True Identity

 True Identity

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

 

¹⁹ Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” ²⁰ But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” ²¹ And the Lord said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. ²² So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. ²³ Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.”

 

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Moses had one last request during this recorded conversation. “Please, show me Your glory.” Instead of saying “Okay,” GOD explains the answer and actions HE was going to take.

 

My Observations:

• The preincarnate JESUS explains that HIS choices for grace and compassion are HIS choice.
• The preincarnate JESUS warned Moses that he could not see HIS true face and live.
• The preincarnate JESUS put HIS hand over Moses face, revealed HIS heavenly glory and walked away so the entire area was filled with HIS glory.

 

Seeing GOD is huge! I can’t wait to see HIM in HIS full glory. In fact, the writer John says in Revelation that we will see HIS face in heaven. But for now, we have to wait. JESUS starts off with a very peculiar statement in response to Moses’s request. HE says that HE would proclaim HIS name as part of the revelation.

 

GOD cannot simply be seen, but heard and felt. HIS very presence declares how righteous and sovereign HE is. JESUS explains that when HE reveals HIMSELF, HE will declare HIS graciousness and HIS compassion.

 

Moses was not on the mountain at this point. GOD told him to stand on a rocky place with large boulders. There in the cleft of a boulder, HE would reveal HIS supernatural glory and hide Moses’s face to keep him from being harmed. GOD is too powerful for our cursed bodies to see. But one day we will be with HIM and will see HIM in HIS glorious state. We will see HIS true identity.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the parameters of showing HIS glory?
• Do you see the great lengths that GOD has taken to preserve you for HIS purpose?
• Are you actively trying to get to know the true identity of JESUS who is sovereign, gracious and compassionate?