The Faces of God

"The LORD replied, My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."  Exodus 33:14

Moses enjoyed a special relationship with Yahweh.  Moses was the leader of Yahweh's people and therefore he was entrusted with a difficult and demanding task.  In this particular chapter Moses is told that he is to lead the people of Yahweh  "...into the land that I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob", saying, "I will give it to your descendants (v.1)."

Yahweh will fulfill his determined will through the human agency of Moses.  Yahweh's promises are embedded in history, and not in Canaanite nature religions.  This is no easy task for Moses because he is the leader of a nation that bears the collective title of being 'stiff-necked' and Yahweh says that "...I might destroy ...on the way (v.3).  Yahweh repeats these words "...I might destroy you on the way (v.5)."  Moses is one of the greatest theologians because he is in situ.  His experience with Yahweh and his people is in the first person.

Moses realizes that his task is beyond his inherent ability to perform, and he knows that he cannot rely on himself.  Given the collective psychology of the people and the logistics of what needs to be done he wisely takes the matter to Yahweh.  Moses needs the strength of Yahweh to fulfill his ministry.  He also knows that there is no turning back and he cannot run away from the ministry that Yahweh has placed upon his shoulders.  This is real ministry not certificated by sheepskin or alphabets arranged behind one's name.  It is ministry that requires faithfulness to the end.  One cannot and dare not walk away without great consequence.

Moses is called of Yahweh for this great task.  Moses knows the behavior of sheep and long before Piaget, Skinner and others used observational psychology Yahweh used it to train Moses.  But for Moses it was not mere subject-object observational psychology.  Moses was embedded with the sheep so that he could learn of himself too.  His training was I-Thou.  The living human document was encountered immediately and without the veil of some arcane theory.

Moses says to Yahweh that he cannot perform his living theological task without His power.  Moses knows that he needs Yahweh.  He knows that Yahweh has provided his people with Torah, and that Yahweh's power alone can move his people from the mud pits of Egypt to the majesty of the Promised Land.

Yahweh told Moses (Moshe) that his Presence (Heb. Faces) would go with him and give him rest.  The Faces of Yahweh are  situation-specific, and what Moses would need at any time would be given to him.

Do you need the Faces of Yahweh in your life?  Has Yahweh called you to lead his people in some manner?  Are you tempted to give up?  Are you full of excuses for not doing Yahweh's will?  Don't give up.  It's always too soon to quit.

Blessings to you.

For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please visit his website.