Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today, is taken from the Book of Exodus, Chapter 33 verse 18, “Please, show me your glory,” (NKJV). This verse is taken from the conversation that Moses and God had following the Israelites worshipping the golden calf made by Moses’ brother, the priest, Aaron. Moses interceded before the Lord and begged God to rather punish him than the people. God told Moses that he needed to go up and continue to lead the people. He would be strengthened by God’s Angel who will go out before him in the desert. Moses said to God that he would not be able to lead the people if God’s presence would not be with him, for it is the presence of God that distinguished the people of Israel from the other nations. People were aware of the awesome presence of God, but could not behold or see Him. Then Moses asked God if he could see something of the presence of God, the glory of God, with his own two eyes, as a sign of God’s grace towards him. God said to Moses that He will grant him his request. Moses would behold God’s goodness and mercy, but no man may see God, face to face. So God put Moses in a cleft in a rock. God put his hand over Moses to cover him. Then God passed by and lifted his hand as his goodness and glory passed with Him so that Moses was able to see God’s back. After this awesome encounter with God, Moses was strengthened to go up the mountain to receive the Law of the Lord again. For the first set of tablets were broken and crushed to powder after the worshipping of the calf, as an offering. Because Moses was willing to intercede for the hard-hearted people and continued to be faithful in leading them, despite their rebelliousness, God was pleased with Moses. Moses was given a new vision, a vision of God Himself. This filled Moses with new courage for the journey to the Promised Land with the people that God gave him to lead.
We are believers who travel through the desert of this world, like the Israelites, but unlike the Israelites, we have all seen the glory of the Lord, as the Glory of the only-begotten Son, (John 1 verse 18). God chose to reveal his glory to us in his Son who came to earth and was born in Bethlehem for us. “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them,” (Luke 2 verse 20). At Jesus’ baptism and his transfiguration God told the world that He was pleased with his Son, his work and his obedience. When Jesus died, God’s love on the Cross was made visible, and Jesus’ work was completed, as he became death and sin for us. It was only after Jesus’ death and resurrection and his appearance to the disciples to encourage them for their mission, that they fully understood that they had seen the Father. Philip said, “Lord, Show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father,” John 14 verse 8 to 9, (NRSVB).
Unlike the disciples and the witnesses of Christ in the first century, we are not eye-witnesses, but we are ear-witnesses. We have heard and we believe, “Blessed are those who have not seen Me and yet they believe,” (John 20 verse 29). Our hope and trust are in the Lord, He who will make his promises true to us in his appointed time. The Unidentified Apostle encourages us to use the promises that we have received and be fearless witnesses to Jesus’ glory and presence, here and now. “Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in good time for every need,” (Hebrews, Chapter 4 verse 16).
Father, we behold your glory through the pages of your word and work of your Son, Amen.