Many of us long for a deeper experience of the Divine—something beyond theology, beyond words, beyond what we can fully grasp. Something profound and ineffable. In Exodus 33, Moses makes the boldest request possible: “Show me Your glory.” But the way God responds reveals something profound—not just about Moses’ journey, but about ours as well.

This passage is often read as a historical account of Israel’s journey through the wilderness, but what if it’s also a map for the soul? What if it teaches us something about encountering the Divine, not just in theory, but in direct experience?

If we read Exodus 33 with a mystical lens—especially looking at the pictographic meaning of the Hebrew words—we uncover a timeless message about presence, transformation, and seeing God in ways we never expected.

God’s Presence vs. God’s Messenger (Exodus 33:1–3)

At the beginning of the chapter, God tells Moses that He will send an angel to lead Israel, but He Himself will not go with them:

“I will send an angel before you… but I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people.” (Exodus 33:2-3)

This might seem strange. Why would God say this? And why does Moses push back, insisting that God’s presence is essential?

The Hebrew word for angel is מַלְאָךְ (mal’akh), which means “messenger” but also suggests a force that carries out divine will. In other words, an angel is an emanation of God—something divine, but not the fullness of God’s presence.

Moses recognizes the difference. He isn’t satisfied with a messenger or a representative of God—he longs for something more: direct communion.

Mystical takeaway:

How often do we settle for less than God’s true presence? We seek spiritual experiences, miracles, signs—but do we seek God’s presence itself? Moses reminds us that encountering the Divine isn’t about external manifestations; it’s about communion, a closeness that transforms.

The Tent of Meeting: The Inner Sanctuary (Exodus 33:7–11)

Moses sets up a tent outside the camp, where he speaks with God face to face. When he enters, a cloud descends, signifying God’s presence.

The Hebrew word for tent (אֹהֶל – ‘ohel) suggests “a place of strength and revelation.” It’s a sacred spacewhere the Divine meets humanity.

But notice—the tent is outside the camp. Why?

This is a pattern we see throughout Scripture: the deeper encounters with God often happen away from the crowd, in places of solitude. Jesus himself withdrew to quiet places to pray. The great mystics—both Christian and otherwise—describe their most profound experiences of God in silence, in stillness, in surrender.

Mystical takeaway:

The Tent of Meeting isn’t just an external structure—it’s a metaphor for the soul. If we want to encounter God deeply, we must make space for Him—not just in a physical location, but within ourselves. The “tent” is the inner sanctuary of the heart, where we meet God in stillness.

Moses’ Bold Request: “Show Me Your Glory” (Exodus 33:18)

Moses doesn’t just want guidance. He doesn’t just want a sign. He asks for something radical:

“Show me Your glory.” (Exodus 33:18)

The Hebrew word for glory here is כָּבוֹד (kavod), which comes from a root meaning “weight” or “heaviness.” It’s not just about light or majesty—it’s about the overwhelming, infinite nature of God.

This is more than Moses asking to see God. He’s asking to encounter the fullness of Divine Reality.

Have you ever had a moment where you sensed something so vast, so beyond comprehension, that it left you breathless? This is what Moses is asking for.

And God responds—but not in the way Moses expects.

“You Cannot See My Face” (Exodus 33:19–23)

God tells Moses:

“You cannot see My face, for no one may see Me and live.” (Exodus 33:20)

Instead, God places Moses in the cleft of a rock and allows him to see His back as He passes by.

What does this mean?

• The Hebrew word for rock (צוּר – tzur) suggests a place of stability and protection—a metaphor for trust and surrender.

• The cleft (נִקְרָה – niqrah) literally means a hollowed-out space—almost like a womb.

• The word for back (אָחוֹר – achor) comes from a root meaning “that which comes after.”

This isn’t about Moses seeing a literal body. It’s about a deep mystical truth:

We don’t see God directly—we see God’s movement in our lives.

Often, we recognize God only in hindsight—in the way things unfold, in the patterns of our journey, in the way grace has shaped us over time.

Mystical takeaway:

Sometimes, we want an overwhelming, undeniable revelation of God. But what if the true encounter with God happens in trusting the unfolding of the journey? The “cleft in the rock” represents the space of surrender, where we let go and allow God to reveal Himself in His own way.

What Does This Mean for Us?

Exodus 33 is more than an ancient story—it’s a spiritual blueprint for our own journey:

1. Don’t settle for secondhand spirituality. Like Moses, we must hunger for God’s presence, not just signs or intermediaries.

2. Create space for the Divine. The Tent of Meeting represents the inner sanctuaryof the heart. Are we making room for God in stillness and solitude?

3. Recognize God in hindsight. We may not always “see” God in the moment, but if we look back, we often find His fingerprints on our story.

4. Surrender to the mystery. The cleft in the rock is a place of humility and trust—sometimes, the greatest encounters with God come when we stop striving and simply rest in Him.

Like Moses, may we dare to ask, “Show me Your glory.” And may we have the eyes to see it—not always in the way we expect, but in the way we need.

What About You?

Have you ever had a moment where you only recognized God’s presence in hindsight? How do you create space for divine encounter in your life?

Let’s talk in the comments.