Exodus 33  The Lord tells Moses to take the people on to the promised land, but that He will not go with them, lest He destroy them.   They are "an obstinate people".   The KJV uses the word "stiff-necked".  Stubborn, hard-hearted, sore, or even cruel.   One with a stiff neck is unable to bow his head, refuses to submit and surrender to God's direction.   The Lord is not pleased when we stiffen our necks and refuse to obey His Word or when we harden our hearts against His authority over us.

In a right response to this word, the people of Israel went into mourning.  They took off their "ornaments".  This refers to finery or outfits.  They had been partying before the golden calf, so perhaps this means they took off their party clothes... To never put them on again.   They watched Moses go to the tent of meeting.  " And it came about, whenever Moses went to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent."   They watched as the pillar of cloud came down to the entrance of the tent.  They worshipped as the Lord spoke to Moses.  There is a solemnness to this description.  The picture that comes to my mind is of the thousands of people standing in absolute silence... with every eye towards Moses as he goes to meet with the Lord.

There was a change that came over the people.  Their hearts were softening.  Their necks were bending.  They had a more realistic view of God.  They had a greater fear of Him.  But they also had a long way to go, and have still not become the people of God that He wants them to be.

Verses 12-23 record a personal encounter between Moses and the Lord.  Moses, who has met God in a way that no one ever had before, desires more! His prayer is " Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me know Thy ways, that I may know Thee, so that I may find favor in Thy sight. Consider too, that this nation is Thy people." 
God assures Moses that he has found favor and that He will go with them.  " .. .and I have known you by name."  

Moses asks to see God's glory and God allows him to see His back, but not His face.  "I Myself will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion." 

The Lord is answering Moses' request by showing and telling him more about His ways and His attributes.  Moses has found favor in His sight - because he is seeking to know God's ways and to know God more.   Tozer writes, " What is God like? What kind of God is He?.... When asked in reverence and their answers sought in humility, these are questions that cannot be but pleasing to our Father which art in heaven."  God does want us to want to know Him more!  He has revealed Himself in nature and in His Word and by His Son..... it is His will and purpose that we KNOW Him.  And when we seek to know Him, like Moses, we find favor in His sight.

God reveals several things to Moses that He wants us to know too.
1. He knows us by name.   He knows us individually.  He knows us perfectly, inside and out.
2. He is good. All of God is good and glorious.   As He places Moses in the cleft and passes by,  He identifies Himself saying "all My goodness" will pass before you ( v19) and "while My glory is passing by".  (v22).  
3.  God is sovereign.  He decides who He will be gracious to; and to whom He will show compassion.

The Lord our God reveals His attributes of omniscience, goodness, and goodness.  We need to be like Moses and ask " I pray Thee, show me Thy glory!"   To seek Him with reverence and humility.  To desire Him more than anything or anyone.  He promises that when we seek Him, we will find Him, if we seek with all our hearts.  We also need to make the right response to His revelations -believe and obey.

Oh, Father in Heaven,  give us softened and surrendered hearts.  Make our stiff necks able to bow and remove stubbornness from us.  That we can seek You fully and know You more and more.  Open our eyes and ears.  Fill us with  Your Spirit.   We want to see You,  to see Your glory and Your goodness.
Forgive us for being obstinate.  Change our hearts. Lead us in Your ways.  Help us to obey.  We ask this in Jesus Name.  Amen