11. The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
12. Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.'
13. If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people."
14. The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

Commentary from the Faith Connection, P.37: God’s people had decided an image of God was more real than God himself. They began worshiping an idol in the form of a golden calf (Exodus 32:1-6). While Moses was away talking to God on the mountain, Israel had grown impatient and fearful about life. Desperate for someone or something to lead them, they imagined an idol was their leader.

God knew how damaging Israel’s actions were and responded appropriately. He punished the ringleaders as well as those who went along for the ride (Exodus 32:7-35). But worst of all, God decided He would not continue with people who did not trust Him (Exodus 33:1-6). God would stay in touch with Moses.

Being on your own can sound good, but it is actually a recipe for disaster. We need God in our lives. No one else in life brings out the best in us like God. No one else can give us “rest,” a reprieve from stress, like God (v. 14).
That is why the promise of God’s presence is such good news in these verses. Moses knew he could not make it without God. So he prayed, “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so that I may know you and continue to find favor with you” (v. 13). Moses longed for God’s presence. He knew that he needed God’s personalized instruction if he was ever to make it to the Promised Land.

  Verse 14 reads, “The Lord replied, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’ Do you believe that this is a timeless promise of God that is just as true today as it was in the time of the exodus?

2. The Distinction of God’s Presence:  Exodus 33:15-17, 15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" 17 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."

Commentary from the Faith Connection:      Everyone has a unique life story. Israel certainly did. No one else had stories of ancestors like Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph. Certainly none could claim a miraculous deliverance from slavery in Egypt like Israel. In addition, their laws and customs as well as their belief in only one God stood out among peoples of the ancient world.

Yet as unique as Israel’s story and lifestyle were, something else set them apart even more. The presence of God living in their midst set them apart from the rest of the world. The most distinctive characteristic of Israel was God.

Moses knew this. So he asked, “What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (v. 16). The answer to this question was simply, what marks God’s people is the person of God. It is not so much how or where they live, the food they eat, or the clothes they wear. Good people can be found all over this world, people who help others, sacrifice for them, and otherwise live model lives. But the presence of God truly marks the people of God as different from all others. “Christ in you,” Paul said, characterizes those who follow God.

Is there any difference between a good person/good people and the presence of God dwelling among a person/people? What might those differences be?

3. The Weight of God’s Presence Ex.33:18-23, 18 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." 19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion，20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."21 Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. 22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."

Moses’ prayer was to see the manifest glory of God. He wanted assurance of God’s presence with him, Aaron, and Joshua, and also he desired to know that presence experientially. Because we are finite and morally Imperfect, we cannot exist and see God as he is. To see God’s back means we can only see where God has passed by.  We can only know him by what he does and how he acts. We cannot comprehend God as he really is apart from Jesus Christ (John 14:9) Jesus promised to show himself to those who believe (John 14:21&Commentary from NIV

4. Point:                                                   The sense of God’s personal name is probably nowhere better summarized than in Exodus 33:19. the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. God is all mercy, all compassion, offering grace….

God presence brings “rest” to His people according to verse 14. This word can describe a camel unburdening its load after a long journey or a laborer relaxing following a week’s work.

As God works in and through our lives, what are the ways that others can see God’s presence with us?  Close in a prayer of thankfulness for God’s presence with us.

Note: Worldwide Outreach Teaching School is a non-profit organization, the staff travel to teach in many different areas and to have a “Good Character Camp”, If you like to donate to the school; Make you check payable to: Worldwide Outreach Teaching School.

Please send your contribution to: 245 W. Garvey Ave. P.O.BOX. 1262. Monterey Park, CA 917549998. It is IRS approved Tax deductible.

11.   摩西面對面說話、好像人與朋友說話一般．摩西轉到營裡去、惟有他的幫手一個少年人嫩的兒子約書亞、不離開會幕。

12.   摩西對耶和華說、你吩咐我說、將這百姓領上去、卻沒有叫我知道你要打發誰與我同去、只說、我按你的名認識你、你在我眼前也蒙了恩。

13.   我如今若在你眼前蒙恩、求你將你的道指示我、使我可以認識你、好在你眼前蒙恩．求你想到這民是你的民。

14.   耶和華說、我必親自和你同去、使你得安息。

上帝的子民相信和以為人造的神，遠超過真正的上帝。當摩西上山與上帝交談時以色列百姓沒有忍耐心等待而且焦慮就為自己鑄了一隻牛犢、向他下拜獻祭、說、以色列阿、這就是領你出埃及地的神。(出 32:1-6). 上帝知道以色列人的行為錯了，上帝處罰那暴動之首和其同工 (出32:7-35)。上帝決定不要繼續和不信任祂的人 (出33:1-6)。但上帝決定繼續與摩西聯繫但其他的人自行。

這就自行聽來是自由，其實是危險的，生活中我們需要上帝。在我們的生命中沒有人能與祂相比帶給我們最好的禮物。在壓力時也沒有人能讓我們能如上帝般的給享有 “安息” 。(第14節)

是上帝在第14節的應許同在是何等的好消息。摩西知道沒有上帝他是不能成就的。所以摩西禱告說，  “若在你眼前蒙恩、求你將你的道指示我、使我可以認識你、好在你眼前蒙恩． (13節)” 。摩西渴望上帝之同在。他知道要去應許之地需要上帝親自指導才能達到目的地。

第14節上帝說， “我必親自和你同去、使你得安息。”您相信上帝是沒有時間的限制，以前在出埃及時期和今日一樣?

2. 上帝同在的區別: 出埃及 33:15-17    15, 摩西說、你若不親自和我同去、就不要把我們從這裡領上去。對摩西說、你這所求的我也要行、因為你在我眼前蒙了恩、並且我按你的名認識你。

摩西說、求你顯出你的榮耀給我看。就不要把我們從這裡領上去。就不要把我們從這裡領上去。16,  "人在何事上得以知道我和你的百姓、在你眼前蒙恩呢、豈不是因你與我們同去、使我和你的百姓、與地上的萬民有分別麼?" 17, 耶和華對摩西說、你這所求的我也要行、因為你在我眼前蒙了恩、並且我按你的名認識你."

“信心連繫”的解經: 每個人有獨一的生命故事，以色列人也不例外。沒有人的故事像亞伯拉罕，雅各和約瑟的始祖。特別的是沒有人聲言 奇蹟如以色列人從奴隸中被釋放 出埃及的真實故事。除此以外，他們的律法和習俗配合其相信只有獨一的上帝為我們世界的始祖站立。

的確，就如唯一以色列之故事和生活型態，某些事情使他們分別更甚。上帝的同在住在他們中間使他們與世界分別，最大區別之以色列的性格就是上帝。

摩西知道這些，他說,  "人在何事上得以知道我和你的百姓、在你眼前蒙恩呢、豈不是因你與我們同去、使我和你的百姓、與地上的萬民有分別麼?" (第16節)” 。回答這問題是很簡單。上帝的子民並非大不同於住何處，或吃，或穿不同。上帝的子民在世界各地都可找到，如樂於助人，為別人犧牲，和其他如有好模範。但是有上帝同在的子民是與群眾不同的。保羅說有耶穌基督同在的性格，跟隨上帝同在的人事與眾不同的。

3. 上帝同在的勢力  Ex.33:18-23，     18 摩西說、求你顯出你的榮耀給我看。19 耶和華說、我要顯我一切的恩慈、在你面前經過、宣告我的名．我要恩待誰、就恩待誰．要憐憫誰、就憐憫誰。 20 又說、你不能看見我的面、因為人見我的面不能存活。21 摩西說、求你顯出你的榮耀給我看。22 耶和華說、我要顯我一切的恩慈、在你面前經過、宣告我的名．我要恩待誰、就恩待誰．要憐憫誰、就憐憫誰。23 又說、你不能看見我的面、因為人見我的面不能存活。23 然後我要將我的手收回、你就得見我的背、卻不得見我的面。

摩西求上帝顯出祂的榮耀。他想得到上帝與他同在的確據，在亞倫與約書亞等人中間，摩西渴望能有親眼看到上帝榮面的經歷。因為我們是有限的，是血肉之軀，道德上又不完全，所以如果見到上帝本體的真相，跟本不能存活。看見祂的背影，是指只能看見祂經過而言。我們只能藉祂的行為，並祂行事的法則而認識祂。唯獨藉由耶穌基督，才能真正完全認識祂 (參約14:9)。耶穌應許要向信祂的人顯現 (參約翰 14:21)。

4. 總論:                                                               上帝的名字最好的解釋是跟據     出埃及記. 33章19   節，上帝說， “我要顯我一切的恩慈、在你面前經過、宣告我的名．我要恩待誰、就恩待誰．要憐憫誰、就憐憫誰。” 因此，神的同在使你得安息。要親近上帝33章14   節，上帝說， “我必親自和你同去、使你得安息。”例如駱駝在長途行走後放下牠背上的重擔而休息，吾人也必在一周工作後休息與主同慶。

上帝在我們生命中工作，我們的什麼方式可讓別人看到上帝與我們同在嗎？

最後做感謝上帝與我們同在的禱告。