What is the face of God?

The Hebraic word for face is panim. It also means "presence." The shewbread in the Holy Place (Exodus 25:30), is called the Bread of Presence (Lechem HaPanim), or literally the Bread of the Face. It is simply the Bread that stood in His Presence, or before the face of the LORD.

The Hebraic mindset is more interested with the "function" of an object (what does it do?) while the Greek mind is more concerned with the "form" of an object (what it is).

One of the most commonly used Scriptures about the "face of God" is found in the Aaronic Blessing. In which, the blesser beseeches that God would make His face to shine upon those being blessed.

This phrase "the LORD make His face to shine upon you" is an interesting Hebraic term. It means to turn, to turn towards you, to turn around, to turn back, to pay attention again.

But, why His face and not other parts of His anatomy?

The face is that part of the human body which contains a person's unique and identifying characteristics. Our passport photos show our faces, not our fingerprints or legs. We can tell people by their faces. With changes in emotions, moods and dispositions, the human face reflects more than any other part of the body. Just one look, we will know whether one is happy, sad, sleeping or awake.

What we are on the outside reveals what we are on the inside. "A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance" (Proverbs 15:13) but an angry man will have a dark countenance (Genesis 4:5).

Whether we are shining with His glory or not, our faces will show. Shining has to do with becoming light, and not shining has to do with becoming darkness. Our faces will shine when there is a glowing inner light.

Light is the very essence of God's presence. "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (I John 1:5). He is our everlasting light. He never slumbers nor sleeps (Psalm 121:4). His presence is ever with us, both day and night.

When we truly come into His presence, our faces will radiate and shine like Moses (Exodus 34:29), being full of the glory of the LORD.

This phrase "the LORD make His face to shine upon you" means "lighting you up" or "bringing understanding." It is affiliated with life, salvation, wisdom and understanding. God will give "light" (life, salvation, wisdom and understanding) to the nations.

On the other hand, when God hides His face from us, turning away from us, we will dwell in darkness where death reigns. We will then become fools, lacking understanding of the Holy One.

Another phrase in the Aaronic Blessing is "the LORD lift up His countenance upon you." It has to do with divine approval. When we are in His presence and we have His approval, His countenance will be lifted up smiling, as He is pleased with us and with what we are doing.

In the king’s courts, no subjects in the presence of the king are allowed to look into the face of the king. When the king lifts up his countenance and smiles, he may grant them the verbal permission to look up unto him. When the subjects do so, they will see the kingly smile. They will then smile back. Their countenance will also be lifted up!

When God rejoices over us with joy (Zephaniah 3:17), we will be rejoicing in joy.

The entire Bible is the story of God desiring to be with His people. He desires our fellowship and chooses to dwell in the midst of us, whether in a pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night. He is always with us. His presence is with us wherever we are!

But His presence can be a blessing or a curse. Our God sees. He knows what is happening. He can approve or He can disapprove.

In the journey to the Promised Land, the Israelites were dwelling in the Presence of the LORD day and night. Yet they chose to disobey Him and His commandments, always taking shortcuts and going round and round in the desert. As a result, all of them, except Caleb and Joshua, died in the wilderness without entering the Promised Land.

Numbers 26:65
For the LORD had said of them, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” So there was not left a man of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.

Taking shortcuts has always been the wit of mankind. For example, some people like to sing Chinese songs but they don't want to learn the Chinese language. By taking short-cuts, they use Hanyu Pinyin. Thus they will never sing a Chinese song correctly or properly even after 40 years!

Similarly, the LORD was teaching His people His laws and commandments for 40 years! Yet they didn't obey Him. They didn't seek His face or approval. They just wanted to get by their daily life, doing their own things. They would not complain as long as they had their daily food and drink. The face of the LORD was not smiling even though they were living in His presence!

A lot of Christians remain as spiritual babes. All they know is what their pastors say or what their ears want to hear. They do not study their Bibles, and thus cannot distinguish what is Biblical and what is not, or what is true and what is fake. As they don't desire to know the commandments of the Lord, they often disobey God! Without the laws of God in their hearts, they have become lawless, doing what is right in their own eyes!

Matthew 7:21-23
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

We need to know and keep the Word of God in our hearts so that we will not sin against Him.

Psalm 119:11
Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.

2 Timothy 2:15
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

As we study the Word of God, both the Old and New Testaments, we will find it to be easier and get sweeter as the days go by. Like learning Chinese and appreciating the language along the way, we will begin to understand why God gives us His Word. We will know His love better, and we will keep His commandments. They are more precious than gold, and sweeter than the honey and the honeycomb. And they are not burdensome!

1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.
And His commandments are not burdensome.

Psalm 19:10
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

Yes, this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. Thus as we seek His face (His presence) daily, let us also read His Word and study ourselves. Let us trust and obey Him at all times. Let us be diligent to present ourselves approved before the presence of the Lord. And may we see His smiling face.