But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones (Ten Commandments), was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 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 by the Spirit of the Lord. ( 2 Corinthians 2:7-18)
A covenant is an agreement between two parties. In this case, between God and man. In the Old Testament, God made His covenant with the children of Israel through Moses, written on tablets of stone, in what know to be the Ten Commandments. Now the apostle Paul, without hesitation and great boldness, as the Holy Spirit enabled, declares how the Old Testament covenant, which is the law of God, kills us in a sense that it brings the knowledge of sin and death from its consequences, and without ever being able as humans, satisfy the demands of the law on our own, and we are therefore condemned. Now Paul is not depreciating the law; he was acknowledging that it was glorious because it reflected God’s nature, will, and character. When God manifested Himself to Moses, He did so by reducing His attributes to visible light. This light was reflected on Moses face, which was the glory of God that needed to be veiled. The law had a fading glory, for it was not the final solution for man. Thus we are introduced to the New Covenant, which provides condemned man forgiveness of sins through the death on the cross of Jesus Christ. The New Covenant is “what remains,” because it is the consummation of God’s plan of salvation and has permanent glory. It is an eternal hope in total and complete forgiveness of sins for those who believe the gospel.
Moses, who put a veil over his face—This physical action pictured the fact that Moses did not have the confidence or boldness of Paul because the Old Testament Covenant was veiled. It was a shadow of things to come. And we learn that the Israelites did not grasp the glory of the Old Covenant because of their unbelief. As a result, the meaning of the Old Covenant was obscure to the people of Moses day, and it was still obscure to the people in Paul’s day who were trusting in it as means of salvation. Without Christ, the Old Testament is unintelligible. But when a person comes to Christ, the veil is lifted and has their spiritual perception unveiled. Just as the veil of ignorance obscures the meaning of the Old Covenant to the hardened heart, so with believing heart, the veil is removed and enables us to see the glory of God revealed in Jesus Christ (John 1:14). We understand now that the law was never given to save us, but to lead us to the One who could save us.
The Lord is the Spirit—And it is by God’s Spirit that He wants to work in us, and through us. ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts (Zechariah 4:6). Neither human might, wealth, or physical stamina would be sufficient to complete the work. Only by the abundant supply of the power of the Holy Spirit who enables us to be transformed. This work is from the same God of the Old Testament who is at work in the lives of the people in the New Covenant through the Holy Spirit. The same God is the minister of both the Old and New Covenants. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty—We have now as a Christian freedom from sin and the futile attempts to keep the demands of the law as a means of earning our salvation through our own efforts at righteousness. Through Jesus Christ, is our liberty been purchased by His own sacrifice of Himself and death on the cross. Our righteousness is given to us apart from the law through faith in Him, to all and on all who believe. Why is that? This righteousness is unique in that its source is from God (Isaiah 45:8), it fulfills both the penalty and precept of God’s law. Christ’s death as a substitute pays the penalty exacted on mankind’s failure to keep God’s law, through His perfect obedience to every requirement of God’s law fulfills the demand for righteousness, and since God’s righteousness is eternal, the one who receives it by faith, enjoys it from Him forever. The believer (you and I), is no longer in bondage to the law’s condemnation and Satan’s dominion. What liberty we have in Christ!
But we all—Not just Moses, or the prophets from the Old Testament, nor apostles, and preachers, but all believers who with unveiled face have now nothing obstructing our view of Christ and His glory being revealed in Scripture, and just like a mirror can brings us a closer look at ourselves, so we can also see with intimacy our relationship as an adopted child in the family of God. A mirror in Paul’s day, was polished metal, and thus offered a far from perfect reflection. But that is what our sanctification is all about. We are being transformed by the working of the Holy Spirit more and more into the likeness of Jesus Christ. From glory to glory, God is at work in your life, using every trial, every testing of difficult circumstances in your life, and in my life, that are uncomfortable to say the least. But this momentary suffering as Paul wrote in Romans: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). This looks forward to the resurrection of the body and subsequent complete Christlikeness which is the believer’s eternal glory.
Beloved friend, from the moment we placed our faith in Christ, He began to transform us into His loving and gracious Spirit filled likeness. What a joy it is to be one of His children! We are transformed from glory to glory into His glorious and wonderful image. We are starting the New Year right, when we keep this fresh perspective on what God through His Son, has done for us in our past, that is, made the way possible for us to come to Him by faith. And simply believe that what He has done for us at the cross of Calvary, is enough for me to have my sin debt paid in full, but also to be in His presence forever. Now it is through His Holy Spirit working in me, that great work of salvation. Just glorious to know, that our future is safe and secure for those who are in Christ, redeemed by His blood, purchased and secure, awaiting the final completion to be with Him in His Father’s kingdom forever! Amen.
May the Lord bless your walk with Him today!
