I invite you to turn tonight in your Bibles to the second book of the Bible, Exodus, Exodus chapter 34. We're nearing the end of our study in this book, and tonight we come to verses 29 through 35, 29 through 35. I think we see how important it is to work through books of the Bible. You'll never really grasp the whole story if you're just doing topical preaching. just won't happen. But God has given us books and God has told us to preach the word in season, out of season. And you see, as we do this, we see the grand story of redemption, the whole story in the scriptures. And therefore, in verses 29 through 35 tonight, we again have something that the Apostle Paul makes great use of in the New Testament to have us understand the difference between the old and the new covenant this is verse 29 of chapter 34 when moses came down from the mountain from mount sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with god aaron and all the people of israel saw moses and behold the skin of his face shone and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him and Moses talked with them. Afterward, all the people of Israel came near and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. And when Moses finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him he would remove the veil until he came out and when he came out and told the people of israel what he was commanded the people of israel would see the face of moses that the skin of moses's face was shining and moses would put the veil over his face again until he went in to speak with him may the lord bless tonight the hearing of his word well Moses had asked one great question of the Lord in these last section remember after they had abandoned his worship and brought in all the cultural stuff of from Egypt to worship God as they wanted to worship him after they had their great worship service remember when the Lord had confronted them and addressed their sin and the Lord had reassured them that he would go with them moses after moses had understood grace and understood the lord's promise and saw the favor of the lord had a great question for him lord would you show me your glory would you show me your glory can we see that it's an interesting thought because we have told to us in the scriptures that No man can see God and live. That was said in this very chapter, chapter 34. What I want to do tonight is very simple. What I'd like you to think about tonight is the difference between you and Israel. There are similarities, but there are differences. In other words, I want you to think about what does it mean, and we have to do this because the New Testament does this so often, what does it mean to live under the New Covenant as opposed to the Old Covenant? If I can accomplish that in some way tonight and help you think through that, then that will be the main point of the sermon and something I feel is very important in light of what the text is teaching us. God is teaching us in the Old Covenant to anticipate something much better. And you get to enjoy the glory that Moses asked for on the mountain because of Jesus. But here's the scene tonight. I want to jump right in this so we see the difference and what we do see as Moses asked for the glory, what we actually see as New Covenant believers. Here's the scene tonight. The Lord has renewed the Sinai covenant by now. We looked at that somewhat this morning. Moses has now been up on the mountain 40 days and 40 nights. Remember this, he has not eaten, he has not drinking anything for 40 days and 40 nights. That's verse 28. Well, now Moses is sent down the mountain. And in his hands are the 10 words, the 10 commandments. That's why all throughout the scriptures, there is such weight given to these 10 words of the covenant. Things are different this time though, aren't they? The last time Moses came down the mountain, they were dancing. They had the rocking music going on. They're getting drunk. They're having their great worship service all around this calf. None of that now. No, this is a lot of silence now as Moses comes down the mountain. A lot more reverence. They're taking it all finally a lot more seriously. The joke is over. The joke is over. They're eager to receive the law. They're ready for round two. As we come to verse 29, what we read there is when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Amazing moment, isn't it? Don't think of the Charlton Heston movie when he had gray hair because he had come out of the presence of God. That is not what this is. His face is glowing. His whole appearance has changed to some degree. Standing before the presence of God 40 days, 40 nights, did something to him. Remember, he had asked to see the glory and what we have here is a somewhat, I think, an indication that divine glory, radiation, if you will, had enlightened his whole face. The glory of God had lit up Moses' face. It's a great moment in the Scriptures. God's glory was so radiant. Now remember, he was in the cleft of the rock. He saw that glory from the backside. But that glory was so radiant that even though Moses could not look steadily on the face of God, when he stood there in the cleft of the rock, hidden there, he saw that glory from the backside, it lit him up. So the whole thing is left an afterglow. His countenance, his face is shining. One pastor called it the effulgent splendor of Almighty God on his face. It's interesting because people have debated the Hebrew term here. I'm not totally convinced by it. But I want you to know that many translators take it that the skin of his face sent out horns. Sounds a little dramatic to me. Imagery is that his face is shooting out beams of light. That's how people like to describe this. Whatever the case, it was glorious. It was glorious. I don't think I could build it up enough. The reflective glory of God standing before the face of God had so illuminated the face of Moses that these beams were proceeding. And the big point to notice here tonight is the response of Israel. In verse 30, this is not the response of Aaron now the first time, is it? But when Aaron and the children of Israel saw Moses and they see his face glowing with the glory, the radiation of God, they were absolutely terrified. They shuddered. You'll notice that. They were afraid to come near him. You kind of get the idea that as that face came down the mountain, that they had seen a ghost. I don't know. Everyone went running. They dispersed at this. It must have been an awesome sight. I get the idea, boys and girls, that it's looking a little, it must have been like looking a little bit at the sun. Don't do it. They say it's not good for you. Now, I really don't want you to do it because I told you not to do it. But the glory of the sun, imagine they say the damage that happens to your eyes by looking too long directly at the sun. The intention of this scene in their response is everyone greatly feared. Everyone greatly feared. Moses' face was absolutely terrifying in a sense. Seeing the reflective glory of God. In that moment, I think they had an understanding of what it means to sing holy, holy, holy. I think they were getting it a little bit. You can't just run up and touch God like our modern praise songs say. It's not going to go that way. When Isaiah saw the glory of God, remember, he ducked and covered and pronounced prophetic curse on himself. Woe is me, for I'm undone, for I'm a man of unclean lips. And I dwell among sinners. And we can't be in the presence of this holy God. The New Testament tells us that God dwells in unapproachable light. You can't approach it. Remember the imagery from Ezekiel 1 when His glory chariot was rolling and hit the earth that a massive, as it's described, a massive firewall went around that glory chariot that this was God's chariot throne that was moving. And around that firewall, there was nothing but continuous lights and glory and radiation and flashing lights like torches, it says, going between the cherubim. And the imagery of Ezekiel 1 is the same imagery that Isaiah had, is the same imagery that Moses got at the burning bush, that God was on fire in his midst. On fire. He's a continuous consuming fire. Now Moses, standing before him, comes down the mountain and has some of this shining glory on his face and it strikes nothing but fear into Israel. They've just got a small indication of why they can't come into his presence their way. Doesn't that say something tonight that we should never forget about God? that He is so awesome in His splendor and in His holiness and in His might, supremely holy, that just the minutest little reflection of that glory could destroy you. Think about it. The text wants us to ponder this. Moses is the mediator of this covenant. the first point the glory of moses struck nothing but fear that they scatter notice what moses begins to do look at verse 31 then moses called called to them get the idea they had run and he's bringing them back and aaron and all the leaders of israel returned to him and moses talked with them afterward all the people of israel came near and what did he do he begins to command he commanded them all that the lord had spoken with him on mount sinai he is mediating what law law he's the mediator of law that's um what galatians tells us that the law was appointed by the hands of a uh through angels by the hand of a mediator and notice here who's mediating it moses and when moses finished so the glory is there when moses finished he then put a giant veil over his face but whenever moses then would go back in to speak with the lord he'd take off the veil and get lit up again and then he would come out and speak to the children of israel and he would with unveiled face glory showing speak the law now it's fascinating do you understand this for a minute this makes no sense this makes no sense whenever moses would later go into the tent of meeting the veil would come off he would with unveiled face be given access so that enough of that glory he would hit his face, right? And then, with unveiled face, he would go before God, he would go in there with no covering, and then he would come out with unveiled face and speak the law. And as soon as he was done speaking the law, he would cover his face. That's verse 35. And the people of Israel would see the face of Moses that the skin of Moses's face was shining and Moses would put the veil over his face again until he went in to speak with him so here are my questions this is where this leads us tonight why is Moses not putting on a veil before God when he goes in there and then according to my thinking I would think the veil would need to be kept on so that Israel wouldn't get scared. Right? And then he would take it off after he spoke the law. So we read the law, you know, think about how we approach the law today. Most Christians don't even read it anymore. Reformed churches have kind of dumped the practice. But that's a remarkable thing if you think about it. Because here we're learning something about the purpose of the law. But something has been lost, hasn't it? What, when we read the law, we hear the law, and it's so important to impress the law upon our children's minds. I think the repetition is very important, and that's an important aspect of putting that law on their hearts and their minds. But we kind of yawn through it, don't we? It sometimes may feel like a little bit of a custom, a duty. You know what was going on in Israel? The Lord was making it clear this is no yawning moment. It was to have an absolute trembling effect on Israel. In other words, these weren't suggestions. Moses, reflecting God's supreme glory, would speak the terms of God, dwelling among them, striking fear, and then only when he was done, he put the veil on. Get that? It leaves wide open the question that's not answered in the Old Testament. Why the veil? Well, maybe it's answered. It's partly answered in the tabernacle. But the key here, the question to understanding the whole Sinai giving of the law, why veil Moses? Why do you do it after? Why do you speak the law and then after take it off? That doesn't make sense to me. That doesn't make sense to the way I think. I don't understand. This is all backwards. And we come to the New Testament and the New Testament writers are greatly taken by this little passage. As a matter of fact, the book of Hebrews really picks up on this. It provides a commentary, and I want you to listen to this. For you have not come to the mountain, Christians, New Covenant believers, you've not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire and to blackness and darkness and tempest and to the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, so that those who heard it begged that the word should not be spoken to them anymore, for they could not endure what was commanded. We can't hear it. That was the effect. The receiving of the law was intended to be the most terrifying experience for Israel. Well, you say, well, I'm confused. Isn't God's law good? Of course it's good. God's law's not the problem. God's law's wonderful. Oh, how I love your law, David. God was teaching here Israel why there had to be a tabernacle. Why there had to be a veil. No one could just barge into his presence. But there's something else I want to focus on for a minute. And this is where I think it would be really helpful tonight if you turn to one passage, and this is where we'll stop. We won't spend real long on this, but I want you to see it. Turn tonight to 2 Corinthians 3. 2 Corinthians 3. And that's on page 1226 in your Pew Bible. I want you to notice here that Paul's whole point to the Corinthian church is to draw a contrast between the Old and the New Covenant. Notice he says, and you'll look at there, in chapter 3, he says in verse 6, He made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. So the Apostle is saying that pastors are now ministers of the new covenant. Notice what he says in verse 6, that it kills. The Spirit gives life, but the letter kills. The ministry of the law has a killing effect. But the ministry of the Holy Spirit gives you life. Now notice verse 7. Now if the ministry of death carved in letters on stone came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end. well that's an interesting statement isn't it will not the ministry of the spirit have even more glory the apostle just said that the ministry had glory it was glorious that ministry of moses mediating the law was glorious you saw it in the face of moses but then he says but here's the problem it was all passing away it was glorious because it's the law of god the law is always glorious but notice verse 10 for if the if the indeed in this case what was once had glory has come to have no glory at all because of the glory that surpasses it greater glory much more will what is permanent have glory okay a little complex here that glory was glorious so that israel couldn't even look on it but it was not intended to be permanent it was intended to pass away now look at verse 11 or 12 since we have such a hope we are very bold not like Moses who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day when they read the Old Covenant the same veil remains unlifted because only through Christ is it taken away. Yet to this day, whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Let me explain this. Moses comes down the mountain with the law. He had been in the presence of God. Moses was the mediator of that law. Mediating and administering the law. It was glorious. Wonderful. Paul says it was glorious. But you know what Paul also says? It was passing away. You say, what does that mean? God had in view a much better covenant than Sinai. What was passing away? The old covenant. That's not saying the law is done away with. The arrangement here would pass away. So that what actually happened is that the glory of the ministry of the law was not intended to be permanent. What does that mean? I'm getting there. They put a veil over Moses' face after he spoke the law. For what reason? So that the Israelites should not see that that ministry was coming to an end. verse 14 plainly says that their minds were blinded for until this day the same veil remains in the reading of the old testament go talk to a jew today read the old testament to them do they see jesus paul is saying israel was blinded to see let me say this very simply tonight Israel was blinded to see that the law could not deliver them. That's a simple meaning. That was the problem. Put it plainly, they could not see that the law does not save your obedience. And so that glory came to an end in the face of Moses. the veil kept Israel from seeing that it was going to pass away. Why? So that you would be here tonight. He opened the door to the Gentiles. Hasn't this been the long problem with Israel's history as a teaching tool for everyone? what kind of religion did jesus walk into among the jews well it was a legalistic self-righteous club it was a ladder of proud accomplishments it was a pompous condemn everyone accept themselves kind of religion that had at the root of all of it pride the problem of self-righteousness i mean you understand how shocking it was when jesus comes this rabbi from the backwoods towns of Nazareth preaching the law and the Sermon on the Mount goes up and says to all the multitudes, I haven't come to destroy the law, but I've come to fulfill it. Huh? What does that mean? For assuredly, I say to you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you'll never enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus was leveling them with the standard. That's why sometimes you read Jesus and it sounds so hard and condemning because He's come to a religious community that had a veil over their hearts. They can't see Him. That's why the fight. Paul says in Romans 9, for they being ignorant, remember blinded, of God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law. He fulfills this for righteousness to everyone who believes. They tried to establish their own righteousness by the law. So Paul says the veil is taken away in Jesus. When one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. What are you able to see? You know what you're able to see? The entire Bible is about Him. Showing us His person and work. We need a better mediator who will fulfill the law and be a mediator of grace to us. You see? That's the problem that Exodus 34 leaves us with. I want you to listen to Jesus' severe indictment to the Jews in John 7 for just a minute. The one who speaks on His own authority seeks His own glory. But the one who seeks the glory of Him who sent me is true. And in Him there's no falsehood. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Imagine saying that to Israel. Tonight is telling us that God already intended, that's why He's been preaching gospel to them the whole time. God intended to open up a ministry of righteousness. That's what was promised to Abraham. That's word for word what the Apostle says. We need a glory that's permanent. What is that? You know what makes this so exciting? You have it. God has been preaching it to you for many of you your whole lives. And he says, if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, the ministry of righteousness exceeds in much more glory. Jesus went up on the mountain and was transfigured. His appearance was transformed, remember, for a minute. And his face shone, didn't it? Moses was there. And there on that mountain, Moses being with him. And when Jesus came down, did he start speaking to them? Did He start putting His people under the law? He spoke words of grace to His sheep. This is My beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased. Hear Him. Listen to Him. I'm handing Him to you. I'm giving you a better mediator on a better covenant with better promises, says Hebrew. Better, better, better, better, better. it's gracious one to you a message of peace and hope and gospel it's forgiveness sure israel had that preached to them but now you see it in fulfillment so why does hebrew say this so don't refuse him in the new covenant who speaks to you because if we neglect so great a salvation you're in the time of fulfillment don't turn away from this in this new covenant ministry you have the reality in jesus you have everything that's all anticipated in jesus you have the final end of all this there's nothing more you need there's nothing you lack you've got everything in him he is ministering the holy spirit right now to you his perfect life and paul's whole point is to say unlike the ministry of sinai the law which that glory was temporary because it couldn't save anyone. That's his whole point. This ministry is glorious. And so he says in verse 5, notice in 2 Corinthians 4, verse 5, for we don't preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservant for Jesus' sake. For it's God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone where? In your hearts. notice that to shine out of darkness who shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ you are being transformed he says into that same image from glory to glory just as by the spirit of the Lord it's permanent he's saying the ministry to you is permanent if you don't get anything else tonight get this the ministry you're receiving right now is permanent you lack nothing you're getting everything you need. And it's being reproduced, you'll notice, from glory to glory. That's why we're preaching Jesus. That glory is not going away. For the Christian, there's glory at the beginning when you believe, and you're going to go from that pathway from glory to glory to glory to glory till finally you're in glory before the face. That's what he's saying. You're on the pathway to glory in the face of jesus and that's why we preach him that's why we must gaze in the preaching on him because his joy radiates our life regardless of circumstance we receive an unfading glory so tonight i i i don't i hope i gave some kind of um explanation that was somewhat clear i know it's complex of the difference between the old and the new but that you would understand that you have a permanent ministry something that is absolutely satisfying and fulfilling fix your hearts on jesus look to him he's the author and finisher of your faith and you are being more and more in this ministry made into his image as that glory reflects off him that glory shines in your hearts as you're transformed to look more like Him. That's His ministry. And I pray we don't ever settle for anything less. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, it's one of the more challenging sections to understand. I pray that, Lord, where I was not clear or where it didn't come out well, that You would work and encourage Your people to see how wonderful Your salvation is. and how much You have done. For now, we are able to see so clearly in the face of Jesus that glory and to be transformed into that image and that we lack nothing because of His perfect righteousness. Thank You for giving us so great a salvation. May we hear the Gospel that's been proclaimed to us and may we believe and respond in true faith. Thank you for a day in your house. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.