Sabbath School with Mark Finley | Lesson 12— Q3 – 2025

Summary

Lesson 12, 'Please Show Me Your Glory,' explores the glory of God as revealed in His character—His goodness, mercy, grace, and justice—and how it can transform believers’ lives. Using Moses’ intimate relationship with God, exemplified in the tent of meeting, the lesson emphasizes personal communion, spiritual growth, and the reflection of God’s virtues in our daily actions. Key themes include developing a deep, ongoing relationship with God, understanding His law written on the heart, and experiencing the joy and resilience that come from His presence. The lesson inspires believers to seek God’s glory and allow His character to shape their lives.

Takeaways

• 😀 God's glory is revealed in His character, which is merciful, gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.
• 😀 A lack of intimate relationship with God leads to spiritual deterioration and affects future generations, while a close relationship with Him produces kindness and love that spreads across generations.
• 😀 Growth in our relationship with God is essential. We are in His 'university' where there is no graduation, only continuous learning and growth.
• 😀 Moses' tent of meeting was a special place where he communed intimately with God, showing the importance of having a personal prayer space to connect with Him.
• 😀 True relationship with God requires intentional time with Him, much like how Moses sought God in his tent of meeting. It’s about creating a sacred space for personal connection.
• 😀 Moses’ desire to know God more deeply illustrates the importance of growing in intimacy with Him. God wants us to experience a closer, richer relationship with Him.
• 😀 A deeper knowledge of God comes with an increased awareness of His love, grace, and majesty. The more we know God, the more we recognize how much we don't yet know.
• 😀 God's glory is seen in His goodness, which includes grace, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness. God's glory is revealed through His actions and character.
• 😀 The self-revelation of God in Exodus 34, where He describes His nature, shows the depth of God's character: merciful, gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth.
• 😀 The experience of Moses’ shining face after encountering God's glory symbolizes how the presence of God transforms us. A close relationship with God brings joy, peace, and resilience.

Q & A

What is the main theme of Lesson 12 in the Exodus series?

The main theme is understanding and reflecting the glory of God, which is revealed in His character—goodness, mercy, grace, and justice—and growing in an intimate relationship with Him.

How is God’s glory described in Exodus 34:6-7?

God’s glory is described as merciful, gracious, long-suffering, abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and maintaining justice.

What is the significance of the 'tent of meeting' for Moses?

The tent of meeting was Moses’ personal place to encounter God, allowing for quiet, meditation, and intimate fellowship. It highlights the importance of having a dedicated space for spiritual connection.

What does the expression 'face to face' mean in the context of Moses and God?

In Hebrew idiom, 'face to face' signifies an intimate, personal relationship with God, not literally seeing His full glory, which is impossible for humans.

How does Moses’ request to 'see God’s glory' relate to His character?

Moses wanted to understand God more deeply. God revealed His glory as His goodness and character—graciousness, compassion, and mercy—rather than allowing Moses to see His face directly.

What role does personal growth play in reflecting God’s glory?

Personal spiritual growth allows believers to increasingly reflect God’s character in their lives. Growth is ongoing, and as one matures spiritually, they become more like Christ and display His attributes to others.

How does Exodus 33:12-17 illustrate Moses’ desire for a deeper relationship with God?

Moses seeks a fuller understanding and closeness with God, asking Him to show His way so that Moses may know God better. It highlights the importance of intentionally pursuing intimacy with God.

What is the connection between knowing God and eternal life according to John 17:3?

John 17:3 teaches that eternal life is knowing God personally. Life’s deepest fulfillment comes from a personal relationship with God, not merely intellectual knowledge.

How does God’s self-revelation in Exodus 34 influence human behavior?

God’s self-revelation shows His mercy, justice, and goodness, motivating believers to love righteousness, hate sin, and reflect His character in daily actions, thereby influencing others positively across generations.

What is the significance of Moses’ face shining after encountering God?

Moses’ shining face symbolizes the visible transformation that occurs when someone experiences God’s presence intimately. It reflects spiritual renewal, joy, and strength derived from close communion with God.

How does the lesson link the Old Testament and New Testament understanding of God’s glory?

The lesson connects Moses’ encounter with God and the shining face in Exodus to Jesus’ transfiguration in Matthew 17, showing continuity in experiencing God’s glory and character through relationship and transformation.

Why is having a personal place for prayer and reflection emphasized in the lesson?

A dedicated space, like Moses’ tent of meeting, helps believers focus on God, develop intimacy with Him, and grow spiritually, ensuring that their lives are spiritually fertile and aligned with God’s will.