Worship

As we move on to the following part of the narrative in Exodus 33, we see the response of Moses and Israelites who have indeed obtained, by mercy,  the favour of the Lord once again. God’s presence will once again go with them and define them as a people. Perhaps one of the most intriguing phrases in the Pentateuch is what Moses asks of God at this juncture: “Please, show me your glory” (Ex 33:18). 

One of the reasons why it is an intriguing request from Moses is because it might not be our own initial natural response to what just contextually transpired. Moses pleaded for the people, God showed mercy and promised His presence and favour to be restored. For many, the first response would be a huge sigh of relief that the outpouring of God’s wrath in utter destruction was averted. Surely, a word of thanksgiving and praise would follow that sigh of relief. But in response to an amazing display of God’s mercy, what Moses asks is to be shown more of God’s glory.  A seemingly odd response indeed. 

“Show Me Your Glory”: To Receive Greater Measures of Mercy

I think one of the explanations for Moses’ response lies in understanding the way Moses views what is “worthy” to be considered “glorious.” It seems from this passage, that to Moses, it is a glorious thing to be forgiven and redeemed and the One who is able to do the forgiving and redeeming ought to receive the glory. Following this line of reasoning, when Moses asks to be shown (more of) God’s glory, he is asking to experience God’s mercy and grace in greater and greater depths. 

To this request, God responds: “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (Ex: 33:19). In other words, God is glorious because He has full sovereignty over whom He judges and whom He pardons; God and God alone is glorious and worthy of the title and roles of both Judge and Redeemer. Would it be, that when our hearts revive and experience His presence afresh, that we also do not simply stop at feeling relieved of averted judgement or only merely arrive at being thankful. May we respond like Moses and ask God to glorify Himself and to draw us into a deeper relationship with Him. The revivalist heart does not only settle for forgiveness; it desires intimacy with the forgiver.

“Show Me Your Glory”: To Receive Deeper Revelations of God 

Some commentators wonder if Moses’ utterance of these words was akin to Peter’s response when witnessing the Transfiguration of Jesus. Upon seeing Jesus shining in glory talking with Moses and Elijah, Peter rashly declares that he should make “three tents” for each of them. By doing so, Peter puts Jesus on the same level of glory as them when in fact, Jesus was the fulfilment of Moses (the law) and Elijah (the prophets). God’s response to Peter’s idea set him straight. With a voice coming out of the cloud, God told Peter that Jesus was not equal to either Moses or Elijah. God revealed that Jesus was His own beloved Son who was deserving of complete submission and obedience (Matthew 17). Could it be that Moses, like Peter, was stating something without understanding of the ramifications of his statement?

In a way, it is possible that Moses, in response to God’s great display of glory, uttered “show me your glory” without fully understanding the ramifications of his request. And yet, I think, even if this was a gut response from him, that that would be quite alright. It seems that Moses’ experience of God’s glorious mercy only whet his appetite for more of God’s presence. Therefore, the only appropriate response was to ask for more of God’s glorious presence to be manifested. In the end, it doesn’t matter how God wants to show us His glory – that is God’s prerogative. This too, is the revivalist heart on display: to desire God’s presence no matter which way God will choose to reveal it. Be it in the quiet moments or in His glorious creation, by His nearness and comfort in our suffering or by miracles of healing; the one who has truly tasted His favour simply desires more of Him. 

The Heart of Worship is Increasing Desire to Experience God’s Glory

Moses’ bold request of God to “show me your glory” is, at its heart, an act of worship. Worship has everything to do with the heart’s desires and what the heart treasures. Everyone has desires and treasures something and thus everyone is a worshipper. If a heart desires and treasures wealth, then that person is a worshipper of money. For anyone who has been spiritually restored and who has experienced God’s presence, the cry for more of God’s glorious presence is an expression of worship. That person has set their heart to desire and treasure the fellowship of the Lord above all else. This is why to ask God to “show me your glory” is both the beginning and the ending place of spiritual revival. God’s glory revealed in holiness shows us our sinfulness. God’s glory revealed in mercy shows us His kindness. His kindness transforms us and our hearts’ desires in worship and we cry out for more of Him and for Him to be glorified. 

As it stands, the Israelites also responded in worship. In Exodus 35, the Israelites, having experienced God’s mercy, responded by giving of their earthly treasures to the building of God’s tabernacle. Summing up the heart’s response of the people, Exodus 35 says, “everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, brought the LORD’s contribution … all who were of willing heart brought … an offering of gold to the LORD.” In fact, the response of the people was so great that in Exodus 36, the craftsmen constructing the tabernacle remarked that they had excess and declined any further contributions. Indeed, what an amazing act of worship in response to being spiritually restored! Evidently, the people’s response was acceptable to God as in Exodus 40, with the completion of the tabernacle, God’s glory finally descended and God’s presence dwelled among the once rebellious, then redeemed and now worshipping people that He once again now called His own. 

Renewal

As much as I would love to end on this positive note – the Israelites, a revived people and freely worshipping God – we must remember the true and sobering narrative of this generation of Israelites. Save Joshua and Caleb, these very same Israelites, despite experiencing spiritual revival, failed to enter the promised land. Psalm 78 tells the story of these people having had wonder after wonder done for them but continued to rouse God’s anger because of their unbelief. 

This reality reminds us that we are not to assume upon past experiences of God’s presence and favour to keep us spiritually alive and engaged today. In other words, the process of intercession, confession, repentance, waiting, restoration and worship is not a singular event. As long as there is indwelling sin, there will be ongoing, renewed need for all of the parts of the process. It is more accurate to say that the above process is a cycle, spiralling deeper into the depths of God and the heart of man. For as we are shown more of God’s glory, we are more aware of our sin and the need for ongoing revival by His mercy. Tasting that mercy again and again drives deeper heart transformation and strengthens our desire for fellowship with God. Out of that fellowship, we serve and worship Him with cheerfulness and thanksgiving and glorify Him with our lives. As above, asking again and again for God to “show me your glory” is not only the beginning but also the end. The revivalist heart will ask this of Him with daily renewed passion and fervour until finally our faith becomes sight. 

Renewal for Greater Intimacy

One reason why God brings us through repetitive cycles of working through our sin, confession and being restored unto Him is because He desires to reveal Himself to us more with each cycle of renewal. We can see this dynamic happen in our human relationships. For example, when there is conflict between two people and the conflict is resolved by confession of sin and a show of grace, the result is a deeper understanding of one another and building of trust. Through resolving conflict, one comes to understand another’s character and perspectives more thoroughly. And so it is in our relationship with God. Renewal in relationship leads us to greater depths of fellowship with God because we are led into a deeper understanding of God’s character and His heart. In fact, we see this very dynamic of renewal and greater relational intimacy with God exemplified in this story. 

Before the beginning of Exodus, the Israelite people had not been visited by God for four hundred years for which much of it they had spent in slavery and service to the ‘god’ known as Pharaoh. And then, at the start of the story, God only revealed himself as “Yahweh” (the LORD), first to Moses and then to the Israelites. All through the next thirty-three chapters of Exodus, though they know God’s name, He still seemed somewhat impersonal to them as they only knew Him as “I am who I am”. If someone identified themself to you as such, you wouldn’t likely know much about their character or preferences. Point and case, when Moses confronted Pharaoh to release the Israelites to worship Yahweh, Pharaoh responded, “Who is Yahweh, that I should obey his voice? … I do not know Yahweh” (Ex 5:2). Pharaoh’s response demonstrated that he thought God to be like any other deity and certainly no one special that he ought to obey. So, from that point forward, God began to put more weight behind His name by working powerful plagues leading finally to the exodus out of Egypt. 

Still, the Israelite people knew little about God and His ways other than His name. This was so much so, that when Moses was atop Mount Sinai receiving the ten commandments, the people became impatient and crafted the golden calves to worship. Aaron said of the calves, “these are your gods … who brought you up out of the land of Egypt” and then shortly after proclaimed that the next day would be a “feast unto Yahweh” (Ex: 32:4-5). If they knew God, they would have known that such syncretism (the pairing of the golden calves with a feast unto Yahweh) would immediately draw the wrath of God. This showed us the extent to which the people truly knew and understood of their God by the name He revealed. 

And then finally, after they go through the events as above and are spiritually renewed, God reveals more about His name such that they would not only know of Him but know Him. To Moses’ request of God to “show me your glory,” God reveals Himself as: “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation” (Ex 34:6-7). 

Ah, now they finally know not only God’s name but His character and His ways associated with that name. It took a full cycle of spiritual renewal for them to know God more intimately. From here on out, when they called upon the name of Yahweh, they would not be crying out to any other deity. From that day on, they knew the weight of glory associated with the name of Yahweh. Additionally, it is only after the Israeltes underwent a restoration process that the tabernacle was eventually erected and God’s very presence dwelt among them. His glory, in the pillar of cloud or fire, would always go before or behind them but not within their midst. But a cycle of spiritual renewal had brought them to a deeper level of fellowship with God. 

Renewal for Spiritual Formation (Holiness)

Another reason for God to work through a renewal process with us, is because our Lord calls us to holiness and the only way to increase in this measure is to be renewed in relationship with Jesus on a daily basis. While Israel had the same call from God, they had no way to actually fulfil that call in reality. As it pertains to this call to be holy, we must consider the significant advantages we have in Christ over what they were given in Moses. 

The Israelites only had the law and temporary revelations of God’s glory to them through the shining face of Moses. Exodus 34:29-35 explains that Moses would unveil his face and commune with God and then deliver God’s commands to the people. After he came out of the tent of meeting, his unveiled face would continue to shine but after delivering the commands of God, he would veil his face again. While this seems an odd practice, Paul explains to us in 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 that Moses did this so that the people would not see that the glory, represented by the shining, was being brought to an end. All the Israelites had were temporary revelations of fading glory covered behind Moses’ veil and so Paul says that their hearts also remained veiled so long as they remained submitted to the Old Covenant (Mosaic law).

However, for those who have turned to the Lord and are in Christ, Paul says the veil is lifted. Christians are partakers of the New Covenant which was ratified by Jesus’ own blood. Indeed, only is it through Jesus’ death that the temple curtain to the Holy of Holies was torn and access to God was forever opened for all who are in Christ. Regarding this access, we can now, with even more boldness than Moses, ask God to, “Show me your glory.” When we ask this, Paul describes what happens next: “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor 3:18a). To be “transformed into God’s image from one degree of glory to another” means to become more and more like Jesus – to become more and more holy. Furthermore, as partakers in the New Covenant, we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts. When we give the Holy Spirit full reign, our lives naturally become more holy.

The call to be holy like God was a sure impossibility for the Israelites.  But those who are in Christ are given an ongoing unveiled experience of God’s glory which drives spiritual renewal and forms the image of Jesus in our lives. It is the beholding of His glory that begets becoming holy.  

Conclusion

To conclude, I want to remind us of what great privilege it is to be members of Christ under His new covenant. It is not enough to only acknowledge our access to God the Father through Jesus. Sadly, many of us act as the Israelites who tasted  His glory over and over again and yet had their hearts remained hardened and unsubmitted to Him (1 Cor 3:12-14). We must day by day step into the Holy of Holies that was opened to us, to bask in His glory, to receive His mercy and love for us and to experience the pleasure of His presence. If we do so, we will be renewed and empowered on a daily basis to worship and glorify Him. If we are seeking spiritual revival in our own lives, in our church and in this world, we must make Moses’ request of God with even greater confidence and expectation:

“Lord, please show us Your glory!”

Reflection Questions: Part 3

How often do you ask God to “show me your glory?” What do you think He will reveal to you about Himself when you ask Him that?

Spend some time to recall the ways that God has already shown you His glory. Think particularly on instances of His outpouring of goodness, mercy, and grace upon your life. Now respond in worship and celebrate Him!

Does your heart desire to see more of God’s glory? If you do not currently desire this, what, in your life, is more glorious to you that you would so intently pursue it over God’s glory? 

The Israelites responded in worship, specifically in the way of giving of their material possessions. The way we often use our money shows us what we are worshipping. Are you financially generous towards God? Are you stewarding your money in God honouring ways (ie: tithing, generosity, benevolence)?

Do you have any practices in your life that drive cycles of spiritual renewal? (ie: personal retreats, devotional times, etc.). Discuss with others what their practices might look like and engage others for accountability. 

How are you doing with the call to be holy? Do you find yourself trying to generate it by the flesh and whiteknuckle your way through? Or are you being spiritually formed by being renewed day by day through communion with Jesus? 

Consider the significant advantages we are given in Christ to be able to daily come before the throne of grace. Pray and thank God for this!

Are you praying for spiritual revival in your life, the church and in the world around you? Are you asking for greater revelations of God’s glory, personally, corporately and missionally?