Moses Face Shines When he Comes Down From Mount Sinai

Topic: Godliness

Passage: Exodus 34:27–35

July 23, 2022

Commentary

The Lord told Moses to put His laws in writing (v. 27). As with the giving of the book of the law the first time Moses spent 40 days with the Lord on Mount Sinai (v. 28). Unlike the previous 40 days, the people this time did not get involved in idolatry as before. Also, in contrast with the anger Moses evidenced when he returned with the first set of tablets, this time his face radiated with the glory of God (v. 29).

When Aaron and the children of Israel saw that his face shone they were afraid to come close to him (vv. 30-32). Moses was not aware of the radiance of his skin but apparently the people told him his face shone because he then covered it (v. 33). This illustrates a vital difference between self-righteous Parseeism and true godliness. The pharisee wants to advertise his spirituality while the person who has spent time with God is not even aware of what others see in him. The man who is completely devoted to the Lord does not need to wear some badge or button because his life will show he has been spending time with the Lord.

As Moses shared with the people all that God had spoken he had this veil on his face (vv. 34-35). The interpretation of this is given in (II Cor. 3:13) as it states “And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.” The end of this passage is parallel with (Rom. 10:4).

Application

Question - Am I spending enough time with the Lord for it to show in my life?

Exodus 34:27– 35 (NET)

²⁷ The Lord said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” ²⁸ So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread, and he did not drink water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.

²⁹ 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. ³⁰ When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him. ³¹ But Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and Moses spoke to them. ³² After this all the Israelites approached, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. ³³ When Moses finished speaking with them, he would put a veil on his face. ³⁴ But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil until he came out. Then he would come out and tell the Israelites what he had been commanded. ³⁵ When the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with the Lord.