veil

I'm excited to share one of my favorite passages in scripture, but in the words of my beloved Greek instructor: "Context is everything!"

It came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses’ hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him. So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers in the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them. Afterward all the sons of Israel came near, and he commanded them to do everything that the Lord had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out and spoke to the sons of Israel what he had been commanded, the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone. So Moses would replace the veil over his face until he went in to speak with Him. (Exodus 34:29-35)

As often as I've identified with Moses in my flesh -- his fear, his frustration, and his stubbornness -- I relate too well with this story. Returning from Kansas City amidst an intimate pursuit of God, I head-wrestled with the multitude of believers content on pursuing an intermediary and cringing at the suggestion that He desires His Word to be understood by the "ordinary" Christian. When I read this passage, it bewilders me; not only did God's people have zero interest in climbing the mountain to know Him personally, but the evidence of His presence among Moses brought them fear.

We see a similar attitude from the church in Corinth, who took no issue with boasting in their lawful deeds, but continually struggled with their desire to be accepted and affirmed by men, most notably placing their identity in "super-apostles" that promoted a self-seeking gospel through skilled presentation (2 Cor. 11). Unfortunately for Corinth and the church in America today, the ordinary believer has chosen to relinquish his/her right to know Him intimately out of fearful inferiority, spiritual pride, or outright idolatry.

As I fail to view salvation as the most beautiful incentive of my life in Christ, it would be amiss of me to let my brothers and sisters rest with such a view of the Gospel. I find it infinitely more extraordinary that our Father granted salvation as a means to lift the veil, reconciling our relationship according to His original intent to be among us.

That truth drives me CRAZY for His love!

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:4-18)

Did you catch that? Even the Law leading to death demonstrated His glory, vividly enough to disturb His people to fear. However, in Christ the veil has been removed, and we have been granted privilege by His Spirit to encounter the fullness of His glory! Clearly, our God was not merely interested in saving us from death; He intends to meet with us in a more intimate manner than was possible for Moses himself!

"But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

"I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you." (John 16:5-15)

For those believing the lie that your Father does not delight in communicating with you, understand that the primary purpose for the death of Christ was that His Spirit might take residence in your heart. Jesus considered this fatal transaction to your advantage, as remaining in the flesh would not have removed the spiritual veil that divided you from the glory of your Father. For a God to go through such romantic lengths to make Himself intimately known, it seems the most vain of all spiritual vanities to accept the death of Christ apart from the Spirit that brings freedom and demonstrates His glory through holy transformation.