King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2026
Chapters: Exodus 33-35
Message: Exodus: God Comes Down to Moses
Hello My Friend,
When the Israelites not only fashioned an idol but bowed before it as though they were worshiping God Himself, the Lord could have revoked the covenant He had made with them. In truth, He could have wiped them from the face of the earth. Yet, God chose to uphold His covenant—not only for the sake of those who had remained faithful, but the promise He had sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Even so, their sin would not go without consequence. As we continue through the reading of Exodus, we see God command them to depart from Mount Sinai, marking the beginning of their discipline and sobering reminder that grace does not replace obedience.
[Exodus 33:1-4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Depart, and go up hence, thou and the people which thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt, unto the land which I sware unto Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, Unto thy seed will I give it: 2 And I will send an angel before thee; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: 3 Unto a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of thee; for thou art a stiffnecked people: lest I consume thee in the way. 4 And when the people heard these evil tidings, they mourned: and no man did put on him his ornaments.]
After their rebellion, God declared that He would no longer go before them as He had before. This was not the Angel of the LORD who had personally guided them. Instead, it would be an ordinary angel who would simply announce their arrival. The shift exposed a deeper truth: many believers are stiffnecked, meaning only faithful to God based on what they receive rather than who God is. God does not operate on such terms. Jesus, said it this way, [John 6:26-27 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. 27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.]
The ornaments were special markings that set the Israelites apart from the rest of the group, visible reminders of their identity as the children of Israel. Their grave sin carried a grave consequence—not only the loss of God’s immediate presence, but the removal of the ornaments that once distinguished them from the rest of the people. We who are saved and born again may only be saved by grace through our faith in Christ, but we are not of the people of the world and anytime we choose to remain with them we also choose to distance ourselves from God. Moses responded by taking the Tabernacle and setting it up outside the camp.
[Exodus 33:7,9-11 And Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation, which was without the camp. 9 And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the LORD talked with Moses. 10 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door. 11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.]
You can almost hear the sorrow in God’s words when He tells them that He does not even know what to do with them and does not want to look upon them. Their mourning makes perfect sense, for they finally realized the depth of what they had done. The damage was real, and the distance they felt from God was not imagined. If they wanted His presence restored in their lives, they would have to come to Him in humility and repentance. This is why God gives us freewill and does not force Himself upon us, if we want His presence in our lives then we need to come to Him first. That does not mean that He does not nudge us, [Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.]
Joshua, however, responded differently from the rest. While the others were in awe of watching Moses speak with God, he was fixed on being in God’s presence alone, and remained in the Tabernacle. This reminds me of what Jesus said to Martha, when Mary sat near Jesus to hear Him, [Luke 10:41-42 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.]
Now Moses found himself in the same place many of us land when God tells us to move without revealing where the path leads. He was confused, apprehensive, and deeply aware of the weight he carried. At this point, Moses was truly beside himself. He did not know where they were going, he did not know how to lead a people who were constantly wavering, and he had questions—perhaps the most important question he had ever asked.
[Exodus 33:12-16 And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. 13 Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. 14 And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. 15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. 16 For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.]
My goodness, these are truly words to live by, and they immediately bring to mind that Gospel song: “If Your Presence Go Not With Me.” This is the first verse and chorus, [Many years ago, I gave my heart to you. I humbly asked You LORD to be in all I do, but now the burden seems so heavy You’ve given me to do. Before I press on any farther, I need to know that You’re still there. Lord, if Your presence go not with me, I don’t want to go, and if Your Spirit is not leading me, Lord, I need to know. You have placed me here, I’ll do your will, your love I’ll try to show, but if your presence go not with me, I don’t want to go.]
I can hardly read this passage without tears, because I can hear God speaking those same truths to my own heart even as I am saying nearly the same words back to Him. When my husband was still in the hospital, I read an article to him titled, “Five Signs That God Is Telling You to Relocate,” and every sign was there—every single one—and they are still pointing in that direction today. Watch what God says to Moses and all of us who have the same questions.
[Exodus 33:17-20,22-23 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. 18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. 19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. 20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. 22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: 23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.]
Even though God will never send us anywhere alone, His presence is not something we can take for granted. He is always with His people, but His mercy and grace are given according to His sovereign choice. In this moment, God confirms that He knows Moses by name, and He assures him that He will meet with him and proclaim the name of the LORD before him. Yet He also gives a stern warning about the holiness of His presence. As I read this, I cannot escape the reminder that God is holy and no one can face Him and live to tell about it, but those who call upon the name of the LORD are holding on to Jesus’ hand, [John 10:28-29 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.]
God knows each and every one of His people by name but Moses could not look directly into God’s face. At that moment, God was speaking to him through the person of the Holy Spirit, manifesting in the cloud. To look upon His unveiled glory would have been like staring straight into the sun—too radiant, too holy, too overwhelming for any human to endure. God, goes on to instruct Moses to make two new slabs of stone like the ones He made that were broken, and bring them up to Mount Sinai.
[Exodus 34:1-3 And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest. 2 And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount. 3 And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.]
When God made man in His own image, the moral law was written upon the heart by the very finger of God, without any outward instruction. But once the covenant made with mankind was broken, the Lord chose to use the ministry of men—both in the writing of Scripture and in the inward work of the Spirit—to inscribe His Law. Though Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, He has not redeemed us from the commands of it. The first and clearest evidence of forgiveness and peace with God is that His Law be written anew upon the heart, [Titus 3:7-8 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.]
Before the sin of the golden calf, Aaron, his two sons, and the seventy elders of Israel had been permitted to go partway up the mountain with Moses, though none of them were allowed to draw as near to the LORD as Moses did. But now, after their rebellion, even though God had granted reconciliation, they were no longer permitted to accompany him. Not even Joshua—who had taken no part in the sin—was allowed to go. This time Moses had to go up the mountain alone, which he did the very next morning.
[Exodus 34:5–9 And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6 And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. 8 And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped. 9 And he said, If now I have found grace in thy sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray thee, go among us; for it is a stiffnecked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for thine inheritance.]
God is actually referring to the person of His Son here, and He is just as fully God as Jehovah—God the Father—is. The Son is not a lesser being, nor a created messenger, but the eternal Word who has always been with God and has always been God. When God speaks of Himself in this passage, He is revealing the unity of His divine nature and the distinct person of His Son, who shares the same glory, the same authority, and the same eternal essence, [Matthew 10:34-35 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.]
We can make enemies even among our own earthly family members, especially those who are not thrilled about our walk with Christ to begin with. Jesus will save anyone who comes to Him sincerely and willingly, but the sad truth is that some of our own loved ones will choose not to. For those who do receive Him, His mercies are endless. Yet He is a jealous God, and He will allow nothing—not even family—to take precedence over Him. This is essentially what God goes on to tell Moses. Faced with such a sobering truth, Moses did not argue or attempt to negotiate, he simply bowed down and asked God for His grace.
[Exodus 34:10-14 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee. 11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. 12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: 13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: 14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:]
This was not the covenant that God had given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, this was one that God gave specifically to them in addition to what He had already told them. God Himself declares that He is a jealous God. There is only one true God, and of course, if we choose Him, He will be jealous for our love and loyalty—just as any of us would feel jealousy if a loved one neglected us or betrayed us. Every other so‑called “god” is man‑made, including those who pretend to know Him but do not. Yet even after Israel’s failure, God reconfirms His promise. He never goes back on His word. But this time, the covenant renewal would not be extended to the entire congregation. It would be for those He knows by name—those who truly belong to Him.
[Exodus 34:19-22,27 All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle, whether ox or sheep, that is male. 20 But the firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb: and if thou redeem him not, then shalt thou break his neck. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. And none shall appear before me empty. 21 Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest: in earing time and in harvest thou shalt rest. 22 And thou shalt observe the feast of weeks, of the firstfruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of ingathering at the year’s end. 27 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.]
Sometimes it takes a measure of holy fear for people to finally recognize that God is true and utterly serious about what He says. Once that realization settles in, hearts often become willing—eager even—to follow His commands and serve Him as He calls. Moses remained on the mountain another forty days and forty nights, but this time the people did not wander, complain, or turn aside. They stayed where they were told. And when Moses finally descended, the glory of God shone so brightly from his face that the people were afraid to look at him.
[Exodus 34:29-33 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. 30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. 31 And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them. 32 And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai. 33 And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.]
I am sure that Aaron felt the weight of what he had done, and the guilt must have been heavy on him. He knew his failure had not only affected the people but had brought consequences upon himself and his sons as well. Their priesthood would carry the marks of this moment, a reminder that leadership before God is both a privilege and a responsibility. Sin always leaves a scar, even when forgiveness is given. However, that does not mean that God will not continue to use us for His purpose. Moses goes on to tell the people God’s plan.
[Exodus 35:1-5 And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them. 2 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the LORD: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. 3 Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. 4 And Moses spake unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the LORD commanded, saying, 5 Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD; gold, and silver, and brass,]
Once again they were reminded to do no work on the Sabbath and if they did it would mean a death sentence for them. God was trying to literate the importance of taking one day, not from daily living, but labor, and giving it solely to Him. The Jews still today go overboard on this, even to go as far as not turn on a light switch. This reminds me of what Jesus said, [Matthew 12:6-8 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. 7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.]
God loves not only a cheerful giver, but one whose heart is willing—one who comes to Him the right way, through His Son. He accepts only the offerings that are given freely, without pressure, without reluctance, and without divided loyalty. And for the first time since leaving Egypt, many of the children of Israel began to give exactly as God instructed. Their hearts were stirred, their spirits were willing, and they responded with obedience born out of gratitude and reverence.
[Exodus 35:21-22,27,29 And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD’S offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. 22 And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD. 27 And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; 29 The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses.]
This was truly a group effort. Men, women, and children—all of them—joined in the work. Even the rulers of the people not only possessed the materials needed for the construction of the Tabernacle, but willingly contributed their time and skill to bring it all together. While one saved person can do much to draw others to God, imagine what happens when many hearts are stirred at the same time. The work of God advances with a strength and unity that no single person could ever accomplish alone, [I Corinthians 12:12-13,28 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.]
Today’s Prayer: God, Thank You for Your mercy and grace, as much as we try to be faithful to You, life seems to always put us to the test. Time and time again, You prove that even when we do not see You You are working in our lives, growing us, and preparing us for not only the task You have for us, but to receive the promises You have for us. Lord, If Your presence goes not with me, I do not want to go, lead me and guide me, give me Your power, mercy, grace, and Your strength to go where You take me, even when I do not see You. I ask these things in Your name Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Are You 100% Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/ready-to-follow-jesus/
Read Previous Devotions: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/
Read The Bible: http://kingjamesbible.imfollowingjesus.com/
Visit I’m Following Jesus: https://imfollowingjesus.com/Biblestudy/welcome/
I’m Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2026 I’m Following Jesus, All rights reserved.