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The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:12-17
Effectual importunity. Our Lord Jesus Christ spake a parable to show "that men ought always to pray and not to faint" (Luke 18:1). The present record is, we may be sure, inserted in the Old Testament for the same purpos…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:12-23
Intercession and its reward. I. THE INTERCESSOR'S POWER. 1. God, who had disowned Israel, and refused to go with them, consents to go with him:—"My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." The first step…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:12-18
The third intercession. Moses on this occasion pleads with God to restore his presence to the people. Very noteworthy are the steps in his entreaty. 1. He veils his request under the form of a desire to know the divine…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:12-17
EXPOSITION THE REVOCATION OF THE THREAT OF WITHDRAWAL. After some days' "wrestling with God" in the "tent of meeting," Moses prayed to know definitely what God had determined on. "Show me thy way," he said (Exodus 33:13…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:14
My presence shall go with thee. Literally," My presence shall go up"—my own presence, not that of an angel. That for which Moses had been so earnestly pleading is, seemingly, granted. God will go up. I will give thee re…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:16
So shall we be separated. Rather, "So shall we be distinguished." God's presence with them would distinguish them from all the other nations of the earth—place them in a category alone and apart from all others. Angelic…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:17
I will do this thing also. "I will extend my favour to thy people also, and distinguish them, as well as thee, by going up with them. I will do this for thy sake, because thou hast found grace in my sight." Moses' petit…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:18-23
EXPOSITION THE REQUEST TO SEE GOD'S GLORY, AND THE REPLY TO IT. Having obtained the full restoration of the people to God's favour, Moses felt emboldened to ask a boon for himself. He had already been admitted to closer…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:18
Show me thy glory. The glory of God had been seen by Moses to a certain extent, when God "descended in fire" upon Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:18). It had been seen with more distinctness when he was called up and "went into…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:18
The craving for close communion with God, may be considered— I. AS BASED ON A NATURAL INSTINCT. Man without God—without the consciousness of being sustained and upheld by an eternal omnipotent being—can have no strength…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:18-23
Shew me thy glory. On this incident, remark— I. THE GOOD MAN THIRSTS FOR EVER FULLER MANIFESTATIONS OF THE DIVINE GLORY. The more he knows of God, the more he would know. The nearer he gets, he presses nearer still. He…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:19
I will make all my goodness pass before thee. It is not quite clear what this means, or how it was fulfilled—whether the reference is to the revelation of God's goodness in Exodus 34:7, or to the entire experience that…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:19
Divine sovereignty. On this note— I. GOD IS SOVEREIGN IN THE EXERCISE OF HIS MERCY. He dispenses it to whom he will. He is free and unconstrained in its bestowal. The sinner cannot claim it as a right. He is not entitle…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:20
No man can see me and live. The inability proclaimed in these words is not an absolute inability to see God, but an inability to see and survive the sight. Jacob, when he wrestled with the angel, marvelled that he could…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:21
Behold, there is a place by me. No sufficient indication is given by these words, or by any other words in Scripture, of the exact locality of the manifestation to Moses. The so-called" traditions "are worthless; and we…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:22
Clifts in the rock. God has many places of safety—"clifts in the rock"—where he puts us when trials approach. "As our day is, so is our strength." Bereavemeat comes upon us, and he elevates us on a pinnacle of faith to…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:22
I will put thee in a clift of the rock, The "clift" has been identified with the "cave of Elijah" (1 Kings 19:9); but the words used are different; and even were they the same, no identity could be established. It is ra…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 33:23
Thou shalt see my back parts. Literally, "my back." The anthropomorphisms of the passage are numerous and strong—they must, of course, be regarded as accommodations to human ideas. After the Divine Presence had passed b…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 34:1-4
When God made man in his own image, the moral law was written in his heart, by the finger of God, without outward means. But since the covenant then made with man was broken, the Lord has used the ministry of men, both…
God's Proclamation of Himself. (b. c. 1491.)
GOD'S PROCLAMATION OF HIMSELF. (B. C. 1491.) The treaty that was on foot between God and Israel being broken off abruptly, by their worshipping the golden calf, when peace was made all must be begun anew, not where they…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 34:5-9
The Lord descended by some open token of his presence and manifestation of his glory in a cloud, and thence proclaimed his NAME; that is, the perfections and character which are denoted by the name JEHOVAH. The Lord God…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 34:5-9
No sooner had Moses got to the top of the mount than God gave him the meeting (Exodus 34:5): The Lord descended, by some sensible token of his presence, and manifestation of his glory. His descending bespeaks his condes…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 34:10-17
The Israelites are commanded to destroy every monument of idolatry, however curious or costly; to refuse all alliance, friendship, or marriage with idolaters, and all idolatrous feasts; and they were reminded not with i…
A Caution Against Idolatry. (b. c. 1491.)
A CAUTION AGAINST IDOLATRY. (B. C. 1491.) Reconciliation being made, a covenant of friendship is here settled between God and Israel. The traitors are not only pardoned, but preferred and made favourites again. Well may…