The Veil
2 Corinthians 3:12-14 (NASB)
12 Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech,
13 and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away.
14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.
Paul was telling the Corinthians about the veil that existed over the minds of many Jews in his day. He referred to a veil that Moses used many years prior.
Moses
Exodus 34:33-35 (NASB)
33 When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.
34 But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out and spoke to the sons of Israel what he had been commanded,
35 the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone. So Moses would replace the veil over his face until he went in to speak with Him.
When Moses would speak with the people, he would remove the veil, so that he could be understood clearly. After that, he would replace the veil. He was probably somewhat self-conscious, because his face glowed, after spending time meeting with God. Moses also removed the veil while speaking with God, out of respect and recognition that God sees and knows everything anyway.
The Jews revered Moses, probably more than he deserved. In Hebrews, the writer is explaining how Jesus is worthy of more glory than Moses, because Jesus built the house, and Moses is simply a part of the house.
Hebrews 3:3-6 (NASB)
3 For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.
4 For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.
5 Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later;
6 but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.
The Law
Moses was definitely an incredibly faithful, humble servant of God. At the same time, he was just a servant. God used him to bring the “Law” to His people, the Jews. This included the Ten Commandments, along with many other laws. These laws were to show the Jews how to live, get along with each other, and how to worship God. They also showed how simply following the letter of the Law was not sufficient, as Paul writes in Romans 8:1-4.
Romans 8:1-4 (NASB)
1 Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,
4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Jesus came to bring us a better way — the way of the Spirit of Life. Unfortunately, the Jews of that day could not see how Jesus was the fulfillment of what Moses, the Law, and the prophets had predicted many years before this. Because they did not want to believe, they missed the point. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God had been planning and arranging people, kingdoms, places, and events, so that people could see His salvation. We can only see what we choose to see, though.
The Veil of the Law
2 Corinthians 3:14-16 (NASB)
14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.
15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;
16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
The “veil” that was blinding the Jews was the Old Testament Law, symbolized by Moses. Moses was a godly servant. The Law was good and holy. People had taken what were good things and made them stumbling blocks, so they could not see what was right in front of them. The only way to see clearly is to turn to the Lord (verse 16). I have experienced this in my own life, and I have seen it in the lives of many others.
Educated Ignorance
Being very intelligent and very educated is not always what we need. If someone is out in a wilderness with no one around to help, and they need to survive on their own, they need to know what plants are safe to eat. They need to know how to catch and cook fish and other animals. Their extensive training in electrical engineering might be great, but it won’t help them in this situation.
Intelligent Believers
1 Corinthians 1:26-30 (NASB)
26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,
28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,
29 so that no man may boast before God.
30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,
Salvation from sin and death is so simple that anyone can believe. At the same time, God is so wonderful that no one can comprehend all that He is and does.
The Purpose of the Bible
God wants a relationship with each one of us. When we exchange this relationship for learning and following rules, we miss the whole point. The Bible is God’s word. He has given this to us to lead us to Himself. When we use it to create patterns and formulas, only so that we can get what we want out of this life, we are being incredibly shortsighted. This would be like a couple who fall in love and get married. After they are married, one of them decides that they have this whole “marriage thing” figured out. They can go live their own life, doing whatever they want, and when they need or want something, they can come home and ask for it. If they don’t receive it, they will blame their spouse.
Liberty
The Old Testament Law was good, but people had turned it into a trap. They thought that by following certain rituals, they could get the blessings of God. It’s easy to do that same thing today. We might think that by simply doing certain things, such as volunteering or giving or memorizing scriptures, we can obtain the blessings of God. We can even be involved in “ministry” and lose perspective of the main purpose — Jesus.
2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NASB)
16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
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.
We can have liberty — freedom — when we are “in the Spirit.” When we meet with Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, we will find true freedom. When we make our Christian lives a list of dos and don’ts, we lose sight of Jesus.
Remove the Veil
This life, this world, and all the things in it, are a veil over our eyes. God is calling us to be “transformed into the same image from glory to glory” (2 Cor.3:18). Married couples who have lived and loved each other for many years begin to sound and even look like each other. Lord, help us to have this relationship, this life, with You — now and forever!
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