There is controversy around the world regarding the wearing of the “veil” by women. While women in some countries are fighting for the right to wear a veil as an expression of their belief, there are others who simply want the freedom to choose whether or not they should have to wear one. https://www.facebook.com/StealthyFreedom
Many people do not understand the significance of a veil covering the face from a Christian perspective. The Bible first mentions it in Exodus 34. Moses had been up on Mount Sinai for forty days and night receiving the law and commandments from God.
29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God.30 Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him… 33 And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.
34 Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, 35 the people of Israel would see the face of Moses that the skin of Moses’ face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
So in Moses case, the use of the veil was not to protect a woman’s modesty, obviously. It was because being in the power and presence of God caused Moses’s face to glow to such a degree that he scared the people! “Dude your face is glowing! Cover it up! You’re freaking me out!” (modern interpretation)
In 2 Corinthians 3:4-18 the writer, Paul uses this incident to illustrate the difference between being under the law in the time of Moses, to being under grace through Christ.
4 Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter (law) but of the Spirit. For the letter (law) kills, but the Spirit gives life.
7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone (law), came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?…
12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lordis the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
It is that last verse that I would like to focus on with this blog. We can be transformed by being in the presence of the Lord! We do not have to veil our faces in His presence. We can come boldly before God in prayer.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
When we spend time in His presence, the very Creator God of the Universe who spoke light into existence shines into our hearts!
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
I have watched a group of women as they left a time of prayer together. I have seen that light and glory on their faces! It reminds me of the gospel song,
Surely the presence
of the Lord is in
this place.
I can feel His mighty power and His grace.
I can hear the brush of angels’ wings.
I see glory on each face.
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place
Wouldn’t it be amazing, if rather than using a veil to hide ourselves from the world, we instead had so much of the glory of the Lord radiating from our face that we had to cover it because it overwhelmed people with the power of God?