The angel of the Lord appeared unto Moses in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, a bush that was not consumed by the fire. God called Moses’ name and Moses answered, “Here am I.” God told Moses to take off his shoes for the place where he stood was holy ground. When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush while Moses was tending his father-in-law’s sheep in Horeb, Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look upon God.
Exodus 3:6 – “Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.”
Later, Moses desired to see more of God’s glory and asked God to grant this. Moses’ bold request to now see God’s glory unveiled shows that a transformation had occurred in Moses.
Exodus 33:18-23
18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21 And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
Moses had seen the glory of God in His miracles in Egypt, parting the Red Sea, the pillar of cloud and fire in the wilderness, the thick smoke-filled cloud on Mount Sinai, and much more. He had seen “kabod”, the unmatched magnificence and incomparable power of God, but Moses asked for “Shekinah” glory, the “dwelling glory” of God- a life-transforming experience, to look upon His grandeur, His holiness, His divinity.
God told Moses that He could not let him see His face, His full glory because man could not see God and live. God told Moses that there a place beside Him, a rock to stand on, and when His glory passed by Moses, God would put Moses in the cleft of the rock and would cover Moses with His hand as he passed by. God said, “And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back part: but my face shall not be seen.” (Exodus 33:23) God had allowed Moses to see the glory that was to come through the promised one, Christ at Calvary. We can not see the glory of God in the flesh because the carnal is not of God, it is not spiritual. The flesh is incapable of comprehending God’s glory and majesty.
God’s glory is only revealed through His Son, Jesus. It is when a person is hid in the cleft of the rock, the chief corner stone, Jesus, that there is any access to God’s presence and glory. When Christ died on the cross and the soldier pierced Jesus’ side and forth came blood and water- the church was born, covered by grace and filled with the indwelling presence of the Holy Ghost. The Father’s magnificent glory is revealed in the Son, and the Son’s glory is in the Father.
We are hidden completely from God’s wrath and righteous judgment at Jesus’ side alone. We are His bride on His arm- “Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness, leaning upon her beloved?” ~ Song of Solomon 8:5
Moses desired and thus asked to see God’s glory, choosing the good part just as Mary did while sitting at His feet. A Christian should desire a closer relationship with Christ, listening, learning, being still at His feet and beholding His glory. We should be crying out to our heavenly Father, “God, show me Your Glory!”
“In the year that kind Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple… The seraphim cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.” ~ Isaiah 6:1,3
“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” ~ Revelation 21:23