Uncovering His Glory
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Uncovering His Glory
Exodus 34:29-35
Psalm 99
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Luke 9:28-36
There is something special about being in the presence and God and being a witness to his glory. It is an overwhelming experience that changes you from the inside out. It is meant to be a joyous and wonderful thing however for some it can be a troublesome and fearful thing. This is particularly true when it came between the Israelites and Moses. The glory of God was something that was respected and feared among the people. There was a lot that the people of Israel witnessed after leaving Egypt. They witnessed what God was capable of by the plagues in Egypt, by the parting of the Red Sea and by how the earth opened up and swallowed thousands of people who had turned toward sin and false idols while Moses was up on the Mountain in the presence of God. It is was something that was different and hard to understand among the Israelites as it was unnatural because it was Supernatural.
In our passage from Exodus today we read about the transformation of Moses’ face when he returned from the mountain after being in the presence and glory of God. It was like his skin soaked up some of that glory and so his face was bright and radiant. This shining radiance scared the Israelites making them feel uneasy and they would not go near him. Because of this Moses had to where a veil over his face to hide the glory of God that was shining through him so that the people would not be afraid. Moses would often be in the presence of God and would have to cover this glory after leaving His presence so that the people would not be afraid when they looked upon him.
Later on in the New Testament we see this similar visual change in appearance with Jesus while on a mountain with Peter, James, and John. Jesus was going to pray. During that time the disciples became tired and sleepy therefore not being totally aware of what was going on. As Jesus began to pray his appearance suddenly changed. He and his clothing was as bright as a flash of lightning. Peter and the others begin to open their eyes and once they are fully awake, they see Jesus in all of his glory talking with Moses and Elijah. They were discussing about Jesus’ soon departure that would be fulfilled in Jerusalem. Not knowing what he was saying or understanding what was going on, Peter began to insist that they build 3 shelters on that mountain for both Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. Perhaps this was so that they could stay in the presence and glory that was shown. Or maybe it was to also house and cover the glory that was shown. As soon as Peter speaks though a cloud covers over them and God speaks through the cloud declaring Jesus as his son and chosen one and that they are to listen to him and what he says. When the cloud leaves Moses and Elijah are gone and Jesus is back to his normal appearance that they all knew.
When I read scripture, my mind often asks the question of why. Why would Jesus be transfigured when he began to pray. Perhaps he always became transfigured when he went alone to pray, just now he had witnesses of this. It seems that he shows his true self here. Why build the three shelters? What was the purpose of this? Was it to cover what they were seeing or was it something else? Perhaps, Peter was actually suggesting to build a temple or shrine to each of the three and wanted it to be a place that they could dwell there forever. To me this is why it says that he didn’t really know or understand what he was saying and it is also why God covers them in a cloud and then speaks out in a way that is against what Peter was saying or suggesting. I also ask myself the question about why Moses would have to cover his face. Why would the people be so afraid to approach him or look upon him after he himself was transfigured after being in the presence of God? They should be in awe and privileged to see this sight and to witness the glory of God. Is just because they fear something that they don’t understand or something that looks out of the norm to them?
If I were to just read this passage in Exodus and nothing else in the scriptures, I suppose that I would believe that the people were just showing fear and reverence for the Glory of God. However, Paul gives us a different point of view and understanding in his letter to the church in Corinth. Paul talks about this glory that was seen through Moses when he brought down the Law of God from the mountain. Paul explains that this ministry and glory that Moses brought to the people was one of death for if they would not and could not follow the law of God this would therefore bring them death and condemnation. However, the glory of the Holy Spirit is even more glorious and it brings a ministry of life and righteousness. Paul says that because we now have such a hope, we can be very bold in what we do and speak. He says,
“We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
You see it was because of the unrighteousness of the people that they could not look upon the face of Moses when it was transfigured in the glory of God. When Moses covered his face, it was also as if the people were covering their minds from glory and righteousness. It was so much so that even thousands of years later upon hearing and reading this old covenant with Moses the hearts of the people are still covered and veiled from the truth and from righteousness. The law by itself cannot transform us into the image of God. Though it still must be kept and followed, it is not what makes us righteous. It is the Holy Spirit which shows its glory within us and through us and therefore transforms us into the image of God. It is through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit that the veil over our eyes and hearts is taken away and we can truly understand and live in righteousness. It is though this Glory that Paul who first spoke and acted so boldly in his persecution towards Christians can later speak so boldly when the veil was taken from his own eyes so that now as Paul, he has been transformed into the image of God himself. Paul was a man who truly did not care about what people though of him both before and after his transformation. He was focused on the convictions of his heart. Before he was blinded by his conviction and could not see the glory until the veil was taken from his eyes when Jesus visited him on the road to Damascus. Jesus chose him for a reason. If he would be so dedicated to destroying and persecuting Jesus when his eyes were veiled, how much more dedicated would he be once the veil was removed and he could see His glory. From then on Paul would spend the rest of his life and ministry uncovering the glory of God. We also are called to do the same but in order to do that we need to stop hiding in fear and remove the veil from our own faces so that the glory of the Holy Spirit may also shine through us as it did for those who have gone before us.