Exodus 34:29-35
29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. 30 So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them.
32 Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34 But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. 35 And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.
32 Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the Lord had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34 But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. 35 And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.
Moses shone with God’s glory reflected in his face after spending time with Him. It was God’s presence and words to Moses that must have made him glow like that as if the change in him was outwardly evident to all who saw him. The people of God were afraid when they saw him, for they were seeing God’s holiness and glory which was convicting and fearful because of their sin and distance from Him in their thoughts and deeds. Each time Moses went to speak with the Lord to hear His commands to repeat to the people, he had to cover his face immediately after he was done talking to cover the shining glory of God reflected in his face! Of course, he had no need to cover himself in God’s presence, but only for the sake of the people in their unholy state. We are reminded of this in 2 Corinthians 3:13-18, beginning with the explanation of the veil being necessary for the Old Testament Law which was to pass away when Christ lifts it for good. It was blindness to grace that kept them from gazing at God’s glory, for they knew they all sinned and forever fell short of His requirements of holiness and righteousness for life at peace with God. Christ took away that veil of separation of us from God by His righteousness and completed work for our holiness and acceptance. If we choose to hear Moses’ Law and not the gospel, we have veiled hearts which are hidden from the glory of God by the grace of Christ; if we turn to Him in believing and absolute trust in His work, knowing our sinfully hopeless state, we then have Him remove that covering of mystery by Christ in us as the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). We therefore do not have to hide from God’s face anymore, but have been set free for eternity by and with Him. Each day those of us in Christ can reflect in God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ who transforms us (progressive, daily, ongoing sanctification) by His Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18) who now lives within His called out children who have peace with God in Christ alone (Romans 5:1)! Remember the shining face of Moses and listen now to Jesus unveiled, not seeking to earn grace by the Law of Moses, but by the gospel of grace, for what was hidden of God in the Law of works for salvation is revealed in Christ who removes the veil and sets us free indeed with eternal deliverance from sin and the wrath of God. Amen.
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