Seek the Face of the Lord
(Ps 42:1-3)
God is the living God (Ps 42:2).
For He is living He appears (He 9:28), and
He meets with those who seek His face.
Faith is yearning for Him, and
The life of this faith is seeking His face (Ps 27:8).
Although the face is only a part of the body,
It represents the entire body and the person.
As such, the dead are grieved for, since their faces can no longer be seen,
While the living are cherished because their faces can be seen.
After Adam sinned and was banished from the Garden of Eden,
God put a flaming sword around the Garden (Ge 3:24) so that
Men thereafter could not see the face of God (Ge 4:14).
Though once called by God and spoke with Him,
Moses saw not the face of the Lord
But only the back of the Lord (Ex 33:23).
Furthermore, even in the sanctuary where the light of His face can be seen (Da 9:17),
It was covered in many layers for
No sinner may see His face and live (Ex 33:20).
After that time, the word that was revealed by many prophets was that:
1. Their sins and iniquities have hidden God's face from them (Is 59:2; Jer 33:5; Mi 3:4);
2. He would reveal the face of the anointed one (Ps 84:9); and
3. The upright will see His face (Ps 11:7).
When the time had come, God sent His Son, and
Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days (Jn 2:19), because
Through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body,
He would finally reveal the face of God (Jn 14:9) for
He is the incarnate Word who was with the Father in the beginning (Jn 1:1, Jn 1:14, Jn 1:18).
Though the disciples were marveled by His face that shone like the sun (Mk 17:2),
For in the eyes of men Jesus had no beauty or majesty to attract them to Him
They despised and rejected Him in the end (Is 53:2-3).
As He died, however, the temple veil tore (Mt 27:51), and
He said, "It is finished (Jn 19:30), declaring that He:
1. Laid down His life and revealed that the Father alone is the living God (Php 2:6-8);
2. Condemned the divider (Ge 3:14; 1Jn 3:18); and
3. Tore His flesh and the wall of sin between God and men, and shed His living blood to redeem, making a way for sinners to seek His face (Ge 3:24; Eph 2:14).
Jesus rose and sat on the heavenly throne, and
He lives for ever and ever (Rev 1:18).
The Holy Spirit comes in the name Yeshua to him who
Received the living blood and saw His face inside his soul (Jn 14:17, Jn 16:13).
The man of the Spirit is he who
Yearns to see the face of the living God (Ps 42:2; Rev 22:4).
Therefore, until he can see the Lord face to face in the air
When He returns (1Co 13:12; 1Th 4:15-17; Rev 22:1-5),
He sees the face of the Lord through worship (Mt 18:20; Jn 4:23-24), and
Continually prays and sees His face through his own angel (Mt 18:10; 1Th 5:17).
O Lord,
When can my soul see Your face?
Day and night in tears I yearn for You
Because You are certainly living!
Without despair or worries my soul waits, so in that day
Reveal Your face to me and all those You have given me!
Amen.
