The chapter contains several details including the renewed covenant, recreating the tablets with the ten commandments, and the shining face of Moses. As important as the covenant and commandments are, let’s look at Moses’ shining face.
“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. 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. 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’ face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.” (v29-30,34-35)
Why did Moses’ face glow, and why is this important?
In the Bible, light is symbolic of God, faith or holiness: “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’ ” (Jn 8:12) “the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” (Mt 4:16) “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Mt 5:16) So Jesus/God/the word is the light, faith is a light, and those who walk with God are the light of the world because all of these are holy (God, or set apart for God).
So light is symbolic (including the pillar of fire and the golden lampstand) of God and holiness. Why did Moses’ face shine? Because he was with God, and God is holy. God who was also in Moses (the Holy Spirit) shone through Moses as well (as He does with us, though not a literally). Though Moses is the human I can recall literally glowing from the presence of God, Jesus and God also shine: “And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.” (Mt 17:2) “And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.” (Rev 21:23)
Several verses in scripture request God to make His face shine upon us (incl. Num 6:25, Psa 31:16, Psa 67:1, Psa 80:3,7,19, Psa 104:5, Psa 119:135, Dan 9:17). When we request God’s face to shine upon us, what we’re actually requesting is for Him to show us His glory, just as Moses requested in Ex 33:18: “Moses said, ‘Please show me your glory.’ ” He got what he asked for – God showed Moses so much glory that it made Moses glow as well.
There are many more verses we could quote regarding light (and light vs. darkness) but the summary is God is the glorious, holy, righteous light – and we are image bearers of Him, with the indwelling Holy Spirit who shines in us and through us so that we can be lights unto this world in the same way Jesus was.
Father God, light of this world, thank you for making Your face shine upon us. With Your constant, holy presence we can clearly see in this world of darkness. We look forward to the day where we can see You in Your full glory, for if You showed us Your full glory in this life, we could not withstand it – we’d die from the sheer intensity of Your countenance. Thank you for sending Your Spirit to be a source of light within us, and please continue working in and through us to be a light to this world.
~ Conqueror in Training