Focus: A Shining Face

Text: Ex.34:29.

"And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses WIST NOT that the skin of his face SHONE while he TALKED with him."

Moses' face shone with so much glory, even to the point that the people of Israel could not look steadfastly at him. But why was Moses' face glowing with so much glory?

Because Moses had a quality time with God. He talked with God for a protracted period. Moses was with God for a length of time. God hosted him for a while, and the result was that his face radiated God's glory. He connected to and collected from God. Something of God rubbed off on him.

It's not possible for a man to be with God and remain the same, except something is radically wrong with him. God's presence is contagious. God's presence is very real and life-altering. You can be a reference point to divine encounter. Peter and John can tell you that. The Scripture records, "Now when they SAW the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they MARVELLED; and they TOOK knowledge of them, that THEY HAD BEEN WITH JESUS" - Act.4:13.

Israel saw glory on Moses' face. The Jewish leaders saw boldness of a unique kind in Peter and John. They could not be intimidated or ignored. The Jewish authority couldn't wish away their boldness with just a wave of the hand. It was something real, and they knew it. Behind the glory and boldness witnessed by the people was the presence of God. Moses was with God. Peter and John had been with Jesus. The boldness of Christ rubbed off on them. They were imparted and impacted. O Lord, help us do what they did to get what they got! Amen.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter