FOR THE second time Moses was in the mount with God forty days and forty nights, during which time he neither ate bread nor drank water. He was above nature, sustained by God, so occupied with Him and His Word that he wanted nothing else. Then it was God gave him the second tables of stone, upon which were written the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.
It is helpful to notice that God had said to Moses, “I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.” The new covenant had been made with Moses as mediator and Israel were dependent upon him as such. Actually Israel never were under the first covenant at Sinai, for Moses had broken those first tables of stone bore they entered the camp. Thus Israel never entered the land under the first covenant, which was pure law and which they had broken. But it was through the mediation of Moses that they were able to enter in. Now they were put back under law but God added to it His grace, His goodness and long-suffering.
How many Christians today are like Israel of old. They do not know the fullness of the grace into which they have been brought through the death and resurrection of Christ, and so they put themselves under law as a rule of life. May we enter into the blessed truth that we are free from the law through the death of Christ, that He alone is the rule of life for the Christian now, and that it is His love that constrains us to follow Him.
When Moses came down from the mount the second time his face shone though he knew it not. He had been in the presence of the Lord and some of the reflection of that glory rained. When the Lord Jesus was on the mount of transfiguration we read that “His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white as the light.” Matt. 17:22And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. (Matthew 17:2). But in His case it was the shining forth of His own glory, whereas with Moses it was the reflection of Jehovah’s glory.
Furthermore, Moses was all alone, on the mount before God, whereas the Lord Jesus had taken Peter, James and John on the mountain top with Him — He was One who could take others with Him into that same glory. Soon He is going to bring all His redeemed ones, those who will be the objects of His love forever, into that bright glory into which He has already entered. There is the glory that we shall behold, and the glory that we shall share. (John 17:24,2224Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24)
22And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: (John 17:22)).
O what a blessed future awaits the child of God — glory with Christ above! Dear young Christian, let us seek grace to go on with the Lord day by day. The wilderness with all its trials and temptations shall soon be behind us forever, and we shall enter into the inexpressible joy of our Saviour’s presence.
ML-04/04/1971