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(Deuteronomy 4:32-39). during this time in the wilderness (see the ex-
traordinary account in Numbers 12:1-9; cf.
Often in his farewell speeches in Deu- 14:14). In one of these "conversations" Moses
teronomy Moses recalls the extraordinary na- pleads with YHVH to accompany them person-
ture of this event, when God personally spoke ally, rather than through the agency of an "an-
His name and revealed His Ten Command- gel" or messenger. YHVH is persuaded and
ments. "YHVH spoke with you face to face at agrees (Exodus 33:12-17). Then Moses asks
the mountain out of the midst of the fire....these something more -- "Oh, let me behold Your
words YHVH spoke to all your assembly at the [Shekinah] Glory!" he pleads. He is told that no
mountain out of the midst of the fire, the cloud, human can see God face to face, but he will be
and the thick darkness, with a loud voice; and allowed to experience some measure of God's
He added no more (Deuteronomy 5:4, 22; cf. Shekinah Glory (or direct Presence) as it
4:9-14). This was a unique, one-time revela- passes by him -- he will behold God's "back"
tion, centered on the Ten Commandments and (Exodus 33:18-23). Moses goes up the moun-
the manifestation of God's awesome personal tain and what follows is surely the most signifi-
Presence. He warns them further in Deu- cant self-revelation of God in the entire
teronomy 11:28, not to turn to other gods Hebrew Bible. I will quote the full account:
"whom you have not known" (cf. Jeremiah
7:9). The verb here rendered "known" can be And YHVH descended in the cloud and
translated "experienced." This Sinai revelation stood with him there, and proclaimed the
was to be remembered as the one special time name YHVH. YHVH passed before him,
when Israel experienced direct contact with and proclaimed: "YHVH, YHVH, a God
YHVH through His Shekinah Glory. merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and
abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,
The Awesome Self-Description of keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiv
God ing iniquity and transgression and sin, but
who will by no means clear the guilty (i.e.
There is a further dramatic and awesome those who rebel)..." (Exodus 34:5-7).
aspect of this revelation of God at Sinai. It took
place the second time Moses ascended the This is an absolutely incredible scene. Not
Mountain after the golden calf incident (Exodus only does Moses experience the Shekinah
32). God literally identifies Himself to Moses Glory of the Eternal God to the extent that his
and offers him an remarkable description of face glows thereafter, but God personally pro-
His Divine Character. claims His awesome Name, YHVH, and de-
scribes His basic nature, His very inner
God had told Moses that He would send His character: merciful and gracious, slow to an-
"Angel" to accompany them further, but would ger, and abounding in steadfast love and
not personally go in their midst because of their faithfulness. This Self-Revelation is so basic,
rebellion (Exodus 23:20-22; 33:2-3). Moses so profound, that it occurs repeatedly in vari-
had an extraordinary personal relationship with ous forms throughout the Old Testament. It be-
YHVH. He would go into the Tent and "YHVH comes a divinely revealed character sketch for
would speak to Moses face to face [through YHVH Himself. Moses refers back to it most
His Shekinah Glory], as a man speaks to his specifically in Numbers 14:18 -- see as well,
friend" (Exodus 33:11). The actual, visible, Nehemiah 9:17; Psalms 86:15; 103:8; 145:8;
Presence (Shekinah Glory -- literally "Face") Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2.
of YHVH, in an audible Voice, was manifested
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