The Chosen People – “Moses Sees God”

Host: Pray.com
Date: February 11, 2026

Main Theme & Purpose

In this emotionally powerful episode of The Chosen People, listeners are invited into the awe-inspiring moment when Moses encounters God’s glory and learns the divine name, Yahweh. Using vivid narrative and dramatization, the episode explores themes of spiritual longing, divine mercy, human frailty, and the transformative impact of direct encounter with the divine.
The episode focuses on the aftermath of Israel’s betrayal with the golden calf, Moses’ deep desire to understand God more fully, and the renewal of the covenant between God and His chosen people.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. After the Plague: The Setting and the “Tent of Meeting”

• Context: Following the sin of the golden calf and the subsequent plague that ravaged the Israelites, the community is in mourning and searching for guidance.
• The Tent of Meeting:
  • The tent becomes a focal point for those who seek God’s counsel. Moses’ regular encounters with God, symbolized by the pillar of cloud, brings hope and awe to the camp.
  • [02:05]: “Moses would enter the tent and the pillar of cloud... would come down and remain at the entrance...”

2. Moses’ Deep Desire: "Please let me see your glory"

• Moses’ Longing:
  • Moses yearns for a greater understanding of God, craving a direct encounter with His presence.
  • [02:42]: “Please let me see your glory.”
  • [02:46]: “He just wanted to see what he looked like. He longed to understand.”
• God’s Response:
  • God promises to reveal His glory, but sets clear boundaries for Moses’ safety.
  • [02:55] (God/Voice): “But I will make it so. My glory will pass before you. You will see my glory and know my name.”

3. Hoshea’s Role: Listening in the Tent

• Hoshea’s Perspective:
  • Hoshea, later known as Joshua, sits outside the sacred encounter, catching only muffled sounds but feeling the intensity and importance of what is happening.
  • [03:08]: “He wondered if the Lord would ever speak to him like that one day.”
  • He hears a word like “life itself” during this divine conversation, hinting at the mystery and power within God’s presence.

4. Preparing the Stone Tablets: A New Beginning

• Moses’ Instructions:
  • Guided by God, Moses instructs Hoshea to assemble stonemasons to craft new tablets, replacing the ones shattered after the calf incident.
  • [04:33] Moses: “Hoshea, come. I have a task to complete... I’ll require your assistance.”
  • The narrative emphasizes the humble, hands-on labor of preparing for divine revelation.
  • [06:03] Moses: “Perfect timing. It’s just as our God said it would be. Look here. This is the stone we’ll cut to form the new tablets.”

5. Moses’ Ascent and The Divine Encounter

• Climbing Alone:
  • Moses alone is permitted to ascend, carrying the new tablets in a physically taxing journey that reflects his spiritual burden and devotion.
  • [07:15] Moses: “Oh, I’m too old for this, Lord. This is a young man’s work.”
• The Encounter:
  • In the mountain’s crevice, shrouded by clouds, Moses is shielded by God’s hand as God speaks His name and nature:
  • [08:27] (God/Voice): “Now you will know me by my name and you will see my glory. My name is Yahweh.”
  • [09:06] (God/Voice):

    “I am a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth. Maintaining faithful love for a thousand generations. Forgiving iniquity, rebellion and sin. But I will not leave the guilty unpunished...”

6. The Nature of God: Love and Justice

• Profound Reflection:
  • Moses contemplates the radical uniqueness of Yahweh—a God whose mercy and commitment to His people stands in stark contrast to other ancient deities.
  • [09:41] Narrator: “This was unlike any God Moses had ever heard of in the known world. A God who would remain faithful to a people who rebelled against him, betrayed him. A God who would choose a forgotten, downtrodden people to be his people.”
• Moses’ Intercession:
  • Moses pleads for continued mercy and companionship on Israel’s journey, highlighting both the vulnerability and hope of the people.
  • [12:09] Moses:

    “My God, Yahweh, if I have indeed found favor with you, please go with us. Though we are stiff necked people, remember you rescued us...Be patient with us as your name declares. Forgive our iniquity and our sin and accept us as your own possession, your inheritance.”

7. Covenant Renewal

• God’s Response:
  • God renews His covenant, promising wonders never before seen, but also warning the people about their behavior as they enter the Promised Land.
  • [12:48] (God/Voice):

    “Take up the tablets. I will renew the covenant with you today. In the presence of all your people. I will perform wonders that have never been done in the whole earth...”

• Moses’ Absence and Return:
  • For forty days Moses is gone. The people, led by Hoshea and the elders, respect his instructions to keep away from the holy mountain.

8. Transformation: Moses’ Radiant Face

• A Divine Glow:
  • Upon Moses’ return, his face shines with reflected glory, startling the people.
  • [15:24] Aaron: “Stay back, everyone stays back until we know who approaches.”
  • The elders and people are both afraid and awestruck.
  • [16:35] Aaron: “I think it’s Moses. The glory of our God is clinging to his very face.”
  • Moses reassures them:

    [17:07] Moses: “It is all right. Don’t be afraid. I’ve seen our God. My face shines with his glory.”

• Communal Impact:
  • The experience cements Moses’ authority and the new covenant. He relays the divine instructions and emphasizes reverence for God’s true name.
  • [17:39] “He only told them once [the divine name]. Hoshea’s body thrummed with recognition. It was the word he heard in the tent, the word that reminded him of life itself...So glorious and reverent was the name that Moses deemed that it was not to be spoken or used lightly…”

9. Final Reflections

• Reverence for the Divine Name:
  • Out of awe, the people decide to refer to God as “the Lord” or “God” rather than using the true name, to honor the mystery and distance between humankind and the divine.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [02:42] Moses’ Plea:

  “Please let me see your glory.” — (Narrator, expressing Moses' longing)

• [08:27] God’s Revelation:

  “You have reminded me that I have called you and knowed you by your name. Now you will know me by my name and you will see my glory. My name is Yahweh.” — (God/Voice)

• [09:06] God’s Self-description:

  “I am a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth...” — (God/Voice)

• [09:41] Moses’ Realization:

  “This was unlike any God Moses had ever heard of in the known world. A God who would remain faithful to a people who rebelled against him, betrayed him…” — (Narrator)

• [17:07] Moses' Return:

  “It is all right. Don’t be afraid. I’ve seen our God. My face shines with his glory.” — (Moses, calming the frightened people)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:01 – 01:40: God rebukes Israel after the golden calf; context for Moses’ next steps.
• 02:05 – 02:42: The Tent of Meeting and Moses’ encounters with God.
• 02:42 – 03:08: Moses’ plea to see God’s glory.
• 04:33 – 06:13: Preparing and cutting the new stone tablets.
• 07:24 – 09:41: Moses’ ascent, encounter in the rock, and receiving of God’s name and proclamation.
• 12:09 – 12:45: Moses’ intercessory prayer and God’s promise to renew the covenant.
• 15:20 – 17:39: Moses returns with radiant face, startling the people, and relays the renewed covenant.
• 17:39 – 18:58: Reverence for God’s true name; impact on Israelite tradition.

Tone and Storytelling

The episode employs reverent, contemplative narration, merging dramatized dialogue with poetic and introspective commentary. The tone is one of wonder, humility, and awe, inviting listeners into both the grandeur and intimacy of encounter with God.

Recap

“Moses Sees God” brings to life one of the most pivotal and mysterious moments in the Old Testament — Moses’ yearning for understanding, his courageous ascent, witnessing God’s glory, and the resulting transformation not only of himself but of the entire nation. The revelation of the name Yahweh, the articulation of God’s compassionate and just nature, and the renewal of the sacred covenant, all underscore the radical, loving faithfulness of the God of Israel to His chosen people.