Show Me Your Glory

Longing for the Glory of God- Exposition of Exodus 33:17-18

Exodus 33:17-34:2

17 So the LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My

sight, and I know you by name."

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."

Exodus 34

34:1 And the LORD said to Moses, "Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I will write on these tablets

the words that were on the first tablets which you broke.

2 So be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself to Me there

on the top of the mountain. N

KJV

I. CONTEXT OF EXODUS 33:17-34:2

A. MAJOR RECENT EVENTS MOSES ENCOUNTERED THAT PRECEDED THIS COMMUNION WITH THE LORD

1. Name of God and Holiness of God- Moses encountered God of the Burning bush at Mount Horeb and known the

name of God (Sinai)- (Exodus 3:2; 3:14)

2. Power of God-Moses was instrumental of the Lord to bring the judgment of God and devastation with great

power to the most powerful and advanced civilization of his time.(Exodus 4-13)

3. Power of God- Moses led the people across the Red Sea as if it was dry land (Exodus 14)

4. Mercy and Love of God – Moses saw God sustained and protected Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 15-18)

5. Wisdom, Righteousness and Justice of God- Moses mediated the giving of God’s Law for Israel. (Exodus 19-23)

6. Faithfulness of God- Moses mediated God’s covenant with Israel (Exodus 24)

7. Beauty and Holiness of God- Moses was given the pattern of the tabernacle and priesthood for Israel.

(Exodus 24-31)

B. MOSES ASCENSIONS TO THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD

1. First Ascension (Exodus 3:2)- The Angel of the LORD revealed Himself to Moses in a burning bush.

2. Second Ascension (Exodus 19.3-6) – God revealed to Moses about His desire to make Israel a kingdom of

priests and a holy nation and His special treasure if Israel would keep the covenant of the Lord.

3. Third Ascension (Exodus 19:20-25) – God descended on the mountain of the Lord with thick cloud, fiery and

smoky furnace and great quake. God commanded Moses get the people sanctified for 3 days and to bring Aaron up

with him. Israel preferred God not speak to them directly in such awesome manifestation.

4. Fourth Ascension (Exodus 20:22-26) - God commanded Israel through Moses about the abominable nature of

idolatry in His sight and the importance of proper worship of God.

5. Fifth Ascension (Exodus 24:1-11)- God commanded Moses to ascend the mountain of the Lord with Aaron,

Nadab and Abihu and the seventy elders of Israel. Moses alone was allowed to come near to the Lord. Moses, Aaron,

Nadab and Abihu and the seventy elders of Israel went up after they made covenant of blood with God and they saw

the God of Israel.

10 and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone,

and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. 11 But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay

His hand. So they saw God, and they ate and drank. Exodus 24:10-11 NKJV

6. Sixth Ascension (Exodus 24:12-32:35)- God gave Moses the commandments on the two tablets of stone and also

showed Moses the revelation of the tabernacle and priesthood. God descended in the midst of the cloud like a

consuming

fire and covered the mountain for six days. On the seventh day, God spoke to Moses from the cloud. Moses

was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

7. Seventh Ascension (Exodus 34:4-29) – God commanded Moses to prepare two tablets of stone of the first two tablets
that were broken and come up to the mountain of the Lord in the morning. Moses obeyed God and God showed Moses His
glory and proclaimed His name to Moses again. Moses was on the mountain of the Lord forty days and forty nights without
food or drink.

4 So he cut two tablets of stone like the first ones. Then Moses rose early in the morning and went up Mount

Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him; and he took in his hand the two tablets of stone. 5 Now the LORD

descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. 6 And the LORD

passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and

abounding in goodness and truth, 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and

sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's

children to the third and the fourth generation." 8 So Moses made haste and bowed his head toward the earth,

and worshiped.

Exodus 34:4-9 NKJV

C. MOSES’ INTERCESSIONS FOR ISRAEL (Exodus 32:7-33:23)

1. First Intercession (Exodus 32:7-14)- Moses pleaded with God on the basis of God’s irrevocable covenant with

Abraham.

2. Second Intercession (Exodus 32:30-33)- Moses atoned for Israel’s sin of idolatry by asking God to blot out his

name from God’s book instead of Israel.

3. Third Intercession (Exodus 32:34-33:17)- Moses pleaded for God’s presence to be with Israel instead of His

angel. God answered Moses, “My presence will go with you and I will give you rest”.

II. GOD’S ANSWER TO MOSES’ INTERCESSION FOR ISRAEL (VERSE 17)

17 So the LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in

My sight, and I know you by name."

A.        So the LORD said to Moses, "I will also do this thing that you have spoken. Moses and Abraham had great confidence
when they petition to God because of their intimate knowledge of who God is. We approach God on the foundation of His
character and mercy. We must be bold to approach God with faith for without faith it is impossible to please God.
(Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 7:7, Matthew 21:22, Hebrews 4:14-16)

B.        For you have found grace in My sight. Moses have found favor in the sight of the Lord. Moses was known by the
Lord as the most humble person. His godliness and humility kept him in the grace of God. In James 4:6 “God resists the
proud, But gives grace to the humble."

C.        And I know you by name In Scripture, there were many occasion when God dealt with His people through their
names. He called certain individual by name. This is a remark of great intimacy. Moses truly has a great standing in the
heavenly and spiritual realm.

15:1 Then the LORD said to me, "Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My mind would not be favorable

toward this people. Jeremiah 15:1 NKJV

14 Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their

righteousness," says the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 14:14 NKJV

15 and the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are

you?" Acts 19:15 NKJV

III. MOSES EXPRESSING HIS DEEPEST LONGING (VERSE 18)

18 And he said, "Please, show me Your glory."

A.        And he said, "Please …..

“Please” in the context was a deep expression of pleading towards the Lord. Moses has seen God’s power, known God’s name
and successful petition for Israel in their darkest hour. Now in the midst of God’s response to His petition, he interrupted
with a brief and yet deep longing of his own heart. He has just spent forty days and forty nights with God but he couldn’t
get enough. He was willing to let his name be blotted out of God’s book for Israel sake, but he said, “please….to God” for
himself here.

B.        show me …..

Moses has seen God’s feet, God’s finger, His awesome manifestation in thick cloud like fiery furnace and heard God’s
voice. Moses is not satisfied. He hasn’t yet seen God’s face. To Moses God is still hiding certain aspect of Himself from him.
He must have all of God. Perhaps God would grant Moses his petition since Moses has found grace in the sight of God.
Moses is taking a risk here. Moses and the elders survived God’s presence when they saw God’s feet.

C.        Your glory

Kabod- defined as the weight, the abundance, the splendor, the riches, the honor, the glory of God. Moses is after the
manifold aspect of the revelation of God, the fullness of God. He did see that later again on the Mount of transfiguration
(Matthew 17:2), when he saw Jesus Christ (the fullness of Godhead dwell bodily) in the land of Canaan.

IV.        VITAL PRINCIPLES TO US TODAY

A.        THE LONGING FOR THE FULLNESS OF GOD OVERTOOK EVERY DESIRE OF MOSES LIFE.

1. Moses fasted for forty days and forty nights in God’s presence while the elders ate and drank when they

encountered God.

2. Moses understood God’s heart for Israel and His promise towards Abraham, thus was willing to lay down his

life for Israel.

3. Moses became unself-conscious of his own glory.

B.        A TRUE AND SUSTAINABLE FASTED LIFE MUST BE ANCHORED BY A LIFE FIXED UPON THE GLORY OF GOD.

1. Moses fasted for forty days and forty nights in God’s presence as he was consumed in God’s glorious presence

and sustained by God’s own word. It is difficult to attempt a long fast with corresponding glory in God’s presence and

the feasting upon His word.

2. Moses could the utter depravity of Israel and the culture around them in the light of the revelation of God’s

glory

3. Moses became a pursuer of the depth of the knowledge and glory of God.

4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have

become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to

come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the

Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. Hebrews 6:4-6 NKJV