Let us notice a little about how God used Moses as a mediator for the people. Since Moses could not make atonement for them on the top of the mountain, the law could not be removed, and so Moses went up into the mountain again and God wrote the ten commandments on tables of stone the second time. Moses did not however bring these second tables of stone into the camp as he had started to do with the first. This time he put them into the ark which typifies Christ. Christ was the only one who could keep God’s holy law, and faith must look on to Him. God did, however, because of Moses’s work as a mediator, put the people under a mixture of law and grace. God revealed Himself to Moses as merciful and gracious, but He said that He could not clear the guilty — this awaited the glorious and perfect work the Lord Jesus was going to accomplish on Calvary.
Into the Land in Grace
God then told Moses that He was going to bring the people into the land (in grace) but warns them that they were to walk in separation from the people of Canaan and not to make any covenants with them.
When they entered the land they were to appear before the Lord three times in a year. When they went up to keep these feasts they might have feared that the enemy would come in and possess their land, but God said that He would keep anyone from even wanting it. What an encouragement this should be for us. If we put the Lord first, He will surely look after our interests for us. He is too rich to be any man’s debtor, and though we are not promised earthly prosperity as the Jew was, we know He will care for us in His own way while we lay up our treasures in heaven.
The Shining Face
After Moses had received these second tables of stone, and the revelation of God’s mercy and grace, his face shone when he came back into the camp. Although Moses was not aware of it, this partial revelation of God’s grace which he received was so wonderful that the children of Israel could not look at him. They had to ask him to cover his face with a veil. How little the natural heart of man knows about grace — it is contrary to all his thoughts! Even the smallest child, if not taught from the Word of God, thinks of obtaining God’s favor through works of his own. It is hard for the sinner to acknowledge that he deserves eternal judgment, and that the only way he can be saved is by grace alone. The children of Israel could not stand even this little bit of God’s grace reflecting from Moses’s face. Surely “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:1414But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)).
We know that now the veil is gone, for “grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:1717For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (John 1:17)). Surely as we think of it our faces should shine, too! After Moses had been in the presence of God receiving this wonderful revelation he came to the people with a shining face, and undoubtedly if we keep company with Jesus our faces will shine too. Moses did not know, however, that his face was shining. This teaches us that we should never try to put on an appearance of godliness to others. But if we are enjoying the love of Christ, others will see it and we will not have to put it on. Oh for more shining-faced Christians today — those who are living in the company of Jesus so as to reflect His love and grace to others!
Further Meditation
1. Why did Moses’s face shine?
2. What makes grace such a hard thing for us to accept?
3. Grace is such a misunderstood yet essential topic that it deserves more attention. You would no doubt profit from listening to Grace Reigning by B. Thonney.