SEEING GOD’S GLORY!

Time with Jesus - Sunday, 12 February 2012

Hi all,

God’s glory: This is what Moses asked to see. He had been having a discussion with God. That’s when Moses found the courage to ask Him to see His glory. I must confess that I have wondered what it was that Moses expected to see. The dialogue was as follows: ¹⁸ Moses responded, "Then show me Your glorious presence." ¹⁹ The LORD replied, "I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will call out My name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. ²⁰ But you may not look directly at My face, for no one may see Me and live." ²¹ The LORD continued, "Look, stand near Me on this rock. ²² As My glorious presence passes by, I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will remove My hand and let you see Me from behind. But My face will not be seen." Exodus 33:18-23 NLT

When we use the word “glory” or “glorious” we tend to think of something visibly impressive. For example, I remember that when I was a teenager, the “four minute mile” was thought of as almost impossible. No man had ever managed to run the mile in under four minutes. Many men had tried, but it was still thought of as a “bridge too far”. Then at about the same time as the coronation of Queen Elizabeth, Dr Roger Bannister achieved the impossible. The news of the achievement spread like wildfire. It was described as a “glorious” achievement. However it wasn’t long before other athletes had followed Bannister’s achievement. Henceforth to run the mile in under four minutes was not quite as glorious.

One of man’s greatest achievements was walking on the moon in 1969. The TV pictures of the event flashed all around the world. For those watching the TV that day, the sight of Neil Armstrong stepping onto the moon was a glorious event! His words, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." are now famous in history.

Was this the sort of thing Moses expected? It’s hard to state with any degree of certainty. We know that He had “seen” the Lord “in action”. The plagues, the opening of the Red Sea, these signs and others he had witnessed. So it would seem that Moses expected to see something spectacular. I’m not Moses, but I must confess that after seeing all these displays of God’s supreme ability, I would expect to see something along these lines.

But God’s ideas and man’s ideas are always different. We expect a King to be born in a palace, not a stable. We expect the king to be served. Jesus came as a servant. Almost everything we associate with “going up” in the world, God sees the very opposite in His Kingdom. To be the greatest, I must become the least. That’s God’s idea!

¹⁹ I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will call out My name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose. ²⁰ But you may not look directly at My face, for no one may see Me and live." Exodus 33:19-20 NLT

I suspect Moses expected to see “the display of a Royal King”; a picture of great power and ability. That’s certainly what I would have expected to see. But God does not think as we do. His glory is expressed in terms of goodness, mercy and compassion. This is the opposite end of our scale of values!

What was there about this that Moses could not see? He had already spoken face to face with the Lord. ¹¹ Inside the Tent of Meeting, the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Afterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting. Exodus 33:11 NLT

Now I’m not trying to establish some new theology. But what I do suspect is that the glory of God is so different from anything we know, the full revelation would instantly annihilate us. What we have already “seen” is quite sufficient for us to serve Him and each other.

In today’s meditation, I've tried to express the effect of God’s glory on mortals.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Seeing God’s Glory!

We have never seen God’s glory; not while we are living here. We’d be blasted from existence, if His glory came too near. That is what the Lord told Moses. Certainly He got it right. But when God had passed right by him, Moses caught a tiny sight. It was not too overwhelming. Just enough so he could cope. Adequate to banish darkness and leave Moses filled with hope. Have I ever seen the Master? Frankly I would love to do. What for us is terrifying; Tell me if you’d like that too? Could I ever stand and take it, as the Lord of life appears? Just the concept is so scary it ignites my inner fears. That is why I’m vacillating. Can I do it? Will I die? Part of me is all a tremble, if His glory should draw nigh. Peter had a little sample, on his fishing boat that day. He’d already been out fishing. “It was useless” he could say. Then this wandering Jewish teacher told him to let down the nets. Then he got a load of fishes! He could settle all his debts! Then he turned and looked at Jesus. “Do not come too near to me. Sorry Lord, I am a sinner and You are Divinity. Do you comprehend his feelings? Part of Him would just rush in. But somehow he sensed the danger, brought about by all his sin. So he stood there and he wavered. “Dare I do it? No I can’t! Part of me want’s to embrace him. But through fear, I know I shan’t”. Have you been in this position? If you have, what did you do? Did you kneel before the glory, of the One confronting you? I have often thought about it. Secretly it’s my desire. Just the very thought of Jesus, fills me with celestial fire. There is no one more important than my Lord and God to me. If Your glory will consume me. Even so Lord, let it be! Just like Peter, I’ve been sinful, in my sojourn in this place. But I know I long to see Him! Stand before Him face to face! Do I think that it will happen? Friend it is a certainty. Some day in my dying moment, Jesus Christ will come for me. Then His glory will not matter. Surely I’ll be dead and gone. But until that very instant, I’m content to soldier on. What about my friends and loved ones? What about my family? So I’m trusting in my Saviour. That He’ll take my wife and me. We will both behold His glory on that not so distant date. Go and be with Him forever! Not too early – not too late. Jim Strickland – Written Sunday 12th February 2012.