What is it you long for? We all have something deep inside us. The roadmap of our hearts leads us there, to the place where our treasure is found—the place where our hope, wonder, and worship reside.
God had promised to rescue the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and bring them to a new home, a land of freedom and abundance. But His bigger promise was this: He would bring them back into relationship with Him, back into His presence. He would dwell among the Israelites and be their God (Exodus 29:45–46).
But God’s people put all of that in jeopardy by building the golden calf and inciting God’s anger with their idol worship. They were set to experience separation from Him again. Yes, He would still bring them into the promised land, but He would not accompany them there (Exodus 33:1–3).
Because of their sin, Israel could not be in God’s presence—but Moses could. The Lord spoke to Moses “face to face, just as a man speaks with his friend” (v.11). And so on behalf of the Israelites, Moses pleaded with God to reconsider:
“If your presence does not go…don’t make us go up from here. How will it be known that I and your people have found favor with you unless you go with us? I and your people will be distinguished by this from all the other people on the face of the earth” (vv.15–16).
Moses knew what was really at stake for the Israelites: the true promised land, God Himself. Moses knew that God was not merely a means to an end, not just the path to blessing. God is the blessing. God’s presence was the very identity of His people. If He wasn’t in the new land, then there was no point in going. Without Him, there would be no real blessing, no peace, no rest.
So what does your promised land look like?
Mine looks like a land of abundant provision, free from shame and fear, melancholy, sickness, and loneliness. Scripture tells me all of these needs and more are met now, in Jesus Christ, though He is far more than a means to an end. He is Alpha and Omega, beginning and end—and everything in between (Revelation 22:13).
He doesn’t just provide. He is our provision (Genesis 22:14).
He doesn’t just make us righteous. He is our righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6).
He doesn’t just give us peace. He is our peace (Judges 6:24, Hebrews 13:20).
He doesn’t just heal us. He is our healing (Exodus 15:26).
And if we know Jesus, we are never truly alone. He is always with us (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23). His promise to each of us is this: “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest” (Exodus 33:14).
In His attributes God reveals Himself to us—His character, His nature, and His heart. Like Moses, we can boldly ask to know more of God, to see more of His glory. This is why God delivered the Israelites, and it’s why He sent His Son to deliver us. God came near so we could truly know Him and never be separated from His presence again.
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32 thoughts on "The Lord’s Glory"
When I see something beautiful my heart is drawns in by recognition. The swelling of awe and wonder makes me feel more alive. God’s glory is His beauty and my heart knows Him. Glory and beauty are joined together in God’s creation and we were made in His image. Beauty is our love language. We hold a special honor in His eyes. There is no shrinking back or hiding when we accept Him as our Savior. Adam and Eve hid themselves from Him in shame and turned away from God’s beauty. They were fearful of His presence and could not bear to see Him. We do the same in our feelings of unworthiness. The truth of our worth is in Jesus. The ultimate price was paid for us. The knowledge of what Christ did for us, for me, is sometimes overwhelming and feels like too much. I don’t deserve such a sacrifice. The beauty of God’s love seems too much to bear in light of my failures. Yet in His mercy, He hides me and protects me in the cleft of a rock like Moses. “And when my glory passes over, I will hide you in the rock’s crevice” (Exodus 33:22). Even as Moses wanted to see God’s glory, God knew it would be too much to bear in his human understanding. So He gives Himself to us as He knows what is best for us. In this I trust. I know He sees me. He knows my heart and my desires. He knows what is good for me. And He has been so good to me. My life is in His hands and I am at peace. Lord, may Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven, until… Maranatha. Amen.
He talked to him face to face…
Oh what it must have been like for Moses to talk to God face to face like a friend. Yet, we can do that daily through prayer. My issue is getting quiet enough to hear His reply. Maybe this is why I think how wonderful for Moses to speak to God in this way. I need to work to have more quiet.
Moses vulnerability with God is an example to us all about how we can approach God and seek what we desire. He desires to be close to us and bless us with His presence and give us the desires of our heart – although it usually doesn’t look any way we thought it would.
Thank you Father for sending your son Jesus to deliver us! We have seen your glory in Him!
At this point in Israel’s history, the plans for the Tabernacle have been given, but the Tabernacle has not yet been constructed. The Tabernacle will be called the Tent of Meeting. In this passage, we see that Moses has set up a tent of meeting so that he can meet with God and talk to Him face to face. This tent of meeting is located outside of the camp of Israel because of the people’s sin and rebellion. This means that Moses has to go outside of the camp of Israel to be in God’s presence. When the Tabernacle is built and consecrated and the people purified, the Lord will instruct that the Tabernacle will be placed in the center of the camp of Israel. This will signify that God’s presence is with His people, that He dwells in the midst of them.
How beautiful to see that in order to see God’s glory, Moses had to stand on the rock and be hidden in the rock. In order to see God’s glory, I also must stand on the Rock of Jesus Christ. Jesus must be my foundation. I also must be hidden in Him, I must put off my old nature and put on Christ. Christ must be my righteousness. Only in this way, trusting in Jesus’s work on my behalf, will I be able to see God’s glory.
God told Moses, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Jesus tells us, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (Jn 14:27).
Thank You Lord for the rest/peace we have in You.
STACEY BROTHERS – praying the Lord will help you to see His goodness in the midst of your suffering.
REBEKAH HAM – When Moses called those who were “for the LORD,” the people had a chance to repent (God’s goodness). Since only 3,000 were killed it is thought that they were either the instigators (Ex. 32:1) or those that were continuing in the rebellion. They had broken the covenant that they had agreed to. The punishment was death.
Amen