John 12; Exodus 33 – God’s Glory

The Westminster Shorter Catechism begins with this first question:

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Both of today’s chapters give us insights into God’s glory.

Joh 12:16  These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

Joh 12:23  And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

Joh 12:28  Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

Joh 12:41  These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

There are actually 23 verses in John’s gospel that speak of his glory.

From the text this is a key doctrine and our call to participate in doing so is amazing, but we might consider that any glory we can give is just a reflection of his own glory as we have none to give in an of ourselves.

Not only Esaias see his glory v41, but the people it in a voice from heaven. If we turn back to Moses we have these examples also today:

Exo 33:18  And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.

Exo 33:19  And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.

Exo 33:20  And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

Exo 33:21  And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:

Exo 33:22  And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:

Exo 33:23  And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

As a heads up tomorrow we will read how the presence of the LORD affected even Moses appearance:

Exo 34:29  And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.

Exo 34:30  And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.

Exo 34:31  And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.

Exo 34:32  And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.

Exo 34:33  And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.

Exo 34:34  But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.

Exo 34:35  And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.