Unveiled Faces

In Exodus 34, Moses comes down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments. He was not aware that his face was radiant. He had spent many days on the mountain with God, and God’s glory had literally rubbed off onto him. The people were afraid to come near Moses. Moses began to cover his face with a veil when he was around the people.

In Exodus 34:34 we are told that when Moses entered the presence of God, he removed the veil.

Moses’ proximity to God caused the glory of God to be seen on Moses’ face. The fact a sinful man like Moses was permitted by God to see a glimpse of His glory shows the sacrifice that God was willing, in fact, it was His desire, to be known by those He had created.

The glow on Moses’ face gave evidence that he had been in the presence of God.

The veil separating the Israelites from the glory of God was a symbol of a far greater separation. God cannot commune with His broken image-bearers due to our sin.

This same separation is seen in the tapestry that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple building.

Without a perfect sacrifice, mankind would not be able to walk in intimacy with God and talk with Him as a friend.

The people were separated from the presence of God as shown in Exodus 19 the people were commanded to stay away from the mountain as God meet with Moses. They were not to touch even the foot of the mountain.

Moses could not communicate all that God had commanded him to communicate without a veil over his face.

When the glory on Moses’ face began to fade, he continued to wear the veil so that the Israelites could not see the glory faded.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is authentically showing the reality of Jesus in our lives.

When Jesus comes, this can all change. We have to allow the Holy Spirit to work in us to open our minds to the truth.  

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:13 that we are not like Moses, who kept the veil over his face to hide that the glory of God was fading from him.

We are also not like the Israelites whose minds are still dull, not understanding that Jesus, the Messiah has come. Only Jesus can remove the lack of understanding.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 that even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled from to those who are perishing and, that in their case, the god of this world has blinded the mind of unbelievers from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Satan is blinding the minds of those who have rejected Jesus as the only way of salvation. 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is seeing unbelievers as victims and not enemies.

In 2 Corinthians 3:16 we are told that whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is cooperating with the Holy Spirit to allow Him to reveal truth to us.  

When we turn to Jesus and acknowledge His Lordship in our lives, He enlightens our minds and allows us to see the truth.

The Spirit of God then sets us free according to 2 Corinthians 3:17.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing the freedom in Jesus to live the truth out every day.

According to 2 Corinthians 3:18, when we unveil our faces before God, He will transform us into His image and we experience His glory more and more.

Raise the Roof and Remove Walls is allowing God to transform us to be more and more like Him.

Instead of letting the old covenant serve as a tutor to show the people their need for Jesus, the law caused people to stumble and miss their need for Jesus and His redemptive work on the cross. The veil surrounded their hearts. They wrongly believed they could be made right with God by keeping the law rather than surrendering their lives to Jesus and entering into a relationship with Him and depending on Him for salvation.

Today we as the church, followers of Jesus, can also get caught up with following rules, keeping traditions, and hanging on to rituals instead of relating to Jesus.

It is not about having the right theology; it is about really knowing Jesus.

It is not about knowing what is right; it is about being transformed to be like Jesus.

It is not about religion; it is about relationship.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is knowing and loving Jesus.

I become a Christian at age 12 when I accepted Jesus’ death on the cross for my sin. I struggled in my relationship with Jesus until I was 18, and at 18 I fell in love with Jesus because He first loved me. It has Jesus’ love and grace that as carried me over the decades.

With an Unveiled Face, Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                               Joe