The Backside of God's Glory

The Backside of God’s Glory

December 27, 2014 Year B

Then I will take My hand away, and you will see My back, but My face will not be seen.”  (Exodus 33:23, HCSB)

God says that we can’t see His glory upfront. We can’t look upon His face and live. Moses asked to see God’s glory. God said that seeing the front of God’s glory was not possible. So God made a way for Moses to see the backside of God’s glory.

Have you the backside of some people. It isn’t the most appealing sight. There is no face, no eyes, no special features that one can gaze on and enjoy. Instead, you have the backside. The less desirable parts of the body. The heel, the back of the knee, the bottom, the elbow, the back of the neck. These parts aren’t the best parts to view. Like the underside of a car or boat, one sees the parts that keep the item together. But it isn’t what one want to see.

Is this why God told Moses to see the backside of His glory? Did God want Moses to experience the lesser parts of God’s glory? Is God’s glory so wonderful that seeing the backside is good enough for us?

God wants us to view His glory for God’s sake, not to make us proud and boastful. I think God showed His backside to Moses, not to demean him, but to humble him. “Moses, are you worried what other people will say about you and Me?” Then take a look at My backside. That should be good enough for your enemies. That should be enough to show that I can take care of everything.

Application: Do I need to see all of God’s presence? Won’t God’s backside be good enough for me? That should be enough to sustain me.

Prayer: God, please help me to see that I don’t need to see or know everything. Even Your backside is good enough for me.