Exodus 33
Theme: Our theme for this week is “Knowing God”. In Exodus 33 we get a great picture of what it looks like to “know God” by looking at Moses. As you read this chapter try to pick up on what it means for Moses to “know God” and the result of that relationship.
Major Points:
(V. 1-6) God commands Moses to lead the people to the promised land but there is a catch, God’s presence (think of God’s presence as having access to a relationship with him) will not be with them because of their rebellion against God. . This is similar to our culture today in the way we seek things like; wealth, health, pleasure, status etc. but neglect our relationship with God. It would seem like we value the gift over the giver. After the people heard this news they took off their jewelry as a sign of remorse because it was symbolic of their neglect towards God because it had become an idol.
(V. 7-11) The place to get access to God was supposed to be in the middle of the Israelite camp but now Moses has to move the tent of meeting outside the camp. Anyone who wanted access to God could have it but they had to leave the camp and go to a special place. This is symbolic to show us that we can have the same access to God as Moses did, we just have to be willing to break away from the world and seek His presence through his word.
(V. 12-23) Moses makes clear his hunger for more of God. After all that he had seen God do he still prayed for even more. A hunger for God like this leads to an attitude and lifestyle that says “i’d rather be in the desert with God than in the promised land without him”. Culture today would suggest that more people than not seek the blessings of God and not the presence of God. Moses’s prayer gives us a great starting point to fighting this issue. He asks for three things: to know God’s ways, to experience God’s presence & to see God’s glory. If we want to know God deeper, begging for these three things should become a daily habit.
Question Bank:
How has your week been spiritually? / What is God teaching you?
What sins are you struggling with that you need to confess?
(V. 1-6) Is your access to God the most important thing in your life? What part(s) of your life lead you to believe that?
(V. 1-6) Just like the Israelites removed their idols to show remorse, what can you remove from your life that is separating you from God ?
(V. 7-11) If we were separated from God in the fall of man, how exactly do we have access to him now? Explain
(V. 7-11) This passage reminds us that we have to actively seek God’s presence to receive it, so what are you doing to seek him?
(V. 12-23) How does God teach us his ways?
(V. 12-23) What has it looked like in your own life to want the experience of the promised land instead of God’s presence?
(V. 12-23) Name a time when God has revealed His glory to you? What effect did that have on your desire for God?