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Seeing God ‘Face to Face’
There is a misconception, I believe, that in Eternity, because we will be in our glorified bodies and without sin, we’ll be able to see God in His fullness and as He is. This is based on a couple of passages that use these types of phrases.
But to ‘see the face of God‘ is more likely an analogy, or a bridging phrase to help us understand a spiritual concept in human terms. An example from Genesis says,
Genesis 3:8 ESV
And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.
Notice the words used: ‘sound‘ of God walking in the garden, and hid themselves from ‘the presence‘ of The Lord God. It doesn’t mention that they literally saw the full person of God face-to-face.
However, I realize this can get a little confusing once we go through Exodus and its companion book, Deuteronomy. Recall in Exodus 33:11 it says that God spoke to Moses face to face AS a man speaks to his friend. Later in Deuteronomy 5:4, Moses reminds the Israelites
Deuteronomy 5:4 NIV
The LORD spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain.
Yet, just before this in Deuteronomy 4 he says,
Deuteronomy 4:12 NIV
Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice.
Jump back again towards the end of Deuteronomy 5 and Moses again says,
Deuteronomy 5:22 NASBS
"These words the LORD spoke to all your assembly at the mountain from the midst of the fire, of the cloud and of the thick gloom, with a great voice, and He added no more. He wrote them on two tablets of stone and gave them to me.
But according to the words Moses repeats back to the Israelites, regarding what they had said in fear to Moses,
Deuteronomy 5:24-26 NASBS
You said, 'Behold, the LORD our God has shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard His voice from the midst of the fire; we have seen today that God speaks with man, yet he lives. [25] Now then why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any longer, then we will die. [26] For who is there of all flesh who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the midst of the fire, as we have, and lived?
The people affirm that they indeed heard God speak. However, they also mention that God has shown them His glory (‘kabod’), but that have seen Moses speaking to God and yet live.
Now in the ESV it would seem that God concurs,
Deuteronomy 5:28 ESV
"And the LORD heard your words, when you spoke to me. And the LORD said to me, 'I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you. They are right in all that they have spoken.
However, I think a better rendering of this passage can be found in both the NIV and NASB
Deuteronomy 5:28 NIV The LORD heard you when you spoke to me, and the LORD said to me, "I have heard what this people said to you. Everything they said was good. Deuteronomy 5:28 NASBS "The LORD heard the voice of your words when you spoke to me, and the LORD said to me, 'I have heard the voice of the words of this people which they have spoken to you. They have done well in all that they have spoken.
God is affirming their healthy fear of Him and their desire to obey His commands. He’s looking at their collective heart, rather than the exact words they choose…
Deuteronomy 5:29 NASBS
Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever!
All this is to make the point that, these passages making reference to ‘seeing God face to face’, are considered Hebrew idioms to fearfully describe the glory of God
Going back to what we just learned about the knowability and incomprehensibility of God it may also be safe to assume that most people who believe we’ll see the face of God in our glorified bodies are not thinking in terms of seeing God in His FULLNESS, but to the extent that we are able (or allowed) to in our new bodies and environment.
Consider Job. Remarkably, he expresses his belief in a bodily resurrection well before any covenants or promises have been made by God. (Job is considered by many to be the oldest book in the Bible)
Job 19:25-27 ESV
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. [26] And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, [27] whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
To be fair, there are those who do believe that we’ll see God fully, but here’s why that’s not likely.
No One Can See God and Live.
The first reason is that scripture is pretty clear on this. God specifically tells Moses that he can’t honor Moses’ request, completely…
Exodus 33:7-23 NIV Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting." Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. [8] And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. [9] As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. [10] Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. [11] The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. [12] Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.' [13] If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." [14] The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." [15] Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. [16] How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" [17] And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name." [18] Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." [19] And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. [20] But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live." [21] Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. [22] When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. [23] Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen."
Kabod & Shekinah
A quick note on a couple of words often used to describe the ‘glory of God’ Kabod and Shekinah
Kabod/Kavod
In the Exodus passage above where Moses asks to see God’s glory, he is asking to see God’s ‘kabod’ (or ‘kavod‘) meaning His full essence. The word has an underlying sense of something having weight or being heavy.
Within the context of Moses’ request, ‘kabod’ is meant to be God, raw and unfiltered. As CS Lewis described it, Moses wanted to see the ‘weight of His Glory’.
John Piper explains how Jonathan Edwards looked at the entymology of ‘kabod’….
Edwards clinched his case on this by surveying the biblical use of the word “glory” (Hebrew, kabod; Greek, LXX and NT, doxa). Having stated correctly that etymologically kabod implies “weight, greatness, abundance” and in use often conveys the thought of “God in fullness,” Edwards traces the term thus:
Sometimes it is used to signify what is internal, inherent, or in the possession of a person [i.e., glory that belongs to someone]: and sometimes for emanation, exhibition, or communication of this internal glory [i.e., glory that appears to someone]: and sometimes for the knowledge, or sense of these [communications], in those to whom the exhibition or communication is made [i.e., glory that is seen, or discerned, by someone]; or an expression of this knowledge, sense, or effect [i.e., glory that is given to someone, by praise and thanks in joy and love]. (Edwards, “The End for Which God Created the World,” in Works, 1:116).
And the conclusion he offers — on the basis of both biblical texts that speak of glory and of glorifying in these four distinct though connected ways and also analytical argument surrounding this exegesis — is that God’s internal and intrinsic glory consists of his knowledge (omniscience with wisdom) plus his holiness (spontaneous virtuous love, linked with hatred of sin) plus his joy (supreme endless happiness); and that his glory (wise, holy, happy love) flows out from him, like water from a fountain, in loving spontaneity (grace), first in creation and then in redemption, both of which are so set forth to us so as to prompt praise; and that in our responsive, Spirit-led glorifying of God, God glorifies and satisfies himself, achieving that which was his purpose from the start.
-John Piper
source: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-glory-of-god-and-the-reviving-of-religion
God responded to Moses’ request by saying He would allow His ‘goodness‘ to pass before Moses, since no one can see God (fully) and live. God was willing to reveal something (I don’t want to say ‘a part‘ because God is one) – but not all, of Himself. And even then, there were some protections God put in place as He covered Moses ‘with His hand’ before Moses was allowed to see ‘God’s backside’.
Exodus 34:5-8 NIV [5] Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. [6] And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, [7] maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation." [8] Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped.
Shekinah
The cloud that passes by Moses and ultimately descends into the tabernacle, became known among Jewish Rabbinical scholars as God’s ‘shekinah‘ glory. Later, it also came to describe the luminous glory of God, particularly regarding Jesus at the Mount of Transfiguration. It’s not uncommon for ‘kabod’ and ‘shekinah’ to be used interchangeably today, but shekinah seems to be closer affiliated when discussing the glory of God.
The word ‘shekinah‘ carries a connotation of God’s dwelling among men. Sometimes phrased as ‘God’s shekinah presence’, it refers to the manifest presence of God’s glory.
“Because the word ‘glory’ defines the very essence of God’s being, it came to be used of the very presence of God among His people. So we read in Exodus 16:10 that the people of Israel looked into the wilderness and “the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.” Biblical scholars call this type of appearance of God the ‘shekinah‘ glory, that is, the dwelling presence of God with His people. It is this glory cloud that descends on and covers Mount Sinai when God reveals His word to His people (Ex. 24:15–16). It is this glory cloud that descends into the Holy of Holies in both the tabernacle and the temple (Ex. 40:34–38; 1 Kings 8:10– 11). The shekinah glory is a sign that God’s very being and essence reside in the midst of His people.”
-Dr. Currid, Reformed Theological Seminary
source: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/glory
More from Ligonier:
From John MacArthur:
The second reason is that we can read the accounts of anyone who found themselves in the presence of God. They all had nearly identical experiences as Isaiah did…
Isaiah 6:1-7 NASBS
In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. [2] Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. [3] And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." [4] And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. [5] Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." [6] Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. [7] He touched my mouth with it and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven."
Isaiah exclaims that he is ‘ruined’ or ‘undone’ = ‘dâmâh‘: which essentially means ‘annihilated’
Jesus = God
Dr. Mc Gee
Dr. J Vernon McGee is confident that we won’t see the face of God in Heaven…
It is a fact, friend, you are not going to see God face to face. This passage is speaking about the glory being a representation of God. The Lord Jesus said that when He comes the second time, there would be the sign of the Son of man in heaven. Matthew 24:30 states: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” I think that sign is the Shekinah glory spoken of in Exodus 33:21–23. When Christ took upon Himself human flesh, the glory was not there. He took a humble place and put aside His glory, but He was still God. That is why He could say, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father.”
HOWEVER… there is a better explanation that we can confidently place our hope in. And that is, we will see the face of God through Jesus Christ…
We are not going to see God. We will see the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will be in human form because that is the form He took here on earth. Today He is in a glorified body, and someday we shall be like Him we are told in 1 John 3:2 which says, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.” This is the anticipation and hope of believers who are walking by faith. That is the way Moses is going to walk. He knew that God’s presence had to go with him or failure would be the result.
Dr. McGee
Many other trusted theologians have looked at this and agree, saying the same thing – that we will see God through Jesus…
Tozer
The yearning to know What cannot be known, to comprehend the Incomprehensible, to touch and taste the Unapproachable, arises from the image of God in the nature of man. Deep calleth unto deep, and though polluted and landlocked by the mighty disaster theologians call the Fall, the soul senses its origin and longs to return to its Source. How can this be realized? The answer of the Bible is simply “through Jesus Christ our Lord.” In Christ and by Christ, God effects complete self-disclosure, although He shows Himself not to reason but to faith and love.
AW Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy
Berkhof
They will see God in Jesus Christ face to face, will find full satisfaction in Him, will rejoice in Him, and will glorify Him.
Louis Berkhof
Alcorn.
God, who is transcendent, became immanent in Jesus Christ, who is Immanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). God the Son pitched his tent among us, on our Earth, as one of us (John 1:14). So whenever we see Jesus in Heaven, we will see God…Certainly, then, a primary way we will see the Father on the New Earth is through his Son, Jesus.
John.
The Apostle and beloved disciple of Jesus, John, was the only one that we know of who was allowed to see God in eternity future and write about it in Revelation. Here’s what he had to say about seeing God (well, actually, these were Jesus’ own words recorded by John).
John 1:18 NIV
No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
John 6:44-47 ESV
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. [45] It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me- [46] not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. [47] Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.
John 14:5-11 ESV
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" [6] Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7] If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." [8] Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." [9] Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? [10] Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. [11] Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
John 17:3 ESV
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
John 17:24 ESV
Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
Here, Jesus says that His Holy Spirit will be with us forever…
John 14:15-17 NIV
"If you love me, keep my commands. [16] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever- [17] the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
Conclusion.
This is open for debate, but understanding what we know about God Incomprehensible, I believe that it’s safe to assume that we will not see the ‘kabod‘ of God as Moses asked – in all His infinite fullness. To do so would destroy us, even in our resurrected bodies.
However, we will see and interact with Jesus in bodily form as well as experience His ‘shekinah‘ glory… perhaps even reflecting some of it ourselves!
- To dig deeper into this topic, take a look at ‘Lesson 5: Glory & Light‘