Dare to Ask for Glory!
And he said, “Please, show me Your glory” (Exodus 33:18).
Charles Haddon Spurgeon, an English Baptist pastor and perhaps the most famous preacher of the 19th century, said this was the greatest prayer a person has ever prayed.
It is not for me to judge whether Spurgeon’s opinion is right or wrong or whether Jesus’ prayers were greater or not. But it shows me that Spurgeon knew something about the glory of God that moved him to make this statement. Had he had a personal encounter with the glory of God, or had intensive Bible study led him to his conviction? I don’t know, but Moses’ prayer was surely one of the most inspired and innovative requests a person ever made to God. But when we look at the choice of words, the request of Moses seems to be less a request and more a heartfelt plea.
Why was Moses’ request so amazing? At first sight, the words do not seem very weighty, as in many Christian circles today there is much and frequent talk about glory. But in Moses’ case it is not the words that we read—it is the whole background to his pleading that makes it so amazing.
Only seven verses before this famous event we read about God’s relationship with Moses.
So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11).
Here is a man, a friend of God, who knows God to be on his side and is speaking face to face with the Creator of heaven and earth, with the most glorious, almighty, and perfect being from whom nothing is hidden and who cannot be surprised by anything, because He is omniscient and our hearts are like an open book before Him. He looked into the eyes of God, he hung on every word of the Almighty, he absorbed the goodness and holiness of the Perfect One, and he was moved by the righteousness of the Creator of all things.
In spite of all these experiences, in spite of this amazing relationship, and in spite of these desirable experiences, an unquenchable desire had developed in the heart of Moses—he wanted more!
Isn’t it already glorious to speak with God face to face? Oh, there’s no question about it—of course it is! Isn’t it glory when we are allowed to see God and to communicate with Him? No question— yes, it is! All the miracles Moses was allowed to witness—aren’t they all the glory of God? There cannot be any other understanding of this: Yes, that is the glory of God!
But how, after all these experiences, could Moses beg God to please show him His glory? Was all that not enough already? That’s the point. No, it wasn’t enough for him! He was not content with what he knew, what he had experienced, and what he could testify to. He did not harden his heart before God, and thus every experience only produced more hunger, thirst, and desire. No matter how glorious the glory that he experienced, Moses did not want to stop there. He wanted more because God still has more! He was not satisfied with the past and present encounters. He wanted to penetrate still deeper into God, even at the risk that it might cost him his life.
“Moses did not harden his heart before God, and thus every experience only produced more hunger, thirst, and desire.”
Walking in God’s Ways
Verses 11 to 18 of Exodus 33 reveal so much about Moses. In verse 11, we catch a glimpse of Moses’ wonderful relationship with God. Verse 18 gives us insights into Moses’ hunger and unquenchable longing to see more of God. But it is probably the statement we read in verse 13 that is most impressive, for it reveals Moses’ heart and attitude.
Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way (Exodus 33:13).
Before Moses asked for more glory, he wanted to know God’s ways. This is what is really fascinating. Experiencing the greatness and glory of God and seeing God face to face did not awaken any selfish motives, desires, inclinations, or longing in Moses. It created selflessness. He didn’t want his own will; he wanted God’s will. He wasn’t looking for his own ways; he was looking for God’s ways. He wasn’t interested in his own wishes, but God’s wishes. He subordinated his plans and opinions to the plans of God.
This is the attitude that will make you thirsty for more of God and that enables us to strive for any level of glory at all, for which it is worth giving up everything and for which so many heroes of faith were willing to sacrifice their lives.
Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3).
What a statement about Moses! He could have simply enjoyed a luxurious life in the house of Pharaoh, not having to give a thought to the people of Israel as long as everything went well for him. Instead, he did not let the fire inside him die. At the beginning, he did not know how to deal with it, and out of human sympathy he lost his composure and killed an Egyptian overseer. Forty years later he was in exile, but now God had someone He could use, because Moses had caught fire and was moved—he allowed himself to be moved.
Glory is Measurable
When people experience the glory of God in such a deep way, it will not go unnoticed. I am convinced that it is possible to assess how much glory people have experienced. It is measurable by means of our character; in Moses it was measurable—he was the humblest man in the whole world.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18).
When you look at glory, you are automatically transformed, you no longer remain the same—and you no longer want to be the same. The more glory, the more we will become like our King Jesus.
“How much glory we have experienced is measured by our character and whether it has become more like Jesus.”
The measure of glory that we have experienced and seen is shown by whether we love more and resent less, forgive more and condemn less, are more generous and act less selfishly, develop more trust and are guided less by fear, and accept more and accuse less. How much glory we have experienced is measured by our character and whether it has become more like Jesus.
With the glory of God, your life and your faith will change. Jesus is no longer your religion; He will become your friend. We will no longer use God as our stooge; He will become our Lord. Our relationship to Jesus will no longer be through an icon or a saintly image, but through the Word of God as He becomes our example. Jesus is then no longer just a part, but really everything in our lives.
In God’s presence there are dimensions or levels of the glory of God. I unpack these biblical levels of glory in my book, 10 Levels of Glory. Not everyone will be willing to pursue them, but for those who choose to do so, their reward and place in heaven will be of immeasurable value and renown. Perhaps the earth will disregard their value, disparage them, or even denigrate them, but heaven, eternity, even God Himself will prepare a place for them, a robe, a victor’s wreath, and renown, for which all others will wish they had given their lives as well.
This presence and these realms of glory are not reserved only for a chosen elite but are for everyone who is willing to give up everything else for it.
Are you ready? Is that the kind of person you want to be? Then get ready and take hold of it and dare to ask for glory!