Exodus 33 Summary: A Concise Overview in 5 Minutes

Exodus 33 Summary - A Quick Overview

WHEN:

• God delivered the Israelites from slavery in approximately 1491 B.C.

• Exodus 33 occurred shortly after God spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, which would place these events approximately 4 months after the Hebrews left Egypt (19:1; 32:34).

CHARACTERS:

• God – The Lord spoke with Moses face to face and gave Him direction for leading the nation of Israel.   

• Moses – God selected Moses to lead the Israelites from Egypt to the Promised Land (Canaan).

• Israelites (Hebrews) – The descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God granted them freedom after several hundred years in slavery in Egypt. Unfortunately, they did not always honor God as He deserved.  

WHERE:

• Moses and the Israelites were camped at Mount Sinai.

OUTLINE:

• GOD COMMANDS THE ISRAELITES TO LEAVE MOUNT SINAI (33:1-6):

  • God told the Israelites to break camp at Mt. Sinai and head in the direction of Canaan.

  • The Lord told Moses He would send His angel ahead of the people to lead them to the promised land, but His presence would not go with them because of their disobedience with the golden calf.

  • God was so angry with the Hebrews He told Moses He would “consume” them if they entered His presence.

  • The people mourned when they heard the news and “stripped themselves of their ornaments” in a sign of repentance.

• MOSES MEETS GOD AT THE TENT (33:7-11):

  • These verses tell us how Moses used to talk with God at a special tent he pitched outside the camp of Israel.

  • Moses set up a tent “far off from the camp” which he called the “tent of meeting.”

  • Whenever Moses went out to the tent, he would speak to God in the pillar of cloud (13:21).

  • “Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend.”

• MOSES INTERCEDES FOR THE ISRAELITES (33:12-17):

  • Moses begged the Lord not to depart from the people.

  • He asked God to lead Israel and dwell with them as they entered Canaan.

  • God granted Moses’ request and reassured him His presence would go with Israel.

• MOSES SEES GOD’S BACK AND HIS VEILED GLORY (33:18-23):

  • Having obtained the promise of God, Moses asked the Lord to show him His glory.

  • He wanted to see God more clearly.

  • God agreed to Moses’ request but told him He could not reveal His face to Moses because viewing the face of God would kill a human being.

  • God put Moses in “a cleft of the rock” and covered him with His hand and He passed by.

  • Moses was able to see God’s back, but he did not see His face.  

APPLICATION:

• Moses knew the only thing that made him and the Israelites special was the presence of God dwelling among them.

• He told God, “Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”

• His identity and hope for the future were based on His relationship with God.

• Where do you find your identity?

• The only thing that can make a human being special and their future hopeful is the abiding presence of God and His Spirit dwelling within a person.