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Exodus 33:17-34:9

Glory is Beautiful on the Soul

  • Rich Jones
  • Weekend Messages
  • July 31, 2022

This is one of the most important stories of the Old Testament because it touches the very center of our relationship to God. To understand the significance of the glory of God and the presence of God in your life, is to understand some of the deepest truths in our relationship to God.

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  • Scripture

Glory is Beautiful on the Soul
Exodus 33:17 to 34:7               
July 30-31, 2022

The presence of God is described as the glory of God, often described as the brilliance of light. When Jesus took Peter, James and John up to a high mountain, He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Jesus.

What a powerful description of God’s glory.

The book of Revelation describes the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven to a new Earth, having the glory of God, her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. There is no need of the temple there for the Lord Himself and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or the moon for the glory of God illumines it, and the lamp is the Lamb. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.

When Moses was with God on Mount Sinai receiving the law and commandments, he was standing so near to God’s glory that there was a visible light of glory on his face.

Moses pitched a tent a good distance outside the camp and called it the tent of meeting. Everyone who sought the Lord could go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp.

Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would arise and stand, gazing after Moses until he entered the tent. And whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud descended and stood at the entrance of the tent. There the Lord would speak with Moses just as a man speaks to his friend. Whenever the Lord and Moses met at the tent of meeting, the people would stand in worship, each at the entrance of his tent.

Moses interceded for the people of Israel in the tent of meeting. God saw that Israel had put off the ornaments from Egypt, He saw them when they worshiped, He saw them going to the tent of meeting themselves and He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.” This meant so much to Moses that he added, “If your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from this place.”

 Moses then asked for something for himself, something personal, “If I have found favor in your sight, let me know your ways, that I may know you.”

In verse 17, God answered, “I will do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight, and I have known you by name.” Moses had the boldness to ask for one more thing. “Please,” Moses said, “show me your glory.”

Moses had seen more of God’s glory that any person alive and he knew there was yet more. He knew that God’s glory was beautiful on the soul. God responded, “I Myself will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you.”

This is one of the most important stories of the Old Testament because it touches the very center of our relationship to God. To understand the significance of the glory of God and the presence of God in your life, is to understand some of the deepest truths in our relationship to God.

I.  Ask, Seek, and Knock

  • Moses wanted more. He wanted to know God more deeply, “Show me your ways, that I might know you.” God was pleased, “I will do this thing of which you have spoken.”
  • Moses then asked, “Please, show me your glory.” There is no greater request; there is nothing higher than this.
  • No one had seen as much of God’s glory as Moses and yet he wanted more. God is pleased when you want more of Him.
  • He wants you to ask for more, to seek for more, to knock and it will be opened to you…

Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened… How much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”

A.  God’s goodness is glorious

  • God said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you.” God reveals His glory through His goodness.
  • God speaks of all His goodness and then says, “I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you.”
  • The name of the Lord speaks of the goodness of the Lord and gives the answer to your need. Do you need peace? He is Jehovah Shalom. Do you need provision? He is Jehovah Jireh. Do you need healing? He is Jehovah Rapha. Do you need rest? He is Jehovah Raah – God your shepherd.
  • He said His glory would pass by and Moses would see the glory that follows behind God.

Illus – What follows behind you? The impact of your nature and character follows you. When you come into the living room and see an empty bag of popcorn, empty glasses and snack wrappers, you might say, “A teenager has been here.” Or if you come into a bedroom with socks, dirty clothes and a towel on the floor you might say, “A husband has passed by this way.”

  • But seriously, what follows behind you? Do you leave wisdom behind you? Kindness? Joy? Peace? Goodness?
  • When God comes into your life, He leaves His glory. God is good and when His goodness is in your life, you become good.
  • In other words, the goodness of God is the glory of God and its beautiful on the soul.

Jeremiah 31:14, “I will fill the soul of the priests with abundance, and My people will be satisfied with My goodness,” declares the Lord.

B.  Be filled with His glory

  • This is one of the great distinctions between the believer in Jesus Christ and what they experienced in the Old Testament, even in the days of Moses.

3 Corinthians 3:7, 11, If the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how shall the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? …For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

  • In other words, the near presence of the living God resides in the soul of every believer in Jesus Christ; the Spirit of the living God is in you.
  • That is how a relationship to God is made possible; and now that God has made a way for relationship, He wants you to ask, to seek, and to knock. He wants you to draw near.

James 4:8, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Psalm 73:27-28, Behold, those who are far from You will perish… But as for me, the nearness of God is my good.

  • There are many things in this world with which you can choose to fill your soul. It all has to do with what you want; what you desire.
  • You can choose to have your soul alive and overflowing with the joy of the Lord or have a soul that’s sick.
  • There are many things that will make your soul sick, even if they are sweet to the taste.

Illus – On a trip to Africa I spoke at a large gathering of churches and made this very point. There was a stream that flowed through the city near to where I was speaking. Many threw garbage into it and used it as a toilet. I said, would any of you drink that water? No, they shouted back in answer. Not even with sweetener added? The answer of course is no. If you know the true nature of the thing, you don’t want it.

  • Moses wanted more of God’s glory because he had experienced enough of it to know that the presence of God meant everything. God’s glory is greater than anything this earth has to offer.

Psalm 34:8, O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

  • If none of this makes sense to you, perhaps you need to taste and see that the Lord is good. You need to draw near to God. Ask, seek, and knock, how much more will God give the Spirit to those who ask.

C.  God is gracious and compassionate

  • Verse 19 – “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.”
  • God’s grace and compassion is a gift. In no way can it be earned or merited; He gives grace and compassion because it is His nature. It is His glory.  The fact that it is unearned and unmerited speaks of even greater glory.
  • To whom did God show grace and compassion?
  • The woman caught in the very act of adultery – “Woman, where are your accusers? Neither do I condemn you, go, and sin no more.”
  • The woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears –

Luke 7:39, When the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”

  • Levi, the tax collector, despised and hated by the Jews, yet Jesus asked him to become one of his disciples.
  • The woman of Samaria who had had five husbands and the man she was then with was not her husband – Jesus said to her, “True worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming, and when He comes, He will declare all things to us.” Jesus responded, “I who speak to you am He.”
  • Zacchaeus, the wealthy tax collector who had defrauded many. Jesus said of him, “The Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost.”
  • The blind beggar named by Bartimaeus – when he heard that Jesus was passing by, he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus called for him and said, “What you want me to do for you?” “Rabbi, I want my sight.”  “And you shall have it,” Jesus said.
  • To whom did Jesus not show mercy?
  • To the Pharisees who were so hard of heart that they had the unmitigated gall to accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, though they knew very well He had come from God. “This is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and will not be forgiven.”

John 9:39, Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.”

II.  God Blesses the Generations

  • When the Lord’s glory passed in front of Moses, God proclaimed the character of God’s nature. “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin.
  • This is important to understand because there have been many who have misunderstood and has created confusion in the church.

A.  He keeps lovingkindness to thousands

  • His ‘chesed love,’ His faithful love, extends to thousands. He offers His love to all and extends His hands out to the generations.
  • He forgives iniquity, transgression and sin. This is His glory; this is the proclamation of His name. Each of these words are used because they each have a different meaning.
  • Iniquity means to bend, twist, or distort. It is most serious because it speaks of the character of a person who has sinned so long that it has bent their character.
  • Transgression means to trespass, to cross a line that should not be crossed.
  • Sin means to offend, and it refers to the offense of disregarding God’s Word. In the New Testament this word is used to mean, one who misses the mark, who falls short of the glory of God.

App – forgiving iniquity, trespass, and sin is a result of His love to thousands and we are to respond with love toward Him in return.       

B.  God visits even the fourth generation

  • This scripture is important because some have taught that there are generational curses because of the sins of fathers.
  • First of all, God does not put curses on people.
  • Second, the word ‘visiting’ the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the grandchildren literally means to take an accounting. It’s important to see that this is regarding iniquity – the distorted heart, the weakness toward an area of sin.

App – It says He visits the ‘iniquity.’ This is the mind-set, the attitude, the bending of the character that passes from generation to generation. I have my father’s tendencies, but it does not need to continue.

          “Will this end? I am compassionate and gracious and slow to anger. I have given you the way to be free, will you come to Me and be changed by My presence?” asks the Lord.

2 Chronicles 7:14, “If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

  • Ezekiel, the prophet explains…

Ezekiel 18:14, 17, Now behold, a son who has observed all his father’s sins which he committed, and observing, does not do likewise… He will not die for his father’s iniquity, he will surely live.

  • Some people want to blame their parents for the difficulties in their lives.
  • We may inherent a character that is bent toward a particular sin, but God has made a way to heal the character of your heart.
  • Find healing in Christ and seek the deeper things of God. Be filled with the glory of God and the joy of His presence and you will be truly changed.

 

Glory is Beautiful on the Soul
Exodus 33:17 to 34:7               
July 30-31, 2022

The presence of God in Scripture is often described as the glory, the magnificence of glory of God. It's often described as the brilliance of light. For example, when Jesus took the disciples, Peter, James, and John, those closest to Him, up to this high mountain, now, you'll recognize this as the Mountain of Transfiguration. It says that Jesus went up to a high mountain and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, His garments became white as light. Moses, Elijah appeared talking to Him. Oh what a powerful picture of glory.

Then it tells us this in the book of Revelation, it says that there will be a new Jerusalem coming now and out of heaven adorned like a bride for her bridegroom. Oh what a picture, and magnificence of glory on the city such it says, that her brilliance was like a costly stone, like a stone of crystal clear jasper. Then it says there is no need of a temple there for the Lord Himself is the temple, and the city has no need of the sun or the moon to illuminate for the glory of God illumines it, and the lamb is the lamp. Oh, it's powerful.

Did you know by the way that the new Jerusalem is where the eternal abiding place will be for all who have received Jesus Christ, and it will be filled with the glory of God. Then it describes that Moses was with God on the mountain. We were looking at this recently, he was with God on the mountain those 40 days receiving the law and the commandments, receiving the pattern for the very tabernacle of God. He was there in the mountain standing so near to the glory of God that it says that when he came down from the mountain, there was a visible light of glory upon his face.

Then it says, this is a very important part of the story, that Moses then pitched a tent a good distance from the main camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. Anyone, everyone who sought the Lord could go to this tent of meeting, which was outside the camp some good distance, if you wanted to meet God. That's why he called it, the tent of meeting. You want to seek the Lord, you want to have a meeting with God? The tent of meeting was there for anyone and all who desired to go. Don't you wonder how many did it? What an opportunity to have a tent of meeting. Anybody who wanted to, any time you want you can go meet with God. How many would do it?

Then it says that whenever Moses went up to the tent, that all the people would stand at the entrance of their tent and watch as Moses entered the tent. Whenever Moses entered the tent, a pillar of cloud would descend and stood at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak to Moses like a man speaks to a friend. I love that picture. Meeting with God, speaking as a man would speak to a friend. Whenever the Lord and Moses met there in that tent of meeting, it says that people would worship at the entrance of their tents. Then it says that Moses used this tent of meeting to intercede for the people, remember the story, for they had sinned greatly.

What had happened was Moses was on the mountain those 40 days and the people did not know what had come of him. He had been gone far too long in their view, and so they came to Aaron, his brother, demanding, "Make us a God," and so he took their earrings of gold and whatnot and fashioned the golden calf, "Here are your gods, oh people of Israel." They started to dance, to celebrate. The thing is, it got out of hand, this whole dancing thing got fleshly, it got out of hand. They started dancing and it got lewd. Lets just say what it was, it got lewd. It got fleshly. It got out of hand and it turned into a party.

Moses and Joshua coming down the mountain, Joshua say, "I hear the sound of war in the camp." Moses says, "That's not the sound of war, that's singing, that's what I hear." He came down and he saw this whole thing and he became very angry and he took the tablets of stone, remember the story, and he smashed them. As a result, God said to Moses, "Send the people up. They can go to the land that I promised them, and I'm not going with them lest I destroy them on the way." That's why Moses was interceding. Moses interceded there.

God saw that Israel put off the ornaments that they had been wearing from Egypt. He saw they took them off, never wore them again. He saw that they were worshiping. He saw that they would go to the tent of meeting themselves, he heard the words of Moses interceding. "My presence will go. I will go with you, and I will give you rest." Oh, these words meant so much to Moses that he said, "And if your presence doesn't go, then don't lead us from this place. We don't want to go anywhere without your presence among us."

While he was asking, while he was interceding, asking for the behalf of Israel, he thought to ask something for himself. "While I'm asking, I ask show me your ways then I might know you more." He wanted to know God more, "Show me your ways." God says, "I will do this thing. You have found favor in my sight, I will do this thing." Moses thought in his boldness, "Since you say that I have found favor in your sight, there's just one more thing that I might ask, show me your glory."

There is nothing higher. You cannot ask for anything greater than that. Show me your glory. This is such an important story, because it touches on the very center of our relationship to God. There's so much in this story for us to learn.

Lets read it, we're in Exodus 33, and we're going to begin reading in verse 17, "And the Lord said to Moses--" now again, this is when Moses said, "I ask for myself one thing, I want to know you. Show me your ways." He says, in verse 17, "I will do this thing which you have spoken for you have found favor in my sight, and I have known you by name." Now that's a cultural expression at the time of declaring great closeness and intimacy. Moses ventured to ask one more thing, "I pray thee, show me your glory."

Verse 19, he said, "I myself will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you, and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious. I will show compassion on whom I will show compassion," but he said, "But you cannot see my face for no man can see me and live." He's talking here about the fullness of glory. No man can see the fullness of glory and live. Not in this earth, and so he says, "No man can see my face."

Here I want to just interject a great truth, do you know that when we breath our last here on this earth, that we will enter into the presence of the Living God, and we will see Him as He is, we will see him in all of His glory. He will withhold nothing from us in that day, all of His glory manifested, and we will dwell in His presence. Oh, what a glorious day that will be. That's something to long for, to desire, to look forward to the rest of your life. That is the glorious aspect of who we are in Christ. Amen. Can we give the Lord praise and glory for that wonderful truth.

He said this, verse 21, "Behold there is a place by me and you will stand there on the rock. It will come about that while my glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock." This is a very famous scene, "And I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by, then I will take my hand away, and you will see my back, but my face will not be seen." We continue in chapter 34.

"So the Lord said to Moses, 'Now cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, I will write on the tablets the words which were on the former tablets which you shattered, so be ready by morning. Come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, present yourself there to me on the top of the mountain, and no man is to come up with you. Let no man be seen anywhere on the mountain, even the flocks and the herds may not graze in front of the mountain.'

He cut out two stone tablets like the former ones, and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up to Mount Sinai as the Lord had commanded, and he took two tablets in his hand, and the Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the Lord. Then, as God promised, the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed the Lord, the Lord God, compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding and loving, kindness, and truth, who keeps loving kindness for thousands, literally 1000 generation, who forgives inequity, transgression, and sin," three important words, "And yet will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generation." Very, very important words. These are the verses I want us to take a look at and understand, starting with this, that Moses wanted more, he had tasted, he experienced the presence and the glory of God, and he knew it was beautiful to the soul. He wanted more.

I.  Ask, Seek, and Knock

I tell you that God was so pleased that he wanted more. I suggest that this same is true for you and me. God wants us to desire more. We can capture it in the words ask, seek, and knock, the very words of Jesus. Show me your ways that I might know you and then show me your glory. Again, there's no higher thing you can ask, there's no greater thing you can ask than that. No one alive had seen as much of God's glory as Moses and yet, he wanted more. Why? Because he knew the presence of God, the glory of God is beautiful. You have no idea, it's beautiful on the soul, so he asked for more.

God is so pleased when you and I want more. Jesus said these very things. For example, Matthew 7:7-8, ask-- Actually, the Greek makes it even more clear. It is a way of saying, and keep on asking. Ask and keep asking and it will be given to you. He's saying to you, "I want you to ask." I'm saying to you ask, I want you to ask. Seek and keep seeking, and you'll find. I want you to seek. Knock, I want you to knock, and it will be open to you. For everyone who asks, receives, and he who seeks, finds, and to him that knock, it will be opened. God will love to answer a prayer like that, and then He says, and how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him?

A.  God’s goodness is glorious

He wants you to ask, because God's goodness is glorious, or God's glory is His goodness. He says, "I will make all my goodness pass before you," because glory of God is His goodness, His nature, His character. Then He says, "And I'll proclaim my name before you." God reveals the goodness of His glory, and also He reveals it through His name. The name of the Lord speaks to the goodness of the Lord. He gives answer to your need. Do you need peace? His name is Jehovah Shalom, God, our peace. Do you need provision? His name is Jehovah Jira. Do you need healing? His name is Jehovah Rapha. Do you need rest? His name is Jehovah Rohi, God our shepherd. It's in this name.

Then He says to Moses that His glory would pass by and Moses would see the glory that follows behind. I just love what a picture is that, when the Lord passes by, He leaves His glory behind Him. It's an intriguing thought, isn't it? Making it personal, what do you leave behind? What follows after you? I was thinking of a humorous way to see it. When you come into a living room and you see an empty bag of popcorn, some empty glasses and some snack wrappers, you might say, "A teenager has come this way," or if you come into a bedroom with socks and dirty clothes and a towel on the floor, you might say, "A husband has passed by this way."

Seriously, it's a great question, what do you leave behind you? What follows after you? Well, the aspect of your nature, the aspect of your character. After you've been with someone or somewhere, what follows, what did you leave behind? Peace, joy, blessing, gentleness, wisdom, or contention, or trouble, or conflict? I knew a fellow once who specialized in pointing out things that were wrong. That's not a gift of the Spirit, I should mention.

What followed after him was discontent. He was discontented, and that's what left, that's what followed him. What follows after? Grace, kindness? See when God comes into your life, He leaves His glory, and God's glory is His goodness, and His glory transforms the soul. It's beautiful on the soul. In other words, you become good because His goodness has transformed you. The goodness of God is the glory of God, and it's beautiful.

Jeremiah 31:14, "I will fill the soul of the priest with abundance and my people will be satisfied with my goodness, declares the Lord." I wanted us to recognize a wonderful truth, when you speak of glory, we have to recognize that there's something distinctly different about believers in the New Testament than of the Old. Very important to recognize. We now in Christ have a different aspect of glory than was manifested in the Old Testament, because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross, because He has won for us relationship by the blood of Christ poured out, the forgiveness of sin, He is one for us the relationship that we have with the Living God, and the presence of God is then made known when the Holy Spirit resides in the soul of every believer who asked Jesus into their heart as Lord and savior.

B.  Be filled with His glory

You asked Jesus into your heart? His very presence by His Holy Spirit resides upon the soul. His presence is glory and glory is beautiful on the soul. What's interesting is that we, who are in Christ, have a yet greater glory than what was seen in the Old Testament, even on Moses. Let me show you what I mean. 2nd Corinthians 3:7-11, Paul writes, "If the ministry of death," and he means here by this, the law and the covenants, "If the ministry of death in letters engraved on stones came with glory," sure, yes, Moses was in the presence of God, had glory, "If it came with glory so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses, because of the glory of his face."

See, the brilliance of God's glory was so intense that they could not look at the brilliance of his face. Then it adds, "Fading as it was." See, in other words, the brilliance on the face of Moses faded, less and less and less and less. He said, if that glory fading as it was, was with glory, how much more, how shall the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory, for if that which fades away is with glory, how much more that which remains is the glory, for the Holy Spirit remains, the presence of God remains in a believer.

You can meet with God anytime you want. That glory does not fade, it remains and strengthens anytime you want. You don't have to go to a tent, a meeting outside the camp, He's in this very room, He's in this very place. You can meet with God anytime you want. Seek, ask, desire that. You meet with God and He'll pour His glory. Ask Him. He'd pour his glory in your soul. You can meet with God anytime you want.

I got to tell you this morning as I left the house, ah, I don't know, I was so taken. I was just so filled with the joy. I literally pulled the car over and said, "God, I am so blessed. I am so thankful. I don't deserve what I have yet, I am so blessed. God, I think you, and I give you honor and glory. I don't deserve any of it. I am so blessed. Thank you." You can meet with God anytime you want and He'll meet you in that place. Oh, my heart was so filled. Amen.

You can meet with God anytime you want. Let's give the Lord praise and glory. Absolutely. God has made a way for us to have relationship, and that's how our relationship with God is made possible through that. Now that God has made a way for that relationship, He wants you to seek more. "Be ye filled with the Holy Spirit," He says in Ephesians. Be ye filled with the Holy Spirit, ask, seek, knock. He wants you to draw near. He wants you to want more.

James 4:8, "Draw near to God, and He'll draw near to you." Psalm 73, "Behold, those who are far from you will perish but as for me, the nearness of God is my good" See, as for me, each one, you got to decide. Each one, you get to decide. "As for me," he says, "The goodness of God is good." You can choose that which fills the soul. You can choose to have a soul that's alive. You can choose to have a soul overflowing with the joy of the Lord. You can choose the peace that passes on comprehension. You can choose to dwell in the presence of Lord and let His love be that which overflows the soul, or you can choose to have a soul that's sick. It's all about what you desire.

What do you want, what do you seek? For there are many things in this world that'll make the soul sick. The world has many things to offer that are quite sweet to the taste but don't reside well on the soul. Oh, they're sweet, the enemy makes everything look sweet, but once you've tasted of it, does not reside well on the soul. Now, I don't need to do a show of hands here because I'm pretty sure everybody in this room knows exactly what I'm saying.

Everyone has tasted enough of the world to know oh, the enemy makes it look so sweet but it's not. It makes poison, it does not reside well on the soul. The soul will be made sick by that, and I submit to you that the soul is the most important part of who you are. Oh these bodies of ours, these bodies of ours are not the most important part. These things are just temporary tents to dwell in, you're leaving these things behind. The older you get, the more you appreciate that great truth, but your soul is eternal and aspect.

The soul is the most important part of who you are. Don't allow the soul to be sick. You can choose because the presence of God, the glory of God is beautiful on the soul. It's beautiful. That's what He wants. I was thinking of an illustration. Some years ago I was in Kinshasa in Africa. I had the amazing opportunity to speak to a large gathering of churches that are part of what we do there.

They were all gathered in this place and I was trying to make this very point and I realized that there was this stream that ran through that part of the city that was a great illustration of this very point, because this stream was running through and people would throw all the garbage into the stream. You can just see it. It was just the garbage. People would use it as a toilet and so I thought, "Oh this was a good illustration."

I said, "You know the stream," and they did, "How many of you would drink that water?" Of course the answer is no. It's really repugnant to think of drinking that water. That's poison. That will you sick. I said "Well, what if we put sugar in it? We can make a sweet. What if we put a bunch of sugar in it stirred it all up then would you drink it?" The answer is no. I don't care how much sweetness you put on it. I'm not drinking that stuff because that stuff is poison. You know why they said that? Because they knew the true nature of the thing, they understood the true nature of where it came from.

As soon as you understand the true nature of the thing, you don't want it. I submit to you that that's a great illustration, because if people understood the true nature of the thing that the world is calling sweet, if you understood the true nature of the thing, you wouldn't want it, because that thing will make you sick. That thing will abide in the soul very badly. Don't want that thing.

I know what it's about but seeing so many people, they don't know. Their eyes are blind, but if you understood the true nature of the thing, you wouldn't do it. I submit to you that there is actual darkness behind much that the world offers. There is the demonic, even, that's behind much of what the world offers. In spiritual discernment, we understand the nature of the thing.

I want that which abides on the soul beautifully. I want the glory of God. Anybody agree with me? Moses wanted more of God's glory. Why? Because he had experienced that. He could explain to people, "You have no idea. I asked God for more of His glory." "Why did you ask that?" "Because you have no idea. I have experienced it. I have tasted it. I know. It's beautiful on the soul. I want more."

Psalm 34:8, "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him?" You need to taste more. You taste of the goodness, you experience the glory of His presence, and you'll see it's beautiful on the soul. It resides well on the soul. It's beautiful. I've been a pastor now many years and I've had the privilege of being with many people as they passed from this earth. It's a huge privilege, but one of the things I've seen is that as people enter into a place of getting near to the end, something happens where they turn their heart toward home.

C.  God is gracious and compassionate

They turn their heart toward heaven and they're not interested in the things of the world anymore. Oftentimes they'll stop eating, even that. They turn their heart toward home. I've been with many even where the families will say, "There was something beautiful that happened on his face." My wife when she was with her dad when he passed, just before he took his last breath, he had a look on his face full of glory and then he breathed his last.

There's a transition that happens. Well, I bring that up because I having seen now that that change, that move actually happens way earlier than people realize. It begins when people understand how glorious is His presence. It begins when people recognize how beautiful God's glory is on their soul, and they want more of God. They have turned their heart towards the things of heaven and the things of earth goes strangely dim. That is the beginning of a glorious walking in the nearness of God, and it begins when your eyes are open to how glorious is His presence, and how beautiful it is on the soul, and then you just keep walking in the nearness of God.

When you get to the end of your life, and you breathe your last on this earth, you just keep walking into the presence of the Living God. Amen. Let's give it a little praise. Amen. Because God is gracious and compassionate, that's what He said in verse 19. "I'll be gracious, on whom I'll be gracious. I'll be compassionate on those I will show compassion." It's a gift unearned. You cannot earn God's grace or His compassion, which is even greater to His glory.

It's an interesting study, to whom did God show compassion? It's a very interesting study. For example, the woman caught in the very act of adultery, in the very act. They dragged the woman out, brought her out, threw her at the feet of Jesus. The law says such a woman like this ought to be stoned, what say you oh, teacher? Jesus replied, "Let he who has no sin, cast the first stone then." Then, of course, it says that they dropped their stones and left, starting from the oldest. He said, "Woman, where are your accusers?"

"There are none," she says, and neither do I condemn you. If there was anyone there who had no sin, it would be He. But He said, "I do not condemn you. Go and sin no more." How beautiful is the compassion and the grace? How about the woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears? This woman had heard that Jesus had been invited to the home of a Pharisee, and so this woman and Scripture describes her as a sinner. In other words, she's pretty well known as a sinner.

She went into the house, fell at his feet crying. She wetted his feet with her tears, anointed him with perfume, undid her hair, and was drying his feet with her hair. We pick up the story in Luke 7:39, then when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, then He would know who and what person this woman is, who was touching Him. She is a sinner."

Jesus spoke to the man. There were two debtors both unable to pay. One owed little, one owed much. They were both forgiven. Who will love them all? The man answered, "The one who was forgiven more." "You've answered rightly. She loves much, for she has been forgiven much. Your sins are forgiven." He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you." Oh, how beautiful is the compassion and grace of God.

How about Levi, the tax collector? Oh, if you would only know how hated and despised were tax collectors and yet, Jesus invited him to be one of His disciples, we know him as Matthew. How about the woman of Samaria, the woman who had five husbands and the man that she was then with was not her husband. He gave her grace and compassion. One point in the conversation Jesus said to her, "True worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth for such people, the Father seeks to be His worshipers." That is such a great understanding.

Such people the Father is seeking today also, people like that. God seeks true worshipers. The woman says, "I know that Messiah is coming and when He comes, He will declare all things." Jesus said, "I who speak to you I'm He." Oh the grace and the compassion of the Lord is so beautiful. There's the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, and there's on and on, but to whom did Jesus not show mercy? Interesting contrast.

To whom did he not your mercy? Well, to the Pharisees who were so hard of heart that they had the unmitigated gall to accuse Jesus of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons. Yet, they knew very well that He had come from God. Jesus responded, "This is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit that will not be forgiven." Such hardness of heart like that.

John 9:39 is a very interesting verse. Jesus said, "For judgment I've come to this world that those who do not see may see." Oh, He opens eyes. He opens eyes that are blind. He helps them to recognize and to see the greatness of God's glory because God's glory is beautiful, and His compassion and His grace falls upon sinners whose eyes have been open to recognize that God does a work that is so far more beautiful than any of those sins that they'd ever done.

II.  God Blesses the Generations

He also came, he says that those who see or think they see may become blind, but then there's this, open back to Exodus 34 because I want us to look at these verses because much is revealed here, he is revealing that the name of the Lord and the glory of the Lord, I pick it up in verse 7, "The Lord God who keeps loving kindness for thousands, and forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin." Three words, all important, "And yet, by no means leave the guilty and punished visiting the iniquity of fathers on their children and grandchildren to the third and fourth generation."

Now let's look at this because it's been much misunderstood. Let's start with this, God blesses the generations as part of His glory, as part of His nature, His character. He's compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding, loving, and kindness. Who forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin. Those three words. Now, this is important because these verses have created confusion. I want us to understand it rightly, starting with He gives loving kindness to thousands.

A.  He keeps lovingkindness to thousands

Now, the Hebrew word here is a very important word. It's a type of love called hesed love. It's a faithful, unending, steadfastness to His love, it does not waver. He offers it to all. He extends His love. It is who He is. He forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin. All three are important. They're different words. Iniquity means the distorting of the character. It describes a person who has sinned so long that it's bent their character. He says, "I'll heal that. I forgive that. I can touch that."

Transgression. It means to trespass, to cross a line not to be crossed. His grace, His compassion. I'll forgive that. Sin means to offend and it refers to the offense of disregarding God's word. Not treating God with respect. I'll forgive that. His grace and His compassion. I'll forgive that. It's an expression of His love for thousands. When you receive love like that, when you have received forgiveness like that, what is the response?

B.  God visits even the fourth generation

Your soul is so thankful that God would forgive that that you-- Don't you want to just love him in response? That's right. That's exactly right, but then there's this, God visits even the fourth generation. Now, this scripture is important because some have wrongly taught that there are generational curses. Those curses are passed, the sins of the fathers have been passed. Let's look at it. Firstly, God does not put curses on people. Let's start with that. Secondly, the word visiting means an accounting. Literally, He'll visit the sins of the fathers to see does this thing end? Will you continue in this thing, or will this thing end?

We're all born with the propensity, the inclinations, the nature, you might say, of our Father. Now, if your parents were, let's say, very gifted in music, and you have a wonderful musical abilities, then praise God, you have inherited something wonderful. Use it for God's glory. Oftentimes, people inherit things that distort the soul. I knew this very well. Many of you know my story. My father was an alcoholic and I inherited the tendency. I know it very well that's why I don't drink.

He's angry, cantankerous, difficult. Oh, I understand. I'll tell you, there was a moment in my life, it was a defining moment, it was my 21st birthday and I was angry and hurt. "God, we're going to have this thing out," because I looked at everybody else around me and I thought everybody else has a good father. Everybody else has a great advantage. I have every disadvantage. Everything is against me, the poverty, the uncle, I had no good parenting. I had no good father, and I saw it as a disadvantage. Everything is against me.

21st birthday, God and I are going to have this thing out. That's when that powerful God touching my heart word, where I felt so strongly God speaking to me, "I know your father," by the way on side note, the story of my father ends beautifully. At 75, he received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, it ended beautifully, but those days, I'm having this out with God. "I know your father. I will be your Father now. I'll be a Father like no earthly Father could ever be. I'll never leave you. I'll never forsake you. I'll put my hand of favor on you. We'll walk together in this life."

I'll tell you what, it was a glorious moment. because I believed it. God healed that. God is saying, "Does this thing end? Do you have to walk in the ways of your father? Can this thing end?" Well, I'm here to tell you this thing can end, and this thing can end right now. Right here and right now this thing can end, because God has made a way. God will heal the soul. God wants you to recognize, I've made a way. This thing can end and it can end right here and right now, because His presence is His power to transform your life. Do you believe it? Let's give Him praise and glory.

2nd Chronicles 7-14, "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways. I'll hear from heaven. I'll forgive their sin. I'll heal their land," and then there's this from Ezekiel the prophet. This is a really, really important word. Ezekiel 18:14-17, "Now behold, a son who has observed all his father's sins when he committed and observing does not do likewise, he will not die for his father's iniquity. He will live."

That's a great truth. Each one must live according to his own decision. What is it you want? You don't have to live by whatever thing that you've been living by. God has the power to set you free. His glory, His presence is a transforming power, and His glory is beautiful on the soul. You don't have to have a soul that's like that anymore. You can be free. He wants you free because He loves you. He's extending His love, His hesed love to you. I will do this thing that you ask. I'll transform it. Come, let me. I invite you to come.

This thing can end. End it right now. End this thing. You don't have to walk in this thing, this thing that's defeated you, this thing that has been such a weight and a burden to you, this thing does not have to disturb your soul anymore. Let go of this thing. I'll do a beautiful work. That's a beautiful work of transforming. You want it? Ask for it, seek, I give you. Let's pray.

Oh Lord, we are so thankful. What can we say? How beautiful is the glory of God on the soul. We thank you for that loving kindness, the nature of your glory poured out. God thank you for the power to transform. We don't have to live the way we've been living. This thing can end and it can end right now. God we say to you, then end it by your power because I can't do it on my own. I've tried and I can't do it.

I need you, end this thing and end it right now. I want your glory. It's beautiful on the soul. I've tasted it. I know it's true. I want your glory. Church, how many would say to the Lord today, you said, I could ask, I'm asking. You said I could seek, I'm seeking. I don't want this thing in my life anymore, I want you. I want the transforming power of the glory of the presence of God. Do that beautiful transforming work on my soul. That's what I want.

End this thing, God, end this thing and end it right now. I don't want that anymore. I want you, I want more. I want your transforming glory and power. Church, would you say that? Is that your desire? Is that what your heart is to the Lord? Would you just raise your hand to the Lord? Raise both hands if you want to. Just say that as an expression of I'm asking, you said I can ask here I am God, I'm asking. Transform my soul. Do that which is that glorious transforming work by the power of your glory in my life. End this thing and bring your power, and bring your glory. In Jesus' powerful name and everyone said-- Can we give the Lord praise and glory and honor. Amen.

Chapter 33
17 The Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name.” 18 Then [a]Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” 19 And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” 20 But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!” 21 Then the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place [b]by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; 22 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. 23 Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.”
 
Chapter 34
1 Now the Lord said to Moses, “Cut out for yourself two stone tablets like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered. So be ready by morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and [c]present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain. No man is to come up with you, nor let any man be seen [d]anywhere on the mountain; even the flocks and the herds may not graze in front of that mountain.” So he cut out two stone tablets like the former ones, and Moses rose up early in the morning and went up to Mount Sinai, as the Lord had commanded him, and he took two stone tablets in his hand. The Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with him as [e]he called upon the name of the Lord. Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and [f]truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations.” Moses made haste [g]to bow low toward the earth and worship. He said, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go along in our midst, even though [h]the people are so obstinate, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your own [i]possession.”
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