1491 BC · AM 2513 · Egypt and Exodus

The covenant renewed; Moses' face shines

Moses cut two new stone tablets and ascended Sinai. The LORD proclaimed His merciful and just character, renewed the covenant, and wrote the commandments; when Moses descended, his face shone from speaking with God (Exodus 34:1-35).

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📖 Exodus 34:1–3

1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the originals, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2Be ready in the morning, and come up on Mount Sinai to present yourself before Me on the mountaintop. 3No one may go up with you; in fact, no one may be seen anywhere on the mountain—not even the flocks or herds may graze in front of the mountain.”

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Connections

Pattern

Moses' shining face and veil

Paul points back to Moses' shining face and veil. He contrasts that account with believers who behold the Lord's glory with unveiled faces.

2 Corinthians 3:7–9

Now if the ministry of death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at the face of Moses because of its fleeting glory, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry of righteousness!

Exodus 34 says that Moses' face shone after he spoke with the LORD and that he covered it with a veil. Second Corinthians 3 names Moses, the stone tablets, the glory on his face, and the veil as Paul develops his comparison.

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Source: Constable's Expository Notes: 2 Corinthians
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