We should never let up on seeking God and His glory.
I always thought we would not, but a few weeks ago, I was not even thinking along that line, when suddenly this statement from God penetrated my thoughts and wouldn’t let go. “No man (Exodus 33:20) can see My face and live.” That statement, although seeing Him would mean death, seems to imply that it might somehow be possible to see Him.
I know that Jesus will wear His human body forever and (1 John 3:2) we will see Him. But I always thought that when we are in heaven, we would not actually see God the Father and God the Holy Spirit but would have an acute inner awareness of Their imminent Presence. I must confess that I found that somewhat disappointing even as I know there will be no disappointment in heaven. As I pondered, I put the following verses together and I am waiting on the Lord to show me whatever is permitted for me to know and keep me from probing into the secret things (Deuteronomy 29:29) which belong to God. I can’t get away from the words God spoke, “see My face.” Manoah thought (Judges 13:22) they would die because they had seen God. The Lord promised them a son and they certainly didn’t die. I believe that was a Christophany, one of the many appearances of the pre-existent Christ.
Jesus said (John 4:24) God is a spirit Being. But He didn’t say that God was only Spirit. No man has seen God at any time (John 1:18) the Son has revealed Him. The pure in heart (Matthew 5:8) see God. This seeing is with the eyes of the heart, with the mind’s eye, to know deeper and understand more clearly. But could it possibly be preparation for a better day of actually seeing? All Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16) is profitable. So, if it is not profitable for us, why is it (Exodus 33:20) in the Bible and why did God bring that phrase suddenly and persistently into my mind? Obviously because he wants me to pursue it and I will in continually seeking the guidance of the loving patient Holy Spirit. One thing it does clearly tell us, to seek and long for the glory of God. Everything we do is to be done (1 Corinthians 10:31) for His glory and to hunger for more of Him. Moses endured steadfastly (Hebrews 11:27) as one who sees Him Who is invisible. Moses escaped (Exodus 2:15) from Pharaoh but later on (Exodus 33:21-23) he saw more of God than any other person while still on earth. God dwells (1 Timothy 6:16) in the killing light of terrifying holiness which no one dare approach. There was no way for us guilty sinners to approach holy God – UNTIL – something tremendous happened. On the Cross, with His dying breath, Jesus spoke the three most important Words ever uttered in all of history. “It is finished!” When those Words exploded in the Father’s heart, God wrenched open the covering veil of the Holy of Holies in the temple from top to bottom (Mark 15:38) from Holy God all the way down to sinful humans. The secret place of God’s presence totally exposed. Anyone, everyone, could enter the holy place of God’s Presence and nobody died! How come? Because at the very moment of God ripping the veil apart – Jesus died – and no one ever again needs to die. I heard a Christian pastor quote someone who said, “It’s heaven on God’s terms or kill on your own terms”.
Moses was given a task (Exodus 3:10, Exodus 33:1) the like of which none of us will ever face. For this assignment he needed (Exodus 33:21-23) special enduement, a revelation of the Almighty power of God. What was the protection for Moses in this one-time personal encounter with the Almighty Sovereign? It was the hand of God. We are always in God’s Presence but when we go to offer prayers, worship, sacrifices, we go into the innermost part of the secret place of God’s Presence, the Holy of Holies. What is our protection there? We go through the Blood (Hebrews 13:10-19, 1 John 1:9) the precious, poured out (Hebrews 13:20) covenant Blood of Jesus, past the veil, the veil of His brutally torn flesh. The reason God can afford that His grace is greater than all my sin is because of the LIMITLESS power of the BLOOD.
Moses received a promise from God (Exodus 33:14) which can also be ours “My Presence shall go with you and I will give you rest”. This rest is not the rest of a snooze or a vacation but the-peace-of- mind rest which guards (Philippians 4:7) the heart and mind with the peace of full assurance and restful confidence in the greatness and goodness of God. You will never think of anything that God will overlook or forget.
As I consider these scriptures, the Holy Spirit has given me a new slant, a different perspective and two things have become very clear. We should never let up on seeking God and His glory. Also, God will never ask us to do anything for which He won’t fully equip us. Like Moses in the beginning, our excuses won’t hold water.
We know the measurements (Revelation 21:16) of the New Jerusalem and it’s a huge city but we don’t know, and don’t need to know, many things about heaven. At the present time there are 7.7 billion people in the world but since Adam 100 billion humans have lived on this earth. How many will be in heaven? What will be our duties, routines, activities and programs there? Will we have assignments to carry out on earth and other planets? Will there be a totally different way of seeing? Will we visibly see God the Father? I don’t know but I am content with what I do know. I know that nothing will be lacking, not the tiniest detail will be missing in our supreme joy of being continually in the Presence of the three Almighty Persons of our Triune God.
As we look around our darkening world, we can see happening what the prophet (Amos 8:11) warned about - - a famine of hearing the Word of God. God’s Word (Psalms 119:89) is forever settled in heaven and will never (Matthew 24:35, 1 Peter 1:25) pass away. It is more essential than (Job 23:12) necessary food and more valuable than (Psalms 119:162, Psalms 119:172) gold, silver and great treasure. (Someone reminded me that God used gold to pave the streets).
Take warning, you who call yourself a Christian and regularly neglect God’s Word. You are playing the fool with your own soul. If you are not faithful in reading your Bible, check out (Psalms 19:7-11) and see how drastically you are robbing yourself. I challenge you to read carefully PSALM 119. If we stick with God’s Word (Psalms 119:105) the path gets brighter all the way Home.