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My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. -- Exodus 33:14.
JEHOVAH is ever present with His people. He is always thinking of us, looking out for our interests, guarding us in danger, providing for us in temporal and spiritual things, reading our hearts, marking every impulse of loving devotion to Him, shaping the influences around us for our discipline and refining, and hearkening to our faintest call for aid or sympathy or fellowship with Him. He is never for a moment off guard, whether we call Him in the busy noon hours or in the silent watches of the night. How blessed the realization of such abiding faithfulness! And no real child of God is devoid of this evidence of his adoption. -- Adapted excerpt from "Christ in You, the Hope of Glory", ZWT October 1, 1903.
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The Hebrew word rendered as "presence" (Strong's Hebrew #6440) above carries the basic meaning of "face". Obviously, it is not referring to a literal "face", but rather the word is being applied figuratively. Contextually, this Hebrew word is used throughout the Old Testament with a variety of applications, and translators often choose words to designate the application, such as "presence" above.
The Hebrew text does not actually say "with thee" -- this phrase is added by translators. The Hebrew word for "go" (Strong's Hebrew #1980) is plural, which could seem to refer to all of the children of Israel and not Moses alone. However, in the latter part of the verse "I will give thee rest", the Hebrew word for "thee" is singular. The singular could have been used to refer to all the children of Israel collectively, or it could be referring to Moses alone. Regardless, Moses appeared to not be certain that Jehovah would be with him and thus sought assurance that God would be with him as recorded in Exodus 33:15,16.
Moses expressed great concern that Jehovah would be with him in leading the children of Israel. Moses realized he was not all he should be and he realized that the children of Israel likewise were not what they should be. Obviously, Moses feared leading the children of Israel without God's help. As a constant reassurance of His presence, Jehovah provided a visible manifestation of his presence by means the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, and by the "Shekinah" manifestation that covered the Mercy Seat in the Most Holy of the tabernacle.
The child of God today is called to walk by faith, not by sight. And yet, if we are spiritually alert, we can see God's guiding hand leading us with experiences both temporal and spiritual, whether it may be experiences we might consider from the standpoint of our flesh as good or trialsome. Regardless of how severe a trial God may permit upon us, we are assured that he will not leave or forsake us.
Related Studies
Jehovah's Abiding Presence
God's Presence With His People
I Will Be What I Will Be
Jehovah's Abiding Presence With His People
Hebrew Analysis of Exodus 33:14
Related Scriptures
Exodus 13:21
Joshua 1:5
Psalm 5:12
Psalm 11:7
Psalm 41:11,12
Psalm 90:1
Psalm 102:13
Proverbs 16:7
Isaiah 63:9
Ezekiel 39:29
Matthew 28:20
Luke 2:52
John 14:16-23
Acts 10:35
Ephesians 1:6
Hebrews 4:14-16
1 Peter 2:9
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