04/27/T – From Glory to Glory

NT: “We are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from gazing steadily until the end of the glory of what was being set aside, but their minds were hardened. For to this day, at the reading of the old covenant, the same veil remains; it is not lifted, because it is set aside only in Christ. Yet still today, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts, but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3:13-18‬ ‭CSB)

In Exodus 34:29-35, the story of Moses receiving the Law of the Lord is recorded. Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights on Mount Sinai in the presence of God, receiving the Lord’s commands. As a result of being in God’s presence, Moses’s face radiated with glory. His altered countenance frightened and distracted the Israelites and prevented them from hearing and fully understanding the words from the Lord – so Moses wore a veil on his face to hide the glory. After time, the glory that radiated from Moses’s face would fade – because it was not a glory that emanated from within, but an outward affect of being in God’s presence. Paul went on to explain that the fear and hardness of heart that prevented the Israelites from being able to experience the after-effects of God’s glory on Moses were preventing the Jews from fully seeing and understanding the glory of God that was revealed in scripture.

The Corinthian church of Paul’s day were not like Moses – nor were they like the Israelites. Neither are we, if we have been redeemed and declared righteous through faith in Christ. When Christ gave up His life and died on the cross, the veil that separated humanity from the presence of God was ripped in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:50-51). When we place our faith in Christ and are born again of the Spirit, we are made alive by the Spirit of God and the veil that hid the revelation and manifestation of God’s glory through His word is removed. As we abide in Christ, and His word abides in us, the presence of God is no longer a visitation, but a habitation. We don’t just have the after-effects of being with God on our faces, we have the glory of God by the Spirit emanating from us. Though the glory that shown from Moses’s face dissipated over time, as we remain in Christ, His glory in us increases from glory to glory as His Spirit transforms (transfigures, metamorphoses) us into the very likeness of the Lord. What a powerful truth! In Christ, we don’t have to stay where we are. We don’t have to be intimidated or confused by the word of God, but can grow to understand it deeper and deeper through the teaching of the Holy Spirit. We don’t have to remain stuck in our same sin patterns and hindered by our personality or our past, but can be set free from who we were or are right now to be gradually transformed to be just like Jesus. All that is required is saving faith in Jesus Christ and complete submission to the work of the Holy Spirit – then this powerful truth can become a reality.

Prayer: Lord, I thank You, that through You the veil that separated me from the fullness of God has been removed. Through faith in You, I am now alive by the very Spirit of God and have bold access to all of God’s heavenly blessings – including Godly wisdom, understanding and glory. Lord, as I remain in You, continue transforming me from glory to glory to be more and more like You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.