If you were to answer the question, "What is the glory of God?", how would you respond? When I have asked that question, the answers that I have received has been various. Exodus records a remarkable encounter between God and Moses. We are likely familiar with the one at the burning bush (Moses's call) and the one at Mt. Sinai (10 Commandments) but are you familiar with the one at the tent of meeting? With that, I want to direct our attention to Exodus 33. Here are a few basic things to know about this tent of meeting:
*It was temporary.
*It was pitched outside far from the tent (This is underscored by a broken relationship between Israel and God because of their worship of the golden calf)
*It was a place where people would seek God.
*It was the place where Moses communed with God face to face as one would with a friend.
I love that last one. Isn't that the beauty of our relationship with our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ? To be able to talk to Him as one would talk to a friend? (read Exodus 33:7-11)
It was at this tent of meeting that Moses makes a remarkable request of God:
Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” (Exodus 33:18)
What happens next is an incredible response from God to Moses request and it is in this response that we begin to see a beautiful picture unfold that reveals that the glory of God is not just something we have to wait until Heaven to experience, rather it is something that we can experience today. I believe that once we understand what the glory of God is, we may be able to fully understand the meaning behind the phrase, "Heaven on earth."
And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. (Exodus 33:19)
His goodness. When Moses sees God's glory revealed, he will see God's goodness revealed. Dear friend, thankfully Moses shows us later what the goodness of God looks like.
His Glory Forever I'll Share (Part 2)
If you were to answer the question, "What is the glory of God?", how would you respond? When I have asked that question, the answers that I have received has been various. Exodus records a remarkable encounter between God and Moses. We are likely familiar with the one at the burning bush (Moses's call) and the one at Mt. Sinai (10 Commandments) but are you familiar with the one at the tent of meeting? With that, I want to direct our attention to Exodus 33. Here are a few basic things to know about this tent of meeting:
*It was temporary.
*It was pitched outside far from the tent (This is underscored by a broken relationship between Israel and God because of their worship of the golden calf)
*It was a place where people would seek God.
*It was the place where Moses communed with God face to face as one would with a friend.
I love that last one. Isn't that the beauty of our relationship with our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ? To be able to talk to Him as one would talk to a friend? (read Exodus 33:7-11)
It was at this tent of meeting that Moses makes a remarkable request of God:
Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” (Exodus 33:18)
What happens next is an incredible response from God to Moses request and it is in this response that we begin to see a beautiful picture unfold that reveals that the glory of God is not just something we have to wait until Heaven to experience, rather it is something that we can experience today. I believe that once we understand what the glory of God is, we may be able to fully understand the meaning behind the phrase, "Heaven on earth."
And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. (Exodus 33:19)
His goodness. When Moses sees God's glory revealed, he will see God's goodness revealed. Dear friend, thankfully Moses shows us later what the goodness of God looks like.