God’s Glory Seen Through Us
BY IAN GREIG in THE LIVING WORD
Welcome to The Living Word Bible Study for Sunday, February 27 — Transfiguration Sunday (TLW08C)
Theme: As we encounter God, His glory shines through us
- See also this week’s linked article Bringers of God’s Glorious Presence
- And this week’s 10-min captioned video As We Encounter God, His Glory Shines Through Us (also on Instagram for mobiles)
Psalm 99 — Setting the scene
Exodus 34:29–35 — Moses descends Mount Sinai radiant with God’s glory
Luke 9:28–36 — The glory of God comes on Jesus in a dazzling display
2 Corinthians 3:12–4:2 — Paul reflects on Moses’ encounter with God
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Psalm 99 — Setting the scene
1 The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; He sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.
2 Great is the Lord in Zion; He is exalted over all the nations.
3 Let them praise Your great and awesome name — He is holy.
4 The King is mighty, He loves justice — You have established equity; in Jacob You have done what is just and right.
5 Exalt the Lord our God and worship at his footstool; He is holy.
6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests, Samuel was among those who called on His name; they called on the Lord and He answered them.
7 He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept His statutes and the decrees He gave them.
8 Lord our God, You answered them; You were to Israel a forgiving God, though You punished their misdeeds.
9 Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His holy mountain, for the Lord our God is holy.
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Exodus 34:29–35 — Moses descends Mount Sinai radiant with God’s glory
After teaching the people, he covers his face until he next speaks to the Lord
29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.
“Face was radiant” — having asked to see God’s glory, Ex. 33:18, he is unaware that he is temporarily carrying that glory.
• For further study, read Numbers 6:24–26, Psalm 80:3,7,19.
30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.
“They were afraid” — as when they heard God speak at Mount Sinai, Exodus 20:19. Yet, the glory of the Lord among them sanctifies both tabernacle and people, Exodus 29:43.
31–32 But Moses called to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and he spoke to them. Afterwards all the Israelites came near him, and he gave them all the commands the Lord had given him on Mount Sinai.
33 When Moses finished speaking to them, he put a veil over his face.
“A veil over his face” — to avoid unhelpful attention to the radiance fading until he went to enter the Lord’s presence again.
34–35 But whenever he entered the Lord’s presence to speak with him, he removed the veil until he came out. And when he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, they saw that his face was radiant. Then Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with the Lord.
“Whenever he entered the Lord’s presence” — Paul used these verses to explain the transitory glory of the old covenant which drew out the unbelief of the Israelites and so, in a sense, led to death — see 2 Cor. 3:12–18 (and below).
Reflection
SUMMARY Having a close, personal encounter with Almighty God is a life-changing experience. The prelude to the ‘coming down’ part of the story is the ‘going up’ where Moses asks to see God’s glory, Exodus 33:18, and is told that while he cannot see God’s face and live, he can come close and be hidden in a cleft in the rock while God passes by.
APPLICATION Perhaps this was behind James’ words “Come near to God and He will come near to you,” James 4:8. The point is, God has made us in His image and gave us free will, so that He can enjoy a genuine relationship with us. But at the same time, He is uncompromisingly holy. For the Israelites, after years of abuse as slaves in Egypt, the terms of reference had to be set out like rules. For them it was a relationship by proxy, through priests. Only specially anointed individuals like Moses really encountered God — and were profoundly changed as a result. However, for us, Jesus has gifted the way to come into an intimacy with God that even Moses couldn’t expect.
QUESTION How do you approach God? “Almighty God” of majesty and power, or “Father God” of intimacy?
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Luke 9:28–36 — The glory of God comes on Jesus in a dazzling display
Peter, John and James see Jesus in conversation with Moses and Elijah
28 About eight days after Jesus said this, He took Peter, John and James with Him and went up onto a mountain to pray.
“About eight days” — depending on whether you include parts of days as here, or just count full days (Mark).
“Up on to a mountain” — Jesus with His most trusted disciples, Peter, John and James, climbed a mountain, probably 9,000 ft Mount Hermon, near Caesarea Philippi, where Peter’s confession of faith had just taken place, Luke 9:18–27.
29 As He was praying, the appearance of His face changed, and His clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning.
“Appearance… changed… clothes became… bright” — we are not told how, but clearly a dazzling encounter.
• For further study, Exodus 34:29–35, Rev. 1:13–16.
30–31 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendour, talking with Jesus. They spoke about His departure, which He was about to bring to fulfilment at Jerusalem.
“Moses and Elijah… talking with Jesus” — the question “Who is this?” of Luke 8:25, 9:9 and Peter’s answer in Luke 9:20is decisively confirmed by God Himself.
“His departure” — “exodos” pointing to Moses and the OT deliverance from Egypt. Jesus’ crucifixion would be like another ‘exodus’ and deliverance for all who would trust Him.
32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him.
33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters — one for You, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ (He did not know what he was saying.)
“Shelters” — the word used in the Greek OT for the Tabernacle. It seems that Peter wanted to prolong this literal ‘summit meeting’ of the lawgiver, the renowned prophet and the Messiah. However Jesus had to complete His remaining days on earth.
34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.
“A cloud” — indicative of God’s presence and glory.
• For further study, the visible presence of God in Exodus 16:10; 24:15–16; 33:9–10 and Numbers 9:15–23; and glory, 1 Kings 8:11; 2 Chron. 5:14; Ezekiel 10:4.
35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, whom I have chosen; listen to Him.”
“Whom I have chosen” — more literally “This is My Son, the Chosen One” which alludes to Isaiah 42:1 in particular, and identifies Jesus as the suffering servant of the Lord.
“Listen to Him” identifies Jesus as the prophet anticipated by Moses, Deut. 18:15.
36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.
“At that time” — Luke contrasts the former politically charged situation with the freedom following Pentecost when Peter, James and John spoke freely about this event e.g. 2 Peter 1:17.
Reflection
SUMMARY What is it about the top of a mountain, Mount Sinai or Mount Hermon in these examples, that make them the place of choice to meet with God? The remoteness helps, and there’s a different perspective — the man-created world below looks small and insignificant. Our ‘mountain’ may simply be a means to “be still and know that I AM God”.
APPLICATION We may not witness the events in this story, seeing Moses and Elijah in conversation with the Lord, but this tells us that the moves of our earthly lives are in parallel with activity in the heavenlies. Sometimes we may be given a glimpse of that spiritual world, reminding us that the two worlds, the seen and the unseen, are not disconnected but moving together.That’s why prayer is a vital precursor to change, because it recognises the reality of the spiritual realm.
QUESTION What is your “Whatever is going on with…” question of the moment? Ask the Lord of heaven and earth what is happening in the spiritual realm, and you know how to pray.
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2 Corinthians 3:12–4:2 — Paul reflects on Moses’ encounter with God
The life of the Spirit is God’s glory in us and also our assurance
3:12–13 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.
“What was passing away” — the order established at Mount Sinai would pass away, like the fading of God’s glory in Moses’ appearance.
14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away.
“The same veil remains” — the spiritual blindness which is removed when we trust Christ, v.16.
15–16 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
“A veil covers… the veil is taken away” — the old covenant, symbolised by Moses’ veil, produced condemnation owing to the sentence of death on a transgressor, and did nothing to remove spiritual blindness.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
“The Lord is the Spirit” — Yahweh of the OT is not just Father and Son, but Spirit also.
“Lord is the Spirit” — link this statement with 2 Cor. 3:6, “the Spirit gives life”. Turning to Jesus and receiving Him as your Lord is life-giving: it is receiving the Spirit of life in Him. Only this way can the sentence of death be replaced by the grace that is in the new covenant.
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.
“Are being transformed” — a verse underlining how the Holy Spirit’s sanctification is a process, not just an event. Freed from the obscuring veil, we see the Father as He is, replacing the harsh, demanding image that the devil tries to impose, 2 Cor. 4:4.
4:1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.
“We have this ministry” — Paul recognises the privilege of being able to share the message of Good News, 1 Corinthians 15:9–11, 1 Tim. 1:12–17.
2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
“We do not use deception, nor do we distort…” — unlike the false teachers at Corinth, Paul sets out what is true, in a straightforward way. He has nothing to prove.
Reflection
SUMMARY Moses, hidden in a cleft of the rock of the mountain top while God passes by — and the heavenly trio of visitors, dazzlingly bright with the spiritual energy of God’s glory, are arresting and in the true sense of the word, awesome images. Paul teaches that we, too, are being transformed by the Lord who is the Spirit, but for us it is not just a moment in time but the Holy Spirit’s ongoing ongoing, transforming, renewal from within.
APPLICATION Looking back, the old covenant is about the reality of God being dulled, like trying to see what the weather is like through a curtain. The new covenant in Jesus draws back the curtain and opens the window to the warmth of the sunlight. Rather than the complexities of a religious system there is freedom — to know God and grow in God, God simply wants us to know Him, and trust Him. We find this humanly impossible. The key is to find a different entrance, through trusting Jesus as the gate.
QUESTION How free are we to know God more and more and experience the glory of God within?
PRAYER Lord, give me a fresh vision of You and of Your glory — but not just me.
The bit of the world that I know and live in, desperately needs to see who You really are. “Without vision, the people perish.”
Give us a fresh vision of You!
Amen.
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The Living Word for February 27, 2022, is a non-denominational Bible study which relies on the Bible explaining the Bible, uninfluenced by any church’s traditions or preferences, and following the Bible’s own sequence of progressive revelation. Read the whole passage first and let the Holy Spirit begin speaking to you through it, then go deeper with the verse by verse commentary and reflections. The week’s readings are as set by the Revised Common Lectionary, an inter-denominational resource shared by many different churches and chapels. The Bible version, widely used in contemporary churches, is the NIV © Biblica. Ref. TLW08C
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