Beyond the Veil: A Sermon for Transfiguration Sunday
2 Corinthians 3:12–4:2 NKJV
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.
Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
We all are attracted to mysteries. We even have a literary genre called a “Mystery.” It is a part of our nature. But a mystery is not to embraced alone. There is an equal desire to make a mystery known. A mystery seems to demand an explanation. Men employ science to understand the mysteries of the universe. a mystery is a vacuum which needs to be filled. There is also the narcissistic desire to be the one who solves the mystery. It becomes a means of boasting about ones own intellect.
the Bible does contain many mysteries which we want answers to. it is not enough in our nature to be satisfied with letting God be God and embracing the mysteries. We want to know answers like when the LORD shall return. How did evil get into a perfect world created by a perfect God. Why do we have to die. Many books have been written about the last times. It seems that many claim to have solved the mystery. Unfortunately, many of these answers seem to contradict one another. Will we ever know the answers to all of our questions? Let us see.
In the passage from 2 Corinthians which we read this morning, we see Paul referring to the veil which Moses had to wear after emerging from the Tent of Meeting with the LORD. Exodus 34 says that Moses face shone so brightly after being in the presence of the LORD that he had to wear a veil because the Israelites could not stand to look upon Moses’ face. A veil is used to conceal and to reveal as well. But it limits what is revealed. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 uses the metaphor of seeing things through a smoky glass. We see something through it, but not clearly.
I think that the veil of God with man goes back to the creation of man Himself. Adam and Eve did not know everything. In fact, Satan used this lack of knowledge to trick them into eating the forbidden fruit. They were not content to let God be God and to enjoy the Garden of Eden which God had place them in. If we were to think of God living in a splendid palace which had a garden outside where God could rest and contemplate after a day’s work, then we realize that there was a limitation upon Adam and Eve. They knew everything within the sphere of the garden. they also knew that the LORD came out there in the cool of the day and communed with them. So, it can be said that Adam and Eve knew the LORD, but not completely. One can even say that the degree of intimacy was greater than what we experience. The fall did much to darken our understanding. But even in the Garden, God was partially known and partially hidden. Theologians use the fancy terms “Deus absconditis” to describe the hiddenness of God and “Deus nudus revelatus” to describe God’s revelation.
We come later in the book of Genesis to the servant of Abraham who was sent to Syria to find a wife for his son Isaac. When in Genesis 24:65 Rebecca saw her husband to be and asked the servant who the man she saw was Isaac that she took a veil and covered her face. There would soon be a time when the veil would be lifted and she would marry and be revealed fully to her husband. But first, there is the mystery. Isaac would at first only see Rebecca veiled. The use of the veil has been used by virgin brides in marriage ceremonies for centuries. The veil was never meant to hide forever, but as a means of intrigue to draw the groom on. What a wonderful balance of mystery and revealing.
We have touched upon the veil which Moses wore. But even Moses was veiled after a sort by God. When Moses asked the LORD to show him His glory, the LORD responded that no human could see God’s face and live. But the LORD veiled Moses with his hand in the cleft of the rock and allowed a Moses a peek after He passed by. (Exodus 33:19-23) But Moses would be granted a more glorious view of the face of God even after he was dead and buried. We don’t know what Moses experienced after his death, but he does reappear with Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration where He saw the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Moses was given great privilege in this life as far as seeing the glory of God. Much was revealed to him. But he did not know all. The disciples at the Transfiguration were absolutely overwhelmed by the transfigured glory of God. Jesus told Thomas on the night before he was crucified that the one who has seen Him has seen the Father. But a greater revelation of God’s glory will be seen when Jesus returns and the kingdom is revealed in its fullness.
Paul also had several glorious experiences. We all know of how He met the Lord on the Damascus Road. From the three accounts of Paul’s conversion, we can combine the details of the account. He saw Jesus and heard His voice. there were others with Paul who saw the great light and heard a loud sound. But they were veiled off from the fullness of that experience which Paul had. They only saw light and heard sound. They did not perceive what God had told Paul. We also know of the experience which Paul relates in 2 Corinthians 12 in which Paul was transported to the third heaven and saw and heard things which were unlawful to tell. Paul had to be given a thorn in the flesh to keep him from boasting about the experience. We do not know what Paul saw and heard there. All we know is that it was glorious. We are veiled off for the moment. Peter, James, and John on the mount of Transfiguration were also forbidden at that time to tell of the glorious revelation of Jesus with Moses and Elijah. We are told of these extraordinary experiences in part. We have to trust the witness of servants like Moses, Paul, John, James, Peter and others in Scripture that these experiences were real and transformative.
We live in dark world. But there is light in our Goshen land. what light we have been given shining through the protective veil of God in seeing His glory veiled in the flesh of Jesus Christ. We are called to minister to the light of Christ as we are enables by the gifts of the Spirit which have been proportionally bestowed upon all of us. We see through the glass darkly like the dark glasses in which we protect out eyes from the damaging rays of a solar eclipse. We all want to see, but we have to be satisfied with what we can handle. Paul ministered to the Corinthians according to what He had been given. He saw much, and he shared much. But I surmise that Paul’s glorious visions were still partially veiled. He, like us, are promised a fuller glimpse of the glory of God. We read in 1 John 3:2:
1 John 3:2 NKJV
Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
Charles Wesley said in the hymn “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” has the words:
Changed from glory unto glory, till in heaven we take our place.
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise!
What powerful words which lift up the promise of God to us. We shall see Him. And we are in the process of transformation. We have some glory right now. But our vile bodies will be transformed to be like His glorious body! It is this promise that lights our path. Like Peter, James, and John came down from the mount into the troubles of this world, we, too, have this burden for a season. We go as His ambassadors, beseeching those in this world to come to the light of Christ. So, let us encourage one another in ministry.
We do see Him. Tomorrow, we will see more clearly. Eventually, we will see Him as He is. We see the glory of God even now in the shining face of Jesus Christ. As Charles Wesley puts it in Hark the Herald Angels Sing puts it.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’ incarnate Deity;
Pleased as man with man to dwell.
Jesus our Immanuel.
“What a day that will be!”
