Epiphany Moments - Glory Is Hidden in Order to Be Revealed

Epiphany Moments – Glory Is Hidden in Order to Be Revealed might sound like I’m trying to be tricky. Not so! The last guy that looked at God was burned to a crisp. How can God reveal himself to us? He must hide his glory. What does that look like? Consider Jesus. Ok, back it up. Let’s consider Moses first.

Farmer Tan -> Prophet Tan

At Mt. Sinai God chiseled his Law into two stone tablets and gave them to Moses. When Moses came down from the mountain with those tablets in hand, the children of Israel saw how radiant his face was. Moses face reflected being in God’s presence. This helped to show just how glorious these commands were.

God’s Law for our lives is also good and glorious. He promises that our lives will go better if we follow his will. He has given his commands to us because he loves us, not because he wants to take away our fun. God’s covenant with his people was truly glorious.

Faded Glory

But this glory was fading. The special covenant or agreement that God made with his people would last only until Jesus came and fulfilled the law. God’s civil and ceremonial laws, necessary to keep the Israelites separate from the surrounding wicked, idolatrous nation, would no longer be needed once Jesus came.

Just as Moses’ face reflected with its glow, the glory of God’s Law, so also the fading glow of Moses’ face reminded everyone that these Laws of separation were temporary too. If the Israelites could see that after a little time Moses’ face didn’t glow there was a chance that the rebellious Israelites would reject Moses as their leader and God’s Law, so Moses “would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away.” Moses did this for a good reason, but there was a problem. But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed.

Thomas Alva

Thomas Alva Edison not only created the light bulb, the phonograph, electric power, and a thousand other patents, he also left us with some memorable quotes. Like, “Genius is one percent inspiration, and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” He was a very hard worker. He worked so hard that he never broke any of God’s Law. Sound absurd? “I have never had time, not even five minutes, to be tempted to do anything against the moral law, civil law, or any law whatever.” Edison was a very successful business man, but he wasn’t successful enough to earn God’s favor.

The Jews became used to this covenant. They liked all of the intricate Laws and requirements that God made for them. In fact they liked them so much that they made more laws. They actually thought they could please God through being good enough. Some had even convinced themselves that they were perfect!

Want to hear more? Watch this week’s message taken from 2 Corinthians 3, Epiphany Moments – Glory Is Hidden in Order to Be Revealed.