For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
— 2 Corinthians 4:6

When people read the Old Testament, they often misunderstand God’s nature. Questions come up like: “How can God be a God of love if in the Old Testament He destroyed people and wiped out nations? That isn’t humane!” Often even believers doubt God’s absolute goodness as they try to make sense of the Old Testament’s “horror stories”. In fact, it isn’t all that complicated and confusing. It all depends on where we look and, accordingly, what we see.

If a person has not received the Spirit of adoption, or the Spirit of grace, it is hard for him to see God’s love and grace in the Old Testament. That’s not surprising. The thing is that in the Old Testament God did not show His face, but revealed Himself only from behind. Moses wanted to see God’s glory, to which the Lord answered: “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live… So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.” [Exd.33:19-23] Moses did not see the Lord’s face, because the Lord covered his eyes with His hand. Moses saw glory, but, as it is written, a glory that was passing away, departing or fading. [2 Cor.3:7]

Much the same happens to people today. It is written: “But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart” [2 Cor.3:15]. This veil covers their eyes so that they cannot see the true glory of God, which is in the face of Jesus. Yes, people see glory, they see miracles, they often even receive healings themselves, and so on, but time passes and all this fades. Interest in God disappears, the pulpit calls such people “cold“, and many leave the church, although at first they seemed to be on fire. And all because they never saw God face to face. I don’t mean “seeing the face” literally, that is, with physical eyes, but seeing the glory that is in His face — the glory, as it is written, full of grace and truth. [Jhn.1:14] That is why Jesus turned to the woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for 12 years when she came up behind Him. [Luk.8:44] Yes, she received healing, but He wanted His glory to rest on her always and to increase, so He showed her His face and said: “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” Literally, “go in peace” is “go into shalom [into peace, into rest]”.

So what is this glory in the face of Jesus that leads a person into shalom? The good news that Paul preached reveals this glory. [2 Cor.4:3-5] He also calls it the ministry of the Spirit and of righteousness. [2 Cor.3:8-9] It is the glory that says: “You are now righteous forever, because I have washed away all your sins with My blood“, the glory that says to the woman caught in adultery: “Neither do I condemn you…” Why did Jesus want the woman with the flow of blood to see His face? Because from behind Him you can see condemnation, even if mixed with mercy. And condemnation kills. But God’s righteousness brings peace [shalom], which guards us from all evil. [Rom.5:1; Phl.4:7]