“If you must talk to us, cover your face. Please!” Yes, you heard correctly. The children of Israel asked Moses to cover his face before he attempted to speak to them. I am sure you are asking, “Was Moses that ugly? Did he have an accident of some sort and became disfigured?” The answer is “no” to both these questions.
Moses had just come back from a trip to the crest of Mount Sinai where he had spent 40 days in communion with Jehovah. It must have been quite an incredible experience because on his return to the valley where the children of Israel awaited him, his face had such a glow and radiance that it was difficult for them to look at him.
“Now when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand —when he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him. But Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and Moses spoke to them. After this all the Israelites approached, and he commanded them all that the LORD had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking with them, he would put a veil on his face.” Exodus 34: 29-33.
Standing in the presence of Jehovah God, Moses had watched with rapt attention as Jehovah wrote with His finger the Ten Commandments on two marble tablets. Then Jehovah explained to Moses His plans to protect and care for the children of Israel. Moses received a preview of the battles they would fight and the miraculous victories they would have over nations larger than themselves. He listened as Jehovah described their final arrival in the land of “milk and honey”— a journey filled with events so inconceivable that Moses could not help but be impressed and awed. No wonder his face glowed!
There was another occasion that individuals came away from meeting with a member of the Godhead and had a startling physical reaction. This was recorded in the New Testament where two men, tired and discouraged, trudged back to their village of Emmaus. On their way they met a fellow traveler who asked them the reason for their utter despondency.
“Where have you been?” They answered. “Don’t you know that on Friday they crucified our only hope of deliverance from Roman oppression? We are now the butt of jokes. They are calling this dead man, “the King of the Jews”. Our dreams and hopes are wiped out!”
The stranger seemed unfazed by their story and in an even, comforting tone began to encourage them. They listened with growing interest as he unfolded the deep meaning and promises of the Scriptures.
“And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24: 27.
They were spellbound by His knowledge and understanding. On arrival in Emmaus they invited this remarkable person to stop and refresh himself at their home. It was during the meal that they realized— “You are Jesus! We are talking with Jesus!” They looked at Him then at each other. Between crying and laughing they repeated, “It’s Jesus! He is here, with us!”
They could hardly stand still. Gone was their fatigue. They immediately took the 7-mile journey back to Jerusalem to share their news. Rushing into the house of their despondent friends they shouted, “We spoke with Jesus! He has promised that even with what is happening now, everything is going to work out alright! His Father has plans afoot to fix everything!”
“And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.” Luke 24: 32-35.
Moses’ face shun, and the men from Emmaus had “heart-burn”! The experience of the disciples in Jerusalem was equally remarkable. Although barely educated, after spending time with Jesus they became insightful, indomitable, zealous preachers and healers! When Jesus was with them, He had made them a promise and waiting and praying together in a closed room in Jerusalem, the Gift had arrived! These ordinary, uneducated men became bi-lingual and some even tri-lingual preachers!
“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?” Act 2: 1-8.
They went about the city exuding excitement. They spoke of Christ and His promise of eternal life to anyone who would listen. They had faith enough to do supernatural things— they made the sick well, the lame walk, and the blind see!
“Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?” Acts 3: 11, 12.
They had faces that glowed. They had voices that rang with cheer and good news. They stood out! They shun with the good news of salvation in Christ. People couldn’t help but be drawn to them wanting some of what they had. They were daunted by nothing, not even the authorities’s threat of beatings and imprisonment.
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. . . . So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” Acts 4: 13, 18-20.
Think about the people in these three stories. . . . . The unveiled face is not a one-dimensional, stoic, emotionless facade. It is a face that faithfully displays the character and affect of Christ. It lights-up with excitement at good news; it softens with compassion for the hurting; it warms in empathy for the sorrowing; it relaxes with kindness to the weak; and calms with patience for the ill-tempered. The unveiled face of the Christian is reflective in forgiveness when maligned; blushes in anguish when tempted; darkens in anger at injustice; brightens in joy at the success of others; explodes in laughter and happiness at the beauty around; and is fervent at the awareness of the Holy Spirit’s leading. Oh, for a face like that!
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22, 23.
“Not so fast”, you say. “Certainly there must be some risk to the unveiled face— the face that reveals that we have “been with Jesus”? Christ as He walked this earth experienced rejection, misunderstanding, distrust, and mistreatment. Won’t we risk the same?”
I agree. It takes courage and a strong conviction to be willing to live unveiled. Moses was misunderstood and even maligned by his own sister and brother. The two men from Emmaus bore the hardship of retracing their steps 7 miles, and the possibility of ridicule, and Peter and John faced imprisonment. Interestingly however, they all seemed to disregard the risk when they weighed it against their mission. They all did it because “they had been with Jesus”.
Paul, writing to the Corinthians explains that this radiance that comes from knowing Christ can be ours too. We can live unveiled— walking spectacles for Christ, showing others His love and calling them to become reconciled friends with Him.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making his plea through us. We plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God!” God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21.
Are we brave enough to let the world see Jesus in us? Do we radiate an aura of His presence? How are those who don’t know Christ benefiting from our transparency? Do we share healing words and promises of wellness and joy to those we encounter? Do we speak against wrong and uphold justice? Do our stories of Christ’s goodness to us overflow to others?
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10.
Today’s Goal: To be a spectacle for Christ by living fully, joyously and transparently, doing acts of kindness, and speaking words of peace and healing.
A Wilderness Guidebook . . . 