Now therefore, I plead with You, if I have found favor in Your sight, show me Your Way now, so I shall know You and I will find favor in Your sight and will see to it that this nation is Your people. Exodus 33:13 ONMB
Moses was pleading with God in Exodus 33 not to destroy the nation of Israel. The people of Israel had sinned a great sin by breaking their covenant with God and worshiping a calf of gold. This sin was so great that Moses was not sure that the Lord would forgive them. So Moses offered His own eternal life for their forgiveness (Ex. 32:32). Let me just pause there a moment to ask Who else offered HIS life for the forgiveness of His people? Jesus, of course. But Moses’ offer came many centuries before Jesus’ appointed time, so God responded to Moses that everyone pays for their own sins.
God and Moses continued to discuss how God could be among the nation of Israel again despite their sinfulness. Because of their sin, they would be consumed in the Presence of the Holy God. Finally, Moses pleaded with God, “if I have found favor in Your sight, show me Your Way” (Jesus is The Way) “so I shall know You and I will find favor in Your sight and will see to it that this nation is Your people.”
How can Moses make that statement?! How can he see to it that the nation of Israel follows after God? They have free will. And they know how to use it! Moses cannot make their choices for them.
Moses, like Christ, acted as a mediator of God’s covenant with His people. Moses was saying, “Look at me and the favor (covenant) that I have with You, not at Your people and their sinful ways.” Jesus made the same request, “Father, look at Me and Our covenant and not at the sin of Your people.” Thank God!! Our lives are hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3)! Jesus Christ is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises (Hebrews 8:6).
Jesus is the answer to the sin problem that God and Moses were discussing. Jesus died on the cross so that there is no question about whether God will forgive us. Forgiveness is already ours! All we have to do is ask for it. Jesus paid for our rebellion so that we can live in the Presence of our Holy God. Jesus is our Mediator. He traded His life for ours. Now, we have access to all the promises of God!
Thank You, Jesus!