Reflected Glory - Part 3
Exodus 34:32-33
01/24/2024
32 Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and
he commanded them all that the LORD had spoken
with him in Mount Sinai.
33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he
put a veil over his face. (ESV)
Moses, having received the tablet of the Law from God,
descended from Mount Sinai. His face shown with the reflected
glory of God. The leaders of the people, and the children of
Israel, were afraid of Moses because He had changed having been
in the presence of the Holy One.
Aaron and the leaders of the people eventually approached
Moses to hear what God had said.
Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he
commanded them all that the LORD had spoken with him in
Mount Sinai. And when Moses had finished speaking with
them, he put a veil over his face.
Sinners, confronted with God's holiness, cannot see His face
and live. Sinners, even confronted with the reflection of God's
glory, are terrified. Even today, when people see a pastor in a
clerical collar away from the church, they are uncomfortable,
change their speech, and avoid talking to God's representative.
We see our sin, and we know we are unworthy.
This is why God works through humble earthly elements to
bring you the good news of His love, grace, and mercy. We can't
tolerate the fullness of His glory, so He comes to us in His
Word, in the water of baptism, in the bread and wine of the
Lord's Supper, and the pronouncement of forgiveness given at
Jesus' command. Even Jesus hid the fullness of His glory,
humbling Himself as a servant, taking upon Himself our sins.
May our Lord give us the vision to see Him hidden in His
Word and Sacraments for our salvation. Amen.Author: admin
Reflected Glory — Part 2: 01/23/2024
Reflected Glory - Part 2
Exodus 34:30-31
01/23/2024
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.
31 But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the
leaders of the congregation returned to him, and
Moses talked with them. (ESV)
After Moses had broken the tablets of God's Law in righteous
anger when he saw the children of Israel worshiping the golden
calf, God called him back onto Mount Sinai to receive again the
Ten Commandments. Moses was in the presence of God, and saw a
glimpse of His glory. Even with just a glimpse, Moses' face
reflected God's glory when he returned to the camp where the
people waited.
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. But Moses called to them, and
Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned
to him, and Moses talked with them.
When we are confronted with God's presence, even the
reflection of God's glory, we tremble in fear. On the day when
Adam first sinned, Eve and he hid from God in shame. The
children of Israel had seen the cloud of God's presence on the
top of the mountain, and saw the effect being in God's presence
reflected in Moses' face. Sinners who are reminded of God and
His holiness flee because they are made aware of their
unrighteousness.
Yet Moses had the good news of God's love to proclaim to the
children of Israel. Rather than fleeing, Moses asked the leaders
to come forward and hear what God had spoken.
May our Lord grant that we may hear His Word, and know that,
through Jesus, we are declared righteous in God's sight. Amen.Reflected Glory — Part 1: 01/22/2024
Reflected Glory - Part 1
Exodus 34:29
01/22/2024
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. (ESV)
The weeks following Christmas are called the Epiphany Season
in the churches which follow the liturgical cycle of the Church
Year. From the visit of the Wise Men as they gave their gifts of
gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the infant Jesus, to our Lord's
baptism in the Jordan River, to His first miracle of changing
water into wine, the season focuses on revealing Jesus as true
God. In keeping with an older practice, in the congregations
where the historic series of readings are used, this past Sunday
was the last Sunday of Epiphany.
Lutherans, from around 1525, have celebrated the
Transfiguration of Jesus as the ultimate revelation of His
divinity. The Father's voice which declared Jesus as His beloved
Son at baptism makes the same proclamation while Peter, James,
and John looked in awe at the shining face of Jesus. Therefore,
we have moved this commemoration from August 6 to the end of the
Epiphany Season.
Sunday's Old Testament lesson shows how Moses reflected the
glory of being in the presence of God on Mount Sinai.
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.
Being in the presence of God, seeing the glimpse of God's
glory as He hid Moses in the cleft of a rock, caused Moses' face
to shine.
May our Lord grant us the wisdom to see His glory revealed
in the Word of God, and give to us the blessings of His grace.
Amen.Seeing God’s Back — Part 5: 01/19/2024
Seeing God's Back - Part 5
Exodus 33:21-23
01/19/2024
21 And the LORD said, ``Behold, there is a place by
me where you shall stand on the rock,
22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a
cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my
hand until I have passed by.
23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see
my back, but my face shall not be seen. (ESV)
Moses, seeking to see God's glory, was shown His back.
And the LORD said, ``Behold, there is a place by me
where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory
passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I
will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my
back, but my face shall not be seen.
When the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle, when the
glory of the LORD filled the Temple, no one was able to enter.
When Isaiah saw the throne room of Heaven, he said, ``Woe is me!
For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the
midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the
King, the Lord of hosts!''4 Saint Paul reminds us that we do not
see the full glory of the LORD, ``For now we see in a mirror
dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall
know fully, even as I have been fully known.''5
We behold the glory of the LORD through the spoken and
visible Word of God. In the Word and Sacraments we are shown the
fullness of God's grace, love, and mercy. We are shown Jesus,
and given faith in Him as our Redeemer from sin and death.
Though dimly, we see the Son of God and have life everlasting.
Please join us at Trinity Lutheran Church on Sunday morning
at 9:00 a.m. to learn more of God's rich love as revealed in
Jesus Christ. May you continue to receive our Lord's richest
blessings. Amen.
____________________
4. Isaiah 6:5 (ESV)
5. 1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV)Seeing God’s Back — Part 4: 01/18/2024
Seeing God's Back - Part 4
Exodus 33:21-23
01/18/2024
21 And the LORD said, ``Behold, there is a place by
me where you shall stand on the rock,
22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a
cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my
hand until I have passed by.
23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see
my back, but my face shall not be seen. (ESV)
Moses, desiring to know more about God, asked, ``Please show
me Your glory.'' God, in His mercy, explained that a sinner
cannot see the face of God and live. Yet He was willing to show
Moses as much of His glory as possible.
And the LORD said, ``Behold, there is a place by me
where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory
passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I
will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my
back, but my face shall not be seen.
This is not the only time that the glory of the Lord was
revealed to the children of Israel. When the children of Israel
finished constructing the tabernacle, the glory of the LORD
filled it so that no one was able to enter the tent.1 When
Solomon dedicated the Temple in Jerusalem, the glory of the LORD
again filled it so that the Levites could not enter to serve the
LORD.2 Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord leave the Temple as the
children of Israel were led into captivity.3
The true glory of the Lord was revealed to us on the cross
of Calvary. The Son of God, in His humility and shame, revealed
His glory at the words ``It is finished.'' The glory of the Lord
is our salvation from sin and death.
God grant that we behold His glory through Jesus Christ, our
Lord. Amen.
____________________
1. Exodus 40:34
2. 1 Kings 8:11
3. Ezekiel 10:18Seeing God’s Back — Part 3: 01/17/2024
Seeing God's Back - Part 3
Exodus 33:21-23
01/17/2024
21 And the LORD said, ``Behold, there is a place by
me where you shall stand on the rock,
22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a
cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my
hand until I have passed by.
23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see
my back, but my face shall not be seen. (ESV)
Moses, desiring to know more about God, asked, ``Please show
me Your glory.'' God, in His mercy, explained that a sinner
cannot see the face of God and live. Yet He was willing to show
Moses as much of His glory as possible.
And the LORD said, ``Behold, there is a place by me
where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory
passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I
will cover you with my hand until I have passed by.
Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my
back, but my face shall not be seen.
Moses saw God's back. God's face was hidden. Yet, even
with this glimpse of God's glory, Moses was overwhelmed. He
truly knew of God's love, grace, and mercy. The all-creating
Lord showed Moses enough of His glory that Moses was able to lead
the rebellious children of Israel for the next forty years.
Unlike the other prophets, Moses was in the presence of God,
he did not simply see visions or hear God's voice. Isaiah and
Ezekiel saw angels, and David wrote the Psalms under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but they did not behold even
God's back in same way as Moses.
This is more than an interesting story, for it impacts the
Church today. We will look at this more closely in the days to
come.
May our Lord grant that you see Him in His Son, Jesus
Christ. Amen.Seeing God’s Back — Part 2: 01/16/2024
Seeing God's Back - Part 2
Exodus 33:19-20
01/16/2024
19 And he said, ``I will make all my goodness pass
before you and will proclaim before you my name
`The LORD.' And I will be gracious to whom I will
be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will
show mercy.
20 But, he said, you cannot see my face, for man
shall not see me and live.'' (ESV)
Moses, desiring to know more about God, asked, ``Please show
me Your glory.'' God replied:
And he said, ``I will make all my goodness pass before
you and will proclaim before you my name `The LORD.'
And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and
will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But, he
said, you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me
and live.''
God, in His love, grace, and mercy, knows that sinners
cannot see His full glory and live. In our sinfulness, we cannot
comprehend His holiness, nor can we begin to view His face. In
the same way we cannot look directly at the sun without damaging
our eyes, we cannot look at God without losing our lives.
However, God is merciful and will reveal Himself, as much as
He can, to those who have faith in Him. Jesus, the Son of God,
revealed that God so loved the world that He would sacrifice His
only-begotten Son in order that people would be saved from sin
and death. In Heaven, which is God's gracious gift to those who
are faithful to Him in this life, we will behold His face.
We do see God's face in Jesus, who hid Himself in our flesh
to live, die, and rise again for our salvation. In this way, God
gives us His undeserved love and mercy. Through Christ Jesus He
calls us to be with Himself, even as our first parents were with
Him in the Garden of Eden.
May you know the love of our Father through Jesus Christ,
His Son. Amen.Seeing God’s Back — Part 1: 01/15/2024
Seeing God's Back - Part 1
Exodus 33:17-18
01/15/2024
17 And the LORD said to Moses, ``This very thing that
you have spoken I will do, for you have found
favor in my sight, and I know you by name.''
18 Moses said, ``Please show me your glory.'' (ESV)
The Epiphany season, the portion of the Church Year between
Christmas and Lent, is a time when the Church learns that Jesus
is both true God and true man. He is revealed as God's Son and
the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world during His
baptism. Jesus first shows the world His divine power as
recorded by Saint John when He turned water into wine.
God has always interacted with His people. As Moses led the
children of Israel out of Egypt, God was with them. When the
children of Israel displeased God by making a golden calf, God
did not abandon them.
Moses prayed that God would continue to go with them as the
traveled from Mount Sinai to the promised land.
And the LORD said to Moses, ``This very thing that you
have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my
sight, and I know you by name.'' Moses said, ``Please
show me your glory.''
God knows each of us intimately, our strengths and our
weaknesses. As with Moses, He knows us by name, and desires that
we hold to Him in faith, no matter our circumstances. God grants
us His favor, His grace, love, and mercy, through the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ, His Son.
This week's Old Testament lesson from Exodus shows us how
sinners cannot fully comprehend God. Moses asked, ``Show me your
glory,'' so to learn more about God. The response, which we will
discuss this week, is surprising, especially as we see Jesus
revealed in His glory as our Savior. May our Lord richly bless
you and the work you are doing to serve God and neighbor. Amen.The Lord’s Chosen Servant — Part 5: 01/12/2024
The Lord's Chosen Servant - Part 5
Isaiah 42:5-7
01/12/2024
5 Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens
and stretched them out, who spread out the earth
and what comes from it, who gives breath to the
people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:
6 ``I am the LORD; I have called you in
righteousness; I will take you by the hand and
keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the
people, a light for the nations,
7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the
prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those
who sit in darkness.'' (ESV)
God the Father recognized Jesus as His beloved Son when
Jesus was baptized to take upon Himself our sins. Isaiah wrote,
almost six hundred years before Jesus was baptized, about the
Father commissioning His Son as the Redeemer.
Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and
stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what
comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and
spirit to those who walk in it: ``I am the LORD; I have
called you in righteousness; I will take you by the
hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for
the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes
that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the
dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.''
Jesus showed that He is the righteous Son of God by
fulfilling the demands of God's Law on our behalf. He took our
sin and gave us His righteousness. This was for all people from
the beginning of time until our Lord returns to judge the living
and the dead.
The Gospel accounts in the New Testament are from
eyewitnesses who saw Jesus heal the blind, raise the dead, and
make the lame walk. By His death He defeated death, freeing us
from the prison of our sins.
There is much more to learn about Jesus than we can discuss
in these short devotions each morning. Please join us at Trinity
Lutheran Church on Sunday morning at 9:00 a.m. to hear more of
our Savior's love for you.
May our Lord grant you the peace of knowing your sins are
forgiven. Amen.The Lord’s Chosen Servant — Part 4: 01/11/2024
The Lord's Chosen Servant - Part 4
Isaiah 42:5-7
01/11/2024
5 Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens
and stretched them out, who spread out the earth
and what comes from it, who gives breath to the
people on it and spirit to those who walk in it:
6 ``I am the LORD; I have called you in
righteousness; I will take you by the hand and
keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the
people, a light for the nations,
7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the
prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those
who sit in darkness.'' (ESV)
God the Father said ``This is my beloved Son in whom I am
well pleased,''3 when Jesus stepped out of the water after being
baptized by John. We believe, teach, and confess that the Father
sent His Son to take upon Himself the sins of all people.
Isaiah confessed that the Father, the LORD and creator of
heaven and earth, willingly gave His Son for our salvation.
Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and
stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what
comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and
spirit to those who walk in it: ``I am the LORD; I have
called you in righteousness; I will take you by the
hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for
the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes
that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the
dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.''
As we read and hear the words of the prophet Isaiah, we come
to know that God, out of His grace and mercy, created the heavens
and the earth. Because we are created and not the product of
random chance, we have the desire and ability to serve our
neighbor, to work for the good of others. Yet, because we have
sinned, we don't always act according to our beliefs.
May our heavenly Father grant us the desire to recognize Him
as our Creator, and give us the desire to live according to His
will. Amen.
____________________
3. Matthew 3:17