God Glow
Exodus 34
When they were younger, some of our kids liked to play with glow bracelets. These bracelets, when taken out of the package, are a plain yellowish-white color, dull and boring. However, when you bend them and they snap, they become vibrant, glowing bracelets. In case you were interested to know, when the inner vial breaks, it causes multiple fancy named chemicals (too complicated for me to spell) to mix with fluorescent dye, creating the glow.
Moses had a glow going in Exodus 34, and it had nothing to do with bracelets. Moses encountered the living God. It says in verse 35 that after Moses would meet with God, “the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.” Moses glowed after encountering God’s glory.
We see in this chapter the physical characteristics God took on to meet with Moses. But what about God’s non-physical characteristics? In other words, God’s attributes that were revealed to the Jewish nation. In this chapter, seven of them are mentioned: His mercy and grace, slowness to anger, steadfast love and faithfulness, willingness to forgive, and righteous jealousy (vs. 6-14).
While we won’t take time to dissect each of these magnificent qualities of God, I do want to pause for a moment and consider what Moses’ response was to this kind of God. In verse 8 it says, “And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.” Humble, awe-filled worship should be the response of each of us as we spend time in God’s presence. Is there a humble awe we have when we spend time in His Word and in prayer? How about when we enter God’s house Sunday mornings?
The apostle Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthian church, actually eludes to the events of this chapter, and concludes by writing in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
Moses took the veil off when he met with God. Under the Old Covenant, people could not meet face to face with God because of their sin. However, because of Jesus dying for our sins and raising from the dead, we can come into the presence of God as New Covenant believers with “unveiled face.” Moses glowed outwardly from his time in God’s glorious presence. We as Christ followers can shine outwardly as we are being transformed inwardly. Remember this: The more we look to Jesus, the more we will look like Jesus.
Romans 8:30 says, “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” There are some fancy theological words there, but essentially the verse means that those who believe in the finished work of Christ and have a relationship with God (“justified”) will one day have a perfect life in heaven (“glorified”). Shine for Jesus now. Live in His glorious light for eternity.
Exodus 34
When they were younger, some of our kids liked to play with glow bracelets. These bracelets, when taken out of the package, are a plain yellowish-white color, dull and boring. However, when you bend them and they snap, they become vibrant, glowing bracelets. In case you were interested to know, when the inner vial breaks, it causes multiple fancy named chemicals (too complicated for me to spell) to mix with fluorescent dye, creating the glow.
Moses had a glow going in Exodus 34, and it had nothing to do with bracelets. Moses encountered the living God. It says in verse 35 that after Moses would meet with God, “the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.” Moses glowed after encountering God’s glory.
We see in this chapter the physical characteristics God took on to meet with Moses. But what about God’s non-physical characteristics? In other words, God’s attributes that were revealed to the Jewish nation. In this chapter, seven of them are mentioned: His mercy and grace, slowness to anger, steadfast love and faithfulness, willingness to forgive, and righteous jealousy (vs. 6-14).
While we won’t take time to dissect each of these magnificent qualities of God, I do want to pause for a moment and consider what Moses’ response was to this kind of God. In verse 8 it says, “And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.” Humble, awe-filled worship should be the response of each of us as we spend time in God’s presence. Is there a humble awe we have when we spend time in His Word and in prayer? How about when we enter God’s house Sunday mornings?
The apostle Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthian church, actually eludes to the events of this chapter, and concludes by writing in 2 Corinthians 3:18, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
Moses took the veil off when he met with God. Under the Old Covenant, people could not meet face to face with God because of their sin. However, because of Jesus dying for our sins and raising from the dead, we can come into the presence of God as New Covenant believers with “unveiled face.” Moses glowed outwardly from his time in God’s glorious presence. We as Christ followers can shine outwardly as we are being transformed inwardly. Remember this: The more we look to Jesus, the more we will look like Jesus.
Romans 8:30 says, “And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” There are some fancy theological words there, but essentially the verse means that those who believe in the finished work of Christ and have a relationship with God (“justified”) will one day have a perfect life in heaven (“glorified”). Shine for Jesus now. Live in His glorious light for eternity.
Posted in Journey of Hope