In Exodus 33 God directs Moses to lead the people to the lad flowing with milk and honey, but God will no longer go among the people as before. He is still angry with the people and stands away from them. When the people stop they set up the tent of meeting far away from the camp. Only Moses and Joshua are allowed to come near the tent of meeting.

Moses pleads on behalf of the people because he has found favor with God. God promises to be with him. Moses asks to see God’s glory. God allows him to see his back because to look at God’s face would mean death.

In Exodus 34 God has Moses cut two more tablets of stone for Him so He can write on them He tells Moses to go up on Mount Sinai with the tablets. The Lord proclaimed His name YHWH and declares Himself to be a God of mercy and grace, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

God reestablishes His covenant with the people. He vows to drive out their enemies before them. They are to tear down their enemies altars and not worship their gods. They are to keep the festival of unleavened bread and remember that God brought them out of Egypt. They are to consecrate their first born to the Lord and keep the Sabbath.

When Moses returns with the new tablets his face is shining and the people are afraid. But Moses tells them to come near and gives them the commandment of the Lord. From that time on Moses wears a veil over his face. He removes it when he goes in to be with the Lord, but puts it on again when he is with the people.

God has decided to show mercy on the people of His own accord. Despite Moses’ many attempts to ask for God’s favor, it is God who does it on His own terms. He emphasizes the importance of worshiping Him alone and of keeping the Sabbath and festivals.

Acts 2 opens on the day of Pentecost, the harvest festival. Suddenly a sound like a wind fills the house where the apostles are. Tongues like fire rest on each of them and they are able to speak in a language they did not know before. Since Pentecost is one of the festival days God established with the people of Israel many Jews from all over the known world gather in Jerusalem. As the apostles go out into the city they are able to communicate with these people. The people know that they are from Galilee and probably have not been taught other languages. They question what is happening.

Peter addresses the crowd and quotes Joel 2 to them. Then he tells them about Jesus and exhorts them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus. Three thousand people are added to the apostles’ fellowship. Their lives change. They live in harmony with one another and share with those who were in need. Everyday more people believe.

Being in God’s presence transforms us. Like Moses, who came into God’s presence, and the apostles and followers into whom God, the Holy Spirit came, we, too, experience a change in the way we live our lives when we acknowledge God’s presence with and in us. Our faces shine with the light of Christ and our priorities change as we see others as God sees them.