“The LORD make His face to shine upon you.” – Numbers 6:25
Morning Sun
One of my favorite things to do is an early morning run. I enjoy being on the road as the sun is waking up. I like to see the sun breaking the horizon in all of her splendor as the veil of night is withdrawn. I like to feel her first rays kissing my cheeks. Her radiance not only warms my face, it also warms my soul. I don’t want to read about or hear about a sunrise, I want to experience it. I want to be engulfed in her glory. So it was with Moses and God. Moses wanted more of God. He wanted to more fully experience God. He made the bold request, “Please show me your glory'” (Exodus 33:18).
God’s Glory
God is holy. God is light. The sun in all her splendor can not compare to Him. Moses could not see God in all of His glory and live, so God “veiled” His glory and gave Moses a glimpse. Moses was placed on a rock, and as God passed by Moses could look at His back, but not His face lest he die. When Moses met with God on Mount Sinai, God was enshrouded with a thick cloud. Yet, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai his face was shining. Moses had been in the presence of God (though limited) and God’s glory was now reflected on the face of Moses. Even this reflection of the glory of God was awe inspiring. The Israelites were afraid. They were intimidated. Now it was Moses who had to veil his face because even a reflection of God’s glory is so intense. Man would have a better chance surviving on the surface of the sun than standing in the unveiled presence of our Holy God. Yet God wants to make His face shine upon us.
In Psalm 67 verse one the Psalmist prays, “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us.” In Psalm 4 verses six and seven, David prays, “There are many who say, ‘Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!’ You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.” God, show us your glory in a special way. God, show us your approval. God, bless us with your smile. May your glory kiss our cheeks. May your smile touch our souls. We don’t just want to read or hear about you. We want to experience you. “The LORD make His face to shine upon you.” There is no greater honor.
My Beloved Son
“Please show me your glory.” Some fifteen hundred years after Moses’ request to see the glory of God, it was granted. Jesus took Peter, James, and John high up on a mountain and Jesus was transfigured before them. “His face shone like the sun”. Moses, along with Elijah, were there to see and speak with Jesus in all of His glory. Once again, God spoke out of a cloud, “This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; listen to Him.” In Jesus, God makes His face to shine upon us. He shows us His glory. He shows us His approval. He smiles upon us. In Jesus, we experience God in all of His fullness.
When God shines His face upon us He shows us His mercy. He fulfills an inner longing. He meets a deep need. We are relational beings. We crave attention. We need affection. To be loved is a fundamental necessity. Watch a couple with a newborn baby. They tenderly embrace it. They affectionately nurture it. When they look at the offspring God has blessed them with their eyes twinkle and their faces shine. The smiles on their faces look permanent. But they are not. Time will turn them upside down. Trials will bring frowns. Disobedience will bring discipline. Disillusionment will bring discouragement. But behind the visage of the parents, the child still anticipates and craves the shining. The twinkle in the eyes. The approval of a smile. So much is expressed in the face of a person. Words are not needed to convey mood, emotions or sometimes even thoughts. We want to know that they still love us despite our inadequacies and the fact that perhaps the infant they held didn’t meet their expectations.
Adopted & Loved
Israel was that adopted baby. The apple of God’s eyes. God lavished His love on them. He showed them His mercy. And so it is with His church. God has adopted us into His family. He lavishes His love on us. He has shown us His mercy. Despite our weaknesses, He makes His face shine upon us. Every day the Sun of Righteousness kisses our cheeks. His radiance warms our faces and touches our souls. We don’t even need to tie on our running shoes to enjoy the experience. In Christ, God will make His face shine upon us wherever we are at all times. If we think the faces of parents shine in the presence of a newborn, how much more so the Bridegroom upon seeing His Bride on their wedding day.
“In them He has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” – Psalm 19:4b-6
Christ has made His circuit from Heaven to earth and back to Heaven again. Through the man of sorrows who was acquainted with grief, God made His face shine upon us. When we needed a Savior, God did not turn His back on us. With His back to the cross He let us see His glory. With blood on His brow and a tear in His eye, God smiled upon us. There is no greater honor.
“The Lord make His face to shine upon you.”