Exodus 33 is to be read and understood from the background of Exodus 32. Here, Moses was at a crucial point in his life and ministry, and in fact, he had come to the point where he didn't know how to go about any more!
So, what actually happened that led to Moses asking "Show me now Your way..."?
Let's now go back to Exodus 32. When the people saw that their leader Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered together to Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." (Exodus 32:1). Aaron gave in, and there a molded calf was made (Exodus 32:4).
Then, the Lord said to Moses, "Go, get down! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves. They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshipped it and sacrificed to it, and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!'" (Exodus 32:7-8)
Later on, having seen how his own people were plagued because of what they did with the calf (Exodus 32:35) despite his attempt to intervene, he must have felt rather terrible. And it was at this point of heart-brokenness and helplessness that Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far away from the people, calling it the tabernacle of meeting (Exodus 33:7), to talk with God.
Moses then said, "See, You say to me, 'Bring up this people.' But You have not let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, 'I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.' Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight. And consider that this nation is Your people." (Exodus 33:12-13)
And that's when the Lord answered him, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." (Exodus 33:14)
I used to wonder what does 'His way' have to do with 'His Presence'? Why did the Lord respond with "My Presence will go with you" when Moses asked for 'His way'? I then found the answer in the Hebrew word for 'Presence' itself, pronounced as 'Paniym', which means 'face, countenance, forefront'. The Lord was actually telling Moses, "From now on, no more your face, but My face; no more your countenance (radiance), but My countenance (radiance) as you go on from here; and from now on, no more are you at the forefront, but I AM now your forefront that leads you on from here!"
Today, as a believer, know that the Lord has also shown you His Presence through His Son, Jesus Christ. In Him, you find your rest (Matthew 11:28), and in Him also, you find your Way, your Truth, and your Life! (John 14:6) As you rest in His Presence, that's when He'll also show you the way!
Moses then said, "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here." (Exodus 33:15)
