In 2 Corinthians chapter 3, Paul talks about the glory that was in the old covenant and the glory that is in the new covenant. The glory in the old covenant was reflected in Moses’ face when he would come out of God’s presence and his face was shining like the sun. Paul says in verses 7-11,
“The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!”
Moses would talk with God like a friend talks to a friend. He would go into the tent of meeting to meet with God. God’s glory would fill the tent and that glory would get absorbed by Moses, so that when he came out of the tent his face shone with the glory. But because he left the presence of God when he walked out of the tent the glory that was reflected on his face would fade away. Moses’ ability to reflect that kind of glory was limited by the fact the presence of God was not in him, which is why he met with God in the tent.
That tent was a visible representation of what was to soon be a spiritual reality. God’s desire was never to be separated from man. In Genesis God made the garden of Eden and put Adam in it. One of the meanings of the word Eden is, “presence”. Eden was the presence of God. Where did Adam work, in Eden, in God’s presence. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil immediately their eyes were opened and they saw that they were naked. They were always naked but now what was normal became abnormal. Why? Because they lost the indwelling presence of God. They still could meet with God, but God was not inside them. Cane and Able both brought sacrifices to God. God still had relationships with people but the big difference was that the Spirit of God was no longer in them.
The new covenant fixed this problem. When Jesus died on the cross, that ground shook the rocks broke in pieces and the curtain that separated the holy place from the holy of holies was torn in two. The holy of holies was the place where the Spirit of God would dwell. The high preset would only go in there once a year and when he did, they tied a rope to his ankle lest he died in there and had to be pulled out. When this curtain was torn in two it was the physical representation of a spiritual reality, that no longer was there a separation between God and man. Now the one who believes in Jesus becomes the temple of God. This is how it was in the beginning in the garden of Eden. This means that we are never separated from the presence of God. God’s glory on Moses’ face would fade because he was no longer basking in it. Which is why Paul says,” In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way.” Moses was limited in what he could reflect because he a limited presence (And look what he accomplished!). We have no such limitations! Which is why Paul says in verse 18,
“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
As we think about, meditate, marinate, focus on the Lord’s glory we are being transformed. This is not a temporary situation, this is an ever-increasing reality that we become like him and reflect his glory. This is God’s purpose for us. There is no end to your reflection of the goodness, greatness, and wonder of God. Go get your reflection on!