The Scrolls is a weekly Bible study written by pastors and other leaders at Central Bible Church, based on that week’s sermon topic. Use The Scrolls as a personal Bible study tool, for family devotions, and for small group discussions. You can read part of it below. The downloadable PDF also includes discussion questions, more in-depth commentary, end notes, and a kids’ page designed for families to study the topic together. This lesson goes with the sermon "Glory Days."
The expression, “the glory of the Lord,” appears seven times in Exodus (16:7, 10; 24:16, 17; 33:12; 40:34, 35), and another seven times in the rest of the Pentateuch (Le 9:6, 23; Nu 14:10, 21; 16:19, 42; 20:6), twenty-one times in the rest of the Old Testament, and only once in the New Testament (Lk 2:9). Reading just the passages in which the expression occurs in Exodus makes it clear that it refers to the visible presence of the Lord. Take the following for example: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandment I have written for their instruction . . . When Moses went up on the mountain the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud. To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain’” (24:12, 15-17; cf. 19:9, 16-19; 33:14-15, 18-23). In the books of Leviticus and Numbers, the glory of the Lord “appears” to the people to indicate that he is present with them. Commenting on 33:18, “Then Moses said, ‘Now show me your glory,’ one commentator makes the connection between God’s glory and God’s presence explicit by saying: “The request of Moses to see the glory of Yahweh is effectively a request that Yahweh demonstrate the reality of his promise to be present, indeed that he prove his Presence once again, as he did before the solemnization of the covenant that has since been shattered. ‘Glory’ in this context is very close to a synonym for ‘face, Presence,’ as the ensuring narrative shows” (John I. Durham, Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 3, Exodus, 452).
Moses is determined to see “the glory of the Lord.” He knows unless the Lord goes with them—the glory of the Lord being equal to the presence of the Lord—neither he nor the people he is commissioned to lead would reach Canaan, and even if they should, they would most certainly not be able to rip the land from the grasp of its occupants, the Canaanites. A different commentator writes: “Why did Moses ask God to show him his glory? . . . The answer is that Moses had indeed seen God’s glory in the past and therefore wanted to see it again, in as full a way as God might choose to show it, in order to know that just as God’s gory had reassuringly accompanied him and the Israelites on such occasions in the past, Moses could count on it to be with them again once they finally set forth from Sinai. That would convince him that God was indeed still close, still protective, and still interested in him and the Israelites as his people” (Douglas K. Stuart, Exodus, vol. 2, NAC, 704).
It goes without saying that the Israelite slaves did not emancipate themselves. The plagues that ultimately broke the stubborn will of Pharaoh were not their doing; neither was the parting of the Red Sea nor the destruction of Egypt’s chariots. All of it was the Lord’s doing. Remember what God said to Moses in Exodus 3:19-20, “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.” The very idea that the same slaves the Lord emancipated would make it on their own from Sinai to Canaan and then possess it was ludicrous. Moses knew it and the Lord knew it. And so given Moses’ intercession for the people (32:31-34; 33:13, 15-16), God agreed to accompany Moses and the people to Canaan (33:14, 17).
Likewise, it goes without saying that we did not save ourselves. We have been saved by grace through faith based on the death of Jesus. Neither do we sanctify ourselves. We are being sanctified, that is, conformed to the likeness of Christ by the Spirit, who lives in and through us. Apart from his enablement we cannot live the Christian life. All of it is the Lord’s doing. Fortunately, we have the promise of God’s ongoing presence (Heb 13:5) and his determination to finish the work begun in us (Php 1:6).
Central Message of the Text
The LORD lifted his threat, agreeing to go with Moses and the people to Canaan in spite of their “great sin,” because he is a gracious God, abounding in mercy and compassion.
Family Talk
Like many of you, our family is going out of town for Thanksgiving. With nine people involved, I have lists for all the things to do – ongoing lists in my head, written lists in my journal, and text lists that have been fired off, so the kids know what they’re supposed to do to help prepare. God told Moses to go, and what appears first on his list? He wasn’t wrapped up in who would ride which donkey, or which healthy snack he should pack for which picky kid. Laundry wasn’t really a thing in those days, so I guess clean clothes weren’t an issue. What appears first on Moses’ list of concerns in planning and preparing to go into the Promised Land was a plea for God’s presence. He knew he couldn’t take a single step in the right direction without God by his side leading and guiding him. Moses not only wanted God’s presence, but he wanted God to teach him His ways. He wanted to know God intimately so he could lead the Israelites appropriately. I can plan every detail of our vacation weeks in advance, but it won’t be successful without the Lord’s presence. We can play games, cook out and do all the fun things, but if my husband and I aren’t leading our kids closer to God, the vacation is just another thing to do. I want this vacation to be special, to unify our family and be a vacation we’ll all remember, so I’ll start with prayer. Psalm 31:3 “Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.”