God is Good
In order to follow after Jesus as disciples of Christ, we must know wholeheartedly whether the God we are following is good. No one wants to follow those who are unjust, unpredictable and violent even if it is a god. Knowledge of the personality of God is therefore important. When we have a clear understanding of God's nature we can accept His Word and ways as only being for our benefit.
Almighty God is full of love, goodness, grace and glory. Moses shares this while leading the Israelites to the Promised Land. In the story of Exodus, Moses was appointed by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into Canaan. We remember how God parts the Red Sea and the people escape pursuit by the Egyptians. Soon after while they are camping in the wilderness, God calls Moses up Mount Sinai to speak with Him. It was at this time while on the mountain God gives Moses instructions and the Ten Commandments.
Moses is on the mountain for forty days, and while away from camp the people become disgruntled and impatient. Left to their own devices the tribes ask Aaron, who is second in command, to make gods for them to follow. Aaron obliges and collects gold from the people, fashions a molten calf and builds an altar. The people reject Almighty God Who delivered them from Egypt and now profess and celebrate their new golden-calf god as the one who brought them out of Egypt!
Moses when returning to the camp with the Ten Commandments finds the people singing and dancing to their new god. Being infuriated over the people’s rejection of God, Moses destroys their idol calf while giving the people an ultimatum. Moses calls for all those who are on the Lord’s side to come stand with him. Those that did not come stand were slain because they were not intent on following God.
Moses Intercedes for the People
Soon Moses returns to the mountain to intercede and make atonement to God for the sin of the people. God tells Moses the people are obstinate and He will not lead them to the Promised Land instead He will have an Angel guide them. Moses is disheartened with this news telling God if He does not go with the people, then he himself will journey no further. He reminds God the Egyptians will eventually learn about His abandoning of the Israelites in the desert and it will appear to the Egyptians God drew His people out to the desert to destroy them. Moses pleads with God saying,
"You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people" (Exodus 33:12-13).
In essence Moses asks God to take the rebellious people back, let His Presence be known, and lead them to the promised destination. The truth on the matter is that God cannot lead obstinate complaining people. When people are stubborn, complain and intent on being disobedient God cannot work. They are like unruly children. He won't impose His ways because He lovingly gave mankind a free will so each person can ultimately choose. Through Moses’ intercession for the people, we see God concedes allowing Moses to move back into the camp to lead the nation. Moses responds to God by saying,
"Now therefore, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You [progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, perceiving and recognizing and understanding more strongly and clearly] and that I may find favor in Your sight. And [Lord, do] consider that this nation is Your people" (Exodus 33:13 AMP) (my highlights).
Moses' motivation for God to accompany the Jews is something far different than what we may expect. Moses requests God to lead them so he may become progressively, "more deeply and intimately acquainted" with God and His ways. Moses’ incentive for God accompanying the people is so he may perceive, recognize and understand God more clearly and strongly. Amazingly, Moses wants God to direct the people so he can know God better!
How does anyone get to know someone well? What does it take to really understand someone? Who they are? How they operate? The answer is ─ by spending time with them. The more time we spend, the more we learn about the other person. Over time we’ll learn how they think, their ways, what makes them happy or sad, what they value, and how they react to things. It’s the same with God. If you want to have an intimate relationship with the Lord, spend time with Him. As with anyone, the more time we spend, the more we will learn and our relationship will grow and deepen.
Moses was hungry to know God and to be in an intimate relationship. God is deeply moved and recognizes Moses as a man who has His own interests at heart. Because Moses found favor in God's sight, God tells Moses He will do what he asked and lead the people. In Exodus 33:14 God says, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest....I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”
What Is the Glory of God
Moses knowing God will personally lead him and the Israelite nation into the Promised Land now bravely asks God for one further request. Moses asks God to show him His glory. We all know God is full of glory. What exactly is God’s glory? God’s glory is His essence, it is His nature. Moses asks God for this one last thing.
"And he said, I beseech thee, show 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" (Exodus 33:18).
God’s glory is His might, power, grace, holiness, love, omnipotence, and much more – everything that is God. God grants Moses his request and tells Moses he has found favor in His sight and will show him His glory ─ all of His goodness. Because no man can look on the face of God and live, God hides Moses in a crack in a rock and shields him with His hand while His glory passes by. Moses only sees God’s back as He passes by.
But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live. And the Lord said, “Here is a place by Me, and you shall stand on the rock. So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen" (Exodus 33:20-23).
There are twelve Hebrew words that define God’s glory. One of those definitions sums up the word as meaning “everything that is good.” God is everything that is good. God doesn’t have a mean, bad streak in Him. God's glory is His goodness. When Moses asked to see His glory, God showed Moses His glory which was His goodness. God’s glory is all God is, wrapped up in one big package of goodness. The Bible says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). If God is love, it follows He is full of goodness.
There are scriptures in the Bible which make reference to the “glory of God,” implying the presence and goodness of God as manifested in some fashion to man. Men would give “glory to God” when Jesus healed or there was some other miracle of God’s power and goodness. God’s dealings with Moses and the Israelites indicate God’s goodness prevailed, because Moses found grace in God’s sight. Eventually God’s goodness brought the Hebrew people into their Promised Land.
When you understand God is inherently good, it's easy to grasp that as His child, you are the beneficiary of His love, grace, kindness, faithfulness and everything else within His glory. Almighty God is a good God to follow and only desires good for you!