"PLEASE, SHOW ME
YOUR GLORY" (2)
Exodus 33:18-23; 34:5-9

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III. Moses had to be in a special place in order to behold God's glory (33:21): "And the LORD said, 'Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. 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.'" He was first "on the rock," then placed "in the cleft of the rock" and covered with God's hand.

Moses here typifies the position in which we must be in order to behold God's glory. It is in relation to Christ the "spiritual Rock" (1 Corinthians 10:4). Christ is the Rock God has laid in Zion so that "whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame" (Romans 9:33). Christ is the Rock upon whom the wise man builds his house (Luke 6:47f). Christ is the Rock upon which we must be if we desire to ever behold God's glory.

Not only must we be founded upon Christ, we must also be hidden in Him – placed in the cleft of Christ the Rock and covered with the hand of God. None except those who are hidden in Christ the Rock will survive the revelation of God in all His glory. Let us therefore sing in earnest, Rock of Ages, cleft for me, / Let me hide myself in Thee.

IV. The manifestation of God's glory had a profound effect upon Moses (34:8): "So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped."

This is the typical response of all who have been blessed to behold God's glory. Notable examples include Abraham (Genesis 17:1-3), Joshua (Joshua 5:13f), and all Israel at the dedication of the Solomonic temple (2 Chronicles 7:1-3).

V. He who prays "Please, show me Your glory" finds the answer to his prayer in the revelation of Christ.

1. In Christ is manifested the essential glory of God, that which pertains to His existence. As the sight of the creation proves God's existence (Psalm 19:1), so does the sight of Christ. Christ therefore declares, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9).

2. In Christ is manifested the ethical glory of God, that which pertains to His character. Those who have beheld Him for whom He is declare "we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

This ethical glory of God is equated with His "goodness" (vv.18, 19; also 34:6f), especially in the salvation of His people. Christ is the embodiment of God's goodness. "In [Christ] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). "Christ Jesus ... became for us wisdom from God – and righteousness and sanctification and redemption" (1 Corinthians 1:30). "Every spiritual blessing" is found "in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3ff). He who would "taste and see that the LORD is good" (Psalm 34:8) does so by tasting Christ (1 Peter 2:3f), believing in Him for the salvation of his soul.

3. Christ is in many other ways manifested as the glory of God. "The glory of the LORD shall be revealed" (Isaiah 40:5) in obeying the command "Behold your God!" (v.9) – in the person of Christ (vv.1-5, 9-11). He "the Lord of glory" (1 Corinthians 2:8; James 2:1). He is "the God of glory [Who] appeared to Abraham" (Acts 7:2; see John 1:18a with 14:9). He is "the God of glory" Who "sits as King forever" (Psalm 29:3, 10; see Isaiah 9:7) by virtue of the fact that He is "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" (Revelation 19:16). He is "the brightness [or radiance] of God's glory" (Hebrews 1:3). The "glory of Christ" is associated with His being the "image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:4). "The light of the knowledge of the glory of God" is manifested "in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). The glory of Christ is inseparably linked with the glory of God in the account of the transfiguration of Christ (Matthew 17:1ff; Mark 9:2ff; Luke 9:28ff; 2 Peter 1:16f). He acknowledged Himself to have been an equal partner with His Father in the divine glory when He spoke of "the glory which I had with You before the world was" (John 17:5). The dying vision of Stephen was of "the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God" (Acts 7:55). He will return to earth "in His own glory," which also is "His Father's'" (Luke 9:26).

Would you see the glory of God? Behold Christ!