Genesis 42:18 English Standard Version (ESV) On the third day Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:”

At this point in Joseph’s life he was second only to Pharaoh in Egypt. The fear spoken of here to his brothers was one of reverence. He revered God in all that God had done in his life from the moment his brothers sold him into bondage to this moment when he met them again.

Having respect is one thing, having reverence goes one step further. Respect is a matter of speech, reverence is a matter of living by faith. There is a difference between how we speak and how we live.

When we look at the life of Joseph we will discover that the Lord blessed him over and over again because Joseph held his tongue. He showed respect in his speech to men that only understood respect. They had no reverence for God, but Joseph revered God and he was wise in his speech.

Romans 13:7 English Standard Version (ESV) Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Reverence is not included in this list of what is due men because it is owed to God and God alone.

So how do we show reverence to our God?

Romans 13:14 English Standard Version (ESV) But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Actions speak louder than words.

Isaiah 61:8 English Standard Version (ESV) For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong;^{[robbering with a burnt offerings]} I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

This is just one line of scripture from Isaiah 61. In it are the actions of the One who would come and make that everlasting covenant.

Exodus 3:6 English Standard Version (ESV) And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

This was Moses’ burning bush moment. All of us have a burning bush moment but they do not all look like this one. It is that moment when God reveals Himself to us in a personal way. For Moses it was a life changer that was related to his personal family history.

Moses became afraid, but in that moment was it a “fear God” moment? In that moment Moses hid his face. Hiding ones face is a sign of feeling exposed, being seen for what we are in truth.

Moses went through moments of doubts as to his identity and ability.

Verse ^11a But Moses said to God, “Who am I?”

That is the real question behind our burning bush moments. Not so much about who God is, but who we are to God. With Moses it was a foreshadowing of Christ. God sent Moses to set his people free. Moses went from a man who hid his face from God to a man who hid his face from the people he led.

Exodus 34:32-34 English Standard Version

³² Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. ³³ And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

³⁴ Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded,

Whenever Moses came before the Lord he exposed his face to God. He did not hide himself, he was real with God. This is the lesson to us about coming before the Lord, to be real. This veil is a veil of flesh which when we come before the congregation this is all they see, flesh.