Show me Thy Glory LORD (Exodus 33:18-23; 34:5-8)
God has revealed certain things to be True about Himself. These we call His attributes. They are Revealed to us by God’s Revelation in His Word (John 5:39-40); God’s revelation in Jesus Christ (Lk. 24:44-45); & The ministry of Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:17-8; John 16:13-15).
One of the great events in the O.T. was God revealing His Glory to Moses in answer to Repentance & Prayer. Let’s look at the important Background to this historic event. 1. Israel is redeemed from slavery in Egypt by the Blood of the Lamb (Ex. 12). 2. Israel commits the awful sin of idolatry (Ex 32:1-6) 3. Moses Intercedes for God to spare Israel from the destruction she has earned by her sin (Ex. 32:11-14, 30-33). By his sacrificial love Moses saves Israel from God’s wrath. Notice how Moses has become Christ-like by his fellowship with God (Ex. 32:30-32)
- Israel suffers the inescapable Consequences of sin: 3000 die (Ex. 32:25-28, 35). 5. Israel’s response to God’s Judgment is Repentance (Ex. 33:4-6). God will now reveal His Glory following the people’s genuine repentance & restoration of worship. The “goodness of God leads us to repentance” (Rom. 2:4-5) so we can find mercy (Isa. 55:6-7).
MOSES’ EXPERIENCE MODELS A CHRISITANS EXPERIENCE
Moses’ Experience is prophetic of the True Believer in Christ (I Cor. 10:1-12). God says: “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest” (Ex. 33:14). Jesus told us: “lo, I Am with you always, even unto the end of the world” (Matt 28:20 & 11:28). We experience God’s Glorious presence through the Holy Spirit ‘in’ us! (Hag. 2:5; John 14:15-18). God’s presence separates His people from the rest of the world (Ex. 33:16). We must separate from the World (I John 2:15).
Moses Experiences God on the same Basis as a Believer in Christ. Moses knew God knows him by Name & he had found grace in God’s sight (Ex. 33:12-3, 16-7). Jesus knows us by Name (John 10:3-5).
In Christ we find grace before God (Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:24; 5:15, 17, 21)
LIKE MOSES WE CAN BEHOLD GOD’S GLORY
Moses both sees & hears God’s Glory as the LORD comes down & speaks His Word (Ex. 33:19, 22-23; Ezek. 1:28; Rev. 22:8)
(Ex. 33:17-19) The LORD said to Moses… thou hast found grace in my sight, & I know thee by name. (18) Moses asked God: “shew me thy glory.” (19) The LORD 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, & will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. {this is God’s Sovereignty}. (33:22) “And 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…” The N.T. tells us this Rock is Christ (I Cor. 10:4). Moses must be placed in the “clift” (cleft) of the Rock to behold God’s Glory. Christ is our “Clift” Rock .
(Ex. 34:5-7) “And the LORD descended in the cloud, & stood with him there, & proclaimed the name of the LORD. (6) & the LORD passed by before him, & proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful & gracious, longsuffering, & abundant in goodness & truth, (34:7) Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity & transgression & sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; {this is God’s justice & righteousness Num. 14:18}. (Ex. 34:7) “visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, & upon the children’s children, unto the 3rd & to the 4th generation. {this is God’s truth: an unalterable fact of life}.
But even though we imperfect parents know we will pass some of our character faults, sins & imperfections on to our children we have a great hope in Christ (I Peter 1:17-19): “we are redeemed from our vain conversation received by tradition from our fathers”
In verse 34:7 we behold The glory of God’s Justice. God will “By no means clear the guilty.” Are you guilty of sinning against the one true Sovereign God? Unfortunately we all are!
Why do so many people want to accept God’s mercy but reject His Justice? Romans 3:23 has the answer. Because it is hard to admit that we ourselves are sinners. We can reject God’s mercy but we can’t escape God’s Justice! The reality of God’s immutable Justice creates for us a Very Present Danger because… God’s glorious Justice is one of the glaring omissions in present day preaching!
Most people don’t take God’s Judgment seriously anymore. (read Romans 2). We sin against God as if we believe there are no consequences to sin! (I Cor. 11:27-31). If you believe in a God who overlooks sin (a false concept of mercy) then you believe in a God who cannot lead you to genuine repentance.
A clear Vision of God will… 1. Will humble our soul (Job 1:20-22; 42:5-6). 2. Make us truly meek (Ex. 3:2, 4, 11-12; Num. 12:3). And 3. Fill us with the Holy Spirit inspired “fear of the LORD” (Isa. 6:1-5; Dan. 10:7). The fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom (Prov. 9:10; Ps. 11:10; Job 28:28).
What did Moses do when he got a clear vision of God’s Glory?
“Moses made haste, & bowed his head toward the earth, & worshipped” (Ex. 34:8). When we catch a glimpse of God’s Glory by the “enlightenment of the Holy Spirit” we too will worship (Eph. 1:16-20). So we learn that God’s Glory shines forth through the infinite perfections of His attributes. And Jesus is “… the brightness of God’s glory, & the express image of his person” (Heb. 1:3; 2Cor. 4:6-7).
All God’s Glorious Attributes are manifest in Jesus Christ.
In the beginning was the Word, & the Word was with God, & the Word was God. The Word was made flesh, & dwelt among us, (& we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace & truth (John 1:1, 14).
So let’s compare God’s Glory in the Old Testament and see how it shines forth through Jesus Christ in the New Testament.
- God is Goodness (Ex. 33:19; 34:6). The world is not good (I John 5:18-19).People are not good (Rom. 3:12; Eph. 2:3). God is Good.
- Jesus manifests the perfection of God’s goodness (Acts 10:38 with Matt. 4:23-25; 9:35). Jesus is infinite goodness for all eternity!
- The Name of the LORD {Jehovah} (Ex. 33:19; 34:6). God’s Name encompasses all God’s attributes. “I AM THAT I AM” (Ex. 3:14)
- Jesus name in Hebrew is “Yeshua” and means “Jehovah is salvation” (Phil. 2:2:11). Study the 8 “I AM” statements of Jesus in John 6:35; 8:12, 58; 10:7; 10:11; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1).
Notice the Trinitarian Name of God: (34:6) “the LORD, The LORD God.” The Hebrew “Creator(s)” is plural in Eccl. 12:1 (see Isaiah 41:11-18). Notice the Trinitarian revelation of Baptizing in “the Name {singular} of the Father, & the Son, & the Holy Ghost” (Matt. 28:19).
- God is gracious (Ex. 33:19; 34:6). He is “the God of all grace, who called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus…” (I Peter 5:10)
- Jesus manifests the perfection of God’s grace (Jon 1:14; Act 15:11)
- Showing mercy (Ex. 33:19; 34:6; Ps. 57:9-10; 108:3-5; Psalm 136)
- Jesus manifests the perfection of God’s mercy (Jude 21; Heb. 2:17)
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GRACE & MERCY?
Grace: I get an infinite number of Blessings & good things I don’t deserve (Eph. 1:3; James 1:17). G.R.A.C.E. = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Grace is… God’s goodness to the unworthy. Psalm 105 records God’s Grace on Israel despite their lack of any merit
Mercy: When I don’t get the Punishment or Judgment I deserve for my rebellion or sin against God (I Thess. 1:10). We need Mercy when we fail to respond properly to God’s Grace. (Rom. 2:4-6). Psalm 106 is a record of God’s Mercy on Israel despite their constant sin & rebellion. (Observe God’s mercy in Ps. 106:1 & 45 and then all Israel’s sin in between!). We can receive the mercy of God today or receive the deserved wrath of God some unexpected day. (2 Cor. 6:2; Heb. 3:7-13).
- God is “longsuffering” (Ex. 34:6). Amazing Divine Patience.
- Jesus perfectly manifests the longsuffering of God (2 Pet. 3:9, 15). “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (15) And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation… (The Apostle Paul is God’s supreme example of God’s longsuffering: (I Timothy 1:15-16).
- “Truth” (Ex 34:6). “The God of truth & without iniquity” (Deut 32:4)
- Jesus said “I Am the truth” (Jon 14:6). He was without sin (Heb 4:15). We Can only Experience the Glory of God by Faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, & the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also…” (John 14:6-7).
A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS IS ESSENTIAL TO EXPERIENCING THE GLORY OF GOD
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2Cor. 4:6).
FAITH IN GOD’S WORD LEADS US TO SALVATION IN CHRIST
Jesus said: “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, & they are life” (John 6:63). “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: & they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (John 5:39-40)
Only 1 Book contains the Glorious Truth of The Sovereign God of Glory (John 17:17). The one true God is the only source of absolute Truth. The Bible is God’s absolute & eternal Truth.
- Forgiving iniquity, transgression & sin” (Ex. 34:7; Ps. 51:1-3; 103:3)
- Jesus perfectly manifests the Forgiveness of God (Lk 23:34; John 8)
Why must we Study God’s Attributes? It will answer some of life’s greatest Questions: What is God really like? What is my purpose in Life? Can God really forgive me all of my sins? Can I know for sure where I will go when I die? Will I go to Heaven or Hell?
A clear Vision of God empowers us to Triumph through the Trials of Life. “… but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits” (Dan 11:32). “They which receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:17b).