Sunday, August 16, 2009

Yes, It Will Be Face to Face

When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. (Num 12:6-8)

In the Jewish mind, the words of Moses have the greatest authority because Moses had a unique relationship with the LORD for he spoke with Him “face to face, as a man speaks with his friend” (Ex 33:11). The Prophets wrote based on “visions and dreams” (Num 12:6-8), while the Psalmist are considered to be Godly men reflecting on the attributes of God.

In a recent discussion the question has come up, "Will believers have the ability to speak with the LORD one on one in the Kingdom and the New Jerusalem?" Now listen to the words of Paul contrasting our present situation with our future reality.

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Cor 13:12)

Paul’s future condition of “we shall see face to face” appears to be making an analogy between the future relationship of the believer to the understood relationship that Moses had with God, “face to face, as a man speaks with his friend”. It is because of this future relationship, we will come to “know fully”.

Therefore, I believe a time is coming when the LORD will say, “Consider my servant Rich; he is faithful in all my house. With him I speak face to face as a man speaks to his friend”.

Shalom from Colorado

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