face to face

[john wimbs]

In Ex.33:11 Moses spoke with the Lord face to face as a man speaketh to his friend but in verse 20-23 Moses is told he cant see the Lords face only his back parts.What does this mean?

[gmik]

Thats a good one. Maybe someone knows a link to where it may be on Rays site.

Altho I once heard that His back parts were not what we think---He is Spirit so he doesn't have a behind---but time does----look backward in time at alll that God has done.

[MG]

Ray said something somewhere about it being Christ in the old testament and that the Father wasn't revealed until the new testament. I can't remember where I read that though.

[Bill]

This question was also asked by myself. Please look in the general discussion section for:

  "The Lord spoke to Moses face to face!"

hope this helps you my friend,

bobby

"The Lord spoke to Moses face to face!"

I am pretty sure this is a link to the thread Bobby is speaking about.

Bill

[Kat]

Hi John,

I've been looking into this verse, about they spoke 'face to face'.

Exo 33:11  And Jehovah spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his minister Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the Tent.

My understanding is that it is Jesus Christ who is the one dealing with man in the Old Test.

1Tim. 2:5  For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

Where the expression face to face is used in this verse,
this may not mean actually standing in front of someone.
But is a term meaning familiarly and freely converse together.

In another scripture where the messenger ( or angel in some trans.) is speaking to Gideon,
he thinks it is God ( Christ)
This messenger is like Jesus Christ, but not exactly Him,
so that is why Gideon could saw him.


Jdg 6:20  And the messenger of God saith unto him, `Take the flesh and the unleavened things, and place on this rock--and the broth pour out;' and he doth so.
Jdg 6:21  And the messenger of Jehovah putteth forth the end of the staff which is in His hand, and cometh against the flesh, and against the unleavened things, and the fire goeth up out of the rock and consumeth the flesh and the unleavened things--and the messenger of Jehovah hath gone from his eyes.
Jdg 6:22  And Gideon seeth that He is a messenger of Jehovah, and Gideon saith, `Alas, Lord Jehovah! because that I have seen a messenger of Jehovah face to face!'
Jdg 6:23  And Jehovah saith to him, `Peace to thee; fear not; thou dost not die.'

now about verses 20-23.
The glory of the almighty can not be seen by man's eyes, while in the flesh.
In verse 21 Moses is told to stand on a rock,
this is talking about Jesus Christ.

1Co 10:4  And all drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank of the spiritual rock following, and that Rock was Christ.

So He shielded Moses with His hand, as he stood on the Rock, and took shelter in it.

Exo 33:20  And He said, You are not able to see My face; for no man can see Me and live.
Exo 33:21  And Jehovah said, Behold, a place by Me! And you shall stand on a rock.
Exo 33:22  And as My glory is passing it will be that I will put you in a cleft of the rock; and I will cover My hand over you during My passing.
Exo 33:23  And I will remove My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face cannot be seen.

Moses was not given the full glory of God, but only His back.

1Co 13:12  Now we see only a blurred reflection in a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now what I know is incomplete, but then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.

This is what I could come up with, from research in the commentaries.
Hope it is of some help.

Kat