The Hand

6/10 in Spiritual Symbols Series

Exodus 33:22–23 (NLT)  As my glorious presence passes by, 

I will hide you in the crevice of the rock and cover you with my hand 

until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand 

and let you see me from behind. 

But my face will not be seen.”

Moses asked for a sight of God’s glory. God replied by promising to reveal Himself as a God of Grace and Compassion (see Ex. 34:6-7). Moses could not see God’s face and live, but he would be permitted to stand on a rock while God’s glory passed by, and he would see an appearance of God’s back. No one can see God’s face and live (v. 20). This means that no one can look upon the unveiled glory of God. He dwells “in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see” (1 Tim. 6:16). How then do we explain passages in the Bible where people saw God and did not die? The answer is that these people saw God as represented by our Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes He appeared as the Angel of the Lord, sometimes as a Man, and once manifested Himself as a Voice. The only begotten Son, Who is in the bosom of the Father, has fully declared God (John 1:18). Christ is the brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His Person (Heb. 1:3). That is why He could say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.