Exodus 33:12-23 -- Moses, the Intercessor

HIS WORDS

Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people!’ But You Yourself have not let me know whom You will send with me. Moreover, You have said, ‘I have known you by name, and you have also found favor in My sight.’ Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, let me know Your ways that I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight. Consider too, that this nation is Your people.” 

And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” Then he said to Him, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here. For how then can it be known that I have found favor in Your sight, I and Your people? Is it not by Your going with us, so that we, I and Your people, may be distinguished from all the other people who are upon the face of the earth?” 

The Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.” Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. “Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”

MY WORDS

Then Moses said to the LORD, "You tell me, 'Lead these people out of Egypt!' But You have not let me know who You will send with me. Yet you said, 'I know you by name, and you have found favor in My sight.' So I ask You, if I have, indeed, found favor in Your sight show me Your ways so that I might really KNOW You [progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding more strongly and clearly], and find favor in Your sight. And by the way, do not forget that these are YOUR people so they are YOUR responsibility."

And God said, "My presence is right there with you to lead you, and I will give you rest." 

Moses said, "If Your presence does not go with me, do not carry us from here. For by how shall it be known that I and Your people have found favor in your sight? Isn't it because of Your having gone with us so that we are distinguished from all other people on the face of the earth?

And the LORD said to Moses, I will do this thing you ask for you have found favor, lovingkindness, and mercy in My sight to me, and I know you well [Rev. 2:17].

Then Moses said, "I beg you to show me Yourself in all Your glory!"

God said, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim My name, THE LORD, before you; for I will be merciful to whomever I want to be merciful and I will show mercy and lovingkindness to whomever I will show mercy and lovingkindness.  
But He said, "You cannot see My face because no one can see My face and live to tell the story."

Then God said, "Look, there is a place beside Me, and you shall stand upon the rock, and while My glory passes by, I will put you in the cleft of the rock and covery you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away My hand, and you will see My back; but you will not see My face. 

I WILL

Spend extended time in intercession today. I have so much to pray about that I cannot mention here!

Bible Book Club post from this passage is HERE.