#DailyDevotion The Glory Of Moses Faded But The Glory Christ Gives Endures

Exodus 34:29–35

²⁹Moses came down from Mount Sinai. The tablets with the Word of Testimony were in Moses’ hands as he came down the mountain. Moses didn’t know the skin of his face was shining because God had talked with him. ³⁰But Aaron and all the other Israelites looked at Moses and saw the skin of Moses’ face shining and were afraid to come near him. ³¹But Moses called to them, and so Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation came back, and Moses talked to them. ³²Afterwards all the other Israelites came near him, and he ordered them to do everything the LORD had told him on Mount Sinai. ³³When Moses finished talking to them, he put a veil over his face.

Moses had just spent another 40 days and nights on the mountain when he returned to Israel. He went back up because while he was up with the LORD a previous 40 days and nights they people made a golden calf, worshiped it and Moses smashed the two stone tablets with the words of the covenant the LORD had written. Now the LORD called him back up for Moses to write on stone tablets the words of the Covenant. The LORD went over with Moses again his promises and his commandments.

Having spent this time with the LORD, Moses’ face had become transfigured by the glory of the LORD. The LORD glory was transferred to Moses. When the people and Aaron saw him they were very frightened, as well it should, because they were beholding the glory of the LORD. Moses beckoned them though and they came near. Now Moses recounted to the people everything the LORD had told him and ordered them to do. Afterwards, Moses put a veil on his face. Now I imagine the LORD gave Moses his glory so the people would listen to him and pay attention to him. But the glory he gave Moses was fading. Moses put a veil over his face not so people wouldn’t be afraid of him but the opposite. He didn’t want them to see the glory fading and have them lose their fear of what he told them.

Now we too are being transformed as we partake and participate in the means of grace, namely, God’ Word, baptism, the LORD’s Supper, Absolution from the pastor, and forgiveness from our fellow Christians. Paul writes in 2 Cor. 3, “¹⁶But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸ And all of us, reflecting the Lord’s glory in our unveiled faces, are changed from glory to glory to be like Him, as we expect it from the Lord, Who is the Spirit.” Moses would take the veil away when he spoke to the LORD. The veil is removed from us when we turn to Christ in the means of grace he has supplied us. These means of grace transform us from one degree of glory to the next. It is the LORD’s intent that we participate in Glory. This is the free gift of salvation won for us and given us by Jesus Christ. Because of Adam’s sin, our first parent lost the glory that once clothed them. Now because of Christ Jesus’ obedience that glory is being restored in us.

Heavenly Father, as you once gave your glory to Moses as he talked with you, so now transform us into the glory of your son Jesus Christ as we participate in the means of grace he has now given us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.