Why did Moses’ face shine (Exodus 34:29-35)?
Exodus 34:29 - 35
ESV - 29 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. 30 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.
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Asked October 16 2021
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Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
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Tim Maas
Supporter
As described in Exodus 34:29-35, Moses' face shone because of the fact that he had been in God's direct presence when receiving the ten commandments on Mount Sinai, and God's glory had transmitted itself to his physical appearance. Moses therefore put a veil over his face -- both so that his appearance would not cause fear among the Israelites, and so that the Israelites would not be able to see the glory eventually fade away (2 Corinthians 3:13). He would remove the veil whenever he went back into God's presence, and whenever he was directly telling the people what God had said to him.
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
Wiersbe says Moses had been fasting and praying in the presence of God for 80 days, and he had seen a glimpse of God’s glory. Is it any wonder that he had a shining face? He didn’t realize that he had “absorbed” some of the glory and was reflecting it from his countenance. Because of this glory, the people were afraid to come near him, but he summoned them to come and they talked as before.
However, after he was finished speaking to the people, Moses put on a veil to cover the glory.
Why did Moses wear a veil? NOT because he was frightening the people, but because the glory was fading away (2 Cor. 3:13). {That's where I differ from Mr. Maas.} The Jews saw this glory as something wonderful and exciting, but what would they say if they knew it was fading away? Who wants to follow a leader who is losing his glory? So Moses would go into the tent of meeting to talk with God, and the glory would return, but then he would wear the veil so the people wouldn’t see the glory disappear.
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