Q1. Glowing in God's Presence

[lighthouse2014]

Q1. (2 Corinthians 3:7-11) Why did Moses’ face glow? Why did he cover it when he was out with the people? Why didn’t more people’s face glow in Moses’ time? What’s the difference between the spread of God’s glory in Moses’ time when compared to our own time?

Moses face would glow because he was in the presence of God Himself, talking face to face.

Moses would cover his face when he went out among the people because they would see how radiant his face was and that glory would fade away over time.

During the time of Moses, other peoples faces would not glow because they were not in the presence of God. Only Moses sought Gods face, he was humble in mind and spirit, therefore God appeared to him only.

The difference between God's glory during Moses time was that the law given to Moses in tablets of stone was a glory that would fade over time. The stone with it's laws was given to the people to follow. However, it was impossible to follow this law, for the law brought death. In our time we have the glory of the spirit of God with and in us. This is a glory that will never pass away or fade. It is the new covenant which supper-cedes the old testament of the law written on stone. Christ death has resulted in God sending the Holy Spirit to dwell with us until the end of time.       

[Krissi]

I don't know why Moses' face glowed. The standard explanation is that it glowed because he had spent time, face-to-face with God, but other people in the bible have also had direct experiences with God and their faces were not described as glowing. Paul, in a later chapter in the book we're studying, said he went up to the "third heaven" where God was sitting on a "blazing throne" so he saw the bright light of God yet his own face did not glow. Note, too, that Moses had spoken with God earlier yet his face did not glow. 

Perhaps God wanted Moses' face to glow to set him apart, to make it clear that he was the one specially chosen, and not others in the tribe? The glow may have "validated" him in the eyes of those who may have otherwise doubted that he had spoken with God and that God had given him a special revelation.

Though he covered his face the people obviously knew it was glowing so I don't know why he covered it. No one else had a glowing face because no one had had the one-on-one experience of conversing with God as did Moses.

I have never seen a face glow from the presence of God but I have seen faces of Christians who seemed to glow with holiness; they possessed an inner spirit that seemed to shine outwardly.