In human history, only a privileged few have seen a representation of the glory of God, yet even then, they only saw it as through a glass darkly—and it was beautiful beyond description. But one day it will not be beautiful beyond description, for when we are in the eternal presence of Almighty God, we will have the capacity that no human being during their time on earth ever possessed, for we will see the Lord in the pure beauty of his unequaled holiness.
Going Deep // Focus: Exodus 24:9-11
Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank.
What a stunning passage: Moses and his management team climbed Mt. Sinai and have a full session, including a covenantal meal with God himself. And the description of the presence of God is beautiful beyond description: “They went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky.” (Exodus 24:10)
What in the world is lapis lazuli? The Expositor’s Commentary offers this description:
Under God’s feet was a “pavement made of sapphire,” a deep blue or, more accurately, lapis lazuli of Mesopotamia, an opaque blue precious stone speckled with a golden yellow-colored pyrite. True sapphire, the transparent crystalline of corundum…symbolizes the heavens.
That’s right: what we have here is a preview of heaven and a time, when we too, will have access to the glory of God. But unlike this group, which saw just a similitude of the Presence, we will have unfiltered, unimpeded, uninterrupted access to the full glory, beauty and holiness of almighty God.
In human history, only a chosen few have seen the glory of the Lord—Adam and Eve, Moses, Isaiah, Peter, James and John on the Mount of Transfiguration, John on the Isle of Patmos—and even then, it was not the fullness of his glory, for no man can see God’s holiness and live to tell about it:
Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” (Exodus 33:18-23)
These privileged few saw a representation of the glory of God, but even then, they saw it as through a glass darkly. (1 Corinthians 13:12) And it was beautiful beyond description. But one day it will not be beautiful beyond description, for when we are in the eternal presence of Almighty God, we will have the capacity that no human being during their time on earth ever possessed, for we will see the Lord in the pure beauty his unequaled holiness:
“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”—the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. … Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 Corinthians 2:8-12, 1 John 3:2)
As you read this description in Exodus—the glory of the Lord’s presence, the pure beauty of his holiness, the invitation to a covenantal meal—that is just a preview of what is yours, that is, if you have surrendered your life to him by grace through faith in the saving work of his Son, Jesus Christ. For when you do that, accept his free gift of salvation, his Word declares that you have been given the right to become the child of God. (John 1:12) And as a child of God, all of God is yours—now by faith, but one day by sight.
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)
Congratulations, child of God, Great things are in store for you!
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