Rabbi’s Reflections – Saturday, March 15, 2025
Shabbat Shalom,
Leveraging Favor
By David Harwood
Moses was convinced that God favored him. Upon that basis Moses had pleaded that God would continue to actively be in Israel’s midst. Here’s God’s response to Moses’ intercession:
Adonai answered Moses, “I will also do what you have said, for you have found favor (chen/charis) in My sight, and I know you by name.” (Exodus 33:17)
Note, Adonai affirmed Moses’ status. Moses “found grace,” he was favored. Moses was intimately known. I think this reveals that Moses had a deep, resolute, loyal love for God. Why? Well, here’s an axiom worthy of meditation: Those who love God are known by Him.
But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. (1 Corinthians 8:3)
Also, those who are known by God belong to Him.
“The Lord knows those who are His,” (2 Timothy 2:19b)
Moses was especially known and favored by Adonai. He had a unique relationship with Israel’s redeemer. Immediately after the Lord reinforced this relationship, and promised to accompany Israel, Moses pressed in for something beyond that. Let’s look at the record.
Then (Moses) said, “Please, show me Your glory!” (Exodus 33:18)
Moses’ request was a unique, spontaneous eruption of desire to experience the King of glory. Within the framework of what we know through the Scriptures, nobody had ever asked that before.
It is a surprising request. After all, consider what Moses had already seen.
He had experienced external manifestations of God’s power. The transcendent one had actively revealed Himself in imminent earth-shaking, justice revealing, delivering power. Once, Adonai had brought Moses and Israel’s elders into intimate table fellowship with Himself wherein God was seen. I could go on…
However, such manifestations did not satiate Moses’ hunger. It stirred it up.
“Please, show me Your glory!” (Exodus 33:18b)
This spiritual appetite is stirred by a revelation of God’s favor/grace, is maintained by favor/grace, and is satisfied by favor/grace. When a person has experienced God’s chen/charis nothing else will do. Father’s unveiled favor reveals something about God, Himself. Manifestations of favor are like a veil through which a priestly heart presses through to behold the glory behind the grace.
What Moses received, as a result of his leveraging God’s revealed favor, was a description of that which the Lord values about Himself.
God had demonstrated His splendor, strength, and sovereignty. Now He conveyed His goodness. This is what He said.
I will cause all My goodness to pass before you, and call out the Name of Adonai before you. (Exodus 33:18–19b)
When we read the description of God’s goodness it reminds me of Yeshua. God said this:
Then Adonai passed before him, and proclaimed,
“Adonai, Adonai, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness (chesed) and truth (faithfulness), showing mercy to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, yet by no means leaving the guilty unpunished, but bringing the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, to the third and fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6–7)
This revelation of God’s goodness, Adonai’s glory, was motivated by favor/grace. Consider Yeshua.
This Son is the radiance of His glory and the imprint of His being, upholding all things by His powerful word. Hebrews 1:3a)
Father has shown us favor, revealing His glory in the face of Yeshua.
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Messiah. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
There’s more goodness to be known.
Ask, seek, knock. God will show you more.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat 15-Mar-2025 15th of Adar, 5785 Parashat Ki Tisa Purim Shushan (In Jerusalem)
Ex 34:10-35 1 Ki 18:1-39 2 Co 3