glory - Dead Man Not Walking

The Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.” Then Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” And He said, “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.” But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.” (Exodus 33:17-23, NASB)

The Bible passage above is Moses’ account of his encounter with the Glory of God in the wilderness by Mount Horeb (Sinai). The setting: Moses had been up on Mount Sinai for forty days and nights, neither eating nor drinking, meeting with God. Among their agenda was God writing the Ten Commandments with His finger on stone tablets. The Israelites wondered where Moses was, and if he was alive or dead, and rebelled by having Aaron fashion a golden calf for them to worship. God saw what was going on, got angry, and sent Moses down from the mountain to deal with the rebellious people. Moses became angry with the people, and smashed the stone tablets. (Exodus 32)

God then tells Moses to lead the people to the Promised Land, but He would not accompany them. Moses went to meet with God outside the Israelite camp at the tent of meeting. Moses interceded for the people, pleading with God to travel with His people. The text above picks up from there. (Exodus 33:1-16)

Moses wants to know God better, and to lead the people to their final destination. God tells Moses He will do so, as “you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.” Wow! Oh, to have the Creator of the Universe say that I have found favor in His sight, and He knows me by name. Actually, since Jesus is in me, it’s true!

Exodus 33:22 The Glory Of God (devotional)07:14 (brown) — Exodus 33:22 image. Found at Knowing Jesus, https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Exodus/33/22

Moses then asks his Friend, “Show me Your glory.” God tells Moses that He will do so, but He can’t show Moses His face, “for no man can see Me and live!” God tells Moses to stand “there on the rock; and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”

We can find favor in God’s sight, and have Him know us by name. How? By believing in His Son, Jesus. Once we’ve come to faith in Him, He becomes our Advocate with the Father. Instead of our faces, God looks at us and sees Jesus. We can also see God’s glory. I see it whenever I look out my window at His glorious creation! Blue sky, trees, plants and flowers. I also see it whenever someone walks into my room. Each person is an image-bearer of God. Created in His image! God, please show me Your glory!

Worship: “Show Me Your Glory,” by Jesus Culture, ft. Kim Walker-Smith

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. (Romans 8:18-25, NASB)

The Apostle Paul writes in the 8th chapter of Romans about our hopes to see the glory that awaits God’s children in heaven. He speaks of the suffering that we endure here on planet earth, and says they “are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Every one of us has troubles in this life–some more than others, but everyone goes through trials and tribulations. Paul speaks of the glory that awaits the followers of Jesus that far outweighs these problems!

Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, men and women have had trouble with sin. God had a plan of redemption, and that plan was to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to be a sacrifice, to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. The sin problem is what Paul calls “futility,” but there is “hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”

Romans 8:18 image. Found at Emmanuel Baptist Church, https://ebcky.com/2020/08/18/todays-verse-romans-818-kjv/

Paul goes on to talk about the expectant groaning of creation, and “even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.” Even though the Holy Spirit indwells us, Paul says we can’t wait for the day when we complete the transaction, when God takes us home in glorified bodies, and welcomes His adopted daughters and sons. He concludes by talking about hope. Hope is about things unseen, which causes us to wait expectantly: “But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.”

I don’t consider myself to be “suffering.” I don’t have chronic pain, and God has blessed me far beyond what I deserve, and far beyond measure. I would prefer not to have ALS, but I don’t think I suffer. As I write this, it’s two days past the horrific elementary school shootings in Uvalde, Texas. I can’t imagine the suffering and pain the parents and families of those slain children and their teachers are going through. And yet, no matter the extent of the suffering they and we go through, God has promised us that seeing His glory will far outweigh all of that pain. As for me, I have hope for the things unseen! Because I have Jesus, “with perseverance, [I] wait eagerly for it!”

Worship: “Show Me Your Glory/Majesty,” by Jesus Culture, ft. Kim Walker-Smith