“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:1-2)

It is one of those encounters with God recorded in the pages of Scripture, where God’s Glory and Majesty reminds us of His greatness and our unworthiness to be in His presence. Moses had many times experienced the presence of God. It started at the burning bush; continued through the plagues of Egypt; the plundering of Egypt as they left slavery; God’s leading with a pillar of cloud in the daytime and a pillar of fire at night; the Red Sea crossing; the people’s complaints and God’s giving of manna, quail and water; their arrival at the Mountain of God; followed by the people’s rebellion; the Golden Calf; God’s desire to destroy the people and start again with Moses; Moses’s intercession on behalf of the people; also, with his concern for God’s reputation. All that time God spoke to Moses as one talking with a friend. “The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” (Exodus 33:11)

Moses asks God, “Now show me your glory.” (Exodus 33:18) God said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” (Exodus 33:20) However, God wants to bless Moses. God now prepares Moses for a unique encounter. “Then the LORD said, “’here is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” (Exodus 33:21-23) With just a glimpse of God’s back, Moses’ face would shine so bright the people asked him to cover it. God expressed His love to Moses.

When we come to God through Jesus Christ by faith, we become children of God. “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12-13) As children of God, we have come to know the wonder and the depth of God’s love. Through Christ’s love, demonstrated through the cross and the resurrection, we have been brought into God’s family. “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 john 3:1)

Moses had a wonderful encounter with God. When we come to God through Jesus Christ by faith, we have a life-changing encounter with God. Moses could only get a glimpse of God. We have a hope of seeing God. What is coming our way is greater than Moses’ glimpse and our hope. “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2) We will see Jesus, all of Him. We will also be transformed, and we will be like Him. The image of God through which we were created will be made new. The Apostle Paul gives us a taste of what that day will be like when we are made new.

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-57)

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block