Seeing the Lord

Seeing the Lord



It appears that Moses' spiritual life isn't recorded prior to the event with the burning bush on Mount Horeb recorded in Exodus 3. The Lord supernaturally caused this bush to burn without it being consumed. It is interesting that after the Lord revealed himself verbally to Moses he was afraid to look at the Lord. Exodus 3:6 records God as saying "I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Issac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God."

We know that no man ever has or ever will behold the full glory of God while in the flesh. John 1:18 says "No man hath seen God at any time". Moses knew that he could not look on God and survive. It is very likely that Moses' relationship with God was quite minimal at that time and that he had not spent much time communing with God or even at all. As you read Exodus 3 and 4 you see instances of serious doubt in Moses' mind. He even asks the Lord in Exodus 3:13 "Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?" He wasn't even sure what to call God. God answers him with simply but powerfully with "I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."

It is intriguing to see that later in Moses' life, after he has seen the Lord work many mighty deeds, that he asks God in Exodus 33:18 "I beseech thee, shew me thy glory." Now he has come to the place where he knows God. He has a personal relationship with Him. God has told Moses that "I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight." It isn't that Moses is cocky now. No, he now appreciates God for who He is and craves His glory. We know that God grants him his request but protects him by only allowing him to see as much as his frail human body could handle by only showing him His hinder parts and by shielding him with His hand.

As we are in a different dispensation we don't expect God to deal with us the same way He did with Moses and the other patriarchs. We can, however, view God with our spiritual eyes. As we grow closer to the Lord we should desire to "see" his attributes more and more, and we won't fear what we will "see". II Corinthians 3:18 says "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." The previous verses in this passage speak of the vail that Moses had to put over his face after seeing the glory of God because the children of Israel were not able to look on him. Their eyes were (and still are) blinded, but we can look with "open face" upon His glory. Our lives will be so enriched when we view God as He really is, as we look for His goodness, His faithfulness, His Holiness, His longsuffering, His tenderness and many more such attributes. Take steps in your daily lives to behold the "glory of the Lord."

Minister Medic

Clean hands

Here is a devotional from Pastor Paul Chappel that I really liked and thought I would pass on. Too many people like to get too close to sin and think they will be okay.

CLEAN HANDS

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.”

2 Corinthians 6:17

One of Susannah Wesley’s daughters came to her one day wishing to do something which was not altogether bad but which was not right. When she told her daughter not to do it, her daughter was not convinced.

It was late and Susannah and her daughter were sitting beside a dead fire. Her mother said to her, “Pick up that bit of coal.” “I don’t want to,” said the girl. “Go on,” said her mother. “The fire is out, it won’t burn you.” “I know that,” said the girl. “I know it won’t burn me, but it will blacken my hands.” “Exactly,” said Susannah Wesley. “That thing which you wish to do won’t burn, but it will blacken. Leave it alone.”

The Bible tells us not to even touch the unclean thing. Even if we do not think it is so terribly wrong, we must understand that it will blacken our hands.

God wants us to live pure and holy lives. Is there something that is blackening your life? Give it to God and let Him cleanse you. If we wish for revival to come, we must each examine our own lives and make sure we are right with God.

Paul Chappel