Pastor Josh Howerton of Lakepointe Church walked listeners through a sweeping biblical narrative on a recent episode of the Live Free Podcast, arguing that Scripture reveals a single, coherent story about humanity’s lost and restored access to God.
Howerton began in Genesis, explaining what was forfeited when sin entered the world. “What they lose in the garden is access to the face of the Father,” he said. Before the fall, Adam and Eve “walk with Him in the cool of the day, side by side as a friend,” but sin brought separation.
He then moved to Moses, whom Scripture describes as uniquely close to God. “Moses, the Bible says, is the only guy who talked face to face with God, quote, as with a friend,” Howerton said. Yet even Moses experienced limits. When Moses asked, “Show me your glory,” God responded that He could not reveal His face. “Because no man shall see my face and live,” Howerton quoted.
Describing the scene in Exodus, Howerton noted that God placed Moses in “the cleft of a rock,” covered him with His hand, and allowed Moses to see only His back. “Instead of showing him his face, he declares verbally his glory,” Howerton said.
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Howerton emphasized that Moses was denied two things in his lifetime: seeing God’s face and entering the Promised Land. “Because of Moses’ disobedience, he struck the rock instead of speaking to it,” he said, “Moses was never allowed to enter into the promised land.”
The pastor then connected those moments to the New Testament, pointing to John 1. “Then the Word became flesh,” Howerton said, quoting the passage, “and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.” He added, “Jesus is the glory of God.”
Howerton argued that this explains the commandment against graven images. “The reason that God commanded, ‘Don’t make any images of me,’ is He was saying, ‘Don’t make any images because someday I’m going to send one,’” he said. “When people are looking at the face of Jesus, they are looking at the face of God.”
He highlighted the Transfiguration as the climactic moment. On the mountain, Jesus’ “face [was] transformed like lightning,” revealing divine glory. Standing with Jesus Christ were Moses and Elijah. Howerton noted the location mattered. “The mountain was Mount Hermon, which is inside the promised land,” he said.
According to Howerton, the moment completes Moses’ story. “Thousands of years later after Moses was denied two things,” he said, “in Jesus, Moses is on that mountain.” There, Moses finally receives both. “He’s seeing the face of God in the glory of Jesus Christ,” Howerton said. “And guess where he is? He’s in the promised land.”
Reflecting on the connections, Howerton marveled at the unity of Scripture. “I love the Bible. I can’t believe how it all fits together,” he said.
James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a background in journalism from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine.
