A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Exodus · Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII.
Verſ. 2. ANd I will ſend an angel before thee, &c.]
God here promiſeth Moſes that he would ſend an angel before them, but withall addes, that he would not go up himſelf in the midſt of them, as before he had promiſed. Some hold that the angel here meant is a created angel, not that angel of the covenant, of whom he had ſpoken before, chap. 23. 20. But ſeeing it is the ſame angel that had hitherto gone before them in the pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night, by whom God promiſeth that they ſhould be led on their way till they were poſſeſſed of the land of Canaan, I ſee not how we can underſtand it of a created angel, but that it muſt be meant of the Sonne of God, as before. However that which God here refuſeth to do for them, I conceive is the dwelling amongſt them in his tabernacle with thoſe ſignes of his gracious preſence, concerning which he had formerly given direction to Moſes: His angel he would ſend, as he had promiſed, to conduct them to Canaan, and to drive out the inhabitants before them; this he might do for any people, and this (becauſe he had promiſed it to Abraham) he would do for them; but to acknowledge them again for his people, and to teſtifie that by his dwelling in the midſt of them, to wit in his tabernacle, that he would not grant.
Verſ. 3. Leſt I conſume thee in the way.]
This is alſo ſpoken of God after the manner of men, who are moſt provoked when they are preſent to ſee the wrong done them; and indeed the nearer a people are unto God, the leſſe will he indure their rebellion againſt him.
Verſ. 5. I will come up in the midſt of thee in a moment, and will conſume thee.]
To wit, if thou doſt not truly repent of the wickedneſſe wherewith thou haſt provoked me. Though God had granted to Moſes upon his interceſſion that he would not preſently deſtroy this rebellious people; chap. 32. 34. yet withall he gave him order to make known to the people that he had threatned, in caſe he found them not truly penitent, utterly to deſtroy them, that ſo by the terrour hereof they might be indeed the more humbled for their ſinne, and turn unto the Lord with a broken heart, as true penitents ought to do: And indeed we reade in the former chapter, verſe 34. In the day when I viſit I will viſit their ſinne upon them.
Verſ. 7. And Moſes took the tabernacle, &c.]
Or a tabernacle or tent: It was not that which after was the place of publick worſhip, for that was not yet made, but ſome peculiar tabernacle which Moſes had formerly …rected either for the ſervice of God, or for matters of civill judgement amongſt the people, which being now removed afarre off from the camp ſignified Gods departure from them as a polluted people. See Prov. 15. 29.
And called it the tabernacle of the congregation.]
It ſeems that Moſes proclaimed that whoſoever would ſeek the Lord, there was now the place of his preſence whither they muſt come; whereupon he called it the tabernacle of the congregation.
And it came to paſſe, that every one which ſought the Lord went out unto the tabernacle, &c.]
When Moſes their mediatour appeared before God in their behalf, the cloud coming down upon the tent, they ſtood afarre off, as ver. 8. At other times they that ſought the Lord went out of the camp (the place of their ſinne) toward the place where the tent was.
Verſ. 8. And it came to paſſe, when Moſes went out of the tabernacle all the people roſe up, &c.]
That is, when Moſes went to this tabernacle to deſire the Lord to pardon the people, now repenting them of their ſinne, all the people roſe up, both reverencing him as he paſſed by, and that they might look after him and accompany his interceſſion with their prayers: And ſtood every man at his tent doore, acknowledging themſelves unworthy to approch nearer; and looked after Moſes, ſhewing by their eyes that followed him, that all their hope was in him, and how earneſtly they longed for a gracious anſwer by him.
Verſ. 11. And the Lord ſpake unto Moſes face to face.]
In a wonderous familiar manner, ſo as never to any Prophet. See Deut. 34. 10. Numb. 12. 8.
But Joſhua the ſonne of Nun, a young man, departed not, &c.]
Joſhua is called here a young man onelyonly in reſpect of his ſervice, for he was now about fifty years old; and he ſtayed behind in the tabernacle (when Moſes went back into the camp) to look to it, and to keep it. And thus God honoured him, making him as it were his houſe-keeper.
Verſ. 12. And thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt ſend with me.]
That is, thou haſt ſaid that thou wilt not go up in the midſt of us, and withall haſt not expreſſely and by name ſatisfied me who it is thou wilt ſend along with me; and ſo I am injoyned to carry this people into Canaan, and yet know not what cou…ſe ſhall be taken, nor what help ſhall be afforded me for the leading of them thither. It is true that God had told him that he would ſend an Angel before them, ver. 2. but yet becauſe he had not told him who that Angel was, and withall he ſawthe cloudy pillar that formerly went before them, and led them in their way, was now removed farre from the camp, and God had expreſſely ſaid he would not go up in the midſt of them, therefore he thus bemoans the hard province impoſed on him, Thou ſayest unto me, Bring up this people, and thou haſt not let me know whom thou wilt ſend with me.
Verſ. 13. Shew me now thy way, &c.]
That is, ſhew what courſe thou meanſt to take with us, or be thou our guide as before; notwithſtanding that threatning, ver. 3. Moſes by faith reſting on the promiſes of God was perſwaded that he would not thus caſt off his people; therefore he ſaith, verſ. 12. that God had not let him know whom he would ſend with him, becauſe he had not yet promiſed his preſence as he was confident he would do: ſo here he deſires to know what way God would take with them, not doubting but that way would be that God would be reconciled and lead them again as formerly with the viſible ſignes of his preſence.
That I may know thee, &c.]
That is, that by proof and experience I may know how good thou art to them that ſeek thee, and be aſſured that I have found grace in thy ſight.
Verſ. 14. And he ſaid, My preſence ſhall go with thee.]
That is, the viſible ſigne of my preſence, the pillar of cloud, and the tabernacle, as before I promiſed: So that this is a revocation of the ſentence, verſe 3. For I will not go up in the midſt of thee.
Verſ. 14. And I will give thee rest.]
If this be taken as ſpoken of Moſes in particular, then the meaning muſt be, that God would ſatisfie his deſire, and ſo ſettle and quiet his mind in this, concerning which he had been ſo anxiouſly ſolicitous and full of care. But if it be ſpoken of Moſes in the name of and together with all the people, then the meaning rather is, that God would not now leave them, but that they ſhould be ſtill under his patronage and protection; or that they ſhould have reſt from their enemies, and ſhould be brought ſafe to the promiſed reſt in the land of Canaan: By which reſt was alſo figured our reſt in Chriſt and in the kingdome of heaven.
Verſ. 15. If thy preſence go not with me, carry us not up hence.]
Embracing Gods promiſe, he ſhews the reaſon why nothing elſe could ſatisfie him but that, becauſe they had even as good never move a foot farther as go on without Gods favour, yea though they were ſure to get the poſſeſſion of the land of Canaan.
Verſ. 17. And the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, I will do this thing alſo that thou haſt ſpoken, &c.]
That is, I will not onelyonly conduct you by mine Angel, as I promiſed before, verſe 2. but I will alſo go among you as my people by the viſible ſignes of my preſence. Thus God doth onelyonly again confirm what he had ſaid, verſ. 14. Neither did Moſes ask in the words before, nor the Lord here make any promiſe of any other bleſſing.
For thou haſt found grace in my ſight, and I know thee by name.]
In a ſpeciall manner, as Princes thoſe whom they above others favour and reſpect.
Verſ. 18. And he ſaid, I beſeech thee ſhew me thy glory.]
Moſes, having now found the Lord ready to grant all his deſires, proceeds further, and makes one requeſt more, to wit, that God would ſhew him his glory. Whereby I cannot think that Moſes meant the very eſſence of God: for is it probable that Moſes was ſo farre ignorant of the nature and eſſence of God, that he did not know him to be a ſpirit infinite, and inviſible, every where preſent, but no where to be ſeen with bodily eyes, whom no man hath ſeen or can ſee, as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1. Tim. 6. 16? Surely no. Rather I think that Moſes conceiving that God when he ſpake to him had put on as it were ſome corporall and viſible ſhape, full of great majeſty and glory, and therefore overſhadowed with a cloud, he deſired to ſee the lightſome brightneſſe of Gods preſence, the cloud being taken away, and that doubtleſſe eſpecially (though happely not without ſome mixture of vain curioſity) that he might by this ſpeciall ſigne of Gods favour be confirmed concerning the gratious promiſe made to him and his people.
Verſ. 19. And I will make all my goodneſſe paſſe before thee, &c.]
That is, my ſelf, namely in a tranſitory viſion; my glory, ver. 22. or glorious goodneſſe: thus God yields to his requeſt, yet not every way as he had intended it; and in what manner he would do it he ſhews him afterwards, ver. 22, 23.
And I will be gratious to whom I will be gratious, &c.]
If bold man ſhould dare to queſtion in his mind, why God ſhould pardon the foregoing ſinne of Iſrael, whileſt he puniſhes leſſe ſinnes in others, or why Moſes ſhould be honoured with ſuch a glorious viſion above all other men; his mouth is ſtopped with this which God ſaith of his freedome in communicating grace where he pleaſeth without wrong to any.
Verſ. 20. Thou canſt not ſee my face; for there ſhall no man ſee me and live, &c.]
My face, that is, my eſſence, my being ſimply as I am in my ſelf (and indeed it is moſt true in that ſenſe that no man can ſee Gods face. Even where Moſes and Chriſt are compared together by the Evangeliſt S. John, this ſeeing of God is made the peculiar prerogative of Chriſt the ſonne God, John 1. 17, 18.) Or rather by the face of God here is meant the majeſty and glory attending that externall ſhape which God had now aſſumed, which Moſes could not behold, and therefore it was covered with a cloud; and this the Lord gives as a reaſon why God denied this part of his requeſt, becauſe he had deſired that which being granted him would have been his ruine, mans weakneſſe being ſuch that he is not able to behold ſuch a glorious brightneſſe as this was, and as is that light inacceſſible, which no man can approch unto, wherein God dwels, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1. Tim. 6. 16. And indeed, if by the face of God here were meant Gods eſſence, thou canſt not ſee my face, that is, my eſſence, thou canſt not ſee me as I am in my ſelf, then by that following reaſon, for there ſhall no man ſee me and live, we might inferre that it is poſſible for men to ſee the eſſence of God though not without perill to their lives: which is not ſo; for God is in his eſſence altogether inviſible. Jacob ſaw God face to face, Gen. 32. 30. but it was in that ſhape wherein God was pleaſed to repreſent himſelf, and if Moſes ſaw more then Jacob, yet he ſaw onelyonly ſome more glorious repreſentation of the deity, not the divine eſſence it ſelf.
Verſ. 22. I will put thee in a clift of the rock, &c.]
He was put in the clift of a rock, 1. to hide him as it were that he might not be ſwallowed up of the exceeding glory of God as he paſſed by; 2. that being thus placed he might not onelyonly ſee God going and paſſing away, and that onelyonly for a ſhort time; but withall this rock might ſignifie Chriſt, by whom we attain the true knowledge of God; and looking thorow a clift might ſignifie the ſmall meaſure of knowledge of God we have in this life comparatively.
Verſ. 23. And thou ſhalt ſee my back-parts.]
It is moſt probable that God paſſed by in an humane viſible ſhape, but in ſuch brightneſſe and glory as was never ſhown to mortall creature; ſo that theſe paſſages both of Gods hand and back-parts muſt be underſtood literally. But by this repreſentation of the back-parts and not the face to be ſeen by Moſes, the Lord intended to teach him, that as vve knovv men very imperfectly vvhen vve ſee onelyonly their back-parts, even ſo is the knovvledge vvhichwhich the beſt can have of God in this life little and imperfect.