This begs the question of why wouldn't God appear to Moses in human form? And since when is seeing someone's backside not the same as seeing them at all? 1 John says, "no one has seen God", not "seen God's face".
A study of all the scriptures relating to this subject clearly reveal what is meant. The discourse between God and Moses in Ex 33 shows that it is the
glory of God that cannot viewed face to face. Also notice that the
cloud and thus the
pillar of fire as well are the
presence of God and not the
human manifestation or the
glory:
9And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the
cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses.
10And all the people saw the
cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door.
11
And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. (Clearly a human manifestation). And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
12And Moses said unto the LORD, See, thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people: and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight.
13Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
14And he said,
My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.
15And he said unto him, If
thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
16For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.
17And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
18And he said, I beseech thee,
shew me thy glory.
19And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
20And he said,
Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. (clearly a reference to his
glorified face.)
21And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22And it shall come to pass, while
my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts:
but my face shall not be seen.
So not even Moses saw the glorified face of God.
In the next chapter, when Moses came down from the mountain his face "shone" so that it could not be viewed by the people and he wore a veil to cover it. Clearly this was, at least in part, a result of his brief exposure to God's glorified backside.
owg