Moses had known and worshiped the Lord and had led the nation of Israel out of Egyptian bondage and yet Moses longed to see God’s glory:
Exodus 33:18-23 KJV: “And he [Moses] said, ‘I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.’ And He [God] 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.’ And He said, ‘Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me and live.’ And the Lord said, ‘Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 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: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.’”
But now, in Jesus, we have that unimaginable privilege to see God’s face:
2 Corinthians 4:6-7: “For God, Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
Revelation 22:4: “And they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”
The songwriter, Fannie Crosby, has expressed the glory of living in that “clift of the Rock” even in this present world:
“He Hideth My Soul”
“1. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, A wonderful Savior to me;
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the Rock, Where rivers of pleasure I see.
Chorus:
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, that shadows a dry thirsty land.
He hideth my life in the depths of His love, And covers me there with His hand.
And covers me there with His hand.
2. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, He taketh my burdens away,
He holdeth me up and I shall not be moved, He giveth me strength as my day.
3. With numberless blessings each moment He crowns, and filled with His fullness divine,
I sing in my rapture, ‘O glory to God!’ for such a Redeemer as mine.
4. When clothed with His brightness transported I rise to meet Him in clouds of the sky
His perfect salvation, His wonderful love, I’ll shout with the millions on high.”
– Words by Fannie J. Crosby; Music by Wm. J. Kirkpatrick.