His Glory

If we are going to have the courage to believe that we are filled with His glory, than wouldn't it make sense to find out what that glory is? It does to me so, that is what we will investigate next.

In Exodus 33 and 34 Moses has several different types of encounters with God. We will focus on only one at this time.

Exodus 33:18     And he (Moses) said, “Please, show me Your glory.”

To our amazement and, probably to Moses’, as well, God grants the request.

Can you imagine what must have been going on in Moses’ heart and mind? This God that revealed Himself to in the burning bush, kept him safe from Pharaoh and his political cronies. Brought the ten plagues to Egypt, orchestrated the Passover, separated the Red Sea and allowed all of Israel to cross on dry ground and then closed it up again on Egypt’s mighty army, the God who made bitter water sweet, and made enough water flow from a rock to take care of entire nation plus their animals, the God that was guiding them with a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire by night – that awesome, terrifying God –

Is about to reveal to him His glory.

Moses is about to learn what makes this God so special.

What was Moses feeling? Excitement, anticipation, fear, humility? What did that feel like? What thoughts were swirling around in Moses’ mind? Was he able to sleep that night? What was it like explaining to his leaders what was about to happen? As he approached the cave God told him to be in at the appointed time was he in a cold sweat? Was thinking, “what if He doesn’t show up?” Followed immediately with, “What if He does?” “Am I going to live through this either way?”

We don’t know. But we do know that God did show up.

Exodus 34:5-8

Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”  So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped.

There are numerous theological things in this passage but, I will only focus on what God revealed about Himself to Moses. Moses has asked God to reveal His glory. Moses has already seen God’s power, His authority over nature and all matter. Moses is already terrifyingly familiar with God’s destructive power; His ability to decimate the most powerful nation to have ever existed up that point.

God could have said, “Moses, you have seen what I can do. I am the King of the Universe. I am all powerful. There is none like me. Do what I say or else.”

Instead, God says, in effect, “Moses, what is most important for you to know about me is: mercy, compassion, patience, goodness, and truth and I am still just.”

We know that this is not all there is to God’s glory. We also know that this is what He chooses to emphasize throughout His word. (Micah 6:8, Matthew 23:23, Ps. 100:5)

We also know that these are the attributes He wants us to emphasize in our lives. ( Matthew 5-7, I Corinthians 13, Galatians 5:22-23, Matthew 22:36-40)

When we are filled with God’s Spirit, His glory fills the temple.

We have been filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  

Now all we have to do is live it.