Answer: Exodus 33:1111And 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. (Exodus 33:11), tells us the intimate way the Lord chose to speak to Moses. (See also Num. 12:88With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses? (Numbers 12:8); Deut. 34:1010And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, (Deuteronomy 34:10)). To him alone did He speak face to face, mouth to mouth, and His similitude did he behold; that is, part of Jehovah’s character was revealed to him; but 2 Chronicles 6:11Then said Solomon, The Lord hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness. (2 Chronicles 6:1) tells us that He dwells in thick darkness.
Moses had been on the mount with Jehovah, and when he came down with the tables of stone in his hands, the people were worshiping a golden calf. Moses had pled for them and Jehovah repented (Ex. 32:11-1411And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? 12Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. 13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. 14And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. (Exodus 32:11‑14)), and through all this Moses learned what suited Jehovah. He saw the calf and the dancing, and cast the tables down and broke them, and this saved Israel from destruction. Moses further takes the sword and calls on all who were on Jehovah’s side to take vengeance on the idolatry, and then he goes up to offer himself in atonement, but this act waited for a greater than Moses. Jesus, the Son of God, could alone accomplish this. Jehovah hears Moses’ pleadings, and spares the people, but smote some of them. Jehovah says, I will send an angel. I will not go up with you, for this people are stiff-necked. Moses answers, Jehovah must go with him, because they are stiff-necked. Jehovah called them, “thy people.” Moses says, “Consider that this nation is Thy people.” What intimacy is seen in all this, yet when Moses says, “Show me Thy glory,” He shows him but a part, putting him in the cleft of the rock, and covering him with His hand, so that in safety he could behold part of Jehovah’s character, for He said, “Thou canst not see My face; for no man can see My face and live.”
Exodus 34:5-75And the Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7Keeping 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. (Exodus 34:5‑7), is the declaration: “God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.”
God could not reveal Himself fully, till the Lord Jesus came, and atonement was wrought. “How am I straitened till it be accomplished.” Luke 11:5050That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; (Luke 11:50), tells of love that was pent up till God’s righteousness was declared (Rom. 3:25-2625Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:25‑26)). Now God is revealed. “The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him” (John 1:1818No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18)). “God is light” and “God is love” (1 John 1:5; 4:85This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)
8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1 John 4:8)). And we are children of light, and our home is in His presence. No longer do we need to put our shoes from off our feet, but clothed and fitted for His presence we joy in God as His dear children.
The absolute deity of God, all that He is, no creature can see or know, to whom be honor and power eternal. Amen. The finite cannot comprehend the Infinite. We know God in those blessed ways revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Praise His most blessed name!
Answer: It means that Israel as a nation will be saved. It does not mean that every Israelite will be saved. All of them, as well as all Gentiles, who have died without Christ, are lost for eternity, for they have died in their sins. Israel is to be gathered into Palestine again, and all the ungodly ones will be sifted out from them and the rest will have the national place and be twelve tribes again (Ezek. 38; Rev. 7; Heb. 8:88For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: (Hebrews 8:8)).
Answer: The disciples here are still the remnant of Israel, looking for the setting up of the kingdom.
When He comes to Israel as King, we will come with Him, and every eye shall see Him. He shall so come in like manner as they saw Him go; this is His appearing.
But the precious truth expressed here is sweet to each saved one—that it is “this same Jesus,” the Lord “Himself,” whom we have known as our Saviour, will come for us. He will not send an angel for us.
Question 47: Is Melchizedek the Lord?
Answer: No, I do not at all think he was the Lord. He was for a purpose made like unto the Son of God; and that he might be like Him, no record of his birth or death is given, and it is to this Hebrews 7:33Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. (Hebrews 7:3) refers. We know nothing of his pedigree, though Hebrews 7:66But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. (Hebrews 7:6) lets us know he had one; at least, so I have taken it.
In the passage in Genesis he is brought before us as “King of Salem,” and “Priest of the most high God,” but of his beginning and end, of his father and mother, we know nothing, though in Genesis we naturally look for this. This is in order, as just said that he might be the type of the Lord. I have never thought he was actually without father and mother, and beginning of days nor end of life. If he was the Lord, then it would be His typifying Himself in a future day.