When Glory Walked Around

To fully appreciate something you have to know the whole story.  In our fast-paced society, we often jump to the end without understanding the beginning.  And in this, we lose the richness and fullness.  Have you ever met someone and later on heard their story?  Then, after hearing their story you had a whole new appreciation for them?  Suddenly pieces connect together and often a greater respect is built.

The entire Bible tells the story of Jesus.  But Jesus doesn’t physically enter the scene until far into the script.  To fully appreciate Jesus, we need to know the whole story.  On the sixth day, God created man.  Man was designed to reflect God and worship Him.  The first man and woman were able to walk with God and talk with Him face to face.  But then a great tragedy occurred.  This man and woman made their own path and sin entered the world.  The relationship with God was changed.  No longer could man be directly in God’s presence.

God is absolutely holy.  Meaning there is no wrong in Him.  Because He is perfect, without mistake, no blemishes – sin cannot enter His presence.  So while God loved mankind deeply, mankind was now separated from Him.

The Bible shares an interesting encounter between God and one of the greatest men to ever live, Moses.  Moses would meet with God in a tent.  God’s presence would settle like a cloud over the tent, and Moses and God would speak together.  As Moses walked with God, He understood that God’s favor was essential for everything.  Moses never wanted to walk outside of this favor.

At one point, Moses begged for God’s presence to always be with him.  God promised His presence and then told Moses, He would share His goodness with Moses.  The thing was, Moses could not see the face of God.  No man could see and live.  So God placed Moses in an opening of the rocks and covered Moses’ face.  Then He passed by and allowed Moses to see His form, but not His face.  Wow!

Before Jesus, no one had fully seen God.  For thousands of years, men worshiped God, a God they could not see.  A God who was beyond their comprehension.  A God who was strong, powerful, and majestic.

But when Jesus entered the scene, the whole story changed.  When Jesus came the unseeable became seen.  The unknowable became known.  The God who created mankind became man.  Now the glory of God was visible to everyone because glory was walking around.

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And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:14 NASB

No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
John 1:18 NASB

But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no many can see Me 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.”
Exodus 33:20-23

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.  And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.
Hebrews 1:1-3 NASB