Exodus 33:12-17 (NKJV)
12 Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’ But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’ 13 Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people.”
14 And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. 16 For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”
17 So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”
This is an interesting dialogue between God and Moses. Moses is entirely focused on this group of people he’s led out of Egypt. Moses tries to dovetail the nation into the relationship and grace he has received from the Lord. He wants them to receive the same benefits, blessings, and to experience the same relationship he’s experiencing with the Lord. Moses wants this for the people – even after the whole Golden Calf incident… in fact, that has JUST happened and Moses is about to go get the replacement commandments made in the next chapter.
Again, Moses wants this for the people… “And consider that this nation is Your people.”
The LORD’s response is always in reference to Moses’s relationship with him – not mentioning the nation’s relationship. “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (v14)
Moses’s immediate response is repeating and emphasizing “…with us”. Again, focused on the benefits and the relationship of the people.
The LORD acquiesces and says that he will bless THEM simply because MOSES has found grace in His sight and because the LORD knows MOSES by name. (v17) God is going to grant Moses’s request, simply based on Moses, not the people.
Question: Does this imply that there are some the LORD doesn’t know?
“by name” is the word shem and it literally could say “I know you because of your fame and renown and reputation...” it means as a memorial or a monument.
Wow! To have the LORD say he knows you because of your fame? That’s crazy!
Back to verse 16, I love this verse! I’m putting it in my “Verses to Memorize” document – (yes, I actually have one!)
16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”
The idea behind “found favor” is that of falling upon, encountering, getting – but by no merit of my own. “Favor” is “grace, charm, elegance, acceptance, wellfavoured”. Moses is saying “God – how will other know that you decided to love us, to give us favor and see us as elegant – cause we certainly didn’t do anything to deserve it!”
That word distinct means “to be distinct, be separated, be distinguished. to be wonderful.”
Take Aways:
- What is my reputation with God? Would God grant special favor to other people – because they are with me and I asked him to – because He knows me “by name”?
- Who am I trying to bring along with me in my walk with the Lord? Is my walk worth bringing others along with? Who am I bringing up in the LORD? Am I continually looking and watching over others or am I continually focused just “me” when it comes to God’s blessing, annointing and relationship?
I don’t think I quite really get and understand what kind of man Moses was….
Running After Papa….