Moses spoke with God. The scriptures say that when Moses came down from Mount Sinai -- after spending forty days and forty nights there -- he "was not aware that his face was radiant." People were even afraid to come near him, because of his radiant appearance. The radiance was reflective of God's glory. (Moses had just asked God, "teach me your ways" and "show me your glory." [Ex. 33:18])
Ironically, Moses would later put a veil over his face because of its appearance, but would remove the veil when he entered the Lord's presence.
Our faces, too, should shine when we encounter our Living God. We should be changed. And it should be noticeable. Others should see it.
Paul would later talk about Moses's radiance in 2 Corinthians, contrasting the old covenant with the new covenant. If the ministry that brought about death (the law) could give Moses a noticeable radiance, "will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?"
"If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!"
We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face. The law does not separate believers from God. Access to God is not obscured. Rather, when anyone turns to God, the veil is taken away. "And we, who with UNVEILED faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corin. 2:18.
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6 comments:
Very nice. I was just going to leave a comment about the lack of posts in recent days... only I discovered a new one! Kudos!
So, how would you describe the apparent "lack of radiance" in so many churches today? Sin? Lack of time in God's presence?
Yes, very good thoughts here. 2 Cor. is probably one of my favorite letters. Transformation is the whole point of the Christian life and it really is something that comes from time spent from being in His presence. Thanks for sharing.
Yeah, transformation for sure. I'm not sure of all the reasons for the "lack of radiance" in churches today. There's probably a multitude of reasons -- mostly related to our failure to put God first and our repeated insistence on putting self first. Pride issues.
Three things in this chapter of Exodus are relevant to your question, though:
(1) Moses asked God to teach him His ways. Why? So he could KNOW God and CONTINUE to find favor with Him.
(2) Moses asked God to send His Presence with them. In fact, Moses told God (somewhat boldly) NOT to send them from their current station unless His Presence went with them.
(3) Moses finally asked God to show him His Glory. What is His Glory? I'm not completely sure, but I think it's probably a complete representation of the entirety of his attributes - His majesty, His omniscience, His mercy, His justice, His compassion, His immutability, His holiness, etc. Moses was able to see part of that, and it left him with a Godly radiance.
What an amazing lesson. I wish I would do these things more often, i.e., pray that God would show me His ways -- that his Presence would go with me -- and that He would show me His glory. I wish I could be more conscious of that on a daily basis.
I think there's a lot there. It's a good passage for a Bible Study. It's rich.
Actually, I think you are right on as to the "lack of radiance" in the churches. I am reminded of a favorite verse in Psalms: "They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces will never be ashamed." Moses' interaction with the Lord here seems to communicate that you can't help but leave the Presence of the Lord without it. Exposure to the character and person of God should do the same for us, I think. It is the kind of encounter or exposure that is life altering...transformational.
I think the lack of seeing in the Church is a direct result of people getting before the Lord in ways that they actually have to deal with their "stuff." Maybe we read the Word, pray, etc., but the encounter is nothing more than surface. Radiance comes from seeing the Person of Christ, allowing Him to expose my "stuff", relinquishing it over to Him and allowing Him to actually live His life in me, you know? Reminded of "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
Good stuff.
What should the transformation look like? I mean, what should our exposure lead to, in real time? How should we transform? What if we don't transform substantially, or don't "feel" like we're transforming?
Been chewing on your questions for a couple of days. Here's a few initial thoughts.
First, this idea of exposure to me is kinda two-fold. One the hand there's a sense that when I spend time with Jesus I am becoming exposed to Him, to His character, etc. On the other hand, when I spend time with Him there's a sense that I'm also putting myself in a position that allows Him to expose me – in light of who He is, He exposes the true thoughts of my heart. As He does so, it seems there begins a conversation about whatever it is that is exposed. The question often becomes, “What will you do with this? Will you choose to lay aside yourself (i.e. attitude, behavior, etc.) and trust that My character formed in you is not only for your good but My will for your life (Rom. 8:28-30, Col. 3:10-12, Rom. 12:1-2, Phil. 1:9-11)?
I'm not sure that I can define transformation by anything other than seeing the Person of Christ being revealed in and through our lives through a process of allowing our hearts to be continually exposed to His Person. Much of that for me comes through spending time in the Word, allowing my heart to meditate on who He says He is, asking Him to change the way I think about Him or the way I think about myself or the way I view and treat others. There's kind of an inner renewing/ changing of my thoughts and attitudes. My inward person begins to think and live out of new thinking and that works itself out into my behavior. Jesus said that “out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” It stands to reason that what I am filling my heart with (what I'm worshipping, if you will) will eventually come out – whether it be in words or actions. Transformation that is surfacing out of a yielded heart to the Lord and His character can't help but begin to be seen.
And yet, it doesn't just stay there. Exposure only exposes. Transformation comes at the hands of our own active response to whatever has been revealed. For example: He's exposed my heart to some hurt in a relationship with a friend. Instead of moving away from that person, He pushes me toward her. Will I trust Him to confront the hurt specifically possibly by speaking to her about it? Will I trust His desire for reconciled relationships as I continue to actively spend time with this friend rather than retreat into solitude or deny this person friendship?
Transformation is a process...it happens as I continually yield myself over to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him and trusting Him to transform my inward being. It's not something that I can do in my own power and yet it's actively dependent upon my response to who He says He is and who He's calling me to be. I will say that I've seen things change in my life quickly and I've seen transformation born out of years. There is so much I have yet to see. Paul, in exhorting the Galatians, I believe, makes the comment “...until Christ be born in you...” It is a life-long process.
What if we don't “transform substantially” or “feel” like we're transforming? As to the “feel” of transformation, I will say that I often don't feel it. But I'm not certain that actual transformation is entirely dependent upon whether I'm feeling it or not either. There are times when I've been made aware of it. Those times when I wrestle with whether any change is taking place or any real forward progress is being made in certain areas of struggle are often times agents of throwing me even more deeply into the arms of Jesus.
Okay, this is probably the longest comment ever! And you? How would you answer your own questions?
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