The Call To Seek The Face Of God
In Psalm 27:8, David speaks about the call of his heart to seek the face of God.
Psalm 27:8:
8 My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.
In link with this scripture, I would like to share some secrets about the face or rather, the faces of God to give us more understanding about His presence.
The search for the Lord's face with the aim of finding Him is connected to a pure or sincere heart.
Moreover in this connection, the lifestyle to live in holiness is of special importance because without holiness it is not possible to see the Lord (see Matthew 5:8; Matthew 7:7; Hebrews 12:14).
Matthew 5:8:
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Matthew 7:7:
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Hebrews 12:14:
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Living In Holiness
To live in holiness means that every individual believer in Jesus Christ submits his soul to the order of the Word of God. These are the areas of the will, the emotions and the mind. All three areas should conform to the order of the Word of God which is present in the Spirit (see Galatians 5:16-17).
Galatians 5:16-17:
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.
The term 'flesh' as mentioned in Galatians 5 => describes the thought, the will and the acting of man, which isn't determined by God and His will but only by the fleshly being – by sin (see Romans 8:1-17; Galatians 5:13-6:12; Ephesians 2:3; Philippians 3:3-4). In contrast to the spirit, flesh describes the fact that sin dominates man and his members so that the 'flesh', like a foreign power, dictates his whole being which is connected with death (see Romans 7:5-25). <= (partial excerpt from the German CD-ROM Bible edition of the Lutheran Bible 1984 with the word key number 10)
The Face And The Front
In order to better understand the characteristic of the face of God, I would like to refer to the Hebrew word for 'face' which is 'pānîm', meaning 'face, the presence of a person, the appearance and the front side' (like 'in front of, before, to the front of, in the presence of, in the face of, at the face or front of, from the presence of, from before, from before the face of'). (note: partial excerpt from the Elberfelder Study Bible to the word 'face-pānîm' with the word key number 6574)
The Tribe Of Judah And The East
This word explanation reveals that it is about the direction 'of the east' or, also expressed in a prophetic context, to our 'good future in God', as the front from God's point of view is the east. It is the side, where the sun rises and it points to the beginning of human events and their affairs. Furthermore, it is the direction from which Jesus Christ returns and appears on the earth (see Matthew 24:27).
Matthew 24:27:
27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.
Furthermore, the east is the direction where the tribe of Judah encamped around the Tabernacle during the time when the people of Israel lived in the desert (see Numbers 2:2-4).
Numbers 2:2-4:
2 “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family.”
3 On the east, toward the sunrise, the divisions of the camp of Judah are to encamp under their standard. The leader of the people of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab.
4 His division numbers 74,600.
'Judah' means 'praise' and it is praise that we should express to God first (see Numbers 10:11-14 i.c.w. Judges 20:18; Psalm 100:4).
Numbers 10:11-14:
11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle of the covenant law.
12 Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.
13 They set out, this first time, at the Lord’s command through Moses.
14 The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard. Nahshon son of Amminadab was in command.
Judges 20:18:
18 The Israelites went up to Bethel and inquired of God. They said, “Who of us is to go up first to fight against the Benjamites?” The Lord replied, “Judah shall go first.”
Psalm 100:4:
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
The High Praise And The Presence Of God
The high praise of God isn't moving alone; it cooperates with God's presence as a cloud.
It is God's 'cloud – presence' that contributes to the fact that the believer doesn't serve the Lord out of his own power. It is God's presence which places the believer in the state of spirit filled (effected by God) awe and submission in order to act in reverence towards Him (see Numbers 10:11-12 i.c.w. 1 Kings 8:10-11).
Numbers 10:11-12:
11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle of the covenant law.
12 Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran.
1 Kings 8:10-11:
10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord.
11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.
David And God's Presence
Returning to Psalm 27, it was David (means 'well beloved, dear') who wrote it. His name points to the importance of knowing that we are loved by God.
If we walk in love towards God and understand that He loves us, we will not fear the quality or rather the characteristic of His being, or the realm where He lives, even if it looks uncertain (see 1 John 4:18).
1 John 4:18:
18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
The Four Living Creatures And Their Faces
In order to understand God's face even better, I would like to address the faces of the four living creatures, as mentioned in Revelation 4:6-8.
Revelation 4:6-8:
6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.
7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.
8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “ ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”
Each of these faces show a significant portion of the desire of God to display the facets of His character to us relationally.
The four revelatory characteristics of the face of God include the face of the:
- lion => The face of the lion is connected with the Spirit of the LORD, and the Spirit of the Fear of the LORD.
- bull/ox => The face of the bull is connected with the Spirit of Might/Strength.
- man => The face of the man is connected with the Spirit of Understanding and Counsel.
- flying eagle => The face of the flying eagle is connected with the Spirit of Wisdom and Knowledge.
The reason why the living creatures have four faces is because it's their destiny from God to look to the front and to create a supernatural realm of access that equals to an open door.
The reason for this is because the Lamb of God – Jesus Christ is near the creatures before the throne of God and He is the door through whom we go in and out (see Revelation 4:1a, Revelation 5:6 i.c.w. John 10:9).
Revelation 4:1a:
1a After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. …
Revelation 5:6:
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
John 10:9:
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
The number '4' is related to the Hebrew letter 'Daleth' which bears the same numerical value and is connected to the door.
The four living creatures have a similar characteristic as the four winds that God has assigned to the four corners of the earth. Every single wind of the four winds has its own power determined by God (see Zechariah 6:5; Revelation 7:1a).
Zechariah 6:5:
5 The angel answered me, “These are the four spirits (note: winds) of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world.
Revelation 7:1a:
1a After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, …
This directs to the divine hope which means that God has hope for the future and good thoughts about us (see Ezekiel 1:10-12 i.c.w. Jeremiah 29:11)!
Ezekiel 1:10-12:
10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.
11 Such were their faces. They each had two wings spreading out upward, each wing touching that of the creature on either side; and each had two other wings covering its body.
12 Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.
Jeremiah 29:11:
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
God's Image Reflected By The For Living Creatures
The four faces of the four living creatures reflecting God's image because we as well are changed into the likeness of whatever we look upon (see 2 Corinthians 3:18).
2 Corinthians 3:18:
18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
Another example for changing into the likeness of whatever we look upon is the story about the multiplication of the goats of Jacob while he was with his father-in-law Laban, and how he became rich by the power of a dream where an angel of God appeared and spoke to him.
While looking at the shaved rods before them in the watering troughs during their mating process, the goats birthed strong kid goats (see Genesis 30:37-41 i.c.w. Genesis 31:9-12).
Genesis 30:37-41:
37 Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches.
38 Then he placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat and came to drink, 39 they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.
40 Jacob set apart the young of the flock by themselves, but made the rest face the streaked and dark-colored animals that belonged to Laban. Thus he made separate flocks for himself and did not put them with Laban’s animals.
41 Whenever the stronger females were in heat, Jacob would place the branches in the troughs in front of the animals so they would mate near the branches, …
Genesis 31:9-12:
9 So God has taken away your father’s livestock and has given them to me.
10 “In breeding season I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats mating with the flock were streaked, speckled or spotted.
11 The angel of God said to me in the dream, ‘Jacob.’ I answered, ‘Here I am.’
12 And he said, ‘Look up and see that all the male goats mating with the flock are streaked, speckled or spotted, for I have seen all that Laban has been doing to you.
The Radiant Face Of Moses
Another example for changing into the likeness of whatever we look upon is the story about Moses where he descended from Mount Sinai after he left the presence of God. It says, his face was shining or rather, it had horns (in the from of beams of light; see Exodus 34:29-30).
Exodus 34:29-30:
29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.
30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.
The Hebrew word which is used for 'shining/radiant' in this scripture is 'qāran', and it derives from the root word 'qärän' which means 'horn, horns' (partial excerpt from the Elberfelder Study Bible to the word 'shining/glancing-qāran', with the word key number 7328*, 7329).
The Four Living Creatures And The Four Seasons Of The Year
Just as the year has four seasons, the four heavenly creatures have four faces each, associated with a great wheel. The wheels carry the divine time scale or rather, God's consecrated times. In connection with this explanation, one can say that the greater space of time (note: the time of the year => represented by the celestial bodies of the creatures) is united with the smaller space of time (note: the feast times of God => represented by the wheels in their size, because these times are appointed times of God), so that it becomes the movement of the presence of God throughout the year, as the spirit of the heavenly creatures was in the wheels (see Ezekiel 1:20).
Ezekiel 1:20:
20 Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
The Direction And The Set Position Of The For Living Creatures
When studying about the four living creatures in the book of Ezekiel, we discover that they are arranged to the place of direction as well as to the place of position (see (Ezekiel 1:10; Ezekiel 10:14).
Ezekiel 1:10:
10 Their faces looked like this: Each of the four had the face of a human being, and on the right side each had the face of a lion, and on the left the face of an ox; each also had the face of an eagle.
Ezekiel 10:14:
14 Each of the cherubim had four faces: One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a human being, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.
In the book of Revelation the four living creatures are linked to the place of position (see Revelation 4:7).
Revelation 4:7:
7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.
This shows us how important it is to know by the spirit where to go (direction), and at which time (position) we should move ahead with God.
Furthermore, the different arrangements of the four living creatures reveal the following characteristics of the presence of God:
-
Ezekiel 1:10 => arrangement in directions for the purpose of the visitation of God
-
Ezekiel 10,14 => arrangement in positions for the purpose of the judgment of God
-
Revelation 4:7 => arrangement in positions for the purpose of the government of God
The key to see God's face is to have a pure heart (see Matthew 5:8). This is why David said in Psalm 27:8 that his heart was longing to see God.
Matthew 5:8:
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
The Heart And The Two Hebrew Letters
The heart is the place where we make decisions and where the seat of the mind (will, emotions and understanding) is.
The Hebrew word for 'heart' is 'lēb' and it is made up of two Hebrew letters which are the 'Lamed – (L)' and the 'Beth – (B)'.
It is therefore no coincidence that the last Hebrew letter in the book of Moses is a 'Lamed- (L)' and the first Hebrew letter in the first book of Moses is a 'Beth- (B)' which summarizes the Hebrew word for 'heart'.
This shows us how important it is to carry the Word of God in our hearts.
When we have it in our hearts, we are able to complete (finish) a time cycle correctly in order to begin a new time cycle confidently with the Lord (see Deuteronomy 11:18; 2 Kings 23:3; Jeremiah 31:33)!
Deuteronomy 11:18:
18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
2 Kings 23:3:
3 The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord – to follow the Lord and keep his commands, statutes and decrees with all his heart and all his soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.
Jeremiah 31:33:
33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
It is the order of the Word of God that secures our mind (will, emotions and understanding) in the center of the will of God, so that we are able to achieve our God-given goal.
Amen and Amen.
In His Wisdom,
Daniel Glimm
