El Hakkavod

 

And the LORD said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” (Exodus 33:17-23 ESV).

 

At Mount Horeb (Sinai), Moses had a breathtaking encounter with God. There he met El Hakkavod (pronounced “el ha-ka-VOHD”), “the God of Glory.” Moses asked God to remain with his people Israel. When God promised to do so, Moses, seeking further reassurance, boldly asked, “Now show me your glory.” The Hebrew word kavod originally meant “heavy, weighty,” as in reference to armor used in battle. Over time the word became linked with wealth, honor, dignity, and power, and it eventually came to mean “glory.” All these attributes combine to describe God as El Hakkavod, “the God of Glory.”

 

Eyes of faith see El Hakkavod in creation. El Hakkavod, “the God of glory,” as revealed in Psalm 29, “thunders over the mighty waters.” Now, Moses wasn’t satisfied to see God’s glory in nature; he wanted to see God’s face. But because of the weight of God’s glory, his utter uniqueness, perfect holiness, and complete transcendence, no one could see God’s face and live. Even so, God allowed Moses to see his glory after he passed by.

 

Moses caught a glimpse of God’s glory at Sinai, but today we can see God’s glory in Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18). Jesus is the Rock upon which we may stand. He then protects us in that Cleft of the Rock. All of this is assured because He is El Hakkavod. This truth can be transformative in our lives. We have opportunities everyday to show that glory to others in the way we conduct ourselves. How will you honor the God of Glory today?