Reference: EXODUS 34:29-35
29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. 30 So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. 31 Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses talked with them. 32 Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them as commandments all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. 34 But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. 35 And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.
(SONG) Oh, the glory of Your presence, We Your temple, Give You reverence
Come and rise from Your rest and be blessed by our praise
As we glory in Your embrace
As Your presence, Now fills this place. (Alvin Slaughter)
In the Scriptures we are presented with several occasions when God’s presence was evidenced. When royalty is in the room, how do we behave when His grandeur fills the air? Can we sense the fragrance and walk gently in adoration? Proceed with caution in order to experience the pleasure that is inevitable. (Psalm 16:11). Our inadequacy becomes evident in His magnificence. We can’t help, but humbly bow at the revealed glory. Moses experienced that without realizing what his face reflected.
The Israelites who had engaged in idol worship became afraid when they saw Moses. Since sin cannot thrive in God’s presence, Moses covered his face. Sin causes us to hide. It deludes us to think that there is a place where God is not. (Psalm 139:7-12). Everything and everyone who is not of/in God’s will, trembles in our presence when they realize that God’s beauty shines through us. On the other hand, when our heart is attuned to The Almighty, we bring our gifts, our worship, and our tokens of love to His feet.
On Mount Sinai (Exodus 31), Moses found a solitary place to commune with God, and was given the mandate that would govern nations, even today. God’ s presence takes us to a higher place whereby we can receive what He has for us. Also, when Moses went into the Tabernacle, God’s glory ministered to him. He was being commissioned to go and speak to Pharaoh. Moses had doubts, but the Lord told him that His presence would go with him (Exodus 33:13, 15). Moses was so moved by the presence, he would not continue the journey without it. Why would we want to navigate our own path without God? As Moses worshipped and repented for the people, God’s glory encompassed him. How badly do we want God’s presence? It is found in: our obedience to the King of kings; denying self; revelation knowledge and; divine radiance.
In Genesis 28, when Jacob ran away from his brother, Esau, his pillow was a pillar of stones. Even in this hard place, he had a dream in which he saw angels ascending and descending on a ladder that reached all the way to heaven. When he became aware of God’s presence, he declared, “Surely, the Lord is in this place and I knew it not.” Maybe, in that dark place, fear, loneliness, despair and memories of what he had done, concealed the evidence of God’s presence.
LUKE 24: 13-35
13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”19 And He said to them,
“What things? “So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed
and word before God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. 22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. 23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. 24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. 29 But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them.30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” 33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.
Two men walked along the road to Emmaus. As they conversed about the happenings in Jerusalem, Jesus joined them. Not knowing who this stranger was, they explained to Him everything about Himself. They were sad because of the crucifixion of their should-be Messiah. They mused about past events and so they were blinded to the present: Jesus with them. Sadness has a way of clouding our vision, so we do not see Jesus during circumstances. They proceeded to explain to this stranger, the things in the Breaking News in Jerusalem. Their testimony of Jesus’ goodness as a mighty prophet, His crucifixion and reported resurrection must have brought a smile to Jesus’ heart. This silent listener will, in due time, manifest His presence among and between us, if we are inclined to share the Gospel. We are blessed in Him even when we are sad because of what we have heard.
Jesus, the human God, listened and gently reprimanded them for not believing ALL that had been prophesied. He then taught them the Scriptures and later joined them for a meal. Their eyes became open and they recognized Him when He pronounced the blessing. They sensed His Deity and received healing (the bread). It must have been the way He held His hand as He blessed and broke the bread. It must have been the interest He had shown in their conversation. It must have been the way He listened and participated. It was not time for Jesus’ body to be handled. Their excitement might have resulted in just that, so He vanished after He served them. The Bread of Life serves us when we feast on His presence. He desires for us to acknowledge that when we draw near, He does the same (James 4:8).
The Living Word was the focal point of the walk to Emmaus. Because He is always the same (Hebrews 13:8), when we gather and exalt Him, He causes us to commune with Him. They had to have sensed something about this man who joined their company, so He was invited to their home as a sanctuary from the dangers of the night in Jerusalem. There, He was being typed as their refuge, although they were not yet aware of it. Jesus gently chided them for disbelief in what Isaiah had spoken many years before. Yet, it was all played out before their very eyes. Their hearts accepted some, not ALL they had been taught about the prophets.
Sometimes, grownups rationalize Science and its possibilities and theories. We conclude that some things have a zero chance of happening. Science says, up to a certain time a mass is not a human. That’s when the Supreme intervenes and demonstrates that there is NOTHING impossible with God (Luke 1:37).
It took an unborn child to confirm Jesus’ presence, to Elizabeth. This baby responded joyfully to God’s presence (Luke 1:41). Baby John sensed, then heard, then moved with excitement. Can we also respond to the holiness of God? Jesus abides in us, therefore, there should be similar resulting actions as those of baby John’s.
What will we do because of His presence? In Matthew 2, the wise men had a first had experience of His presence. Are we so equipped with the wisdom to understand that when we enter His throne room, we are in the company of royalty? Not only that, but also, we are robed in garments of righteousness. The wise men followed a star to their destination: The Star.
How bright do we allow Him to shine? Can others walk in our glow? When we have been with Jesus, our gleam, ray of hope, bling cannot be concealed. It produces not just regular joy, but also, rejoicing. Do we present Him with treasures? What ARE our treasures? Is our heart with Him? Does it bring us unexplainable mirth when we provide room for Him? Even in our dreams and plans, He presents Himself and gives us direction, like He did for Joseph. If we are doubtful of Jesus’ authority, when we are enthroned in His presence, the Holy Spirit sanctions Him and nudges us to hear and obey Him (Luke 9:35).
Finally, in His presence (Revelation 4), angels minister. We get a glimpse inside an open door in Heaven. We find active worship taking place with cries of HOLY, HOLY, HOLY and crowns being laid at His feet to the tune of GLORY, HONOR and POWER. In the presence of His Majesty, crowns become valueless. The reality of His being Great Creator, becomes obvious and we can only succumb to the pleasurable purpose for which we were created: that to worship.
Dr. O. A. James