In part one of Dr. Evans’ new series “Knowing God,” we learned that knowing God is the greatest pursuit in life, although knowing God and having knowledge of God are two extremely different things. Knowing God requires a passionate desire to cultivate a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. In part two of this series, Dr. Evan’s asks the question, “How bad do you want it?” as he delves more deeply into Biblical study, selecting the life of Moses and his hunger for God to teach us what is required if we are to know God intimately.
Knowing God requires knowing His ways. In today’s passage, we find Moses making a request or prayer to God, desiring to know Him. Moses had already had the experiences of the burning bush, the Exodus, and the parting of the Red Sea. It would appear that he already knew God; however, he requested to know God in verse 13, “I pray you let me know your ways that I may know you.” Moses knew there was more, and he was not satisfied with his experiences of the past. He was famished for a relationship with this God who had already demonstrated His power, His passion, and His pursuit of His people. Moses understood that truly knowing God would mean adjusting to God’s ways, and he was willing to do that in order to experience God’s presence.
Knowing God requires desiring His presence. Moses wasn’t satisfied with the blessings of God; he wanted God’s very essence, His presence, in his life. In Verse 15, Moses stated, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.” Moses had undertaken an arduous journey through the wilderness, and he knew that he was leading God’s people to the Promised Land. However, he was unwilling to enter into the blessings of God without the presence of God. Moses was committed to an intimate relationship with Him, and that relationship was more important to him than anything else. The question for us is, “Am I with God and is He with me?” Life can be difficult for all of us. We all want the blessings and favor of God in our lives, but are we willing to pursue the presence of God in our lives to the point that we will adjust to the ways of God? Do we desire the blessings of God, the hand of God, without the personage of God in our lives? Moses was not satisfied with merely knowing God’s ways; he desired His presence because he knew His presence brought God’s glory with all His attributes.
Knowing God will result in seeing His glory. “I pray you, show me Your glory,” we read in verse 18. Glory is the visible display of the invisible God. Moses was requesting that God show him His very essence. He was not satisfied with ritual; he wanted a relationship. He was desperate, deliberate and determined to be in God’s presence and see His glory for himself. God’s response is found in verses 19-23, “I myself will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and show compassion on whom I will show compassion, but you cannot see My face and live.” Then the Lord said, "Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen."
The core of God’s being is so overwhelming, so powerful, that Moses could not see His face, but God assured him that He would pass by him. Once this happened, Moses received a fresh revelation of who God was. Today, God loves us so much that He wants to show us how to know Him, to be in His presence, and to see His glory. The question is, however, do we want a fresh revelation of who God is? Do we truly want His presence? If so, how badly do we want it?
