Exodus 34  Moses goes back up the mountain, taking with him 2 stone tablets to replace the ones he broke.  "  And the Lord descended in the cloud and stood there with him as he called upon the name of the Lord."  Here God Himself gives us a clear and precise revelation of Who He is:

" The Lord, the Lord God, 

compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger,

and abounding in lovingkindness and truth:

Who keeps lovingkindness for thousands,

who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin;

yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished,

visiting the iniquity of fathers on their children and

on their grandchildren to the third and fourth generation."

(verses 6-7)

The Lord also tells Moses in this face to face meeting that His Name is "Jealous", that He is a jealous God.  He will not tolerate idolatry.  His covenant with Israel is renewed.  He will go with them, but they are to observe His commands,  make no other covenants with the inhabitants of the land, and to keep the feasts that He has given them.   He will perform miracles, He will drive out the nations,  He will enlarge their borders. He will be their God. 

Moses' face shines as he comes down from the mountain after 40 days.  It shines every time he meets with the Lord.  He puts the veil on after he tells the people what the Lord has said.  He then takes it back off when he goes in to talk to the Lord again. 

Paul talks about this in II Corinthians 3:7-18: 

" But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how shall the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory?  For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory.   For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory on account of the glory that surpasses it.  For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory. 

Having therefore such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not as Moses, who used to put a veil over his face that the sons of Israel might not look intently at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted because it is removed in Christ.  But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart. but whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  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 from the Lord, the Spirit." 

God meets with Moses and reveals Himself and His glory - so much so that Moses' face shines. 

Paul calls this "shine" - "glory";  but fading glory.   Moses' face is physically transformed while he is in God's Presence, but it begins to fade as he comes out.  The veil covers this fading glory.  It is too much for the people.  They couldn't look at Moses' face.  They wanted the veil.  Paul says that because of hardened minds and hearts, the veil, hiding the glory of God, remains. 

 But, in Christ, the veil is removed! When we turn to the Lord, He removes the veil.  He frees us to see the glory of the Lord! And that Glory never fades!  And more than that, as we look at Him and see His glory, we are transformed into the same glory.  As Moses' face was transformed physically, we are transformed spiritually.  His glory is reflected in us.   " For God, who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." (II Cor. 4:6) 

According to II Corinthians 4:4, the one who wants us blinded or veiled from seeing the "light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God,"  is the "god of this world", Satan.   He wants us to keep us unbelieving,  with hardened hearts and minds.   Only as we turn to the Lord, putting our faith in Jesus Christ, are we able to see His Glory.  And only when we see Him, in the fullness of His Glory will we be transformed into His image.... Which takes us back to Exodus 34, where God reveals Himself as - compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness and truth. These attributes of God are fruits of His Spirit - His image, His glory, that He pours into us as we behold Him.  As we "live by the Spirit" and "walk by the Spirit".  As we spend time with the Lord, and as we are kept continually filled with His Spirit, we are transformed by His glory into glory - and that glory is seen in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

Father in heaven, remove every veil!  Take away every hard heart and obstinate mind.  Fill us with Your Spirit and transform us into the image of Christ in glory! Thank You for being compassionate and gracious. Thank You for forgiving all of our sins.  Thank  You for removing the veil through Christ Jesus our Lord.  We love You and seek Your face, to stand in awe before You.  

Be exalted O God! 

Amen