Scripture speaks of a divine glory revealed to Moses, a communion between him and the holy God that no other could share or tolerate. The people required even the face of Moses to be veiled in their midst after he had been with the Lord. When God descended to Mt. Sinai above their camp, they rightly refused to come near, sinners who were completely undone by his presence. His glory was too much for them to behold. Indeed, God would not show even Moses his face, “for,” he told him, “No man shall see me and live.” (Ex. 33:20) How can it be that the God who is too glorious to look at with human eyes was held, gazed upon, and caressed by sinful human parents? How did his disciples sit next to him and take in his words without a shudder or a faint? How did his accusers mock him and beat him without instantly perishing? He was the God of Mt. Sinai – the God of consuming fire – and yet in his mercy he clothed his divinity with humanity, and hid his majesty, so as to come to his people as a humble servant. His incarnation veiled his glory for a time, and he became shockingly approachable, touchable, see-able. This sojourning of his perfectly accomplished the work of establishing a new covenant, of which he is the one and only mediator. We are the benefactors of his shed blood: declared righteous in him, enabled to be in his presence, and will one day stand before him, no veils needed, and see him face to face.
Scripture to consider:
For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. Heb. 12:18-24
Hymn to enjoy:
Glory be to God on high,
And peace on earth descend;
Now God comes down, He bows the sky,
And shows Himself our friend!
God the invisible appears,
God the blest, the great I AM,
He sojourns in this vale of tears,
And Jesus is His name.
Him by the angels all adored,
Their maker and their king;
Lo, tidings of their humbled Lord
They now to mortals bring;
Emptied of His majesty,
Of His dazzling glories shorn,
Our being’s Source begins to be,
And God Himself is born!
See the eternal Son of God
A mortal Son of Man,
Now dwelling in an earthly clod
Whom Heaven cannot contain!
Stand amazed, ye heavens, look at this!
See the Lord of earth and skies
Low humbled to the dust He is,
And in a manger lies!
So do the sons of men rejoice
The Prince of Peace proclaim,
With Heaven’s host lift up our voice,
And shout Immanuel’s name;
Our knees and hearts to Him we bow;
Of our flesh, and of our bone,
See—Jesus is our brother now,
And God is all our own!
by Charles Wesley (1739)
The Type B Mom 