The Gospel according to Exodus

In among the Vacation-Bible-School stories of a burning bush, of plagues, of a path through the sea, of drowned Egyptian soldiers and pillars of fire and cloud, the book of Exodus includes considerable dialogue between YHWH, the Creator of the universe, and our reluctant hero Moses.  It took numerous readings (and some suggestions from commentators) before I realized how remarkable those conversations are!

For example, after the gross idolatry of the golden calf, while Moses is still on the mountain, YHWH says, "I see what these people are doing! Leave me alone so that I can destroy them and then start all over with you, Moses, to make a great nation out of you."  (This is Exodus 32: 9-10, loosely translated.)

Moses responds, "Wait! You brought these people out of Egypt with your 'mighty hand' and 'outstretched arm'. (You showed Yourself to the Egyptians!) But what will the Egyptians say if now you destroy this people?"

And so YHWH, responding to the plea of Moses, relents and decides not to destroy the people.  (Exodus 32: 11-14.)  

Then Moses went down the mountain and saw, for himself, what the people were really doing, and lost his temper! (Exodus 32: 19-20.)  Moses agrees that the people have grievously sinned against YHWH.

It is clear that YHWH will not put up with this rebellion and sinfulness.  After more conversation with Moses, YHWH orders the people into the desert, to led by an angel (Exodus 33: 1-6), but states that He, YHWH, will not go with them, lest he destroy them because of their stubbornness.  YHWH will not condescend to their rebellion!  It is He Who created the universe, not them!  

When the people realize the consequence of this statement, they weep and take off their jewelry.  They realize that they do not really want to be abandoned.

Then YHWH says to Moses, "Let's talk."  (See Exodus 33: 7-11.) 

At this point we have a remarkable conversation, even an argument.  (Read Exodus 33: 12-13.) Moses says, "Wait a minute!  You have, all along, told me to lead this people! You have said, 'I know you by name' and that you are pleased with me. I beg you, please, teach me your ways so that I may find favor with you!"  Moses then adds, "Remember, this nation is Your people!" He essentially repeats the earlier argument that YHWH has made promises to create a great nation in the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

God responds (Exodus 33: 14-18), "OK, my Presence will go with you and give you rest."

Moses says, "If You don't go with us, don't send us on!"  He adds, a moment later, "How else will the nations be able to distinguish us from the other peoples of the earth?" In this remark, he reminds YHWH of YHWH's plan to create a special people who will be a blessing to all the earth.

To this God responds, "Yes, I will do the very thing you ask. I am pleased with you and know you by name."

To which Moses responds, "Show me your glory!"

After that, YHWH starts all over again with a covenant with Moses and the broken people of Israel. Moses, in his persistence, has caused YHWH to "relent" from His plan to begin again with just Moses. In Exodus 34: 8-10, as Moses intercedes for the people of Israel, YHWH agrees to a covenant with "these stiff-necked people". With these people, YHWH says, "I will do wonders never done in any nation before! The people around you will see how awesome is the work that I, YHWH, do for you!"

We then have the covenant given, again, with its sacrificial system, to this "stiff-necked" broken people.

There is a lot here.  As described throughout the book of Genesis, YHWH has a plan to bless all nations through descendants of Abraham.  But (as is also clear in Genesis), humans are broken, selfish and stubborn. YHWH will not overlook this and ignore it. This stubbornness ("sin") is egregious and deadly.  So YHWH creates a covenant with the people of Israel, a path towards redemption (and Eden.) Yet in so doing, YHWH listens to -- even argues with -- Moses! This conversation is face to face, speaking as friend to friend. This communication is so remarkable that Moses's face glows!  (Exodus 34: 33-35.)

Before modern Christians interrupt this passage with "theology", arguing that God does not relent/repent, that God does not change His mind and that all events are "predestined" for all time, I want to do a bit of meditation on the conversations of Exodus 32-34.  We Christians believe in "prayer" (that is, conversing with God and making requests of Him), yet much theology has taught me, indirectly, that God always has His plan and that making requests of Him are only asking Him to do what He already planned to do.  So why pray?  Why make requests of YHWH at all?

Yet Moses (and later David) very boldly went to YHWH and said, "Remember your plan and please do the following..."  And YHWH said, "Yes, I will do the very thing you ask. I am pleased with you and know you by name."

Indeed, in the New Testament, the author of the letter to Hebrews insists that, through Messiah Yeshua, each of us, ourselves, can enter the Most Holy Place and make direct requests to YHWH. (Hebrews 10:19-22 and Hebrews 12: 18-24.) 

Much earlier, on a mountain at Sinai, a reluctant, stuttering Moses showed us the way.