Transformed from Glory to Glory
When Moses received the law on Mount Sinai, he came face to face with the glory of God. Afterward, when he came down from the mountain, his face was shining bright. Right there on Moses’ face was a brilliant reflection of God’s glory. It would have been a sight to behold! In fact, the Israelites were so afraid to look at the glory that shone on his face that Moses wore a veil to cover the reflection of the glory of God even as it faded away.
Praise God that His glory is not hidden from us today. It is not behind a veil, but on full display in Jesus Christ and His wonderful Word! This is what Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 3:18: “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
Rather than seeing the reflection of God’s glory hidden by a veil, we see the glory of the Lord as in a mirror. That means we see His glory much more clearly than the Israelites were able to see. In the Old Covenant, Israel experienced the glory of God through the law, but the fullness of His glory could not be seen until Christ came. The law brought blessings if the Israelites obeyed and a curse if they disobeyed. Because sinful man cannot please a holy God, the Israelites failed to obey, and fell under the law’s curse of death and condemnation.
But now that Jesus Christ has come, we have a New Covenant in His blood. Jesus paid for our sins and gave us new life through his death and resurrection. Now, we behold the glory of God clearly in the gospel, knowing that we can be saved through faith in Christ. Now we can live according to the life-giving ministry of the Spirit rather than having to try and follow every rule that was in the law.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is truly magnificent! When we behold God’s glorious gospel and respond in faith, we will be changed. Paul says that as we are beholding the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed into the same image, the image of Christ! As we see His glory in the word of God, we become more like Him. The Holy Spirit changes us into the likeness of Christ. As we keep looking at God’s glory displayed in His Word, we will keep growing in Christ. We’ll keep transforming from glory to glory— from one stage of Christ-likeness to another as the Spirit works in our hearts.
Are you captivated by God’s glory? It’s on display and it is powerful! The Holy Spirit works through the word to transform us into beautiful reflections of His glory. We must strive to read and understand the Bible, to look upon His glory as it is revealed to us and to live by it.