Sermons on Exodus 33:18-23
The various sermons below interpret Exodus 33:18-23 by exploring the profound encounter between Moses and God, emphasizing the themes of divine revelation and human longing for God's presence. A common thread among these interpretations is the idea of "liminal spaces" or "thin places," where God's glory is both revealed and concealed, offering a glimpse of His divine nature. The sermons highlight the duality of God's revelation, where His glory is shown through His goodness and protection, as seen in the imagery of the "cleft of the rock." This duality is further explored as a prophecy of the New Testament revelation of God's glory in Jesus Christ, underscoring the continuity between the Old and New Testaments. Additionally, the sermons emphasize Moses' boldness and insatiable desire for a deeper knowledge of God, encouraging believers to continually seek more of God's presence and not be content with their current spiritual state.
In contrast, the sermons diverge in their emphasis on specific theological themes. One sermon focuses on God's inherent graciousness and compassion, highlighting that these qualities are part of His divine nature rather than based on human actions. Another sermon emphasizes God's sovereignty and majesty, suggesting that revival is primarily about witnessing God's glory rather than individual conversion. This perspective shifts the focus from human-centered evangelism to a God-centered desire for His presence. Meanwhile, another sermon presents the theme of spiritual dissatisfaction as a catalyst for deeper faith, encouraging believers to pursue a continuous longing for more of God. Lastly, a sermon introduces the theme of revival as a communal experience, emphasizing the collective nature of encountering God's passing glory among a group of believers.
Exodus 33:18-23 Interpretation:
Prioritizing God: Embracing His Glory and Goodness (Bethel Ontario) interprets Exodus 33:18-23 by emphasizing the idea of "liminal spaces" or "thin places" where one can catch a glimpse of God. The sermon suggests that Moses' request to see God's glory is met with God showing His goodness instead, which is a manifestation of His glory. The sermon uses the Hebrew linguistic detail that Yahweh is a verbal form, indicating action, to highlight that God is in motion and that followers should focus on following God, as indicated by seeing His back.
Experiencing God's Glory: The Heart of Revival (MLJTrust) interprets Exodus 33:18-23 as a profound illustration of the paradox of God's revelation and concealment. The sermon emphasizes that God's glory is both revealed and concealed, blessing and protecting Moses simultaneously. This duality is seen as a central principle in all divine manifestations throughout the Bible. The sermon further interprets this passage as a prophecy of the New Testament revelation of God's glory in Jesus Christ, highlighting the continuity between the Old and New Testaments. The preacher uses the original Hebrew text to emphasize the significance of the "cleft of the rock" as a place of both protection and revelation, drawing a parallel to the protective and revealing nature of Christ's incarnation.
Longing for God's Glory: A Journey of Faith (MLJTrust) interprets Exodus 33:18-23 as a profound expression of Moses' insatiable desire for a deeper knowledge of God. The sermon emphasizes Moses' boldness in faith, describing his request to see God's glory as a daring act that reflects a deep longing for God Himself, beyond mere blessings. The sermon uses the analogy of "scaling the heights" to describe the Christian journey of seeking more of God's presence, suggesting that believers should not be content with their current spiritual state but should continually strive for a deeper encounter with God.
Yearning for God's Glory: A Deeper Encounter (MLJTrust) also interprets the passage as highlighting the partial nature of human encounters with God's glory. The sermon draws a parallel between Moses' experience and the concept of revival, describing it as a moment when God "passes by," offering a fleeting glimpse of His glory. The sermon uses the analogy of thunder and lightning to illustrate how these natural phenomena are mere indications of God's power, much like the partial view of God's glory that Moses received.
Exodus 33:18-23 Theological Themes:
Prioritizing God: Embracing His Glory and Goodness (Bethel Ontario) presents the theme that God's nature is inherently gracious and compassionate, as seen in His response to Moses. The sermon emphasizes that God's choice to be gracious and compassionate is not based on human earning or goodness but is a part of His divine nature. This theme is distinct in its focus on God's inherent qualities rather than human actions.
Experiencing God's Glory: The Heart of Revival (MLJTrust) presents the theme of God's sovereignty and majesty, emphasizing that revival is primarily about the manifestation of God's glory rather than the conversion of individuals. The sermon highlights that the ultimate motive for desiring revival is to witness God's glory, which is a reflection of His sovereign will and majesty. This perspective shifts the focus from human-centered evangelism to a God-centered desire for His presence.
Longing for God's Glory: A Journey of Faith (MLJTrust) presents the theme of spiritual dissatisfaction as a catalyst for deeper faith. The sermon suggests that true faith involves a continuous longing for more of God, moving beyond satisfaction with past experiences or blessings. This theme is distinct in its emphasis on the personal pursuit of God's presence as a hallmark of spiritual maturity.
Yearning for God's Glory: A Deeper Encounter (MLJTrust) introduces the theme of revival as a collective experience of God's passing glory. The sermon emphasizes that revival is not just an individual experience but a communal one, where God's presence is felt powerfully among a group of believers. This theme is unique in its focus on the communal aspect of experiencing God's glory.
Exodus 33:18-23 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Prioritizing God: Embracing His Glory and Goodness (Bethel Ontario) provides insight into the cultural context of the time by explaining the significance of Moses' bold request to see God's glory. The sermon highlights the audacity of Moses' request and God's response, which reflects the cultural understanding of divine encounters as overwhelming and potentially dangerous.
Experiencing God's Glory: The Heart of Revival (MLJTrust) provides historical context by explaining the cultural significance of Moses' request to see God's glory. The sermon notes that in the ancient Near Eastern context, seeing a deity's face was believed to result in death, which underscores the radical nature of Moses' request and God's response. This cultural understanding enhances the appreciation of the protective measures God takes in the passage.
Longing for God's Glory: A Journey of Faith (MLJTrust) provides historical context by recounting the events leading up to Moses' request, including the sin of the golden calf and Moses' intercession for the Israelites. This context highlights the gravity of Moses' request and the significance of God's response in the narrative of Israel's journey.
Yearning for God's Glory: A Deeper Encounter (MLJTrust) does not provide additional historical or cultural context beyond what is already mentioned in the first sermon.
Exodus 33:18-23 Cross-References in the Bible:
Prioritizing God: Embracing His Glory and Goodness (Bethel Ontario) references the Gospel of Matthew, where Jesus discusses rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's. This is used to draw a parallel to the idea of giving to God what belongs to Him, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing God in all aspects of life.
Experiencing God's Glory: The Heart of Revival (MLJTrust) references several New Testament passages to expand on the meaning of Exodus 33:18-23. John 1:18 is cited to emphasize that no one has seen God, but Jesus has made Him known. 2 Corinthians 4:6 is used to illustrate that the knowledge of God's glory is revealed in the face of Jesus Christ. The sermon also references Philippians 2 to discuss the concealing of Christ's divine glory in His incarnation, paralleling the protective concealment in Exodus. These cross-references are used to show the fulfillment of the Old Testament revelation in the New Testament through Christ.
Longing for God's Glory: A Journey of Faith (MLJTrust) references several biblical passages to support its interpretation, including Psalm 42, which expresses a deep longing for God, and Philippians 3:10, where Paul speaks of his desire to know Christ more fully. These references are used to illustrate the theme of spiritual longing and the pursuit of God's presence.
Yearning for God's Glory: A Deeper Encounter (MLJTrust) references 2 Corinthians 12, where Paul describes his vision of the third heaven, and 1 Peter 1:8, which speaks of rejoicing with joy unspeakable. These references are used to emphasize the possibility of experiencing God's glory in a partial manner, even in this life.
Exodus 33:18-23 Christian References outside the Bible:
Prioritizing God: Embracing His Glory and Goodness (Bethel Ontario) does not explicitly reference any non-biblical Christian authors or theologians in its discussion of Exodus 33:18-23.
Experiencing God's Glory: The Heart of Revival (MLJTrust) explicitly references the hymn "Rock of Ages" by Augustus Toplady to illustrate the protective nature of Christ as the "cleft in the rock." The hymn is used to convey the idea that Christ's sacrifice on the cross provides protection from God's wrath, similar to how God protected Moses. The sermon also references Charles Wesley's hymn "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" to highlight the veiling of Christ's glory in His incarnation, emphasizing the paradox of divine revelation and concealment.
Longing for God's Glory: A Journey of Faith (MLJTrust) cites Jonathan Edwards and his experiences of God's glory, describing how Edwards was moved to tears and a deep sense of humility in God's presence. The sermon also references Charles Spurgeon, who speaks of the assurance of God's calling and the steps of faith that lead to a deeper experience of God's glory.
Yearning for God's Glory: A Deeper Encounter (MLJTrust) also references Jonathan Edwards and Charles Spurgeon, using their experiences and teachings to illustrate the possibility of encountering God's glory in a profound way. Edwards' account of his encounter with God's glory in the woods is used to demonstrate the transformative power of such experiences.
Exodus 33:18-23 Illustrations from Secular Sources:
Prioritizing God: Embracing His Glory and Goodness (Bethel Ontario) uses the analogy of looking at the sun from twenty-five feet away to describe the overwhelming nature of encountering God's glory directly. The sermon also references the concept of "thin places" as a metaphor for moments or locations where the divine feels especially close, drawing on a broader cultural understanding of sacred spaces.
Experiencing God's Glory: The Heart of Revival (MLJTrust) does not include any illustrations from secular sources.
Longing for God's Glory: A Journey of Faith (MLJTrust) uses the analogy of atomic bomb explosions to illustrate the overwhelming nature of God's glory. The sermon explains that just as people must shield their eyes from the brightness of an atomic explosion, so too must humans be shielded from the full glory of God, which is infinitely more intense.
Yearning for God's Glory: A Deeper Encounter (MLJTrust) also uses the analogy of atomic bomb explosions to convey the blinding and transcendent nature of God's glory. This illustration is used to help the audience grasp the concept of God's glory being beyond human comprehension and experience.