The Glory of YHWH
The Glory of YHWH is a Systematics Commentary on Exodus 33:7-23.
The context is the failure of the First Giving of The Covenant when Moses had ascended the mountain, but when he returned after a “long delay” the people had fallen into idolatry with the Golden Calf with Aaron’s permission. A massacre is carried out by Levi against the people and YHWH now refuses to lead the people into the Promise Land, concerned he will consume them because of their stubborn inclination towards idolatry, and instead offering only to send his angel, but without a covenant relationship to the nation.
7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it “The Tent of Meeting.” Everyone who sought Yahweh went out to the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp. 8 When Moses went out to the Tent, all the people rose up, and stood, everyone at their tent door, and watched Moses, until he had gone into the Tent. 9 When Moses entered into the Tent, the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the door of the Tent, and Yahweh spoke with Moses. 10 All the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent, and all the people rose up and worshiped, everyone at their tent door. 11 Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn’t depart from the Tent.
Outside the camp, far away from the camp I see something allegorical in the setting of this scene. The conversation that unfolds is not set in the Camp (symbolizing the Incarnational journey in to the objective community, project, or system) or on the mountain (symbolizing the Intercessional quest to know the will of Heaven and bring it to Earth), but it the “Tent of Meeting” far outside of either of these constructs. Allegorically, then, the conversation that is about to unfold has to do with Priming [1] space before the Initiation Threshold (it) — before The Present Prime is assembled and loaded into the system. The elements of The Present Prime are there in the Tent itself (horizontal axis) and the Pillar (horizontal axis).
Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, speaks to his friend Apparently, though it is impossible for mortals to see the face of God (v 20), one may converse face-to-face with YHWH in casual comfort and confidence.
Joshua…didn’t depart from the Tent because he was having his own “wilderness experience” where he was learning to trust the counsel of the Lord as Moses did on his own Liminal Journey. This strong understanding of YHWH’s identity and presence empowered Joshua to enter into the Promise Land and lead others with him, and — with the exception of treaty with the Gibeonites and not investing in succession — largely avoided errors.
12 Moses said to Yahweh, “Behold, you tell me, ‘Bring up this people;’ and you haven’t let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me your way, now, that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight; and consider that this nation is your people.”
14 He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
15 Moses said to him, “If your presence doesn’t go with me, don’t carry us up from here. 16 For how would people know that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Isn’t it that you go with us, so that we are separated, I and your people, from all the people who are on the surface of the earth?”
17 Yahweh said to Moses, “I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”
18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”
19 He said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim Yahweh’s name before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” 20 He said, “You cannot see my face, for man may not see me and live.” 21 Yahweh also said, “Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock. 22 It will happen, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; 23 then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”