Face to Face
January 10, 2012 - 5:00 am“Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.” —Deuteronomy 34:10
In our world of instant communication, it is not uncommon to have a business relationship with another person through email or over the phone — without ever seeing that person face to face. And then, when you do get the opportunity to meet him or her, it’s a wonderful thing to finally put a “face” to that voice or the emails!
It was true back in Bible times as well. There were many great prophets — Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, Amos, and others — but none who saw God face to face. That level of intimacy was achieved by only one human in all the Bible — Moses.
Even God noted that special relationship in reprimanding Aaron and Miriam for criticizing Moses in Numbers 12:6–8: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. But this is not true of my servant Moses; . . . . With him I speak face to face.”
That is why we Jews make a distinction between the revelation given to Moses — the Torah —and that given to the other prophets. We consider the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, including the Law and the Ten Commandments) as divine revelation, given directly from God to Moses, His exact words. But the prophecies given to men such as Isaiah and Jeremiah, although divinely inspired¸ were not God’s direct words, but general themes recorded in the prophet’s words. So while the themes that Isaiah, for example, treated were, in fact, conveyed to him by God, the precise words Isaiah used were his own.
Imagine knowing God face to face! What a tremendous privilege for a man who initially balked at being sent to Pharaoh because he was not a good speaker. Despite Moses’ reluctance, God was able to use him and transform him from a shy, stuttering shepherd into a national leader. And Moses never forgot the One who enabled him to lead a nation from slavery to freedom.
Throughout his life, Moses’s love, respect, and awe of God grew daily. And because of that, God was pleased to call Moses “friend”: “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (Exodus 33:11).
We may never see God face to face this side of heaven. But we can know Him through His word. We can speak to Him through prayer. And we can experience His great love and mercy as we come before Him humbly seeking His will and purpose for our lives.
Some day we will be able to put a “face” to the great name of God — and that will be a wonderful thing!
I am a little perplexed by today’s talk. Surely “ALL SCRIPTURE is God breathed,” the prophet, whoever he is, being led by the Holy Spirit” (2 Timothy 3:16). Or do Christians and Jews differ on this point?
I greatly appreciate what you write each day; but did that great Jewish Christian, Saul of Tarsus, who studied at the feet of Rabbi Gamaliel, differ with you over this point. Of course I believe that Saul/Paul was led by the Holy Spirit, too.
I believe this too. The entire Bible is God’s breathed Word. I think though that Moses had a special purpose. But each one of us have a purpose design by God, so I thank God for the 5 books as a matter of fact I am reading Genesis as my yearly program reading now, and it is a blessing for me, but I see all the rest of the Bible as important.
And I thank God that one day I will see Him face to face.
i.e. 2 Tim. 3:16,17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (Rabbi is not this the essence of the law/ten commandment?) I do get your point from the Jewish perspective thou.
Thank you for your ministry of Judaic information! I am a Christian and enjoy learning about the directly related religion of Judaism from which our spiritual heritage is based.
I too believe there are passages where it is marked and you know that God’s word is spoken. It’s good to be taught everyday on how the bible was interpreted and when which he spoke directly to the people. God’s word is the LIVING word from all perspectives of the people of the world.
Thanks for the message I really touched my heart. Moses definitely must had an amazing relationship with God it compels me to think that I too can have greater relashionship with my creator and I also long for the day when I could see Him face to face.
God bless you and may our Lord Jesus continue to use you for the work he has commended you.