By He Reads Truth
Scripture Reading: Exodus 34:1-7, Exodus 34:29-35, Deuteronomy 4:7, Isaiah 41:10, John 1:14-18, John 14:15-17
God, out of His benevolent love, has made His presence available to people. Although this has looked differently in various times of salvation history, God’s desire to be near and for people to draw near to Him has remained consistent. His nearness is a never-fading part of the fullness of His character. He is present, personal, and relational. He is Immanuel, “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23).
We see this in Exodus 34, when God the Father met with Moses on Mount Sinai. Moses came down from the mountain and found he had to conceal his face with a veil in order to speak with the Israelites. He “did not realize that the skin of his face shone” after talking with God—that it was reflecting the radiance of God’s glory and frightening his fellow Israelites as a result of the intense presence of the Lord (Exodus 34:29).
God the Son, Jesus, came near in His incarnation. Fully human, Jesus walked, slept, ate, and drank. He lived among the people, and He also withdrew to spend time with God the Father alone. Before His death and resurrection, Jesus promised another Counselor—the Holy Spirit—who would bring God’s presence near to those who love Him (John 14:16).
In 2 Corinthians, Paul wrote that the sacrifice of Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit have changed the nature of our relationship with God. We can now gaze upon the glory of God with unveiled faces, just as if we were staring into a mirror (2Corinthians 3:18). While Moses was once the mediator between God and His people, we now have Christ, the “radiance of God’s glory and the exact expression of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3) as our mediator. Because of Christ, we can enter into a relationship with God both corporately as His Church and as individuals. Even more, we have received the Holy Spirit to remain in God’s presence at all times.
Our relationship with God is rooted in His glory and expressed in His immanence, which means God is present with us—deeply invested and active in each of our lives. He is a personal God. He relates to us, loves us, and cherishes us. Rather than being distant, inaccessible, and detached, He has drawn near to us so that we might draw near to Him. By grace, He dwells among us, and by that same grace, He invites us into His presence.
Written by The He Reads Truth Team
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