Moses had asked the Lord to show him the way he was to lead the people through the trackless wilderness. It was going to be a difficult journey and the people were wayward too, even though they were the people of God. What a blessedly assuring answer the Lord gave to Moses. He said, “My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest” (ch. 33:14). How can any of us go through the “wilderness” of this dark world, with all its trials, snares, and pitfalls, unless we have these two things for our portion? We need the sense of His presence in our souls day by day, and the enjoyment of His rest (both of conscience and heart) in every circumstance. Then at the end we shall enter into our promised land, the glory above. Oh, what a blessed portion is ours!
God’s Glory
Moses then asked to see God’s glory. God had talked with him face to face, but Moses wanted to see the fullness of that glory. This could not be granted. He could, however, see God’s “back parts” after God had passed by. The glory of God did not, and could not, shine out until after redemption had been accomplished, and so Moses must stand in the cleft of the rock where God covered him with His hand until after all His glory had passed by — then he could see His back parts. Oh, how good to know that all the claims of God’s holiness have been fully met at the cross. Moses’s place as looking back is in one sense typical of ours. We can look back upon the work of redemption, see God’s glory fully maintained there, and rejoice. No man can see God in His full Godhead glory (1 Timothy 6:16), but all that the creature can behold shines in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). Can you say that you are cleansed in the precious blood of Christ and fit for that glory? If so, look up and behold it now by faith (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Trust His Love
Perhaps we could learn a little lesson from this place where Moses stood in the cleft of the rock, which would be a cheer to us in times of trial. We may not always understand God’s way in all the sorrows that He passes us through, but in it all we are safe in His hand, and the “afterward” of each trial He passes us through is blessed indeed. Whether young or old, let us always trust His loving hand, for He will never send a trial or sorrow except for our good. Even though we may not see His purpose in it at the time, it is His hand that is covering our view, and the “rock” is under us until it is past. And then what a sight awaits us — His glory — Himself!
Moses had broken the first tables of stone on which the ten commandments were written, for, as we have remarked before, if he had brought them into the camp it would have meant judgment upon all there. If God had dealt with the people according to pure law, He would have had to cut them off one and all; but Moses took the place of a mediator. He stood between God and the guilty people and asked for mercy. How beautifully this brings before us the Lord Jesus, the Sent One of the Father, who stood between us and the judgment and did what Moses could never do—He bore all the judgment in order to set us free. Moses could not make an atonement for the people, but the Lord Jesus has fully met all the holy claims of God against sin. Now we can be brought into the presence of God without fear.
Further Meditation
1. Why should we trust God’s love?
2. What is “glory” and in what ways do we see God’s glory?
3. One way to appreciate a bit more of God’s glory would be to read The Personal Glory of Christ: An Exposition of Colossians 1:14-23 by W. Kelly. It won’t be as simple reading as this book, but it will be definitely worth your time.