Pastor Tom Johnson, February 10, 2013
The first time God brought his people to the mountain, it was terrifying. Mt. Sinai quaked and shook at God’s thunderous, trumpet-like voice. The people thought they were going to die. In order to calm the Israelites, God used Moses as his mediating prophet. Moses went up alone to the mountain. Then he came down to reveal God’s Word. But even that did not fully resolve the fear factor for the Israelites. Moses started coming down the mountain with his face shining—radiant because he had been talking with God. Moses was not even aware that his face shone and that having a conversation with our Creator would have such a brilliant effect. This also frightened the people of God. “The were afraid to come near him.” And so, after Moses shared God’s Word with them, he would cover up his face. He put a veil over his shining skin.
In some cultures, wearing a veil is not only the norm, it is required by law. It can be a custom or a religious practice. But usually, it is the women who cover their faces—not elderly men with bright cheeks and luminous noses. In Islamic culture, women wear a hijab or a burqa to dress modestly. They cover the hair, ears, nose, and face—anything that might cause men around them to fall into temptation. Decades ago, women in Lutheran churches wore hats or head coverings to promote modesty and minimize distraction in worship. The New Testament Scripture promotes this idea of modesty.
The veil Moses wore kept the beauty of the Lord’s presence hidden. It kept others from falling into the temptation of fear. The veil covered the glory of the Lord that emanated from Moses’ face. Later, God instructed the Tabernacle and Temple to have a special room where only the High Priest could enter once a year called the Holy of Holies. And God instructed Moses to put a large veil in between his presence their at the Ark of the Covenant and his people. This veil protected the priests and the Israelites from the temptation and danger of entering into his presence thoughtlessly or without reverence.
Today, on the Altar—the Table spread before us—there is a veil draped over the bread and the wine. It is a good reminder that we should receive Communion worthily—believing he is present in his Body and Blood and delivers forgiveness. This week is the beginning of Lent. We will place a veil over the cross in our sanctuary. The cross will somewhat hidden—perhaps as a reminder that the unveiling of the cross is coming closer—a hint that the death of Christ is behind the veil of what Jesus says to his disciples—hidden from their understanding. The veils we wear and drape over things are evidence of our weakness, how easily we fall into temptation, that we are vulnerable to the awesome holiness of God, and that we so easily live under the power of fear.
In our Epistle reading, Paul tells us that there is a veil over our minds—that our nature is not understand God’s Word with mere human understanding—that we cannot, and will not, believe and trust God with our natural minds. We have a veil over our minds that prevents us from experiencing the world as it truly is—full of the glory and presence of God. In our Communion liturgy we quote the angels in heaven who day and night cry, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of pow’r and might; Heav’n and earth are full of your glory!” (Rev 4:8). The Angels and the company of heaven see what we only can see as in a mirror dimly—but one day face to face. And “only in Christ,” our Scripture says, “is that veil over our minds set aside.”
On the mount of transfiguration, Peter, James, and John get a peek behind the veil. Moses is there along with Elijah both faces shining brightly. But it is the face and body of Jesus that shines even more brightly still. Like the Israelites before them, they can hardly bear the truth and reality of the glory of God revealed in human flesh. “This is my Son—the Chosen,” the voice from heaven says, “listen to him.” And they are overcome with terror. The disciples see the unveiled Christ, the eternal Son of God, the Light of the World. It is a momentary experience of the reality that Jesus is both divine and human. He is not just Rabbi, teacher, but the Word of the Creator who said, “Let there be light.” This will not be the last time they see Jesus in his unveiled glory. When Jesus is Crucified, the veil in the Temple will be torn in two at Christ’s death. The veil that separated God and his creatures will be removed. Just as we will remove the veil over our cross on Good Friday, so we will more clearly see the significance of the death of Jesus. When Jesus rises again on the third day, the veil that shrouded him in death is removed. We see him bright and glorified. And he assures us that he will take us with him, bless us and keep us, makes his face shine upon us, lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace.
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