It tells us to seek or look with all our hearts - does not say seek the heart of God from what I saw -- Put on the mind of Christ... But seek the FACE of God. Why?
I love the doctrinal discussions and you always have some good topics!
I know for us--Jesus declared God(Exegesis) for us. If no one has seen God, how could the Lord appear to the OT saints, wrestle with Jacob, show his back to Moses etc? Because God is Spirit and spirit does not have flesh and bones--God is not inherently bodied, BUT he appeared to people temporarily in bodily form in OT times as a precursor to His FULL incarnation in Jesus. For God who said "Light shall shine out of darkness", He has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
Seeking His face implies an intimacy. David was in hiding from His enemies--and he sought the intimate face of God. Was God hiding His face from David?
We seek His hand--what He will give us, but do we seek His face? To know him closely. Not just His will--but Him. Who He is--His manner-His character--His wisdom.
Psalm 30, 7
O LORD, when you favored me,
you made my mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.
Have you ever heard that God sometimes hides His face? If we know Him--we know EXACTLY what that means. He is hiding His favor. What does that cause we, who intimately know Him, to do?
Man, we start seeking His face in those dark times. Usually, down on ours! :)
143, 7 Answer me quickly, O LORD;
my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
We seek that intimacy with Him--that knowing Him--His hiding ---it causes us to truly seek HIM--not just His hand of goodness.
My darkest times are when I cannot find God--my most wrenching are when I start really looking-My most joyous are when He again reveals Himself to me.
It tells us to seek or look with all our hearts - does not say seek the heart of God from what I saw -- Put on the mind of Christ... But seek the FACE of God. Why?
Seeking God's face connotes an intimacy because you want to be with the Father. As apposed to seeking His Hand, which is what a lot of Christians do when they put their prayer lists in front of Him. There is nothing wrong in praying your needs and wants, for we are told to do just that with supplication and thanksgiving. But just praising the Lord God and Father just for who He is and who He is alone, therefore seeking HIS FACE.
4And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
5And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.
6And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
7My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
8With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
=============
I think everyone knows that face-to-face communication is more intimate than any other form.
Modern technology can fill in when that's not possible- but lacks the same intimacy.
We can mail a letter, make a phonecall, send an email, use IM or IRC/chat, even chat with audio and video,
but none of it is quite the same as face-to-face communication.
Interesting and yet another figure of speech. I always find it very comforting on the occasions when the vicar at my church gives the farewell blessing, "The Lord make his face shine upon you." It feels like a hug. I like the idea of God's face shining on me and smiling lovingly at me. Difficult to hug someone if you are not face to face.
Nu 6:25
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee
In Crosswalk I put in "face" and "shine" and got a dozen wonderful verses, of which this is the last:
2Co 4:6
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Which looks a bit like, "turn your eyes upon Jesus" or "what would Jesus do?"
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Dot Matrix
Anyone?
I am just curious - Seek the FACE of God.
It tells us to seek or look with all our hearts - does not say seek the heart of God from what I saw -- Put on the mind of Christ... But seek the FACE of God. Why?
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geisha779
Hi,
I love the doctrinal discussions and you always have some good topics!
I know for us--Jesus declared God(Exegesis) for us. If no one has seen God, how could the Lord appear to the OT saints, wrestle with Jacob, show his back to Moses etc? Because God is Spirit and spirit does not have flesh and bones--God is not inherently bodied, BUT he appeared to people temporarily in bodily form in OT times as a precursor to His FULL incarnation in Jesus. For God who said "Light shall shine out of darkness", He has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ.
Seeking His face implies an intimacy. David was in hiding from His enemies--and he sought the intimate face of God. Was God hiding His face from David?
We seek His hand--what He will give us, but do we seek His face? To know him closely. Not just His will--but Him. Who He is--His manner-His character--His wisdom.
Psalm 30, 7
O LORD, when you favored me,
you made my mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.
Have you ever heard that God sometimes hides His face? If we know Him--we know EXACTLY what that means. He is hiding His favor. What does that cause we, who intimately know Him, to do?
Man, we start seeking His face in those dark times. Usually, down on ours! :)
143, 7 Answer me quickly, O LORD;
my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me
or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
We seek that intimacy with Him--that knowing Him--His hiding ---it causes us to truly seek HIM--not just His hand of goodness.
My darkest times are when I cannot find God--my most wrenching are when I start really looking-My most joyous are when He again reveals Himself to me.
Even the tiniest glimpse revives me.
He shows me His face. I know Him.
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brideofjc
Seeking God's face connotes an intimacy because you want to be with the Father. As apposed to seeking His Hand, which is what a lot of Christians do when they put their prayer lists in front of Him. There is nothing wrong in praying your needs and wants, for we are told to do just that with supplication and thanksgiving. But just praising the Lord God and Father just for who He is and who He is alone, therefore seeking HIS FACE.
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cman
If we can seek it, it can be found.
It's not far from you.
Not far at all.
With all your heart....
What does this mean?
To you really....
Is one willing to put aside what they think and be shown.
Is this also seeing?
Shown by God not by men.
So how could I answer a question like this?
All I can do is say what comes to mind, as others do.
Whatever is revealed in your heart is yours, not mine.
Then watch as things overlap and show themselves.
It won't be you doing it, but you being shown.
The work is in listening. And speaking......
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Dot Matrix
Good stuff!
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WordWolf
Numbers 12:4-8 (KJV)
4And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
5And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.
6And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
7My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
8With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
=============
I think everyone knows that face-to-face communication is more intimate than any other form.
Modern technology can fill in when that's not possible- but lacks the same intimacy.
We can mail a letter, make a phonecall, send an email, use IM or IRC/chat, even chat with audio and video,
but none of it is quite the same as face-to-face communication.
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Twinky
Interesting and yet another figure of speech. I always find it very comforting on the occasions when the vicar at my church gives the farewell blessing, "The Lord make his face shine upon you." It feels like a hug. I like the idea of God's face shining on me and smiling lovingly at me. Difficult to hug someone if you are not face to face.
Nu 6:25
The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee
In Crosswalk I put in "face" and "shine" and got a dozen wonderful verses, of which this is the last:
2Co 4:6
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Which looks a bit like, "turn your eyes upon Jesus" or "what would Jesus do?"
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HAPe4me
what would he do?
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