How does Exodus 34:35 connect with 2 Corinthians 3:18 about transformation?

The Radiant Old Covenant Scene

• Exodus 34:35 records that “the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that it was radiant”.

• Moses’ glow came from direct time in God’s presence (Exodus 34:29).

• Yet that glory faded, so Moses “would replace the veil over his face” when finished (Exodus 34:35).

• Key idea: a borrowed, temporary brightness pointing beyond itself (cf. Hebrews 3:5).

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The Unveiled New Covenant Reality

• 2 Corinthians 3:18 says that “we…with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed”.

• In Christ, the veil is removed (2 Corinthians 3:14,16).

• The glory we share is not fading but “intensifying” (v. 18).

• Transformation is continual—“from glory to glory”—by the Spirit’s work.

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Linking the Two Passages

1. Source of Glory

– Moses: reflected glory after meeting with God.

– Believers: indwelt by the Spirit, sharing the very life of Christ (Colossians 1:27).

2. Veil Versus Unveiled

– Moses had to hide the diminishing glow.

– In Christ the covering is gone; access is open (Hebrews 10:19-22).

3. Temporary Versus Permanent

– Old Covenant glory diminished over time.

– New Covenant glory grows stronger; it is “ever-increasing” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

4. External Versus Internal

– Moses’ face altered; hearts unchanged in many Israelites (Deuteronomy 29:4).

– Believers experience inward renewal that surfaces outwardly (Romans 12:2).

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Practical Takeaways for Today

• Spend time “beholding” the Lord through Scripture and prayer; transformation follows the gaze (Psalm 34:5).

• Rely on the Spirit, not self-effort, for lasting change (Galatians 3:3).

• Expect progressive growth; God’s plan is conformity to Christ’s image (Romans 8:29).

• Live unveiled—bold, authentic, reflecting Christ to a watching world (Matthew 5:16).

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Summary Snapshot

Exodus 34:35 pictures a radiant but veiled and fading glory on Moses; 2 Corinthians 3:18 unveils believers who steadily shine brighter as the Spirit reshapes them into Christ’s likeness. The first passage foreshadows, the second fulfills—the same God, the same glory, yet now permanent, internal, and transformative.