God had chosen Moses, from before he was born, for a leadership role in His plan to deliver His people from bondage in Egypt. For eighty years, God patiently prepared Moses' mind, heart, and body, equipping him with the authority of a king and humbling him through hardship for sacrificial service. Though Moses was shaped to be God's chosen vessel, his transformation deepened in the presence of God at Sinai. In Exodus 19, as Israel arrived at Sinai, Moses, their leader, faced immense challenges and grumbling from the people, yet God called only him up within the holy boundaries to receive instructions. In chapter 32, during the incident with the golden calf, God revealed that Moses' thinking was not yet fully aligned with His own, as seen when Moses lost his temper and cast down the word of God. Further, in his prayer, Moses pleaded for the people's forgiveness, offering himself to be blotted out of God's book if their sin remained unforgiven, yet God responded that only those who sinned against Him would be blotted out. This hinted that God's work in shaping Moses was not complete. In chapter 34, during Moses' second forty days and nights on Sinai in God's presence, a profound change occurred. Moses no longer saw himself as separate or above Israel with self-righteousness; by the end, he fully understood that this was God's work alone, using whomever He chose for His plans. At this time, God shared His glory with Moses through His words and spirit, enabling Moses not just to know the words but to grasp the purpose behind them. As Moses descended from Sinai, his face radiated God's glory from within, not merely reflecting it, showing outward evidence of God's spirit working in him. The Word of God was no longer just in his hands but in his heart, shining out of him. This transformation parallels the call to God's chosen today, as Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, urges His followers to shine forth God's glory from within, radiating brilliance to the world and especially to the household of God. Like Moses, those chosen now are blessed to act on His words, driven by the Holy Spirit dwelling within, to manifest God's glory.

In the narrative of divine illumination, the encounter of Moses with God's glory stands as a profound testament to the overwhelming power and holiness of the Almighty. When Moses sought to behold God's presence, as recorded in Exodus 33:20-23, he was shielded behind a rock for protection from the intense light of God's essence. God covered Moses with His hand as He passed by, ensuring that no mortal could fully gaze upon His unapproachable radiance. Even with such protection, the mere proximity to this divine light transformed Moses physically; his face shone with a brilliance that left the people in awe when he descended from the mountain. This event underscores the transcendent nature of God's light, a symbol of His holiness and purity, which no human can fully endure or comprehend in its entirety.