Exodus 33:18-20
Welcome, we’re so glad you joined us for this study in Exodus. We are nearing the end of Exodus and now we are looking at a time when Moses was with God on Mt Sinai. This story is amazing and there is much we can learn from Moses’ interaction with God. Our lesson title is “The Cry of the Soul.” This is pointing to the God-shaped hole in each of us. Since God created us, all people have a desire to connect with Him. This desire is seen in every age, every gender, and in every culture. It is the cry of every soul and today we are going to think about this together.
In Exodus, Moses saw God, and many of us long for this, I do. I hope that soon we can all see Him together. But we haven’t yet, for now, God has us here. We are on earth where sin has corrupted many things. The consequences of the fall are everywhere. Like Romans says all “creation groans.” We are a long way from the perfection that was in the Garden of Eden and that God made us for. I don’t think we realize how much our lives have been impacted by living under the curse of sin for 6000 years. We have become used to it because this is all we know. Now and then though, we get glimpses of glory, sin has not ruined everything, but it seems like it has touched an awful lot.
We are confident Jesus will come back and reverse the curse. We are looking forward to the glory that is coming, however, till then many times we agree with Paul in I Cor. 13. In verse 12 he makes this interesting claim. He says, “Now we see through a glass darkly.” I understand this is like trying to see your reflection in a water puddle. You can see yourself, but barely. When you try to look closely at something, you can’t make it out. However, the shape and the big things you can see. It seems Paul had some questions and wished to know more. He didn’t know everything like he wished he did because he was “seeing through a glass darkly.” I don’t know about you, but often I feel the same way. I wish I knew more. I wish I could see clearly.
Paul goes on by saying, “But then face to face… I shall know even as also I am known.” Imagine going from looking at a reflection of yourself in a puddle to seeing face to face. This is way better and clearer, every detail is right in front of you. Those small things you couldn’t see become crystal clear. Similarly, I believe many of our questions will be answered. Those things which we don’t understand will become clear.
Now think about the next phrase, “I shall know as I am known.” How well are you known? Jesus says God knows the number of hairs on our heads. He knows everything about us. Now imagine that we know that much! You will know as much as you are known, and we know God knows us completely. This hasn’t happened yet, that day is coming. We long for that time when all the consequences and corruption of sin will be wiped out. Just that change will make things much better. However, till that happens we are limited we see through a glass darkly. Listen, we have enough clarity to know the life we must live, we won’t make excuses. And we get glimpses of the glory, and we see enough to keep us going.
In Exodus 33 Moses got a glimpse of the glory of God. We also can get glimpses as we look at this story, it may not be as clear as what Moses saw, and we know it’s no comparison to what is coming. But be encouraged God is real and the cry of our souls is answered best when we turn to Him.
If you can, turn to Exodus 33 for the rest of today’s lesson. Follow along with Bible teacher J Mark Horst as he shares several discoveries that answer the cry of the soul.
Deep in the spirit of every man and woman is the cry to know God. I’m sure of that. How can I be so sure? Because God created us. He made us to have fellowship with Him. The famous Bishop of Hippo, Augustine, many years ago said, “I am restless until I find my rest in Thee!” He was speaking to God.
The reason there are so many restless people in the world is that they have not found their rest in the LORD. They are constantly grasping, moving, searching, and longing for something better. THE CRY OF THE SOUL is there but they have not found the answer. They do not know where to turn for peace and rest. They question whether there is any meaning or purpose for their existence. To many, life seems pointless.
Many have not learned where to find rest. You may be among them. Have you found your place of rest? If not, I trust you will open your heart to this message so that you can find rest. The answer to the cry of your soul is found in Exodus 33:18-23.
18. And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
19. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.
20. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22. And it shall come to pass, while my glory passes by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23. And I will take away my hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
In Moses’ cry, we make several DISCOVERIES that lead us to the answer to the cry of the soul.
The First DISCOVERY is,
Moses’ Wish
The cry of Moses’ soul expressed itself in this wish: I want to see God’s glory. “Show me,” your glory” he said. God said “I will show you, my goodness. I will show you, my grace. I will show you, my mercy.” God answered this way: “I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.”
Wasn’t God good to Moses? God was saying I hear the cry of your soul. I will meet your wish. I will show you my goodness, my grace, and my mercy.
I wish, somehow, I could get this across to you that the cry of your soul is much like Moses’ cry. I’m sure you feel Moses’ wish, “Oh, to see God!” We will learn the answer as we cultivate an awareness to see the goodness, grace, and mercy of God all around us.
The Second DISCOVERY is,
God’s Wisdom.
The LORD said to Moses, “You cannot see my face.” Here is a truth we should always remember. God in His wisdom does not grant every wish that we desire. Our wishes may need to be modified as it was with Moses because not every wish is a good wish.
From the cry of our hearts, we may express it, but we must remember that His wisdom is better. God answers us in wisdom which may not be according to our wish. God’s wisdom is much better. Because, you see, if God had granted Moses his wish Moses could not have lived. The LORD had said, “There shall no man see me and live.” That is why I tell you God’s wisdom must be our desire above our wishes. Not every wish would be good for us to have.
So, we must remember that God’s wisdom is better than our wishes. I thank the LORD that He understood Moses’ heart cry, the cry of his soul. Had God given him his wish, Moses would not have lived. He could not see the face of God and live. I thank the LORD for His wisdom in dealing in this way with Moses.
The Third DISCOVERY is,
God’s Will
The LORD said, “There is a place here by me.” Oh, that is beautiful! “Behold, there is a place by me, and you shall stand upon a rock.” I hope that you get the real significance of this. God brought Moses right up beside Him, “close by me.” He said, “There is a hiding place here. When my glory passes by, I will put you in the cleft of the rock and I will cover you with my hand and then I will pass by.” A cleft is a narrow crack or a fissure, an opening in the rock. I imagine it was just wide enough for Moses to fit into.
How precious this is. How gracious is the LORD that He would find that place by His side and put Moses safely there while His glory passed by? That way, Moses would not need to die, but he could have fellowship with the LORD.
It answered the cry of his soul and God was so gracious in this possible for Moses. Moses was informed then by the LORD that after His glory had passed by God would take away His hand and he would be able to see God’s back but His face, God said, shall not be seen. It was God’s will for Moses.
God’s will must be our real desire, and we can experience that place by His side. Oh yes, praise the LORD! Isn’t it wonderful that God’s will can be expressed so clearly? He does have a place by His side for you and me. Yes!
The cry of the soul then expresses the wish and accepts God’s wisdom and submits to God’s will. When we cry like Moses cried then we can truly know God. God is real.
He wants to be real to you, just as real as He was to Moses there when he stood beside the LORD and was hidden away in that cleft of the rock. Wouldn’t you like to know God like that? You can, through His Word and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanks, J Mark for sharing this with us. We look forward to the time when God will be as real to us as he was here to Moses, or even better, when we will be where Moses is now, with God seeing Him face to face. Till then grow in your love for God, spend time with Him, invest in His people, and serve Him with all you have where you are.
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We hope you will join us next week and as you go think about James 4:8 which says, “Draw nigh to God.” It is followed by the promise “and He will draw nigh to you.” With today’s lesson in mind, this is comforting, this is where our cry is answered.
*This episode is an exposition by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.