Week 44, Day 5: Replacing the tablets

Today’s Reading:  Exodus 34:1-35

Some thoughts from the reading..

Moses destroyed the first set of tablets which God had given to him on Mount Sinai when he saw Israel’s idolatrous practices.  God instructs Moses to cut another two tablets as he had done previously and to go back up on the moutain.  The tablets and the covenant are renewed.  Moses is on the mountain for another 40 days and 40 nights.  But this time the people do not assume he is not coming back down and go astray. 

When Moses comes down from the mountain something has happened to him.  The skin of his face shone.  You can understand that when the people first saw this, they fled from him.  Moses is able to get Aaron and the rulers in the congregation to come to him.  After speaking to the people he then places a veil over his face.  This is all very interesting to me since it is an impressive picture to imagine.  Also, it is interesting to consider why his face shone.  Whatever the reason this is an intriguing and interesting event to imagine.  Moses continues to show his reverence toward God by removing the veil whenever he went to speak with God.  Moses showed respect by this action.

Question:  Paul refers to Moses’s face shining and the veil he wore in 2 Cor 3:12-18.  What point(s) does Paul make in this section of scripture?  Also, why does Paul say that Moses put the veil over his face?