Getting in God's Face

This past Sunday where I fellowship, the message was taken from Hebrews 9:11-28. One comment that struck me came from verse 24.

For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

This describes a wonderful truth of how our Savior presented himself before the true Holy of Holies in heaven with the blood of his atoning sacrifice. As precious as that truth is, the thought that caught my attention came from the prepositional phrase "in the presence of God." The Greek (τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ θεοῦ) can be literally translated "in God's face." The common vernacular "in your face" has the idea being "defiantly confrontational; also an exclamation of contempt."[1] You know the scene: there is a scuffle in a sporting event followed by the opposing players that are trying to intimidate one another by close proximity, voicelessly daring the other to start something. That was how I was envisioning God the Son and God the Father nose-to-nose. Of course, this is all wrong. The closeness was from a proper familial relationship coupled with a finished work.

Jesus is not the only person who was allowed a measure of closeness with the living God. I am thinking primarily of when "the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend" (Exodus 33:11) though in a veiled way. And secondarily, when Moses intercedes for the people of Israel and relates of the Egyptians

They have heard that you, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. For you, O Lord, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. (Numbers 14:14)

In both cases the thought is a mouth-to-mouth encounter. Only the closest ties allow this intimacy of fellowship. The Lord Jesus was being welcomed into closest communion to perform his priestly work. Moses entered in because of friendship (see above). YHWH says of Moses that "He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the LORD." (Numbers 12:7-8)

Can Christians enjoy this same cleseness with the Father today? Yes and no. Currently, we do not behold the presence of God in bodily form. We do so symbolically in the bread and cup when we remember the Lord Jesus. And we do so spiritually since we are indwelt by God, the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9; 1 Corintians 3:16; 6:19). Lastly, the Lord Jesus has said that all who obediently follow are friends (John 15:13-15). What an unimaginable privilege to be walking together with the Lord Most High. Get in God's face. That is where you belong.

[1] Christine Ammer, The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms, Boston:Houghton Mifflin, 1997.