The term ‘The Face-to-Face Place’ came to me while writing my last post. It is rooted in both the Old and New Testaments as can be seen in Exodus 33 and 2 Corinthians 3.
11 So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle. Exodus 33:11 (NKJV)
12 Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech – 13 unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. 2 Corinthians 3:12–13 (NKJV)
In 2 Corinthians 3 Paul makes an explicit link between the glory that Moses experienced in Exodus 33-34 and what is available to us with Christ living within us. Paul’s primary point is that we have the ability to access something greater, a growing intimacy with Jesus that will not fade away like the glory did on Moses face.
Now while the text in Exodus 33 refers to face to face communication and Exodus 34:29 refers to Moses face shining, we need to dig a little deeper into what Moses experienced. In Hebrew the word translated face also means presence. Which is what Moses experienced. When Moses asked to see His glory, Yahweh was clear that Moses had not seen His actual face nor could he see it and live.
18 And he said, “Please, show me Your glory.” 19 Then He said, “I will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.” 20 But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” Exodus 33:18–20 (NKJV)
Now back to the connection Paul made. Given what we have just looked at we don’t need to physically ‘see’ Jesus to meet with Him face to face because it is actually about presence. We encounter Him with the eyes of our heart. Our passage below also connects to Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1 for us to have a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:15–18 (NKJV)
Paul is telling both what is available and how to access this transformation. I don’t know many of us press into the face-to-face place, I simply know it is available and that I have tasted of it. I will explain.
When I think of what is available in and through Jesus I think of it in a couple of ways. The first is an illustration that came to me the other day while driving. I noticed all of the manhole covers on and the road and began reflecting on how the infrastructure that powers our city is mostly hidden. From water and sewage to electricity, it is there keeping everything functioning but most of us don’t think about it or ever access it, only a few do. Now in this case those who access to this hidden infrastructure have both the authority and responsibility to do so. For us, we also have authority and responsibility. In Jesus we have both the authority to access the face-to-face place and the responsibility. He invites us in but He never forces us.
So, what does this place look like? I think it is different for each of us. I have a friend who regularly encounters the Lord and hears His voice when spending time in scripture or working in the yard. For me, I experience His presence when I choose to simply sit in His presence focusing my heart on Him. I generally hear His voice for others while in intercession for them, in worship, or while ministering to people in being with them and praying for them.
However this may work in our lives, our goal is not mystical contemplation but the training of our heart, remember the centre of heart is ‘ear’ the face-to-face place is about training our heart to focus on Him, know His presence and hear His voice. This is the secret place Jesus referenced in Matthew 6:6. A recent experience I had may help to bring clarity. I was walking with a friend and sharing some things I was ‘doing’ in my walk with Jesus. I then clearly heard the Spirit speak to me, “The only thing I asked you to do is sit with Me.”
This may seem contradictory. The only He wants me to do is seemingly nothing! Yet this has been His ongoing invitation to me for years. When I take time each day to simply focus my heart on His presence, the rest falls into line. I am then drawn to prayer or other acts at various times throughout the day because I am conscious of Him with me and in me.
Let me wrap this up in an odd way by referencing a secular song. A line in an old Jackson Browne song Before the Deluge says, “Let creation reveal her secrets by and by.” As Jesus’ friends we can be privy to His secrets if we allow Him to reveal them in the ‘face to face’ place. After all, He has hidden things for us, not from us, let’s seek them out.
2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. Proverbs 25:2 (NKJV)
