Show Us Your Glory
by: Pastor Donny Granberry
Exodus 33:14-18 NIV
The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?"
And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name."
Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory."
Moses was keenly aware of the need for the divine guidance of the Lord; therefore he said, “If your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”
You see, God had called Moses to a greater place.
He had called Moses up to Mt. Sinai to spend time with God.
Although God had already given him the assurance that His presence would go with him, Moses is asking God for a confirmation.
“Show me your Glory.”
Moses knew what it was like traveling without the presence of God.
He had spent 40 years on the backside of the desert working for his father-in-law.
There is no record of God’s presence with Moses during that time.
Moses’ destiny was not in Midian, but with the people of God.
I believe that there are far too many people tending sheep in the desert, when God has a wonderful purpose and destiny for you.
Tending the sheep cay pay the bills. It may afford you a living and a place, but God presence is in the place that He has for your life.
ILLUSTRATION
Those years that I was working in the plant were good.
I made a good living; me and my family did many wonderful things.
But something within me kept pulling at my heart.
I remembered the glory of the Lord in my life, until He tugged at my heart, reminding me what He had called me for.
Moses was no stranger to the Glory of God.
• God spoke to Him from a burning bush
• God reminded Him he was on Holy Ground
• God enabled him, through many miracles, to lead Israel out of Egypt.
• God led the people with a cloud by day. The cloud protected them from their enemies; it protected them from the heat of the desert sun, and gave them guidance.
• The fire by night lit the tent city and was a great illustration of God’s Glory.
Just as Israel was led by God’s Glory, the church must also learn to move when the cloud moves, and stand still when the cloud hovers over us.
What is meant by the Glory of God?
• (Ephesians 3:16) tells us the glory belongs to God
• (Ephesians 1:17) tells us God is the “Father of Glory.
• (1 Corinthians 2:8) says that Jesus is the Lord of Glory.
• Psalm 24: 7&8 reminds us that He is the King of Glory.
Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory?
The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.
A King has the power to redeem.
Jesus is called the King of Glory because He alone has the power to redeem us from our sins.
Glory belongs to God just as water belongs to the seas and ice and snow belong to the artic.
In the OT they called it the Shechinah glory of the Lord.
Shechinah – means the manifested glory.
They saw the shechinah cloud and fire of God lead them.
They saw the shechinah cloud as it filled the house of God as they dedicated the temple.
The glory is also described as a devouring fire.
• On top of Mt. Sinai as Moses was called out by God.
• Ezekiel saw the glory of God as the appearance of fire.
• Elijah prayed and the Glory of God fell from heaven as fire.
• The upper room, glory, cloven tongues of fire.
• I have seen the glory of God fill the temple as a cloud.
Synonyms used in the NT for the Glory of God are brightness, brilliance, majesty, and splendor.
We sing the song, “How Great is our God,” We sing the verse, the splendor of the King, wrapped in Royalty; He wraps Himself in light, How great is our God.
One day we will know Him in the fullness of His Glory, “For in his presence is fullness of Joy and at His right hand are pleasures evermore.
The time is coming when the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth.
Then shall the lame man leap as a deer.
The tongue of the dumb will sing praises to our God.
Waters will break out in the wilderness and streams in the desert.
The ransom of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion, and everlasting joy will be upon their heads.
They shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
Church, we have been praying for the anointing, for God to reveal Himself, and He is about to pour His glory out in this place.
THE MANIFESTATION OF HIS GLORY
The manifestation of His glory always produces praise.
• When the glory of the Lord filled the temple, the seraphim cried, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is filled with His glory.”
• When the glory of the Lord filled all the house where they were sitting on the Day of Pentecost, the people responded with praise, speaking wonderful works of God in unknown tongues.
• The song of the Seraphim was a beautiful song of adoration unto God, but we have a song that they cannot sing, the song of the redeemed.
GOD’S GLORY INTERRUPTS HUMAN PLANS
• When the temple was dedicated, the priests could not go in because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house.
• When the ark was brought into the temple, the priests could not stand to minister.
• In 1998 at the ministers and spouses retreat, no one could go to the pulpit.
• John the Revelator, who had leaned upon the bosom of the Lord, fell as dead at His feet when he saw the revelation of the majesty of God.
GOD’S GLORY PRODUCES GODLY FEAR
When Isaiah saw God’s glory he said, “I am a man of unclean lips.”
Simon Peter said, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man.”
Job said, “I have heard of thee, I abhor myself, and repent.”
When the glory of God is present, sinners tremble, saints stand in awe, hearts are moved to conviction, and the church stands in Holy reverence.
One of the troubles in the church today is a lack of fear for God.
They may make a claim for freedom, but it is a freedom that brings people into bondage.
It is time that the church has a healthy fear of God again that moves it into a place of holiness.
GOD’S GLORY INSPIRES HOLY LIVING
Throughout the Bible, glory and holiness are mentioned together.
Exodus 29:43
And the tabernacle shall be sanctified (made holy) by my glory.
God is glorified in the holiness of His people, and true holiness always gives glory to Him.
When the glory of God is in the church, there will be holiness within the people.
You cannot live in the presence of God without making a commitment to holiness.
God’s glory produces a transformation in mankind.
• When Moses saw the burning bush in Midian, he was aware that it was the glory, or presence of God, and he was never the same.
• When the disciples saw the glory of God on the Mount of Transfiguration, they were never the same.
• When Jacob saw the glory of God, with angels ascending and descending from heaven on a ladder, he was never the same.
I pray, God show us your glory, transform us, and never let us be the same.
God’s glory will:
• Help us recapture the vitality of Pentecost.
• Move people from formalism to freedom in the spirit.
• Open our eyes to the splendor and majesty of Him.
