Exodus 33:7 - Meaning and Application

Here is one sign of displeasure, meant to humble them further: Moses took the tabernacle, not his own family tent, but the tent where he gave hearings, settled disputes, and asked God for guidance. He pitched it outside the camp, far away from them (Exodus 33:7). This showed the people that they had made themselves unworthy of it, and that, unless peace was restored, it would not come back to them.

God was letting them know that he was standing apart from them. The Lord is far from the wicked. In the same way, the glory of the Lord left the temple when it was polluted with sin (Ezekiel 10:4; Ezekiel 11:23). When God removes his tabernacle, it is a sign of anger, because his ordinances, his appointed acts of worship, are gifts of his favor and signs of his presence. While we have them, we have him with us.

This tabernacle may have been only a plan or model of the one that would later be built. It may have been a quick drawing from the pattern shown to Moses on the mountain, meant to guide the workers. For the time being, it served as a meeting place between God and Moses about public matters. It was set at a distance to make the people feel what they had lost, because they had traded their own mercy for useless idols. Let them see what they had given up.

Even so, there were many signs that they could still hope for God’s mercy. Though the tabernacle had been removed, anyone who wanted to seek the Lord was welcome to follow it (Exodus 33:7). Private people, not only Moses, were invited to come and ask God to turn back to them. A place was set apart outside the camp where they could go and plead for God’s return.

This is how it was when Ezra, a later leader like a second Moses, interceded for Israel. Many who trembled at God’s word gathered to him (Ezra 9:4). When God plans to show mercy, he stirs people up to pray. He wants to be sought (Ezekiel 36:37), and he can be sought by even the poorest person. Every Israelite who sought the Lord was welcome at this tabernacle, just as Moses, the man of God, was.

Moses also stepped forward to mediate between God and Israel. He went out to the tabernacle, the place where the two sides met, likely set between the camp and the mountain, and he entered it (Exodus 33:8-9). A cause can hardly fail when it has such a good manager. When their judge under God becomes their advocate, and the one appointed to give the law acts as their intercessor, there is still hope for Israel.

The people also seemed ready for peace. When Moses went out to the tabernacle, they watched him go (Exodus 33:8). This showed respect for the man they had earlier slighted, and it showed their full trust in his mediation. It also showed how concerned they were about the matter, and how eager they were to know whether God would be reconciled to them.

In this, they were like the disciples who watched the Lord Jesus when he ascended into heaven to enter the holy place not made with hands, until a cloud hid him from their sight. We too must follow him with the eye of faith to where he now appears before God for us. Then we will share in the benefit of his mediation.

When they saw the cloud pillar, the sign of God’s presence, meet Moses, they all worshiped, each man at the door of his tent (Exodus 33:10). This showed their humble worship of the divine Majesty, whom they would now honor, and no longer idols made of gold. It also showed their thankful joy that God had given them this sign of good and some hope of reconciliation. If he had meant to destroy them, he would not have shown them such things, raised up such a mediator, or given him such favor.

They were also showing that they stood with Moses in everything he would promise on their behalf, and that they expected the meeting to end well. So we must worship God in our tents with our eyes on Christ as the Mediator. Their worship at their tent doors showed plainly that they were not ashamed to own God and Moses publicly, just as they had publicly worshiped the calf.

God, in Moses, was reconciling Israel to himself, and he showed that he was willing to be at peace. God met Moses at the place where the two sides were treating, Exodus 33:9. The cloudy pillar, which had moved away from the camp when it was polluted with idolatry, now returned to this tabernacle at a distance. It came back little by little. If our hearts move out toward God to meet him, he will kindly come down to meet us.

God also spoke with Moses (Exodus 33:9), speaking face to face, as one friend speaks to another (Exodus 33:11). This means that God revealed himself to Moses with greater clarity than to any other prophet, and with special kindness and grace. He spoke not like a ruler to a subject, but like a man to his friend, someone he loves and with whom he shares sweet counsel.

This was great encouragement for Israel, because their advocate was so highly favored. To strengthen them with this hope, Moses returned to the camp and told the people what he believed could come of the matter, so they would not lose heart if he was gone a while. But because he meant to return soon to the tabernacle of meeting, he left Joshua there. It was not right for the place to be empty while the cloud of glory stood at the door (Exodus 33:9). And if God had anything to say from that cloud while Moses was away, Joshua was there, ready to hear it.