Dave's Diary

Next Sunday we start a new sermon series in our local church. It is called “Encounters” and will focus on seven encounters Jesus had on the road to the Cross. Next Sunday will also be celebrated as Transfiguration Sunday in the vast majority of local churches around the world. We will centre our attention on Jesus ascending a mountain with Peter, James and John and, while there, being transfigured. Right there in front of the disciples, Jesus’ inner divine glory shone out. He radiated a heavenly light as He encountered the glory of God the Father.

Today’s reading is Exodus 34:29-35 and in it Moses has an experience that is very similar but also completely different to that of Jesus. The essential difference is that, unlike Jesus, Moses was not fully human and fully divine; he was merely human – just like us. Jesus’ radiance on the mount of transfiguration was a result of an unveiling. His permanent inner radiance which was otherwise hidden (or ‘veiled’) was allowed to shine out momentarily. Moses’ radiance was temporary. It came and went in relation to his times of encountering God.

Moses returned to camp after completing a forty day period on top of Mount Sinai, fasting, fellowshiping with God face-to-face and receiving God’s Word, and his face shone with the glory of God. Verse 29 records that originally “he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.” As David Guzik comments on this verse, “Close communion with God physically affected Moses. His face had a shining appearance that was so noticeable that both the leaders and the people of Israel were afraid to come near him.“

This radiance gradually faded away (which is why he veiled his face according to 2 Corinthians 3:13), but each time Moses would encounter God’s presence in his “tent of meeting” his face would shine again. Somehow, it seems his encounters with God’s presence and God’s voice affected him and he reflected some of God’s glory.

Christians are privileged to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. By God’s unspeakable grace, God’s Presence dwells within us. So, unlike Moses, we are actually in a position to be permanently radiant with God’s glory. We never become divine as Jesus was, but we do carry the Holy Spirit within us, and He is constantly at work to transform us into Jesus’ glorious image. As 2 Corinthians 3:18 says, “…we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” What a privilege! What a joy!

God of glory, I am in awe of Your presence within me. Please transform me from within and allow me to shine with the radiant glory of the character of Jesus my Lord today! May others see Your glory in my everyday living. May Your beauty in me be unveiled as I live it out in my world today. Amen.