And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.
After forty days and nights of communion with God on the mount, Moses came down with his face shining with reflected divine glory and, when he had finished speaking the Lord's commands to Israel, he put a veil over his face, continuing to do so whenever he returned from communion to speak to the camp. He veiled his face out of compassion at the people's request, because in conscious guilt and sinfulness they were afraid to come near and could not endure or look steadfastly upon the heavenly light. That light was the light of the glory of the gospel of Christ, reflecting Christ's righteousness embodied in the law which condemns sin but cannot pardon, revealed through the law and the ceremonial types and shadows. If guilty Israel could not endure this reflected glory, transgressors will be far less able to look upon the Son of God when He appears in the glory of His Father with all the heavenly host to execute judgment. As Moses' face shone, so the faces of the living saints, the 144,000, will be lighted up with God's glory when He pours His Spirit upon them and speaks to declare the day and hour of Jesus' coming and deliver the everlasting covenant.
Setting and Action
The veiling took place after Moses had spent forty days and nights in direct communion with God on the mount, receiving instruction to give to Israel and being shown heavenly things, with God covering him so that he could see God and live. It stands in the renewal of the covenant after Israel's sin, when God proclaimed His name as merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and by no means clearing the guilty. Moses made haste and bowed his head and worshiped, entreating God to pardon the iniquity of the people and take them for His inheritance. His prayer was granted, with a gracious promise to renew favor to Israel and to do marvels in their behalf such as had not been done in all the earth nor in any nation.
When Moses had finished speaking the Lord's commands to the people he put a veil over his face, which had become radiant after he had seen God's glory. He wore the veil until he had finished speaking, and he continued to do so thereafter whenever he returned to the camp from communion with God. Through this instruction and its delivery God was teaching that Israel was to be a repository of truth for the whole world. Coming down with his face shining showed Moses was ready to give directions for building the sanctuary exactly according to the pattern shown him in the mount.
The Glory on Moses' Face
After forty days and nights of communion with God on the mount, Moses came down with his face shining with dazzling light because he had been with God and had seen His glory. That brightness was a reflection of the glory of the divine presence resting upon him. It reflected the glory and goodness of God which he had been allowed to behold in a measure suited to his mortal state.
The glory was not Moses' own but came from God, for he was only following the direction of One greater than he. God strengthened Moses to endure the excellent glory that made him exceedingly fear and quake. His special privileges and the light given to him made him more accountable, since each person is judged according to the light and benefits received.
When the law was given on Mount Sinai, the face of Moses shone with glory, and the faces of those who were with him shone with glory as well. The revealing of God's presence was so glorious it could not be borne by mortal man. The people could not look steadfastly upon Moses' face but were obliged to withdraw from him until he had done speaking and put a veil on.
Why Moses Veiled His Face
Moses put the veil over his face after he had finished speaking to the people, out of compassion for their fear, because he had much to communicate to them. After forty days and nights of communion with God on the mount his face shone with dazzling light reflecting the glory of the divine presence attending the giving of the law. The people asked for that brightness to be covered, and he urged them to come near with the pledge of God's reconciliation and assurance of restored favor, veiling his face so he might not terrify them. He continued to do so thereafter whenever he returned to the camp from communion with God.
Aaron and the people, in conscious guilt under divine displeasure, were afraid to come near him. Because of sinfulness, transgression, and guilt they found the reflected heavenly light painful and could not look steadfastly upon his face or endure it, but were obliged to withdraw until he had done speaking. The revealing of God's presence was so glorious it could not be borne by mortal man, and God strengthened Moses to endure the excellent glory that made him exceedingly fear and quake. The glory on his face was a divine mark on God's humble servant, but the people later forgot its significance.
If guilty Israel could not endure this reflected glory on Moses' face, transgressors of God's law will be far less able to look upon the Son of God when He appears in the glory of His Father surrounded by all the heavenly host with the angels to execute judgment upon transgressors of His law and rejecters of His atonement. Just before Christ's second appearing the wicked will likewise shrink from the sight of the saints' glory because it will pain them.
Gospel and Law Revealed
The light shining in the countenance after coming down from the mount was the light of the glory of the gospel of Christ, who is the foundation of the sacrificial system. The divine glory attending the giving of the law shone in the face, and its brightness was painful to Israel because of their transgressions, so that they were unable to look steadfastly upon it. What had been seen on the mount was Christ's work and mission to take humanity, to teach and guide the world, and to give Himself a ransom, with the perfect offering ending the typical sacrifices. Had the people discerned by faith that gospel light and looked to the end of that which was to be abolished, they could have endured the reflected light, but because they did not, the face was veiled that it might not terrify them.
That glory reflected Christ's righteousness embodied in the law. The law condemns sin but cannot pardon or save, and its glory comes from Christ revealed through it and through the ceremonial types and shadows. After speaking with the Israelites the face was covered with a veil because its reflected glory was too bright for them to look upon, for Moses veiled the face to hide the glory of the law reflected on it.
The revealing of God's presence was so glorious it could not be borne by mortal man, and the people could not look steadfastly upon the face but were obliged to withdraw until speaking was finished and the veil was put on. God strengthened Moses to endure the excellent glory that made him exceedingly fear and quake, bringing from the mount a reflection of God's excellent glory upon his face. This proves the period of the Jewish economy was not a Christless period without mercy or grace but a time of wonderful manifestations of divine power. Even descending from the holy mount with the face glorified by communion with God, no truth greater or more precious was brought to the people than the doctrine of the cross and the imputed righteousness of Christ, which comes not in word only but in the power of God to everyone that believes.
End-Time Shining of God's People
As Moses came down from Sinai with his face lighting up and shining with the glory of God, so the faces of the living saints, the 144,000, the Israel of God, will begin to light up and shine with God's glory when He pours the Holy Ghost upon them. That shining of Moses after Sinai is the likeness for the glory then seen on God's people. This takes place when God speaks with a voice like many waters to declare the day and hour of Jesus' coming, which the saints alone know and understand while the wicked hear only thunder and earthquake. When God speaks from the Holy City to all His people, glory will be poured on them as it was poured on Moses.
As He speaks the everlasting covenant and delivers it to them, they stand listening with eyes fixed upward, and their countenances are lighted up with His glory with a brightness the wicked cannot look upon. As each solemn sentence rolls through the earth like peals of thunder, they shout Glory, Hallelujah at the end of every sentence. As the words roll through the earth like loudest thunder and the saints listen with eyes fixed upward, they shout Glory Alleluia at the end of every sentence. When the never-ending blessing is pronounced on those who kept God's Sabbath holy and honored God in keeping it, there is a mighty shout of victory over the beast and over his image.
This outpouring must take place before the second advent to fill them with the Holy Ghost and deliver them from every outward foe, and to prepare them to gaze on Jesus and stand before Him at His appearing, for in their present state none could stand a single moment before the brightness of that coming which destroys the man of sin. As the faithful grow up into Christ and partake largely of His Spirit approaching the last conflict, the time of Jacob's trouble, they partake of His glory as Jesus was glorified before His betrayal and crucifixion to strengthen Him for suffering. As the third message swells to a loud cry with great power and glory attending the closing work, the latter rain revives and strengthens them to pass through the time of trouble and they reflect the glory accompanying the third angel's message with faces shining with that light.
That shining will be repeated at the end on God's commandment-keeping people, whose countenances will be lighted up with glory and beam upon those around them. Those who honored the law are glorified and at the appearing of Christ in splendor and glory are translated to heaven without seeing death, rising with songs of triumph to enter through the gates into the city, into the land of Eden. In the time of trouble, when the signs are acted over again and the day and hour are known and the sea boils like a pot, their faces will shine like Moses' face shone just before perfect and entire deliverance, when Christ appears in the east with His sword girded on His thigh and God's people are caught up on the white cloud. The delivered righteous have faces lit up, reflecting the image of Jesus.
Echoes in Other Scripture
The same holy radiance that rested on Moses after speaking with God appeared on Stephen's face when he stood before the council, shining like the face of an angel. That light was a manifestation of God's presence, the shekinah glory whose presence had departed from the temple. Those who honored Moses could have recognized in Stephen the same sign they knew from Moses. The temple's former glory had departed and its shekinah glory would never again be seen there.
Those who beheld Stephen's radiant face trembled and covered their faces, yet prejudice kept some from responding. The veiling of Moses' face to hide the reflected glory of the law illustrates how the glory of Christ's ascension was hidden from human sight. The disciples saw Jesus ascend, but they did not see the brightness of the heavenly escort attending Him nor the opening gates welcoming Him. In the same way Moses covered his face after speaking with the people, the accompanying glory of the ascension was veiled from mortal eyes.
Enoch's face likewise shone with holy light while he instructed those who listened to him. As Moses' face reflected God's glory after communion with Him and was then veiled when he had finished speaking with the people, so Enoch's radiant face showed how communion with God causes a person to reflect the divine image. The account is echoed again when a believer's countenance shone with heavenly light after experiencing God's power, as with H— P—.
Moses had been sustained by God and enclosed in divine glory, and that setting apart distinguishes his experience from Christ's human weakness during temptation.
Lesson for God's Workers
Moses' close intercourse with God and the glorious manifestation granted to him made his face shine so brightly with heavenly luster that Israel could not look upon him and he appeared like a bright angel from heaven. That personal experience of the knowledge of God was of more value to him as a man bearing responsibilities as a leader than all his former education in the learning of the Egyptians. All who hold responsible positions and who devise and execute plans must therefore first have power with God in order to have power with the people, connecting with heaven for wisdom, foresight, discernment, and keen perception. The most brilliant intellect, the most earnest study, and the highest eloquence can never be substituted for the wisdom and power of God, the grace of Christ, and the knowledge of God's will, and God listens to the appeals of His self-denying workers and has condescended to talk with feeble mortals face to face.
His descending from the holy mount with face glorified through communion shows that those who bring God's truth to the people must first receive their power and preparation from Him. The glory on his face came from God and not from himself, for he was only following the direction of One greater than he, and his special privileges and the light given to him made him more accountable, since each person is judged according to the light and benefits received. When God's glory is revealed, the very faces of His people shine as his face shone after speaking with God. That shining comes to those who put on Christ and are clothed with humility, who are poor and of a contrite spirit and tremble at His word and with whom He dwells, and it requires the breaking of the cold Phariseeism that binds souls so that His glory is revealed upon humble souls and seen in their faces.
After forty days and nights of communion with God on the mount, Moses came down with his face shining with reflected divine glory and, when he had finished speaking the Lord's commands to Israel, he put a veil over his face, continuing to do so whenever he returned from communion to speak to the camp. He veiled his face out of compassion at the people's request, because in conscious guilt and sinfulness they were afraid to come near and could not endure or look steadfastly upon the heavenly light. That light was the light of the glory of the gospel of Christ, reflecting Christ's righteousness embodied in the law which condemns sin but cannot pardon, revealed through the law and the ceremonial types and shadows. If guilty Israel could not endure this reflected glory, transgressors will be far less able to look upon the Son of God when He appears in the glory of His Father with all the heavenly host to execute judgment. As Moses' face shone, so the faces of the living saints, the 144,000, will be lighted up with God's glory when He pours His Spirit upon them and speaks to declare the day and hour of Jesus' coming and deliver the everlasting covenant.
Setting and Action
The veiling took place after Moses had spent forty days and nights in direct communion with God on the mount, receiving instruction to give to Israel and being shown heavenly things, with God covering him so that he could see God and live. It stands in the renewal of the covenant after Israel's sin, when God proclaimed His name as merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and by no means clearing the guilty. Moses made haste and bowed his head and worshiped, entreating God to pardon the iniquity of the people and take them for His inheritance. His prayer was granted, with a gracious promise to renew favor to Israel and to do marvels in their behalf such as had not been done in all the earth nor in any nation.
When Moses had finished speaking the Lord's commands to the people he put a veil over his face, which had become radiant after he had seen God's glory. He wore the veil until he had finished speaking, and he continued to do so thereafter whenever he returned to the camp from communion with God. Through this instruction and its delivery God was teaching that Israel was to be a repository of truth for the whole world. Coming down with his face shining showed Moses was ready to give directions for building the sanctuary exactly according to the pattern shown him in the mount.
The Glory on Moses' Face
After forty days and nights of communion with God on the mount, Moses came down with his face shining with dazzling light because he had been with God and had seen His glory. That brightness was a reflection of the glory of the divine presence resting upon him. It reflected the glory and goodness of God which he had been allowed to behold in a measure suited to his mortal state.
The glory was not Moses' own but came from God, for he was only following the direction of One greater than he. God strengthened Moses to endure the excellent glory that made him exceedingly fear and quake. His special privileges and the light given to him made him more accountable, since each person is judged according to the light and benefits received.
When the law was given on Mount Sinai, the face of Moses shone with glory, and the faces of those who were with him shone with glory as well. The revealing of God's presence was so glorious it could not be borne by mortal man. The people could not look steadfastly upon Moses' face but were obliged to withdraw from him until he had done speaking and put a veil on.
Why Moses Veiled His Face
Moses put the veil over his face after he had finished speaking to the people, out of compassion for their fear, because he had much to communicate to them. After forty days and nights of communion with God on the mount his face shone with dazzling light reflecting the glory of the divine presence attending the giving of the law. The people asked for that brightness to be covered, and he urged them to come near with the pledge of God's reconciliation and assurance of restored favor, veiling his face so he might not terrify them. He continued to do so thereafter whenever he returned to the camp from communion with God.
Aaron and the people, in conscious guilt under divine displeasure, were afraid to come near him. Because of sinfulness, transgression, and guilt they found the reflected heavenly light painful and could not look steadfastly upon his face or endure it, but were obliged to withdraw until he had done speaking. The revealing of God's presence was so glorious it could not be borne by mortal man, and God strengthened Moses to endure the excellent glory that made him exceedingly fear and quake. The glory on his face was a divine mark on God's humble servant, but the people later forgot its significance.
If guilty Israel could not endure this reflected glory on Moses' face, transgressors of God's law will be far less able to look upon the Son of God when He appears in the glory of His Father surrounded by all the heavenly host with the angels to execute judgment upon transgressors of His law and rejecters of His atonement. Just before Christ's second appearing the wicked will likewise shrink from the sight of the saints' glory because it will pain them.
Gospel and Law Revealed
The light shining in the countenance after coming down from the mount was the light of the glory of the gospel of Christ, who is the foundation of the sacrificial system. The divine glory attending the giving of the law shone in the face, and its brightness was painful to Israel because of their transgressions, so that they were unable to look steadfastly upon it. What had been seen on the mount was Christ's work and mission to take humanity, to teach and guide the world, and to give Himself a ransom, with the perfect offering ending the typical sacrifices. Had the people discerned by faith that gospel light and looked to the end of that which was to be abolished, they could have endured the reflected light, but because they did not, the face was veiled that it might not terrify them.
That glory reflected Christ's righteousness embodied in the law. The law condemns sin but cannot pardon or save, and its glory comes from Christ revealed through it and through the ceremonial types and shadows. After speaking with the Israelites the face was covered with a veil because its reflected glory was too bright for them to look upon, for Moses veiled the face to hide the glory of the law reflected on it.
The revealing of God's presence was so glorious it could not be borne by mortal man, and the people could not look steadfastly upon the face but were obliged to withdraw until speaking was finished and the veil was put on. God strengthened Moses to endure the excellent glory that made him exceedingly fear and quake, bringing from the mount a reflection of God's excellent glory upon his face. This proves the period of the Jewish economy was not a Christless period without mercy or grace but a time of wonderful manifestations of divine power. Even descending from the holy mount with the face glorified by communion with God, no truth greater or more precious was brought to the people than the doctrine of the cross and the imputed righteousness of Christ, which comes not in word only but in the power of God to everyone that believes.
End-Time Shining of God's People
As Moses came down from Sinai with his face lighting up and shining with the glory of God, so the faces of the living saints, the 144,000, the Israel of God, will begin to light up and shine with God's glory when He pours the Holy Ghost upon them. That shining of Moses after Sinai is the likeness for the glory then seen on God's people. This takes place when God speaks with a voice like many waters to declare the day and hour of Jesus' coming, which the saints alone know and understand while the wicked hear only thunder and earthquake. When God speaks from the Holy City to all His people, glory will be poured on them as it was poured on Moses.
As He speaks the everlasting covenant and delivers it to them, they stand listening with eyes fixed upward, and their countenances are lighted up with His glory with a brightness the wicked cannot look upon. As each solemn sentence rolls through the earth like peals of thunder, they shout Glory, Hallelujah at the end of every sentence. As the words roll through the earth like loudest thunder and the saints listen with eyes fixed upward, they shout Glory Alleluia at the end of every sentence. When the never-ending blessing is pronounced on those who kept God's Sabbath holy and honored God in keeping it, there is a mighty shout of victory over the beast and over his image.
This outpouring must take place before the second advent to fill them with the Holy Ghost and deliver them from every outward foe, and to prepare them to gaze on Jesus and stand before Him at His appearing, for in their present state none could stand a single moment before the brightness of that coming which destroys the man of sin. As the faithful grow up into Christ and partake largely of His Spirit approaching the last conflict, the time of Jacob's trouble, they partake of His glory as Jesus was glorified before His betrayal and crucifixion to strengthen Him for suffering. As the third message swells to a loud cry with great power and glory attending the closing work, the latter rain revives and strengthens them to pass through the time of trouble and they reflect the glory accompanying the third angel's message with faces shining with that light.
That shining will be repeated at the end on God's commandment-keeping people, whose countenances will be lighted up with glory and beam upon those around them. Those who honored the law are glorified and at the appearing of Christ in splendor and glory are translated to heaven without seeing death, rising with songs of triumph to enter through the gates into the city, into the land of Eden. In the time of trouble, when the signs are acted over again and the day and hour are known and the sea boils like a pot, their faces will shine like Moses' face shone just before perfect and entire deliverance, when Christ appears in the east with His sword girded on His thigh and God's people are caught up on the white cloud. The delivered righteous have faces lit up, reflecting the image of Jesus.
Echoes in Other Scripture
The same holy radiance that rested on Moses after speaking with God appeared on Stephen's face when he stood before the council, shining like the face of an angel. That light was a manifestation of God's presence, the shekinah glory whose presence had departed from the temple. Those who honored Moses could have recognized in Stephen the same sign they knew from Moses. The temple's former glory had departed and its shekinah glory would never again be seen there.
Those who beheld Stephen's radiant face trembled and covered their faces, yet prejudice kept some from responding. The veiling of Moses' face to hide the reflected glory of the law illustrates how the glory of Christ's ascension was hidden from human sight. The disciples saw Jesus ascend, but they did not see the brightness of the heavenly escort attending Him nor the opening gates welcoming Him. In the same way Moses covered his face after speaking with the people, the accompanying glory of the ascension was veiled from mortal eyes.
Enoch's face likewise shone with holy light while he instructed those who listened to him. As Moses' face reflected God's glory after communion with Him and was then veiled when he had finished speaking with the people, so Enoch's radiant face showed how communion with God causes a person to reflect the divine image. The account is echoed again when a believer's countenance shone with heavenly light after experiencing God's power, as with H— P—.
Moses had been sustained by God and enclosed in divine glory, and that setting apart distinguishes his experience from Christ's human weakness during temptation.
Lesson for God's Workers
Moses' close intercourse with God and the glorious manifestation granted to him made his face shine so brightly with heavenly luster that Israel could not look upon him and he appeared like a bright angel from heaven. That personal experience of the knowledge of God was of more value to him as a man bearing responsibilities as a leader than all his former education in the learning of the Egyptians. All who hold responsible positions and who devise and execute plans must therefore first have power with God in order to have power with the people, connecting with heaven for wisdom, foresight, discernment, and keen perception. The most brilliant intellect, the most earnest study, and the highest eloquence can never be substituted for the wisdom and power of God, the grace of Christ, and the knowledge of God's will, and God listens to the appeals of His self-denying workers and has condescended to talk with feeble mortals face to face.
His descending from the holy mount with face glorified through communion shows that those who bring God's truth to the people must first receive their power and preparation from Him. The glory on his face came from God and not from himself, for he was only following the direction of One greater than he, and his special privileges and the light given to him made him more accountable, since each person is judged according to the light and benefits received. When God's glory is revealed, the very faces of His people shine as his face shone after speaking with God. That shining comes to those who put on Christ and are clothed with humility, who are poor and of a contrite spirit and tremble at His word and with whom He dwells, and it requires the breaking of the cold Phariseeism that binds souls so that His glory is revealed upon humble souls and seen in their faces.