Sabbath: “Please, Show Me Your Glory”
Daily Lesson for Sabbath 13th of September 2025
Image © Pacific Press
Read for This Week’s Study: Exodus 33:7-23; Exodus 34:1-35; Deuteronomy 18:15,18; John 17:3; Romans 2:4; John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 3:18.
Memory Text:
“And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation’ ” (Exodus 34:6-7, NKJV).
We all need to grow in our walk with God. Without growth, we are dead. The apostle Peter declares: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen” (2 Peter 3:18, NIV). We need to be willing to grow. We are daily in God’s university, where there is no graduation but a constant learning process. In each stage of growth, you can be perfect if you allow God to mold you into the person that He calls you, in Christ, to be.
Think of a school. If first-graders learn how to read and count to 100, they receive a passing grade because their knowledge is perfect at that stage and scale of growth. However, if this same level of knowledge, and no more, was detected in a high schooler, it would indicate a colossal failure in his or her education. It is similar with our growth in the grace and knowledge of God. In each stage of our development, we can be as perfect in our sphere as Christ was in His.
This week we study how Moses, through knowing and following God’s instructions, was growing in his walk with the Lord.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 20.
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I am not a big fan of air travel. It is utilitarian. You get stuffed into an aluminium tube with barely enough space to breath, you get food that is barely palatable, If you talk, everyone glares at you. I thought that sitting near a window would be great, but planes fly so high that it is like you are in a sphere of sky. I like to travel in our little motorhome. If you see something interesting, you stop to look at it. If you feel hungry you stop and cook up a meal of your favourite food. If you feel sleepy, you lie down on the bed, If you need a shower, you have one. It is really fun to travel and you don’t feel the pressure of being on time to make connections.
And that is what is so good about the Christian journey. It’s not about the destination. It about the journey. And if you think that heaven is a destination, you have missed the point. It is just the beginning of a new journey. Christianity is not about reaching a goal, it’s all about living in partnership with God now. That is how others will see His Glory.
Jesus said:
Maurice, I whole heartedly agree with you! We used to do fly and drive vacations. The last time we flew out of ORD the TSA lines were so long and slow that we missed our flight in spite of being at the airport 1.5 hours early. Missing that flight caused a raft of issues, because the next one wouldn't fly out until the following day.
We absolutely love our mini motorhome and have enjoyed doing the very things you said. It has in many ways made the journey the destination. We have gotten to see the wonders of God’s Creation up close and have met many wonderful people and had many opportunities to share God's love.
Life is definitely a journey, and a school, and for those that choose to travel it with Jesus the learning and adventure will never end. Living for, learning from, and growing with Jesus, definitely makes the journey the destination, one which will stretch out into the endless ages of eternity.
A few weeks ago, when reviewing Exodus 19, we saw that God didn't simply bring the people out from slavery, or into a new territory. God brought the people to Himself (verse 4).
That's what the second coming is about; not simply about relocation, but into companionship: "I will come again, and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:3
In essence, what is spiritual growth? What does the Bible say about spiritual growth? What will happen if believers fail to grow spiritually? How does spiritual growth come about?
As believers, we are greatly encouraged to grow spiritually. Spiritual growth is the process of becoming more and more like Jesus Christ in character and in faith through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is far more than acquiring increased knowledge about Him. It is increasing in the attributes of Jesus Christ: love, kindness, compassion, mercy, humility, obedience, and faith. This is the progressive transformation in the likeness of Jesus Christ through the indwelling of the Third Person of the Godhead. God has purposed for believers to grow spiritually.
“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.” (Romans 8:29)
This spiritual growth will culminate in our salvation. “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2). Our Father in heaven desires that we may grow spiritually. “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” (John 15:8). Through communing daily with our Father in heaven through prayer, reading His Word, obedience, and fellowship.
“Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth” - Ephesians 4:14, NLT
I agree that spiritual growth means becoming more like Jesus, but I'm not sure that spiritual growth will "culminate in our salvation." That makes it sound as though our salvation is dependent on our sanctification.
Rather, I believe that our salvation is dependent on Christ's death for us and our acceptance of His Gift of righteousness received by the new birth which also means a new heart. Spiritual growth continues after we accept that salvation. We are saved every step of the way by our acceptance of His Gift - not just at the "culmination" of our spiritual growth.
For that matter, I believe that becoming more like Jesus will continue throughout eternity.
The thief on the cross was saved before he could do much spiritual growing. The same is true for many others. I think the parable of the the master who hired people from the market place is relevant here. Everyone got the same wages.
You quote a translation of 1 Peter 2:2 which reads, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.”
I think that's a good translation. Note that it says "by it you may grow up in your salvation."
It doesn't say that "You will grow up so you will eventually be saved." The text implies that believers are already in a saving relationship and are growing in it.
I agree with you Inge in that we need to understand that our salvation was won at the cross and not about the amount of "good works" that we do.
We are saved already and out of this saving relationship that has happened already, when we received Christ into our lives, good works will naturally flow!!!!
Happy Sabbath Omwenga Mwambi,
I read your comments with my daily devotions and wanted to thank you for sharing your thoughts with others regarding our lesson studies.
Wanted to reach out to you and ask your permission to post your comments on Spiritual Growth to my Facebook account to share with others.
God Bless you and your family,
JO ELLEN GOLDBERG
Our spiritual growth while we are on this earth will reach its climax at sanctification for those who will die before Jesus comes. However, for those who will be alive until Jesus comes, their spiritual growth will end at the time of glorification.
“Being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6, NKJV)
“And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.” - Romans 8:30
I rather thought that spiritual growth would continue in the new earth. I am fairly sure that we will never stop learning and growing.
Like the thief on the cross, there will be many new believers arriving into the fold just before the earthly time of probation ends who hav e recently made the decision from what little they know except that they chose to serve Him, trust in Him and accept His sacrifice for their confessed sins. They’re new believers who cannot wait to experience an even deeper relationship with Jesus and learn by sitting at His feet!
Spiritual growth in us can only occur by the working of the Holy Spirit. We read this in Romans 12:1,2, "[1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. [2] And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." The real issue is, do we want it!
Psalm 51:17 says, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise." This is really what God wants. This should be our focus!
When Moses beseeched God to see His glory God told him, "Thou canst not see my face: for no MAN shall see me and live."
The Hebrew word for man here is 'adam which means a red faced or flushed (embarrassed or guilty) man.
Only when we are hidden in Him, Christ Jesus, can we see God and not be consumed. See Rev ch 6 where the wicked try to hide themselves in the rocks to hide their guilty selves from the face of Him who sits on the throne...
God told Moses to stand on the rock (Jesus) and Moses was then placed in a cleft of the rock. Only when we are hidden in Christ can we see God in the judgement. Jesus was smitten of God for us and we must fall and be broken on the rock so that our selfish, egotistical soul can be poured out as an offering that His Spirit may come in and fill us. Again Rev 6 describes the anguish of the soul who is not hidden in Christ the solid rock.
The thing that is really remarkable in our relationship with the Lord Jesus is that He desires to REST in us. I came to an understanding early on in my walk that we "rest" in God but when I came to understand that He "rests in us and that we individually and corporately are his Holy Temple I became much more cognizant of His presence and His still small voice.
Let us not be a stiffnecked and uncircumcised people today. Let us not resist the love of the Holy Ghost. (See Acts 7:47-51)
"We are daily in God's university, where there is no graduation but a constant learning process. In each stage of growth, you can be perfect if you allow God to mold you into the person that He calls you, in Christ, to be."
If God is infinite, His knowledge is also. How naive to think He would want us to stagnate as His students? Yes, He does put us to the test so we can continually grow in all senses!
JC – You shared: “We are daily in God’s university, where there is no graduation but a constant learning process.” This statement touched me, bringing several thoughts to mind regarding ‘university’ and ‘constant learning’ in the spiritual setting of a Christian’s life.
The understanding coming to mind equates ‘university’ with the ‘Kingdom of God’ in which we learn to love God with all our heart. Everyone’s enrolment lasts forever as there is no graduation. We are all students desiring to learn to love God with all our heart. No 'rules' divide the members joining this ‘environment of Love’, as God’s Love, binding all together, is not seen to rest in man's doctrines or creeds. If one does not want to remain there, the person is free to leave.
Membership is instantaneous - based only on the willingness of each student to humbly and prayerfully increase in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. From the first day, it is God's experiential Love which those enrolled in the ‘University of the Kingdom of God' will learn to engage in. For some, circumstances might allow time for only the confession of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. But all mankind will be blessed through the 'experiencial Love' expressed by the members of the 'University of the Kingdom of God' – Matt.6:33
With the death of Charlie Kirk, I think you will see a lot of new believers come into the fold just before Jesus comes. They want that experience of having Jesus in their lives like Charlie.
I agree with your conclusion, Glenn, and I believe it is relevant to our lesson. Moses had a hunger to know God better. Charlie had a hunger to know God better, and his death has crystallized the hunger for God that people didn't even know they had. As events rush towards Earth's final hours, individuals must choose sides. Charlie's influence moves people towards choosing sides.
I have heard several commentators refer to Charlie Kirk's assassination as a seismic event, much like 9/11, which had a ripple effect on the whole world.
This 9/10 event is already sparking reactions such as you suggest. On the X/Twitter platform, some agnostics and atheists are saying that they feel a need to find out what the Bible actually says. Others report a strong reaction of commitment to Jesus that sounds much like "revival."
Vigils and marches popped up globally in his honor, beginning September 11 and continuing and growing through September 13 in
- Australia
- United Kingdom
- Madrid, Spain
- Poland Parliament
- Austria
- Germany
- New Zealand
- Tel Aviv
- United States in hundreds of locations
- and likely more countries as time continues
According to police, millions thronged the streets of London in support of "liberty," some carrying placards with Charlie's image. In the US, vigils were held even in hostile territories such as Beverly Hills and Washington D.C. They were mainly somber, quiet crowds, but when they spoke it was with conviction and determination to make Charlie's legacy live on.
On the other side, people are celebrating Charlie's death. He has been labeled "divisive" in spite of his demonstrated desire to engage people with opposite opinions in respectful dialogue and encouraging them to think critically. (Isa. 1:18) I agree that he was divisive. So was John the Baptist. So is the Bible, according to Hebrews 4:12. And so must we be, if we teach biblical truth. I trust that we may learn to promote truth as earnestly and respectfully as Charlie did.
I remember that we are to expect a word-wide revival just before Jesus comes. Expect a huge movement that will affect every continent. Much of it will be emotional, rather than life-transforming. But the genuine revival that spreads God's end-time message will follow close on its heels. "The final movements will be rapid ones." (Ellen G. White, Testimonies to the Church, Vol. 9, page 11)
Are we ready to stand in our place?
Amen Glenn and Inge; in his death Charlie has inspired millions to again seek God in Bible study and prayer.
Sunday: Why did God ask Moses to build the tent of meeting?
According to Exodus 25: 8-9 It was the place that God would dwell with His people. This tent was known as the "Tabernacle of the congregation Exodus 33:7)." Direction was given to Moses, to remove the tent (place of worship) to the back of the camp (see Exodus 33:7). This showed that God's presence was no longer with them; however after everyone repented and return to their tents Moses continued to interceded for the
congregation. Once the people saw the cloudy pillar at the door of the tent they knew God's presence was with them once more. Read Exodus 33: 7-10.
Monday: What did Moses ask the Lord to teach him? Why did he demand God's presence to guide them?
Moses wanted to know God's will and the assurance that God would be with him. (see Exodus chapter 33). Moses request was fulfilled when God allowed him to see His goodness pass. Read Patriarchs and Prophets page 327. 2-7 (author Ellen White) for further details.
As I have been studying the children of Israel over the last 11 weeks, it has caused me to think about my own life.
I have had a lot of thoughts about how if I had only allowed God to do His work in my life, from the beginning of my conversion, then I would not have experienced so many trials and tribulations. But like the children of Israel, I oftentimes became impatient; I didn't "sit and wait" on the Lord to handle my problems, instead I tried over and over again to "help" God. Seriously, God does not need our help. The sooner we learn this, the better off we will be.
God told the children of Israel in Exodus 34:11 says "Observe what I command you this day. Behold, I am driving out from before you the Amorite and the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. 12 [But] Take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst."
It was God's plan to drive out the people that currently inhabited the land, which He promised to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, by natural forces (Exodus 23:28), without the children of Israel having to do anything. They were not supposed to fight (go to war) for the Promised Land; the Lord (Jesus) was going to bring natural disasters on the Land, and the inhabitants were supposed to leave the land voluntarily to escape the disasters. But that's not what happens, the children of Israel were not willing "to Wait" on the Lord; they became impatient. Instead of trusting the Lord, Who is always capable of doing what He said He would do (He gave them plenty of evidence to support this); but they became impatient and decided to "help" God, or to take matters into their own hands, to occupy the land.
They did not learn to "Trust" God. Will we make the same mistakes they did? Or will we learn to put all of our Trust in the Lord (Jesus)? "Choose ye this day whom you will Trust".
No matter what Leader these people were given, they still were going to be a rebellious nation because they "refuse to put their Trust in the Lord". We are the same way, in 2025, whether we are currently in the church or not; we still do not want to Trust the Lord with our whole heart; we are still trying to "help" Him.
If we (me) could only just start with the prayer that David prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me", Psalm 51:10, then He will lead us in the right path, the path that "cleanses us from all unrighteousness".
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6.
Be blessed everyone!
Well said Toni...thank you.
Moses saw the back of God as a revelation of God`s glorious character, yet in a limited way. (Exodus 34:5-6) In His eternal communion with God, the Father, Jesus saw the face of the Father. (John 1:1) Therefore, Christ`s revelation of the Father`s glory and character is a full revelation, not limited. Looking at Christ, we see the full glory and character of the Father in Christ Jesus (John 14:9). This is the new foundation of becoming the light of the word, reflecting God´s character and glory in this dark world, preparing for the eternal, glorious kingdom to come at the glorious return of Christ (John 14:1-3).
Winfried Stolpmann