“Then I will remove my hand, and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”
— Exodus 33:23
In the entire Bible, no moment is more mysterious and awe-inspiring than when Moses—the greatest prophet of the Old Testament—asks to see God’s glory.
God agrees… with a condition.
Moses may see His back, but not His face.
Why does this matter?
What does it teach us about God’s holiness, intimacy, and how we approach Him today?
1. The Man Who Spoke with God “Face to Face”
“The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.”
— Exodus 33:11
Moses had an extraordinary relationship with God. He met with Him on Mount Sinai, heard His voice in the burning bush, and interceded for Israel in the tent of meeting.
But even then, there were limits.
When Moses boldly asked, “Now show me Your glory” (Exodus 33:18), God responded with profound restraint:
“You cannot see My face, for no one may see Me and live.”
— Exodus 33:20
2. God’s “Back” Is a Mystery
What does it mean that Moses saw God’s back?
Hebrew scholars debate this. God is spirit (John 4:24), so He does not have a physical body. Many believe “back” refers to the afterglow or trail of God’s glory—a glimpse of His holiness without the full, overwhelming presence.
This encounter was so powerful that Moses’ own face shone afterward (Exodus 34:29).
It wasn’t God’s face—but it was more than most humans have ever seen.
3. Why Couldn’t Moses See God’s Face?
The answer is simple and sobering:
God’s holiness is too pure for sinful man to survive.
Even Moses, the lawgiver and mediator, could not look directly into the face of perfect glory.
This barrier was not cruelty—it was mercy.
If Moses had looked upon God’s unveiled glory, he would have died. Instead, God shielded him in a cleft of the rock and covered him with His hand.
4. Jesus: The One Who Reveals the Father’s Face
Though Moses only saw God’s back, Scripture tells us that in Jesus, we see God revealed fully:
“Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
— John 14:9
Jesus is called:
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The image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15)
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The radiance of God’s glory (Hebrews 1:3)
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The One who was with God and was God (John 1:1)
Through Jesus, the barrier Moses encountered was broken. On the cross, Jesus bore the wrath that would have consumed us—and gave us access to see God face to face one day (1 Corinthians 13:12).
🙌 Final Reflection: Longing for the Face of God
The story of Moses reminds us:
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God is holy beyond comprehension
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His glory is unapproachable by human strength
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But He longs to reveal Himself to us
One day, in the New Heaven and New Earth, the redeemed will see what Moses could not:
“They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.”
— Revelation 22:4
Until then, like Moses, we pray:
“Show me Your glory.”
