ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tusite ‘Epeleli 11, 2023

Seeing God's Backside

Mamata pe ki he tu‘a (tapu mo Ia) ‘o e ‘Otua

EXODUS 33:21-23

AND THE LORD SAID, "BEHOLD, THERE IS A PLACE BY ME WHERE YOU SHALL STAND ON THE ROCK, IN A CLEFT OF THE ROCK, AND I WILL COVER YOU AND WHILE MY GLORY PASSES BY I WILL PUT 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."

‘EKISOTO 33:21-23

21 Pea folofola mai ‘a e ‘Eiki, Ko eni, ‘oku ai ha potu ofi mai; pea te ke tu‘u ‘i he funga makatu‘u: 22 pea ka faifai pea fakaholo atu hoku lāngilangi, te u ‘ai koe ki ha ava ‘o e makatu‘u, pea te u ‘ufi‘ufi koe ‘aki hoku ‘aofi nima, kae‘oua kuo u ‘alu atu; 23 pea te u toki to‘o hoku nima, pea te ke mamata ki hoku tu‘a: ka ko hoku mata e ‘ikai te ke sio ki ai.

When Moses requests a peek at God's glory, the Lord gives a qualified Yes. He will let his goodness pass by, proclaim his divine name, and blindfold Moses with his hand. Only then will Moses catch a glimpse. Rather than God's face, however, he'll spy his divine achor ("back" or "backside"). This odd procedure is necessary for Moses' survival, for the Lord says, "You cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live" (33:20). When God's goodness passes by, and his name is declared, divine glory looks like the muted, hidden backside of God.

In John 17, Jesus repeatedly refers to when his glory will be revealed (vv. 5, 22, 24). How shocked we are, however, to discover that he is referring to his inglorious execution! This is the ultimate manifestation of God's glory-his achor glory-that both reveals his goodness to us and places his name on us.

"Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name; deliver us, and atone for our sins, for your name's sake!" (Ps. 79:9).