The Ungospel in Exodus 33

We're in Exodus 33 in church—one of the most anticipated passages in awhile for me.  It's a great gospel passage, at least in the sense that it sets us up for the gospel so nicely.

I will send an angel, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people (Ex. 33:2,3).

God safeguards the people of Israel by refusing to go among them:  his presence would consume them.  There is an echo of the role of Jesus here in the person of the angel (the LXX is more personal here, saying, "I will send at the same time My angel"), who serves as God's representative and in a way shields them from his devastating presence.

The people mourn, and for two reasons, I think:  the first is the fear of God's presence, and the second is their desire for his presence.  In verse four, the NKJV puts it nicely:

When the people heard this bad news, they mourned, and no one put on his ornaments.

It is this bad news that is the "ungospel," and the same news that sets the stage for  the cataclysm of 33.18–20:

Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And [God] said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.”

The glory of God is terrifying, and this is a terrible truth.  God has just told Moses that no one is permitted to enjoy the most intimate access to himself.

This is controverted in the person of Jesus Christ, who is God Incarnate in human flesh.  God must no longer refrain from walking among his people:  he walks freely among them.  He no longer hides his face because his glory would consume:  now we see the image of the invisible God (Co 1.15).  Indeed, in Jesus we behold the glory of God (Jn 1.14, He 1.3).

It is this glory that makes us live:  "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (Jn 17.3; it's no accident this verse is sandwiched by verses about the glory of God). It is in God's presence that we are truly alive.