And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
No mortal man in this sinful state can endure to look upon God's unveiled face and live, for the dazzling splendor of His glory would consume him. When Moses asked to see His glory, God sheltered him in the cleft of the rock, covered him with His hand while His glory passed by, then let him see only what mortal flesh could bear. He reveals His glory not by exposing His face but by making all His goodness pass before the beholder and proclaiming His name as merciful and gracious, longsuffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving sin yet by no means clearing the guilty. For this same reason Christ veiled His divine glory with humanity, so He could dwell among men and make God known without destroying them. This withholding is not forever, for those made fit through Christ to dwell in the city of God are promised in Revelation 22:1-4 that they shall see His face in immortal life.
Request and Its Setting
The answer belongs to Exodus 33:18-23, given after Israel's golden-calf apostasy when God's presence had withdrawn from the people. God still met with Moses and showed him favor, while Moses held on to Israel as God's people, refused the offer to make a great nation of him alone, and insisted that God's presence must go with the people. When the cloudy pillar appeared at the worship tent the people could hope for mercy, but revelation was not given to the people as it was to Moses.
Moses' plea, I beseech thee, show me thy glory, was not presumption asking too large things, nor idle curiosity, ambition for worldly distinction, or selfishness. God did not rebuke him or turn from him for asking, but answered with grace and favored the request in the way man can bear. Moses was assured he should behold as much of the divine glory as he could endure in this mortal state.
He asked because he knew he still lacked God's presence to meet the opposition he would face, to carry on a discouraging mission, and to represent God to the people in all his ministry. The request came from a whole soul drawn out after God to know more of Him, to commune with Him and feel His presence near in every emergency, to obtain a clear view of His glory, to communicate the blessing to others, and to honor and glorify God. Seeking to see God in this way calls for genuine humility, a meek and contrite spirit that reveres His word.
Moses brought his fear and burden to God, and God strengthened his fainting heart. This came after forty years of discipline in humble shepherd life that had pruned his impetuous spirit, ambition, and confidence in his own abilities and education, and had brought him to meekness where he made God alone his trust.
That Moses spoke with God face to face describes unusually direct, close communion as a person speaks with a friend. It does not mean that he saw God's face, since no person can see God's face and live. His exceptional nearness and extraordinary revelation of glory were given without sight of God's face.
Sheltered Glimpse of Glory
No mortal can endure seeing the unveiled face and living, so Moses was shown only as much of the divine glory as his mortal state could bear without being consumed. God provided a place by Himself upon a rock, put Moses as mortal humanity in its cleft, and covered him with His hand while His glory and goodness passed by. Then He took away His hand so Moses could see His back parts but not His face, seeing only what God permitted after the glory had passed. To do this Moses was summoned again to the mountain summit, where the hand that made the world placed and sheltered him in the cleft of the rock while the glory of God and all His goodness passed before him.
This was a special, extraordinary manifestation of God's glory to Moses while charged with leading Israel, greater than that given to anyone else on earth. Moses was specially favored in sacred nearness to God, yet even that exceptional nearness did not mean he saw God's face. This protected encounter came before Moses executed justice on the idolaters and prepared him for that work. It also enabled him to receive the pattern for the sanctuary, since God protected him so he could encounter God and behold what was revealed without seeing His face and dying.
The Father has a form like the Son, but His glorious person and excellency of form are covered and enshrouded by a visible body of light and glory that can be seen. Seeing that surrounding bright light and glory is not seeing His unveiled face or unveiled person, and seeing it does not mean seeing the excellency of His form. His moving is known when that glory rises from the throne, though His form itself remains unseen. The elders likewise saw only the inexpressible glory surrounding Him veiled with thick cloud, not His person, which before reverence, repentance, and purification would have meant death, but their reverence, repentance, and purification enabled them to approach nearer and behold its radiance.
Goodness and Name Revealed
God does not reveal His glory by uncovering His face, but by causing all His goodness to pass before Moses and by proclaiming the name of the Lord before him. That proclamation declares His character as merciful and gracious, longsuffering and slow to anger, abundant in goodness and truth and loving-kindness, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and by no means clearing the guilty. In this are made known mercy, grace, patience, forgiveness, and justice, while Moses is sheltered in the cleft of the rock and covered as the glory passes, permitted to see only the back parts after it has passed and never the face. His glory is His goodness, and that revelation of goodness was what Moses asked for and what he needed for his work of meeting opposition and carrying a discouraging mission. When God lets His goodness pass before believers they receive strength directly from the Fountain Head instead of reaching to human agencies, and they can then carry that goodness to the world. That same revelation of character as merciful, gracious, patient, and abundant in goodness and truth was also revealed by Christ, who perfectly represented the Father. Instead of seeing God's face, Moses was shown God's divine attributes.
Why Mortals Cannot See
No one in this mortal, sinful condition can endure to look upon God's unveiled face, form, or glory and live, for He dwells in light no one can approach and the dazzling splendor of His divinity would destroy and consume the beholder. His greatness, majesty, dreadfulness, and mystery call for holy awe and reverence, and no mortal mind can penetrate His works and purposes beyond what He reveals. Moses' plea was not presumption to be rebuked, but was answered with grace and the assurance that he should behold as much of the divine glory as he could endure. To do this he was summoned again to the mountain summit, where the hand that made the world placed and sheltered him in the cleft of the rock while the glory of God and all His goodness passed by. Only what his mortal state could bear was shown, and the glory he could safely behold reflected from his face with such brightness that the people could not look upon it. What sinful beings would be destroyed to see beyond what they can bear is met by Christ, who revealed all of God they could bear without being destroyed as the divine Teacher and Enlightener, so that everything needed has been given in Him and in the written word with no other revelations needed.
The glory dwelling above the mercy-seat between the bowed, worshiping angels in the most holy place of the wilderness tabernacle and the temple is glory upon which no man may look and live. Therefore one apartment was kept sacred to His presence, and the cherubim veil at its entrance could be passed by only one hand, with unbidden intrusion meaning death. Even on the one appointed day in the year the high priest entered with trembling while clouds and smoke of incense veiled the glory from his sight. At that hour every sound throughout the courts was hushed, no priests ministered at the altars, and the host of worshipers bowed in silent awe offering petitions for God's mercy. This guarding of His presence remains an example and admonition for those living at the ends of the ages to approach God with reverence.
After sin entered, the privilege of talking with the Creator and with angels face to face was withdrawn. Fallen man became subject to death, shut out from God, unable to look upon His wonderful glory, to approach in person into His presence, or to live in it. Apart from the plan of redemption this would mean eternal separation from God in unending night, in contrast to unfallen man created and placed in the garden of Eden. Through the Saviour's sacrifice communion is again made possible, so that though His face cannot be seen directly He can be beheld and communed with in Jesus the Saviour, whose face reveals the knowledge of God's glory. Christ's life and death even reveal God's character more fully than it was known by Eden's holy inhabitants.
Even Moses could not receive a complete revelation of God in person as He is, receiving only a glimpse of His holiness. To seek such a miraculous personal manifestation is to ask for what human beings cannot bear. People are therefore taught to walk with God by faith while His presence remains hidden from sight. Yet when they surrender themselves to God and seek His counsel, they may see heavenly things clearly and catch glimpses of Him, as Moses did.
Christ Veiled to Dwell
No mortal can endure to look upon God's face in full glory and live, for the dazzling splendor of His unveiled divinity would consume and destroy the beholder. For this reason Christ, the light of the world, veiled His divinity and clothed it with humanity, laying aside His royal glory and His royal robe and kingly crown to come to live on earth as a man among men. He met humanity in its most sinful and corrupt form, and without that covering His divinity would have quenched sinners' lives. In this self-veiling divine love was manifested toward erring mortals, so that He could live among people and serve as their example and they could become acquainted with their Creator without being extinguished or consumed.
The One whose glory Moses had asked to see was veiled in the humble infant child presented at the temple. That infant was the divine glory in a form hidden from ordinary sight. He was greater than Moses.
By sin man was shut out from God and in sin cannot in person approach into His presence or look upon His face, which apart from the plan of redemption would mean eternal separation from God in unending night. Through the Saviour's sacrifice communion with God is again made possible, so that though His face cannot be seen directly, He can be beheld and communed with in Jesus the Saviour. In Jesus, whose face reveals the knowledge of God's glory, Christ's life and death reveal God's character more fully than it was known even by Eden's holy inhabitants.
Christ revealed all of God that sinful beings could bear without being destroyed. He is the divine Teacher and Enlightener who is one with the Father and makes God known, revealing the Father to whom He will. No one has seen God at any time in unveiled glory except as He is revealed through Christ, and God is known only as manifested through Him. God has given everything needed in the revelations made through Christ and in His written word, and no other revelations are needed.
Redeemed Will See Face
Moses could not look on the divine face in that revelation of glory and live, so he was sheltered in a cleft of the rock and permitted to see only the back parts after the glory had passed. No human being in this mortal state can see that face and live, for instead of the face God revealed His divine attributes. That restriction does not hold forever for the redeemed, for the overcomers are promised that they shall see the divine face. Revelation pictures a prepared people to whom that sight is given in the life to come, and Revelation 22:1-4 shows that beholding His face belongs to the heavenly life described there. Revelation 22:4 describes the changed circumstance in which those who have a place in the city of God shall see His face in the future immortal life, a prospect that brings comfort and joy amid present distress.
Living to see God requires a fitness that comes only through Christ, a character built after His pattern in this life. That fitness is formed by coming into close relation to Jesus, having the life hid with Christ in God and being hidden in the cleft of the Rock, so that the divine is united with the human. It is gained as fallen man beholds Jesus daily, partakes of the pure celestial nature, maintains heaven's perfection against temptation, and is changed into His likeness full of grace and truth by daily assimilation to the Saviour. With the character of Christ so formed and likeness to God in character, a person is made able to behold the glory of God, better understands what heaven is like, and is prepared to meet God and to see Christ's face when He comes in glory.
Hiding in Rock Today
The cleft of the Rock where Moses was hidden while the goodness of God passed by is Christ Jesus, and no one can behold the glory directly and live without being hidden there. Clinging to Him in living faith, trusting the Lord with all the heart, praying to be hidden in Him, and depending on His protection gives shelter to behold His glory safely, with spiritual power and help and steadfast victory over doubt and opposition as more than conqueror. Hiding in God in times of need is the way those who walk with Him discern Him as Moses did, for humility and hiding in God are the fitting response when dependence on His protection is required to behold His glory. That hiding is protection for those whose work makes them a target for the enemy, especially physicians amid their trials, keeping them from showing overmastering passion while God lets them see His glory.
Beholding God in this sheltered way transforms the beholder into grace and truth and makes it possible to endure encounter with the invisible God. Living to see God requires a fitness that comes only through Christ, a Christlike character built after His pattern in this life by coming into close relation to Jesus, having life hid with Christ in God and hidden in the cleft of the Rock so the divine is united with the human. That fitness is gained as fallen man beholds Jesus daily, partakes of the pure celestial nature, maintains heaven's perfection against temptation, and is changed into His likeness full of grace and truth by daily assimilation to the Saviour, and with the character of Christ so formed a person is made able to behold the glory of God and better understands what heaven is like.
This revelation, with the promise of the divine presence, gave Moses assurance of success in his work, of infinitely greater worth than all earthly learning, power, skill, statesmanship, or military leadership, since nothing can supply the place of God's abiding presence. Seeking to see God calls for genuine humility, a meek and contrite spirit that reveres His word, and childlike faith, and God's limited revelation of His glory was meant to give Moses a fuller view of God while keeping him humble even as he trusted. Because He dwells in unapproachable light that mortals cannot look upon and survive, revealing His greatness, majesty, dreadfulness, and soon-coming judgment, His holy name must be spoken only with reverence and awe and a realizing sense of God and the truth, never coupled carelessly and thoughtlessly with other words, and lack of such reverence displeases Him and must be understood and corrected before the church can prosper.
Even now those connected with His work can catch glimpses of the Holy One of Israel as Moses did, though even Moses could receive only a glimpse of His holiness and no human can behold God fully and live. This comes through close association with God, entire dependence on Him, prayer before the work of the day, inviting the heavenly Guest to take possession and control, sincere soul-hunger and wrestling with heavenly agencies until victory, and putting soul, body, and spirit into the Lord's hands to be moved by His will, controlled by His mind, and infused by His Spirit, so that prayerful surrender anoints the eyes of the understanding to see heavenly things clearly. Those who reject God's warnings and do not seek that shelter of the cleft of the Rock will be unprepared to face the day of their visitation. For the very reason God had trusted Moses so much and given him so great privileges in close relation to His glory, giving him an experience from what he had once been and once done, when Moses took glory to himself God was highly displeased, and this exception to his usual patience was more marked and painful with proportionately aggravating sin.
No mortal man in this sinful state can endure to look upon God's unveiled face and live, for the dazzling splendor of His glory would consume him. When Moses asked to see His glory, God sheltered him in the cleft of the rock, covered him with His hand while His glory passed by, then let him see only what mortal flesh could bear. He reveals His glory not by exposing His face but by making all His goodness pass before the beholder and proclaiming His name as merciful and gracious, longsuffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving sin yet by no means clearing the guilty. For this same reason Christ veiled His divine glory with humanity, so He could dwell among men and make God known without destroying them. This withholding is not forever, for those made fit through Christ to dwell in the city of God are promised in Revelation 22:1-4 that they shall see His face in immortal life.
Request and Its Setting
The answer belongs to Exodus 33:18-23, given after Israel's golden-calf apostasy when God's presence had withdrawn from the people. God still met with Moses and showed him favor, while Moses held on to Israel as God's people, refused the offer to make a great nation of him alone, and insisted that God's presence must go with the people. When the cloudy pillar appeared at the worship tent the people could hope for mercy, but revelation was not given to the people as it was to Moses.
Moses' plea, I beseech thee, show me thy glory, was not presumption asking too large things, nor idle curiosity, ambition for worldly distinction, or selfishness. God did not rebuke him or turn from him for asking, but answered with grace and favored the request in the way man can bear. Moses was assured he should behold as much of the divine glory as he could endure in this mortal state.
He asked because he knew he still lacked God's presence to meet the opposition he would face, to carry on a discouraging mission, and to represent God to the people in all his ministry. The request came from a whole soul drawn out after God to know more of Him, to commune with Him and feel His presence near in every emergency, to obtain a clear view of His glory, to communicate the blessing to others, and to honor and glorify God. Seeking to see God in this way calls for genuine humility, a meek and contrite spirit that reveres His word.
Moses brought his fear and burden to God, and God strengthened his fainting heart. This came after forty years of discipline in humble shepherd life that had pruned his impetuous spirit, ambition, and confidence in his own abilities and education, and had brought him to meekness where he made God alone his trust.
That Moses spoke with God face to face describes unusually direct, close communion as a person speaks with a friend. It does not mean that he saw God's face, since no person can see God's face and live. His exceptional nearness and extraordinary revelation of glory were given without sight of God's face.
Sheltered Glimpse of Glory
No mortal can endure seeing the unveiled face and living, so Moses was shown only as much of the divine glory as his mortal state could bear without being consumed. God provided a place by Himself upon a rock, put Moses as mortal humanity in its cleft, and covered him with His hand while His glory and goodness passed by. Then He took away His hand so Moses could see His back parts but not His face, seeing only what God permitted after the glory had passed. To do this Moses was summoned again to the mountain summit, where the hand that made the world placed and sheltered him in the cleft of the rock while the glory of God and all His goodness passed before him.
This was a special, extraordinary manifestation of God's glory to Moses while charged with leading Israel, greater than that given to anyone else on earth. Moses was specially favored in sacred nearness to God, yet even that exceptional nearness did not mean he saw God's face. This protected encounter came before Moses executed justice on the idolaters and prepared him for that work. It also enabled him to receive the pattern for the sanctuary, since God protected him so he could encounter God and behold what was revealed without seeing His face and dying.
The Father has a form like the Son, but His glorious person and excellency of form are covered and enshrouded by a visible body of light and glory that can be seen. Seeing that surrounding bright light and glory is not seeing His unveiled face or unveiled person, and seeing it does not mean seeing the excellency of His form. His moving is known when that glory rises from the throne, though His form itself remains unseen. The elders likewise saw only the inexpressible glory surrounding Him veiled with thick cloud, not His person, which before reverence, repentance, and purification would have meant death, but their reverence, repentance, and purification enabled them to approach nearer and behold its radiance.
Goodness and Name Revealed
God does not reveal His glory by uncovering His face, but by causing all His goodness to pass before Moses and by proclaiming the name of the Lord before him. That proclamation declares His character as merciful and gracious, longsuffering and slow to anger, abundant in goodness and truth and loving-kindness, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and by no means clearing the guilty. In this are made known mercy, grace, patience, forgiveness, and justice, while Moses is sheltered in the cleft of the rock and covered as the glory passes, permitted to see only the back parts after it has passed and never the face. His glory is His goodness, and that revelation of goodness was what Moses asked for and what he needed for his work of meeting opposition and carrying a discouraging mission. When God lets His goodness pass before believers they receive strength directly from the Fountain Head instead of reaching to human agencies, and they can then carry that goodness to the world. That same revelation of character as merciful, gracious, patient, and abundant in goodness and truth was also revealed by Christ, who perfectly represented the Father. Instead of seeing God's face, Moses was shown God's divine attributes.
Why Mortals Cannot See
No one in this mortal, sinful condition can endure to look upon God's unveiled face, form, or glory and live, for He dwells in light no one can approach and the dazzling splendor of His divinity would destroy and consume the beholder. His greatness, majesty, dreadfulness, and mystery call for holy awe and reverence, and no mortal mind can penetrate His works and purposes beyond what He reveals. Moses' plea was not presumption to be rebuked, but was answered with grace and the assurance that he should behold as much of the divine glory as he could endure. To do this he was summoned again to the mountain summit, where the hand that made the world placed and sheltered him in the cleft of the rock while the glory of God and all His goodness passed by. Only what his mortal state could bear was shown, and the glory he could safely behold reflected from his face with such brightness that the people could not look upon it. What sinful beings would be destroyed to see beyond what they can bear is met by Christ, who revealed all of God they could bear without being destroyed as the divine Teacher and Enlightener, so that everything needed has been given in Him and in the written word with no other revelations needed.
The glory dwelling above the mercy-seat between the bowed, worshiping angels in the most holy place of the wilderness tabernacle and the temple is glory upon which no man may look and live. Therefore one apartment was kept sacred to His presence, and the cherubim veil at its entrance could be passed by only one hand, with unbidden intrusion meaning death. Even on the one appointed day in the year the high priest entered with trembling while clouds and smoke of incense veiled the glory from his sight. At that hour every sound throughout the courts was hushed, no priests ministered at the altars, and the host of worshipers bowed in silent awe offering petitions for God's mercy. This guarding of His presence remains an example and admonition for those living at the ends of the ages to approach God with reverence.
After sin entered, the privilege of talking with the Creator and with angels face to face was withdrawn. Fallen man became subject to death, shut out from God, unable to look upon His wonderful glory, to approach in person into His presence, or to live in it. Apart from the plan of redemption this would mean eternal separation from God in unending night, in contrast to unfallen man created and placed in the garden of Eden. Through the Saviour's sacrifice communion is again made possible, so that though His face cannot be seen directly He can be beheld and communed with in Jesus the Saviour, whose face reveals the knowledge of God's glory. Christ's life and death even reveal God's character more fully than it was known by Eden's holy inhabitants.
Even Moses could not receive a complete revelation of God in person as He is, receiving only a glimpse of His holiness. To seek such a miraculous personal manifestation is to ask for what human beings cannot bear. People are therefore taught to walk with God by faith while His presence remains hidden from sight. Yet when they surrender themselves to God and seek His counsel, they may see heavenly things clearly and catch glimpses of Him, as Moses did.
Christ Veiled to Dwell
No mortal can endure to look upon God's face in full glory and live, for the dazzling splendor of His unveiled divinity would consume and destroy the beholder. For this reason Christ, the light of the world, veiled His divinity and clothed it with humanity, laying aside His royal glory and His royal robe and kingly crown to come to live on earth as a man among men. He met humanity in its most sinful and corrupt form, and without that covering His divinity would have quenched sinners' lives. In this self-veiling divine love was manifested toward erring mortals, so that He could live among people and serve as their example and they could become acquainted with their Creator without being extinguished or consumed.
The One whose glory Moses had asked to see was veiled in the humble infant child presented at the temple. That infant was the divine glory in a form hidden from ordinary sight. He was greater than Moses.
By sin man was shut out from God and in sin cannot in person approach into His presence or look upon His face, which apart from the plan of redemption would mean eternal separation from God in unending night. Through the Saviour's sacrifice communion with God is again made possible, so that though His face cannot be seen directly, He can be beheld and communed with in Jesus the Saviour. In Jesus, whose face reveals the knowledge of God's glory, Christ's life and death reveal God's character more fully than it was known even by Eden's holy inhabitants.
Christ revealed all of God that sinful beings could bear without being destroyed. He is the divine Teacher and Enlightener who is one with the Father and makes God known, revealing the Father to whom He will. No one has seen God at any time in unveiled glory except as He is revealed through Christ, and God is known only as manifested through Him. God has given everything needed in the revelations made through Christ and in His written word, and no other revelations are needed.
Redeemed Will See Face
Moses could not look on the divine face in that revelation of glory and live, so he was sheltered in a cleft of the rock and permitted to see only the back parts after the glory had passed. No human being in this mortal state can see that face and live, for instead of the face God revealed His divine attributes. That restriction does not hold forever for the redeemed, for the overcomers are promised that they shall see the divine face. Revelation pictures a prepared people to whom that sight is given in the life to come, and Revelation 22:1-4 shows that beholding His face belongs to the heavenly life described there. Revelation 22:4 describes the changed circumstance in which those who have a place in the city of God shall see His face in the future immortal life, a prospect that brings comfort and joy amid present distress.
Living to see God requires a fitness that comes only through Christ, a character built after His pattern in this life. That fitness is formed by coming into close relation to Jesus, having the life hid with Christ in God and being hidden in the cleft of the Rock, so that the divine is united with the human. It is gained as fallen man beholds Jesus daily, partakes of the pure celestial nature, maintains heaven's perfection against temptation, and is changed into His likeness full of grace and truth by daily assimilation to the Saviour. With the character of Christ so formed and likeness to God in character, a person is made able to behold the glory of God, better understands what heaven is like, and is prepared to meet God and to see Christ's face when He comes in glory.
Hiding in Rock Today
The cleft of the Rock where Moses was hidden while the goodness of God passed by is Christ Jesus, and no one can behold the glory directly and live without being hidden there. Clinging to Him in living faith, trusting the Lord with all the heart, praying to be hidden in Him, and depending on His protection gives shelter to behold His glory safely, with spiritual power and help and steadfast victory over doubt and opposition as more than conqueror. Hiding in God in times of need is the way those who walk with Him discern Him as Moses did, for humility and hiding in God are the fitting response when dependence on His protection is required to behold His glory. That hiding is protection for those whose work makes them a target for the enemy, especially physicians amid their trials, keeping them from showing overmastering passion while God lets them see His glory.
Beholding God in this sheltered way transforms the beholder into grace and truth and makes it possible to endure encounter with the invisible God. Living to see God requires a fitness that comes only through Christ, a Christlike character built after His pattern in this life by coming into close relation to Jesus, having life hid with Christ in God and hidden in the cleft of the Rock so the divine is united with the human. That fitness is gained as fallen man beholds Jesus daily, partakes of the pure celestial nature, maintains heaven's perfection against temptation, and is changed into His likeness full of grace and truth by daily assimilation to the Saviour, and with the character of Christ so formed a person is made able to behold the glory of God and better understands what heaven is like.
This revelation, with the promise of the divine presence, gave Moses assurance of success in his work, of infinitely greater worth than all earthly learning, power, skill, statesmanship, or military leadership, since nothing can supply the place of God's abiding presence. Seeking to see God calls for genuine humility, a meek and contrite spirit that reveres His word, and childlike faith, and God's limited revelation of His glory was meant to give Moses a fuller view of God while keeping him humble even as he trusted. Because He dwells in unapproachable light that mortals cannot look upon and survive, revealing His greatness, majesty, dreadfulness, and soon-coming judgment, His holy name must be spoken only with reverence and awe and a realizing sense of God and the truth, never coupled carelessly and thoughtlessly with other words, and lack of such reverence displeases Him and must be understood and corrected before the church can prosper.
Even now those connected with His work can catch glimpses of the Holy One of Israel as Moses did, though even Moses could receive only a glimpse of His holiness and no human can behold God fully and live. This comes through close association with God, entire dependence on Him, prayer before the work of the day, inviting the heavenly Guest to take possession and control, sincere soul-hunger and wrestling with heavenly agencies until victory, and putting soul, body, and spirit into the Lord's hands to be moved by His will, controlled by His mind, and infused by His Spirit, so that prayerful surrender anoints the eyes of the understanding to see heavenly things clearly. Those who reject God's warnings and do not seek that shelter of the cleft of the Rock will be unprepared to face the day of their visitation. For the very reason God had trusted Moses so much and given him so great privileges in close relation to His glory, giving him an experience from what he had once been and once done, when Moses took glory to himself God was highly displeased, and this exception to his usual patience was more marked and painful with proportionately aggravating sin.