The bible tells us in Exodus 34:29 that Moses face was radiant because he had spoken to the Lord (received the law on how to live at that time in those days post Egypt). After these meetings with God Moses wore a veil over his face to speak to Aaron and the leaders of the community as they were afraid of this radiance. Radiant means amongst other things to emit light, heat or in some cases vivacious happiness.
………..Pause to think (John 1:5) – The light shineth in darkness but the darknes comprehended it not.
The Glory of the Lord through the law was transmitted through Moses’s face but this glory that came with receiving the law…… eventually faded with time. Then Moses would go back to God for more meetings and the radiance would return.
Fast forward to the new testament ……..Enter Apostle Paul…………..in 2 Cor 3: 7-11 the bible here descibes the effect of that radiance as temporary. But in comparison the glory (radiance) that comes through believiing in the gospel of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ lasts!. It also does not have to be covered with a veil, i.e. you don’t have to hide who you are in Christ. People should gaze on our lifestyles and openly see the glory of Christ in us. Paul on compariing the two (Ministry of the law received by Moses which was very difficult to live by due to disobedience, a fading glory that could be seen but not understood by its viewers and Ministry of the Spirit through Jesus which is simply by faith through belief and lasts forever by believers) declared ‘we are very bold’ Please note verse 13!
The fading glory that came with the law in which penalty for disobdience of the law was death is not for us today. ………..Let us be bold like Paul though ouwardly living as a christian can bring challenges 2 Cor 4:16-18 yet we focus on eternal glory like Paul because we have received glory through Christ exceedingly greater than the fading glory.