“Then Moses said, ‘I pray You, show me Your glory!’”
—Exodus 33:18  

Reflection

I cannot imagine what it was like for Moses to stand with the Lord atop Mount Sinai and have his senses overwhelmed as God literally passed by him. Moses asked to see His glory, and the Lord honored his request.

The Lord descended in the cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed His name. The Lord passed by before him and said, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin.” (Ex 34:6-7)

What Moses experienced that day atop Mount Sinai is very likely beyond our comprehension. The Lord had told him, “and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.” (Exodus 33:22-23)

As difficult as it may be for us to visualize the scene, it is important for us to recognize that God revealed many aspects of His nature to Moses during this encounter. Jewish people call these the Thirteen Attributes of God and have historically paid special interest to each aspect God mentioned. These attributes include such traits as His sovereignty, compassion, forgiveness, and overflowing loving-kindness.

God revealed Himself as a compassionate, loving God rather than simply a harsh lawgiver. Yet notice that although He spoke of His mercy for thousands, His forgiveness, and His abounding goodness, He also said that He would by no means clear the guilty, but would allow them to reap the consequences of their sin.

Why would the Lord include this when revealing His glory? Why would He include something that sounds so ominous alongside His mercy, goodness, and forgiveness?

The answer is crucial for us to understand as we attempt to grasp how God’s Law and His grace coexist.

Many people are confused about God because they see Him as being mostly focused on judgment and wrath in the Old Testament, but then suddenly becoming a God full of love, grace, and mercy in the New Testament. But this is false.

God is the same God in both the Old and New Testaments.

Jesus came to earth as the living example of what God looks like. He reveals the same God Moses encountered, the God who is merciful and gracious, compassionate and forgiving, yet also holy.

When Moses asked, “Show me Your glory,” God answered by revealing who He is.

Application

• Ask the Lord to show you His glory by giving you a deeper revelation of who He truly is.
• Receive the fullness of His nature: His mercy, compassion, forgiveness, holiness, and truth.

Prayer

Father, I ask You, show me Your glory. Reveal Yourself to me as You truly are, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in goodness and truth. Help me to understand that Your grace and Your holiness are not in conflict. Give me a deeper revelation of Your nature and keep me from forming a false picture of who You are. Jesus, reveal the Father to my heart and teach me to know Him in both His compassion and His holiness. In Messiah Jesus’ name, amen.