Arcana Coelestia # 10575
10575. 'And He said, I will cause all My goodness to pass by your face' means causing everything Divine which composes heaven and the Church to pass by the external separated from the internal as it existed with Moses and the nation he headed. This is clear from the meaning of 'causing to pass by his face' as doing so to the external separated from the internal as it existed with Moses and the nation he headed, for 'your face' means the outward form that worship, the Church, and the Word take, which has an inner substance, while 'causing to pass' means making it pass by this; and from the meaning of 'all the goodness of Jehovah' as everything Divine composing heaven and the Church. The implications of all this may be recognized from what has been stated and shown above regarding Moses and the nation he headed. There it has been shown that their interest lay in external things separated from what was internal, by which is meant that when engaged in worship they performed outwardly holy acts without thought of anything internal. And since an inner holiness was nevertheless present, though it did not enter into that nation's outward holiness, it is evident what the meaning is of Jehovah's declaration that He would cause all His goodness to pass by his face. That nation did have, it is true, an internal level of mind, but this was foul, full of uncleanness as a result of self-love and love of the world. It was closed however when they engaged in worship, to prevent the defilement of what was within, belonging to heaven, the Church, and the Word. For if this had been defiled by their internal level of mind that which was external with them would not have had any connection at all with heaven when they engaged in worship and read the Word. See what has been stated and shown previously regarding these matters, in 10454-10457, 10462-10466, 10492, 10498, 10500, 10533, 10549-10551, 10570, where they have been explained fully.
Exodus 33
1
Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Depart, go up from here, you and the people that you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your seed.'
2
I will send an angel before you; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:
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to a land flowing with milk and honey: for I will not go up in the midst of you, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you in the way."
4
When the people heard this evil news, they mourned: and no one put on his jewelry.
5
Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell the children of Israel, 'You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go up into your midst for one moment, I would consume you. Therefore now take off your jewelry from you, that I may know what to do to you.'"
6
The children of Israel stripped themselves of their jewelry from Mount Horeb onward.
7
Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it "The tent of Meeting." It happened that everyone who sought Yahweh went out to the tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp.
8
It happened that when Moses went out to the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, everyone at their Tent door, and watched Moses, until he had gone into the Tent.
9
It happened, when Moses entered into the Tent, that the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the door of the Tent, and spoke with Moses.
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All the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent, and all the people rose up and worshiped, everyone at their Tent door.
11
Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn't depart out of the Tent.
12
Moses said to Yahweh, "Behold, you tell me, 'Bring up this people:' and you haven't let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.'
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Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you, so that I may find favor in your sight: and consider that this nation is your people."
14
He said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
15
He said to him, "If your presence doesn't go with me, don't carry us up from here.
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For how would people know that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Isn't it in that you go with us, so that we are separated, I and your people, from all the people who are on the surface of the earth?"
17
Yahweh said to Moses, "I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name."
18
He said, "Please show me your glory."
19
He said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of Yahweh before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy."
20
He said, "You cannot see my face, for man may not see me and live."
21
Yahweh also said, "Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand on the rock.
22
It will happen, while my glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with my hand until I have passed by;
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then I will take away my hand, and you will see my back; but my face shall not be seen."
