Hey Truth Seeker!
Moses boldly asked to see the glory of God, and there are some very interesting things that occurred afterward.
We can learn a lot about this interaction, because it gives us insight into what the glory of God is, and how we may also be able to see it for ourselves.
We’re in Exodus 33, and let’s look at God’s responses to this request.
Show Your Glory
The LORD just explained to Moses that he has found favor and grace in God’s sight, and Moses took this opportunity to take it as far as he could take it.
He boldly asked God “Please, show me your glory.”
I love this, because when it comes to us asking God for different things, we should ask boldly. God can say no for himself.
Yet, I hear often in the prayers of Christians “Lord, I ask that You… but if it’s not Your will, I understand.”
I don’t criticize people for praying like this, because it’s a good reminder that God is in charge, and we are not. It is not God who needs this reminder, but ourselves.
However, we can also pray to Him without including this disclaimer of His sovereignty. We can ask, and He can say no.
Moses asked “Please, show me your glory”. And in this moment God can say yes, or He can say no, and Moses would have said “Yes, Lord.”
The Glory of God is His goodness and His name
God is saying that His glory is His goodness, His name, grace, and mercy.
The Hebrew word for “goodness” is literally “good things“. It is a different form of the same word used in Genesis when “God created … and He saw that it was good“.
God has many names, but He will later proclaim His name, and that is a topic that deserves a blog post of its own. However, for now I will say, His name is His character and nature.
Grace is receiving what is undeserved. We don’t deserve to be a part of God’s kingdom, yet He invites everyone to take part. “He will be gracious to whom He will be gracious”.
Mercy is not receiving what is deserved. When Adam and Eve fell in the garden, they deserved death and punishment. But God was merciful to them, and instead covered their nakedness. “He chooses compassion on whom He will have compassion”.
No man shall see God, and live
Now we come to the trouble in this story. Moses asked to see God’s glory, and God says He cannot show His face to Moses. For, then, Moses would die.
We are introduced with a principle here that God’s glory and majesty is so overwhelming and overpowering, that we would not be able to bear it.
There are places in the Bible where people have seen God face-to-face and lived, and I will expand on those stories in another post. (They happen to also be my favorite stories)
There is a Way to see the Glory of God
If you are a student of the New Testament some of these images may sound familiar to you:
God says there’s a place by Him in these verses, and in the New Testament there is a place at the right hand of God the Father.
He tells Moses to stand on the rock by Him, and while His glory passes by, He will put Moses in the cleft of the rock. This is the very same rock that Moses struck, and water poured forth from it.
In the beginning of 1 Corinthians 10, Paul says that this Rock is Jesus Christ.
So, in that case, let’s see how it fits together with that idea:
Place by Me
Jesus is currently at the right hand of His Father. He is the Rock at a “place by Him”.
Stand on the Rock
Jesus said, “Everyone who hears His words, and does them will be like a man who built his house on the rock.” Jesus and His teachings are a firm foundation we can stand on.
Cleft of the Rock
Jesus is the Rock that was broken for the outpouring of spiritual water. But also, God hides us in Him, and covers us with His hand, until the right time.
What is God’s “back”? It doesn’t translate to English very well, but I believe this to be the “after glow” of His glory. The lingering effects.
Similar to how we cannot see gravity, but we can see its effects.
Conclusion
There you have it, Truth Seeker! The glory of God is His goodness, His name, and His grace and mercy.
We cannot see it directly by ourselves, but we can if we are hidden in Jesus Christ! The Rock of our Salvation, at the place by the Father.
If you would like God to place you in this Rock, head over to this page, and surrender your life to God, and accept a new life in its place.
God Bless You!
Ken
