Digging Deeper Days
Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Returning To Wonder!
The Questions
1) Why did Moses want to see God’s glory?
2) What is meant by: “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
3) Why can’t humans see God’s face?
Exodus 33:13-28
18 Then Moses said, “Please, let me see your glory.”
19 He said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name ‘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 added, “You cannot see my face, for humans cannot see me and live.” 21 The Lord said, “Here is a place near me. You are to stand on the rock, 22 and when my glory passes by, I will put you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back, but my face will not be seen.”
Original Intent
1) Why did Moses want to see God’s glory?
The Lord had just instructed Moses to leave Mount Sinai with the Israelites and get going on their way to the Promised Land. He had said that He would go with them and that He looked favorably on Moses. He wanted assurance of God’s presence with him, Aaron, and Joshua, and he desired to know that presence experientially (Life Application Study Bible note). In the events prior to these verses, Moses had been in God’s presence for 40 days on top of Mt. Sinai where he received the 10 Commandments and the other laws of God written in Leviticus and Numbers. Then he came down and saw the utter sinfulness of Israel as they had crafted and worshipped the golden calf. Moses full well knew he was incapable of leading this rebellious people anywhere, much less into the holy living that God commanded. This was a personal request that reflects the personal, intimate relationship Moses had with God. He needed reassurance that the Lord would be with him as he led Israel towards the Promised Land. He wanted to see the glory of the Lord because His glory is indicative of His presence, just as Moses had experienced on Mt. Sinai.
2) What is meant by: “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
This phrasing is repeated in Romans 9:14 when Paul is making the point that God is never un-just; He alone holds final rule and authority. In both occurrences, the reference is being made to “nations” rather than “individuals”. In this Exodus context, Moses is asking for God’s presence to bless the nation of Israel as they move forward. The Lord graciously affirms that He will go before them, that His presence will guard and protect them and be with them. This is the gracious compassion of which the Lord is speaking. Later, in Romans, the same argument for God’s sovereignty is made: He chose Jacob (the nation of Israel), but rejected Esau (the nation of Edom). More digging shows that this rejection of Edom comes on the heels of their own choice to dishonor and disrespect Yahweh as the One True God. (Malachi 1:1-3)The Lord alone has authority to be gracious and compassionate to whomever He chooses, but He is not random nor reckless nor un-just.
3) Why can’t humans see God’s face?
God is completely perfect, radiant, and brighter than the sun! Our imperfect eyes cannot even look into the sun without being blinded. If we were to look into the face of God, not only would we be blind, but our entire imperfect being would be destroyed. God is holy, a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28-29), and mere mortals are unholy sinful creatures. To see God from behind means we can only see where God has passed by. We can only know Him by what He does and how He acts (Life Application Study Bible note).”
Everyday Application
1) Why did Moses want to see God’s glory?
Sometimes when I write an email I wonder if the recipient will understand my true meaning, since they can’t read my facial expression or body language. Have you ever known anyone to have a successful pen pal for any length of time without the two correspondents meeting face-to-face? In every relationship, there is a yearning to be present with the other person. My relationship with my Savior is the most important – it is what gives me life, strength, comfort, and grace for each moment. I yearn to be with Him and I long for Jesus’ return! Why? I want to see His glory. I want to be face-to-face with the One who is with me at all times. I want to be overwhelmed by the love in His eyes for me. I want to experience His presence even more fully than I can while I’m here on earth with this sin-barrier between us. Oh, dear ones, how sweet it will be!
2) What is meant by: “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
There was a time in my life when I was experiencing a lot of loss. In a span of four years I got divorced, lost my mom, and went bankrupt. As a means of self-medicating, I began drinking a bit. One night I was driving home in snowy conditions at 2am. I was the only car on the road and I remember feeling sleepy. Then someone yelled my name! I was headed off the shoulder toward a creek! God, in his grace, saved my life that night. I take no credit for waking myself. Whether large scale or small, it is God alone who gives grace, compassion, and mercy.
As followers of Christ, we look to Him to lead us and guide us (Psalm 25:5; 31:3), just as Moses looked to Yahweh to lead and guide the nation of Israel. In our prayers, we may ask – we should ask for Christ to guide our national and world leaders as they make decisions that affect all humankind. The wonder of it is that Jesus is mighty and all-powerful and can simultaneously guide the nations, the leaders, and us as individual daughters of the King. There is no limit to His grace!
3) Why can’t humans see God’s face?
Adam and Eve had fellowship with God in its most intimate form…He walked with them (Genesis 3:8). But when they sinned, they hid and intimacy was deeply broken. God could no longer have that sweet fellowship with them because they were no longer perfect and blameless. This is where we find ourselves, Sisters, longing for intimacy with our Lord, but blocked by sin. Like Adam and Eve, we will not be able to look God in the face until we fully glorified in Heaven. Until then, we see Him by faith (1 Peter 1:8), knowing He loves each of us – you and me – and longs for us to gaze on Him full of wonder at His majesty and glory.
What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with Returning To Wonder!
Digging Deeper is for Everyone!
1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!
Digging Deeper Community
Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
Join us in the GT Facebook Community!
Our Current Study Theme!
This is Worship III Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion!
Sign up to receive every GT Journey Study!
Why Dig Deeper?
Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.
In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!
Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.
Study Tools
We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.
Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!
Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))
Memorize It!
Download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!
Tap and hold on your mobile device to save.
Brought me to tears. Reading this brought me into the moment. Beautifully written.
Thank you for sharing your experience as you encountered the Lord today, Shirley! He is a precious Savior!