I was reading in my bible and I came across this chapter. I’ve read it before, but something in it jumped out to me and it became alive. It was like a light bulb flicked on above my head. It was a “Tada!” moment.
I’d like to explain this chapter piece by piece so that you may better understand where I am coming from. But first, the whole thing together (it's a bit long but I promise it's worth it):
2 Corinthians 3:
9-11 If the Government of Condemnation was impressive, how about this Government of Affirmation? Bright as that old government was, it would look downright dull alongside this new one. If that makeshift arrangement impressed us, how much more this brightly shining government installed for eternity?
12-15 With that kind of hope to excite us, nothing holds us back. Unlike Moses, we have nothing to hide. Everything is out in the open with us. He wore a veil so the children of Israel wouldn’t notice that the glory was fading away—and they didn’t notice. They didn’t notice it then and they don’t notice it now, don’t notice that there’s nothing left behind that veil. Even today when the proclamations of that old, bankrupt government are read out, they can’t see through it. Only Christ can get rid of the veil so they can see for themselves that there’s nothing there.
16-18 Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him."
Oh my gosh, this is so ridiculously good. As you may very well know, Moses was part of the Old Testament, meaning the old covenant. God’s old covenant with man. When Moses went up onto the mountain, God showed him His glory and gave Moses the 10 Commandments. Moses came down the mountain and the people were amazed because his face was shining as an affect of the glory he encountered after receiving the ‘Law’.
Fast forward: Jesus died on the cross. The son of God. The majestic and glorious, passionate and lovely, playful and sincerely caring, altogether BEAUTIFUL man was crucified. And in the final moment of his agony, he said, "It is finished!"
What is finished, you ask? The law! The law created a barrier between God and man. The law said, “You behave in perfection, you get blessed. But if you make a mistake, you will be cursed.” Do you realize what a strain that put on man? How must he view The Creator? A mean old god with a cane, ready to wack anyone who makes mistakes. A fiery, angry creature with a desire to see people punished.
BUT... that isn’t God’s character. God doesn’t desire for His children to be cursed. He wants us to have His inheritance! It was the curse of the law that put a false picture of who He is, into our minds. When Jesus died, he stopped the curse dead in its tracks! He tore the veil to reveal who God really is! To reveal how sincerely and ardently he loves us. What he would give for us.
So. I’ve often gotten confused about Moses. How is it that God’s glory was shown on his face after given the law, if Jesus died to finish the law? Well that’s where this scripture comes in. I’m going break down a couple parts:
“Unlike Moses, we have nothing to hide. Everything is out in the open with us. He wore a veil so the children of Israel wouldn’t notice that the glory was fading away – and they didn’t notice. They didn’t notice it then and they don’t notice it now, don’t notice that there’s nothing left behind that veil…”
Moses wore a veil to hide the fact that the glory had diminished! The glory that the law left behind is only temporary. Moses had to hide the fact that it was gone! Even to this day people still believe that the law is everything, and are blind to the fact that its not good anymore. Its like eating plastic fruit; it looks polished and pretty, but there is NO nutrition in it. It is empty!
Oh but Jesus is so full of LIFE.
Next piece:
“Only Christ can get rid of the veil so they can see for themselves that there’s nothing there. Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are – face to face!”
Yes! I love it! Christ tears the veil so we can see the truth for what it is. And the lie for what IT is. And only Christ could do it, that is why it was so necessary for Jesus to go to the cross. God longed for us to see Him for who he is, so He sent His only beloved son! THEN we see him face to face. AHHHH! This is so good. Face to face, we see his nature, his characterization, his beauty. His beauty is the essence of His love! His unconditional love for US. The ones who don’t deserve anything in our own eyes, but who He declared worthy!
Next bit:
“They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us!”
He is personal! He is intimate! He holds us close to his heart. He is extravagantly in love with us! When we see Him for who He truly is, the law means nothing! The law is empty! God is not a handbook full of rules and regulations, meant to be a behavior modification! He is our bread and our wine, full of life and joy, meant to be a reviver! We are FREE of the curse, FREE of our guilt, FREE of our distance from Him. We are grafted into His family!
“Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him."
This is my favorite part. Nothing is between us and God. Lets make it personal: Nothing is between me and God. Nothing is between you and God. Not your past failures. Not your present circumstances. Not your future doubts. We are with Him! And our faces our shining with the brightness of His face! How can someone be in the sun and not come out looking a little redder? How can you spend time with a joyfully exuberant person and it not rub off on you? Who you are with changes your appearance. When you see God for who He is! Oh man, you reflect it! He is life giving! He is deeply passionate, constantly full of unchanging brightness! The more we engulf ourselves into Him, the TRUE Him, the more we shine.
On an ending note, I would like to make something really clear. This is something that I am forever going to try and persuade people to see.
God is always and forever pursuing you. You may seek Him, but only because He sought you first. He is the great initiator. A leader in the church was speaking to me one day and out of the blue he brought up some struggles I'd been having. Keep in mind I never confided in him. But one thing he said was, "Just relax and let God love on you.” I was caught completely off guard. Not because he picked up on my struggles without me saying anything, but because he said, ‘let God love on you.’
My thought was, “Aren’t I the one who is supposed to be loving on God?”
Since that moment I have become deeply aware of the fact that it is not my responsibility to love God. But loving God is a natural occurance after I realize that he loves me dearly. Oh so dearly.
So with that in mind, live your life under the fullness of His promise of grace instead of His law. Engulf yourself in thoughts of His love for you. Then your face will shine brighter and brighter, as you become more and more like Him.
