1- From the time Moses met the LORD at the burning bush, they were in constant contact.

2- Moses was a prophet, relating the LORD’s message, and a priest, mediating between the people of Israel and the LORD.

3- Moses’ communion with the LORD is the defining characteristic of his life.

4- The LORD spoke to Moses “face to face,” indicating a personal relationship.

“So the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.” (Exodus 33:11, NASB 2020)

“Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face,” (Deuteronomy 34:10, NASB 2020)

5- Moses did not want to go anywhere apart from the LORD.

“Then he said to Him, ‘If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.’” (Exodus 33:15, NASB 2020)

6- Moses wanted to see the LORD’s glory. 

“Then Moses said, ‘Please, show me Your glory!’ And He said, ‘I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion to whom I will show compassion.’ He further said, ‘You cannot see My face, for mankind shall not see Me and live!’ Then the LORD said, ‘Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock; and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by. Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen.’” (Exodus 33:18–23, NASB 2020)

A) As you can see, Moses didn’t literally see the LORD’s face. He saw a symbolic form of the LORD.

“Now hear My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will make Myself known to him in a vision. I will speak with him in a dream. It is not this way for My servant Moses; He is faithful in all My household; With him I speak mouth to mouth, That is, openly, and not using mysterious language, And he beholds the form of the LORD.” (Numbers 12:6–8, NASB 2020)

B) The Bible teaches us that no one has ever seen God in a physical form, except through Jesus.

“No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him.” (John 1:18, NASB 2020)

C) It is likely that the the form of the LORD Moses saw was a theophany, which is a pre-appearance of Christ.

D) The only way anyone may know the LORD personally is through His Son, Jesus.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, except through Me” (John 14:6).

7- Whenever Moses spent time in the presence of the LORD, you could see it on his face.

“And it came about, when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the testimony were in Moses’ hand as he was coming down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because of his speaking with Him.” (Exodus 34:29)

8- Moses put a veil over his face when he finished speaking to the people, and would leave it there until he met with the LORD again.

So when Aaron and all the sons of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to approach him. Then Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers in the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them. Afterward all the sons of Israel came near, and he commanded them to do everything that the Lord had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face. 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, the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone. So Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with Him.” (Exodus 34:29–35, NASB 2020)

9- The Apostle Paul made the point that this practice of Moses demonstrates the fading glory of the Old Covenant.

“and we are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not stare at the end of what was fading away.” (2 Corinthians 3:13, NASB 2020)

10- Lessons for us:

A) Seek to be in the presence of God. Nothing else compares.

B) Never go anywhere or do anything apart from the Lord’s direction. 

C) Put your faith in Jesus and receive the Holy Spirit. He will never leave you.

D) Don’t look for a physical form, or try to hear a voice in your ears. The Holy Spirit speaks to your spirit directly.

E) “Stop listening for a voice; look for a verse.” -Rick Warren The Bible is God’s primary means of communication to us. Read it and ask the Lord to apply it to your life.

F) Get God in your face! 

Make communion with the Lord the defining characteristic of your life.

1. Spend time in the Bible, 
2.  and in worship. 
3. “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thess. 5:17)
4. “Be filled with the Spirit.” (Eph. 5:18)
5. “Walk by the Spirit and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh.” (Gal 5:16).
6. People will sense a difference in you, and maybe even see the glow on your face!

“Let your light so shine before people that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).