebellion, and experiencing the grace of God in forgiveness, however,
is the antidote to the sin problem in Israel and in any age. This is God’s
glory. This is the holy God.

An illustration borrowed from theology might help at this point. God is
light. When the Bible speaks of God’s glory, the comparison is to the
strength or brightness of light. God’s holiness can be represented by
white light. His holiness is the sum of all his other traits. His other
characteristics are like the other colors of the rainbow. “Like white light
that shines through a prism and is broken down into its colorful
components, so this truth can be broken down into its many parts. Many

Fig.35. Rainbow
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