The greatest revelation of the glory of the Lord in Scripture can be found in the book of Isaiah, where the word “glory” appears 50 times in 66 chapters.[1] It is interesting to note that of the twenty-four times the word “glory” appears in the Pentateuch, twelve of them are in this wonderful book of Exodus. Of these twelve mentions of “glory” in Exodus, six of them are in the phrase the glory of the LORD.[2] Two of the remaining verses identify the redemptive glory of the Lord resting upon the priesthood.[3] Three of the mentions of glory in Exodus identify the glory of the Lord resting upon the Tabernacle.[4] Finally, in one of the most precious passages in the Pentateuch, Moses, the servant of the Lord, requests the Lord to show unto him His glory.[5]
But what is the glory of the Lord? What does it mean for the Lord to show unto Moses His glory? Consider one passage emphasizing the glory of the Lord in Exodus.
Exodus 24:16-17:
16And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.
17 And the sight of the glory of the LORD was like devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel.
Whatever may constitute the glory of the LORD, it is certainly exceedingly intimidating in its manifestation. It has been suggested that the glory of the LORD is really the manifestation of the sum total of all His attributes in one place all at once. It may be thought of as a display of the very essence of God Himself in any one place.
But to fully enter into the revelation of the unspeakable glory of God in Exodus it is important to see it in its redemptive connections. One particular passage is especially helpful in this regard. It is Exodus 29:38-43.
38 Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
39 The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:
40 And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.
41 And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
42 This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.
43 And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.
This passage deals with the establishment of the offering of a morning and an evening sacrifice throughout all the generations of the nation of Israel. Every morning and every evening they were to sacrifice a lamb of the first year according to the directions laid down in this passage. It is clear that the LORD desired to always keep before them that they were a people bought by the precious blood of the God-ordained Redeemer, pictured by these sacrifices. The significant thing is that the Lord links the manifestation of His ineffable glory (upon and within the tabernacle) to the redemptive purposes pictured by these constant sacrifices.
The glory of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob must be seen as a destroying fire upon the mountain, but, at the same time, essentially connected to the redeeming grace of God so intimately associated with every aspect of the divine revelation through the tabernacle. Furthermore, the glory of God is unspeakable glory precisely because it is so wonderfully manifested through the out-working of His redemptive purposes in the Person of His Son, Who is the Anti-Type of everything in the tabernacle.
The prayer of Moses, the servant of the Lord, recorded in Exodus 33:18 is an appropriate prayer for every serious student of the book of Exodus. "I beseech thee, shew me thy glory." To the degree the believing student trusts the LORD to answer that prayer he will enter into the redemptive purposes of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is Himself spoken of as the Lord of Glory.[6] And, all the glory of the Lord, so clearly manifested in this wonderful book of Exodus, becomes a part of the fabric of the life of the believing child of God. It is literally wrought out in him as Colossians 1:27 reveals: Christ in you, the hope of glory.
[1] The word glory appears 54 times in the book of Psalms, but that is in 150 chapters, so the proportion is much greater in Isaiah.[2] Exodus 16:7, 10; 24:16, 17; 40:34, 35.[3] Exodus 28:2, 40.[4] Exodus 29:43; 40:34, 35.[5] Exodus 33:18-23.[6] 1 Corinthians 2:8.