The Most Important Blessing

In this prayer Moses tells God that if his "Presence", i.e. literally his "face", or his felt presence goes not with him and the people that it were just as well that they die in their wilderness journey. The felt presence of God is the most important thing anyone can seek. The pasage teaches three things about the real presence of God: 1) It is to be preferred above his gifts to us; 2) It is the distinguishing sign of his favor and love; and 3) It distinguishes his people from all other peoples of earth. This presece of God is sensed and bestowed only in Christ who himself is the habitation of God through the Spirit.