DJD128 - Fearsome Radiance

[Stan]

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Scripture: 

2 Corinthians 3:18

Starting Question:

Why do people build walls and fences?

Fearsome Radiance

From the time of Moses, God has been as close as He can get without killing people. In the Old Testament, it was made very clear that looking directly at God would destroy a person because God’s glory is so great and our sinfulness so horrible that the two things could not exist in the same place. But God wanted to be with His people. So, He protected them.

When Moses was up on the mountain with God, he asked to see God. He thought, after spending so many days listening to God’s voice, he was holy enough to see God’s face. God told Moses to stand in a small cave and He protected Moses by covering the cave with His hand as He walked past. When God was gone, He lifted His hand and Moses saw what was left - the residual glory of God - like the ripples in a pond after the stone is resting on the bottom. God said that was as much of His glory as Moses could handle.

After spending 40 days on the mountain of God, Moses made his way back to the valley of the people. In his hands, he had a new copy of the ten commandments. He was excited to tell the people about God and His laws but when he walked off the mountain the leaders of the people wouldn’t come near him. They stood back a long ways and Moses didn’t understand why. Then they told him, “You are glowing with a fearsome radiance!”

Moses hadn’t realised how much being with God had changed him. 40 days and 40 nights - wading in the waves of God’s glory - left him glowing like the sun. From that moment forward, the glowing returned every time Moses talked to God. So, he began wearing a veil over his face after talking to God so he could tell the people what God had said to them.

Changes in our appearance and our character happen slowly. And often we do no even know they have happened. But other people do. Moses had no idea he was glowing. He had been thinking so much about God, he hadn’t even wondered what impact the experience was having on him.

Likewise, as we spend time with Jesus in prayer, reading the Bible and sharing the stories of what God is doing in our life with our friends and family - we are being changed into His likeness - from our faded and shameful glory to His perfect shining glory.

Reflection Question:
What have you seen change in you because you love Jesus?

Prayer time:

Before you pray together, ask: What would you like to say to Jesus today?

Further Reading:
Patriarchs and Prophets, 329, 330

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