There is something about kids and rocks.  For many years my daughter loved finding rocks.  The best were those rocks that weren’t just your ordinary rocks.  These were rocks that looked like crystals.  Whenever we would visit Nana in Arkansas, my daughter would venture out into the woods behind her house with a Walmart shopping bag in search of “crystals”.  Inevitably, she would eagerly show off her treasure.  “Daddy, look at my rocks”.

I know there is a day coming, though, when she will walk through our front door, hardly being able to contain her smile, lift up her left ring finger and say, “Daddy, look at my rock.”

It is at that point that what once had stunning glory will pale in comparison to the beautiful radiance of an engagement diamond.  In fact, the two rocks won’t even compare to on another.

From Exodus 19 on, the glory of the Old Covenant has been on display.  Could you imagine the scene if you were an Israelite?  Mountain was wrapped in smoke and trembled (19:18); there was thunder and flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet (20:18); thick darkness (20:20); the appearance of the Lord was like a devouring fire on top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel (24:17); and the skin of Moses’ face was shining” (34:35).

Could you imagine seeing all of this?  What incredible glory.  But, why did Moses put a veil over his face?  Why didn’t Moses want Israel to see the glory that shone on his face (34:33, 35)?

Second Corinthians 3:7-18 gives us the answer.  Moses had seen enough to know that the “rock” that was the Old Covenant was only a crystal.  While it was glorious at the time, it was going to pale in comparison to what was to come.  It was a temporary glory of stone and condemnation.  But, the diamond to come would be a permanent glory of the Spirit (vs. stone) and righteousness (vs. condemnation).

In effect, Moses was saying, don’t think that this crystal is the ultimate glory.  There will be a diamond and his name is Jesus.  Don’t look at my face, look at His  – “For God, who said ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:7).

Let’s glory in the diamond of Christ.  Let’s hold up the diamond of the gospel in such a way that as the light hits it, it gives forth a radiance that shows its supremacy and worth.  We’re not dealing here with the glory of a “crystal”…but of a diamond.