“Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai, that he did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with God. So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.” Exodus 34:29-30

Being in the presence of God caused Mose’s face to shine with a light that was not of this world. It was evidence of his time basking in the Lord’s light and glory. “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 Cor 3:18).

Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun, so are we to shine light into this dark world. The moon only shines when it sees the face of the sun, but goes dark when it’s eclipsed by the earth. How often does my light go out when I allow the world to come between myself and Jesus? I allow flickering screens, jealousies, riches, and selfish gains to eclipse the Son. To the degree I allow the world to eclipse my heart and draw me from the Son, is the degree to which I will shine: full moon, half, crescent. Moses glowed as a result of his time with God, not just his knowledge of who God is. He took the steps of faith to climb the mountain and spend time there, dwelling in God’s presence, seeking His face and glory.

We are to be a reflection of the light of the Son, but how can we do that unless we’ve been transformed by Him first? The light we reflect is to be one of testimony to a dying world, just as John the Baptist “came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.“ Are we seeking to be a light by our own efforts and works, or by the transformation of time dwelt with Jesus? John had been transformed by his time in the wilderness, feeding off the Word of God. The light always testifies to Jesus and the truth of His Word, not man’s ability or bright ideas.

“Moses took his tent and pitched it outside the camp, far from the camp, and called it the tabernacle of meeting. And it came to pass [that] everyone who sought the LORD went out to the tabernacle of meeting which [was] outside the camp.”

“Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.” Exodus 33:7-10

The tent of meeting was open to all, but only a few dared to approach. The majority stood in the doors of their homes, worshipping from afar, safe from the refining fire of the Lord. Only those willing to lay themselves bare before a holy God dared to join to Moses in God’s transformation and reflective light.

Lord, draw me from the safety of my tent into Your refining presence outside the camp, just as You drew Moses and John to be a testimony to the light, let me become a reflection of Your glory to this dark world.