Where would Moses get that radiance on his face from?
Hello, everyone! This week, as I read the Bible, I came across the verses below.
Exodus 34:29 – 30 “When Moses came down Mount Sinai carrying the two stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, he wasn’t aware that his face had become radiant because he had spoken to the LORD. So when Aaron and the people of Israel saw the radiance of Moses’ face, they were afraid to come near him.” (NLT)
As I read these verses over again, I began to ask myself, what was it that made Moses’ face shine as much as it did? How is it that he was able to go into the presence of a holy God and come out radiant every time?
a) Moses listened to God
As the leader of the Israelites, Moses needed all the wisdom he could get. Imagine how he felt when the people started crying out for the yummy food they used to eat in Egypt or began to lament about how they would die in the desert. Any leader would have packed his bags and moved on, and Moses could easily have done the same. After all, he had a home in Midian with his father in law. Instead, however, Moses chose to listen to God and seek his wisdom on how to lead the people of Israel.
Now – to get instruction from God, Moses had to go up to the mountain and listen to him speak, away from all the distractions. Sometimes they would actually have a conversation of sorts! With time, Moses began to enjoy being in the Lord’s presence, and in turn, the Lord gave him peace and joy! Could this be one of the reasons he would always have a radiant face after speaking with the Lord? Most likely!
Are you interested in having the same radiance on your face that Moses did, one that comes along with peace and joy from the Lord? All you need to do is listen to him when he is speaking to you, preferably in a quiet place where you can sit in silence and have a conversation!
b) Moses sought the Lord’s presence
Exodus 33:17-18 ‘The LORD replied to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.” Moses responded, “Then show me your glorious presence.”’ (NLT)
Moses was a brave man to have asked to see the Lord’s presence, wasn’t he? It seems that he had interacted with the Lord so closely to the point that all that was left was seeing his face and experiencing his presence.
Considering all the time that Moses spent on the mountain with the Lord, is it possible that he did not actually get to see the Lord’s presence? No! In fact, he experienced it and longed for it so often that he continually asked for this glorious presence to accompany him and the Israelites as they continued on their journey.
Let’s break this down a little. Have you ever looked at two people who have spent a lot of time together over the years? With time, they begin to look alike, don’t they? In the same way, the more time Moses spent with God, the more he began to ‘look’ like him, i.e. reflect the glory of his presence. In other words, the glow of God’s presence would reflect on Moses’ face and remain even after he descended from the mountain.
Friends, let us talk honestly at this point. Many of us claim to spend time with God, but there is no external evidence to support that. What shows in our lives and on our faces does not reflect the effect of spending time in God’s presence. The verse below clearly explains what should happen when we spend time with the Lord, as Moses did.
2 Corinthians 3:18 “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” (NLT)
What does this verse mean? Simple – when you spend time with the Lord and let him transform you, you reflect his glory. You and I need to go into the Lord’s presence with the expectation that he will reveal himself to us, and that we will, in turn, reflect his glory to the world.
Let me conclude by asking, does your face radiate the glory of God? Do people see Christ in you when they look at you directly or observe you from a distance? My prayer for all of us is that we would be as radiant as Moses was, radiant because of the deep, continuous and life-changing interaction we have with the Lord on a regular basis.
Thanks for reading this week’s post! As always, I would love to hear from you. Let me know what stood out for you in this article, and what comments and thoughts you may have. If you loved the article, please share it with your friends. See you next week! Alison