Advent 10 (2013): Beholding His Glory

Let’s continue our look at the “Prologue” of the Gospel of John during our Advent series Emmanuel: When LOVE Showed Up In-Person, in the Person of Jesus Christ, that is.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14).

Yesterday we saw that the first result of the Incarnation was Jesus became the earthly tabernacle in which God dwelled among His people.  Starting with the point of Jesus’ humanity (the Incarnation), our eternal God dwells right among us, in Jesus Christ.  God’s presence was formerly hidden in a cloud and pillar of fire.  Now, He’s not hidden anymore.  He’s visible in Jesus.

So, today we see a second result of the Incarnation: Revelation of who God is.  We have seen His glory.

Back in the days of Moses, this glory being seen directly would be unheard of.

Exodus 33:7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. 11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. 12 Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” 14 The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 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?” 17 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.” 18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” 19 And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

No one may see Me and live.

Remember earlier in our devotional series where we talked about the magnitude of God’s love being so much we simply couldn’t take it?  No one could “see” the full expanse of God’s love and goodness and live to tell about it.

In some mysterious way, Jesus is kind of like a filter.  His humanity veils the full grace and glory of God, allowing just enough through to be what we can absorb, but not so much that it would kill us.  When we see Jesus, we see the Father.

Like an eclipse of the sun would burn our eyes to look at directly, God is too much for us.  Jesus provides that human filter allowing us to see God…perfectly and safely.  In Jesus, we are beholding His glory.