Exodus 33:3 "Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way." (Moses had gone up Mt. Sinai to hear from the Lord and to receive His commandments. When Moses had taken longer than expected and had not reappeared, the people waiting below had debased and debauched themselves by turning to an orgy of idol worship. Now, the Lord tells them they need to turn from their evil ways and set their minds on their original destination and to continue on to the Promised Land. Even when we turn away from the Lord, He still speaks to us, even in rebuke, to tell us to continue on the path He has laid out for us. Even when we are unfaithful to Him, His plans for us remain constant. His promise to deliver us to His Land of Promise still holds true. Now, however, that journey to the place He has given them will be accomplished in a different way because of their unfaithfulness and disobedience. Now He tells the people that He won't be accompanying them because, in their present state of disobedience, the holiness of His presence might actually destroy them. He knows that the power of His holiness would destroy His people while they were in their sinful and rebellious state. Still today, the Lord protects us and shields us from the power of His holy presence even and especially when we are rebellious against Him, and He calls us to repent and turn to Him so that the uncrossable divide separating us from Him that sin creates can be closed through His loving provision for us.)
