The Full Revelation

Why did Moses so desperately seek a vision of God’s glory? I believe the reason is found in this verse: “There I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory” (Exodus 29:43, NKJV). The word sanctified here means “made clean.” God was saying, “Moses, as you and the people worship me, I will meet with you and give you my presence. And when I reveal my glory to you, it will cleanse you.”

This is one of the most powerful verses in all of scripture. It offers hope to everyone who struggles with a besetting sin and yearns to be free and clean. God pledges, “Your temple will be made clean by a revelation of my glory, and that revelation is available to you right now in my Son, Jesus Christ.”

We find this revelation of Christ only as we come to the scriptures. Paul says that as we allow God’s Word to reflect to us an ever-increasing revelation of Jesus, we will be changed from glory to glory. “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).

This revelation of God’s glory will provide keeping power for our lives: “…For over all the glory there will be a covering” (Isaiah 4:5). In other words, God’s glory will keep us clean in our worst hour. Satan may lie to us, “You’re defeated. You’re a cheat, a liar, an adulterer.” However, we can answer, “No, devil. I have a high priest, and I am cleansed by a vision of his glory!”

When God revealed to Moses all these things about his nature, he also gave him the full revelation that he “…will by no means clear the guilty…” (Exodus 34:7). Azariah prophesied to King Asa in his most prosperous hour, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you” (2 Chronicles 15:2). In other words, “If you despise God’s glory, if you excuse your sin and neglect the Lord, he will not cleanse you.”

What God is telling us here is so simple: “Take time to get to know my Son! Search my Word, and seek me in your secret closet of prayer. As you abide in my presence, your eyes will begin to open to my glory. It is all revealed in Christ, the full revelation of my love, grace, mercy, kindness.”