As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I’ve been reading through Exodus in my daily Bible reading for several weeks. I’ve been mulling over chapter 34 for several days, particularly the last several verses. If you’re not familiar, Exodus 34 covers the second time Moses was on Mount Sinai, and verses 29-35 deal with when Moses came down from the mountain where he was speaking with God, and how he continued to speak with the Lord thereafter. I think it’s important to read Scripture itself and not just offer a quick paraphrase, so here’s the actual text:
“29When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. 32Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the LORD had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. 33And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 34Whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, 35the 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.”
Tonight I just have a couple quick observations to consider, and equally brief application points:
1, Moses was visibly altered by his time with the Lord. There was no question about whether he had spoken with God; everyone around him could tell at a glance.
2, Moses himself was unaware of that difference until someone else informed him.
In terms of application then, I’ve been thinking about whether those around me can tell whether I’ve been with the Lord. Do my coworkers, my supervisor, my husband, my kids see a difference when I’ve spent time in His word and praying? Secondly, though related, that change shouldn’t be foremost in my mind. The focus should be on the Lord and communion with him, and the noticeable difference should almost be an afterthought to me. I realize these two items can seem to contradict each other; I just think they need to be held in balance.
Thank you for your insight. I had not remembered that part of Moses talking to God and his face being changed. I believe that people can see God in us by not only by our actions but also our reactions, especially in times of stress and sorrow. I also agree with your second point that our focus should be on the Lord and not just us. Thanks for diving deep in a familiar story and helping us see that Jesus works from the inside out. I am thankful that He is still working on me.