Exodus 33:17-23 KJV
17 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.
18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
19 And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.

Moses coming off the mountain of Sinai to find the people worshipping the idol that looked like a calf. He tells the people all that were on the Lord side come stand by him and all the sons of Levi came and stood with Moses and Moses told them to kill everyone including his brother that did not stand with them. Then Moses consulted God concerning sin of idolatry committed by the children of Israel. God said he would still lead the people and that he show mercy on whom he would show mercy. Moses set up the tabernacle outside the camp of Israel. And God had them remove their ornaments of fineries from them, and they came to tabernacle Moses set up to talk to God. Moses enter the tabernacle and the glory of God shone even to the people. Moses speaks to God. Moses need assurance God was still going to go with them to the promise land. He asked God to show him his glory. God reminds Moses that he shows mercy on those whom he will show mercy.

Moses is heart broken before the Lord over Israel. Yet his need to have God go before him in the journey to the promise land was great. He ask God to show him his glory. God told him to stand by him on a rock, and he would pass by him and place him in the crevice of a rock. He declare not even Moses was allowed to see his face, but he would see the back part of God. God was granting more then Moses even asked for, yet do we grasp the meaning of standing on a rock beside him and being placed in the crevice of a rock? Moses would be placed in the crevice as God glory was passing by Moses.

As a believer in Christ the rock Moses was standing on was the word of God, the crevice was the place God puts us between the pages of his word. We use the story metaphorically, but in reality Moses was being placed in the shelter of the Almighty and standing on the solid rock of faith beside God, though he be not Christ, he was standing on the promises that God had spoken to him. God had promised he would go with Moses though Moses had sinned when he hit the rock and would only see the earthly promise land from the outside, he found he could worship God still outside the camp depsite his sin. He could still commune with God. Has God's glory passed Moses, God would placed him in the crevice of the rock for his protection and only seen the backside of God. Often we are only seeing the backside of God in regards to prophesy given and then we understand it as we follow God. God is covering Moses with his hand also to protect him.

God wants us to stand on the rock of faith beside God, and God wants to put in the safety of the rock of faith and protect us by his Spirit by sealing our hearts and not just covering us. He wants to show us his glory and his wonders, but also his business of judgment that is his alone. The symbolism of faith that Moses experience I seriously doubt Moses understood it all, but perhaps he reflected on it because he knew of the Messiah coming, he knew the preciousness of the law of God he had carried off the mountain and even broke the tablet of stone, and yet God was willing to forgive and continue to lead him on and enable him to continue to lead the people.

If we are in the valley, and walking beside Christ, standing on the rock(his word) and allowing him to place us in the protection of his word and Spirit through receiving Christ as Lord, then we know despite our sin he is going to be faitfhul to lead us to the promise land. Moses maybe outside the camp because of sin, but he still found grace in God's eyes. We are sinners saved by grace, because of God's mercy found because of his faith, because we are willing to stand on the promises of God on the rock of his word and be placed in the crevice of his word and surrounded by his word and covered by his Spirit, so that we to can see the glory of God in heaven when we reach the promise land of our faith called heaven.

Moses because of sin would not go into the promise land but he would see the promise land of heaven and enter in. Moses would be presence in the transfiguration as Jesus spoke to him and Elijah. Two famous Prophets appearance and yet both found grace and mercy in their life as they stood in the middle between Israel and God. If we can grasp the spiritual side of these events we can understand God grace in our life that his mercy will endure in the people of faith in Christ Jesus that the promise land is not only in sight but we going home to be with him. Our home is with God not the people though there be many heaven, and are God's family this relationship we have with God is our alone. It is like being married in the since that this is a personal relationship with God that assures you of your eternal hope in faith as you walk it with God and stand on the rock of faith and salvation by his word and Christ Jesus. He places you in a place to learn he will hide you in his word.

Dear Heavenly Father help us in times of our own failing to understand that we must come in repentance and seek your mercy in our own life. That you promise of salvation is truly ours even in our mistakes. Help us to stand beside you in faith on the solid rock as you place us in the crevice of your word and cover us by your Spirit.

Continual Scripture Study: Romans 9:15-26 KJV
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.
18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.
19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?
20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. Mark 9:1-7 KJV
1 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.
2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.
3 And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.
4 And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.
5 And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.
6 For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid.
7 And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.