Moses is said to have seen God’s face in the Bible. In Exodus 33:11, it is mentioned that God spoke to Moses face to face, although in Exodus 33:20 it is stated that no one can see God’s face and live.
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Moses is said to have seen God’s face in the Bible. In Exodus 33:11, it is mentioned that God spoke to Moses face to face, although in Exodus 33:20 it is stated that no one can see God’s face and live. This apparent contradiction has been a topic of interest and debate for many scholars and theologians throughout history.
Interesting facts on the topic:
- Moses was chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and receive the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.
- The encounter between God and Moses took place after the Israelites had created a golden calf as an idol while Moses was receiving the commandments from God.
- When Moses asked God to show him His glory, God replied, “You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” (Exodus 33:20, NIV).
- Despite this, God allowed Moses to see some glimpse of His glory. In Exodus 33:23, God tells Moses, “you will see my back, but my face must not be seen.”
- Moses’ face became radiant after being in the presence of God. In Exodus 34:29-30, it is described that “Moses’ face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.”
Quote from a well-known resource:
“In God there is no hunger that needs to be filled, only plenteousness that desires to give” – C.S. Lewis
Table:
| Person | Experience of Seeing God’s Face | Scriptural Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Moses | God spoke to Moses face to face | Exodus 33:11 |
| Allowed to see God’s back | Exodus 33:23 | |
| His face became radiant after being in God’s presence | Exodus 34:29-30 |
Video response to “Who saw God’s face in the Bible?”
In this video, Shawn addresses the seemingly contradictory accounts between John’s statement that no one has seen God and Moses and Jacob’s claims of seeing God face to face. He explains that the Hebrew term for face can have multiple meanings beyond the literal face and that God, being a spirit, does not possess a physical face. Instead, the expression “face to face” likely represents a figure of speech known as anthropomorphism, where human characteristics are attributed to God. Shawn suggests that this phrase signifies a deep and close relationship between God and Moses rather than a physical encounter. He also highlights that God’s use of anthropomorphism in Exodus 33 was a way to convey their interaction in a relatable manner. Ultimately, Shawn emphasizes that Moses’ experience should not be used to support false claims of trips to heaven or direct communication with God.
Other options for answering your question
The experiences of prophets who saw God face-to-face are recorded in Genesis 32:30; Exodus 33:11; Ether 12:38–39; Moses 7:2–4; Abraham 3:11; and Joseph Smith—History 1:15–17.
According to the Bible, no man has seen the face of God. In Exodus 33:20, God told Moses that no man can see Him and live. However, Jacob claimed to have seen God face to face and called the place Peniel.
Certainly, no man has seen the face of God. As God told Moses in Exodus 33:20, when Moses was on Mt. Sinai and wanted to see God: And he said, “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me and live. And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock.”
Jacob called the name of the place Peniel; for he said, “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Young’s Literal Translation And Jacob calleth the name of the place Peniel: for ‘I have seen God face unto face, and my life is delivered;’
(John 10:30, NIV) Finally, the closest that human beings came to seeing God’s face in the Bible was the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, when Peter, James, and John witnessed a majestic revelation of Jesus’ true nature on Mount Hermon. God the Father masked the scene as a cloud, as he often had in the book of Exodus.
Also, individuals are curious
Correspondingly, Did Enoch see the face of God?
The first one occurs in 2 Enoch 22 which portrays Enoch’s encounter with the Lord in the celestial realm. Enoch recounts: I saw the view of the face of the Lord, like iron made burning hot in a fire and brought out, and it emits sparks and is incandescent. Thus even I saw the face of the Lord.
Who were the two people who saw God? As an answer to this: Some believe they are Enoch and Elijah, as in the Gospel of Nicodemus, since they are the only two that did not see death as required by the Scriptures. Others believe them to be Moses and Elijah because they appeared during the transfiguration of Jesus, or because Enoch was not Abraham’s descendant.
Just so, Who encountered God in the Bible? The response is: When you go into the Old Testament, you will see so many people who had personal encounters with God. Jacob had a face-to-face encounter with God at a place called Peniel (Genesis 32:30), and God touched Jacob’s hip and it pulled out of its socket (Genesis 32:25).
How did Hagar see God?
As an answer to this: Hagar’s story is Israel’s story. Just as Moses met God beyond the wilderness in the glory of the burning bush, so Hagar met God in the wilderness through the glory of a miraculous well. God promises Abraham and Sarah that their son will be a great nation, and God tells Hagar that her son will be a great nation as well.
Who saw God’s face in the Bible?
(John 10:30, NIV) Finally, the closest that human beings came to seeing God’s face in the Bible was the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, when Peter, James, and John witnessed a majestic revelation of Jesus’ true nature on Mount Hermon. God the Father masked the scene as a cloud, as he often had in the book of Exodus.
Can a man see the face of God?
Response will be: Certainly, no man has seen the face of God. As God told Moses in Exodus 33:20, when Moses was on Mt. Sinai and wanted to see God: And he said, “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me and live. And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock.”
Similarly, Did Isaiah see God face to face?
Isaiah is one of the major prophets who had and opportunity to see God face to face. Being a major, he prophesied about the coming of Christ. In Isaiah 6: 1 "In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitted on a throne, high and exalted and the train of his rob filled the Temple.
Herein, Why did Moses hide his face? When Moses talked with God at the burning bush, “Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God” ( Exodus 3:6 ). Later, God tells Moses, “You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” ( Exodus 33:20 ). In other words, truly seeing God as He is, in the fullness of His glory, is more than any mortal can tolerate (cf. Isaiah 6:5 ).
Secondly, Who saw God’s face in the Bible?
Answer: (John 10:30, NIV) Finally, the closest that human beings came to seeing God’s face in the Bible was the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ, when Peter, James, and John witnessed a majestic revelation of Jesus’ true nature on Mount Hermon. God the Father masked the scene as a cloud, as he often had in the book of Exodus.
Accordingly, Can a man see the face of God? The response is: Certainly, no man has seen the face of God. As God told Moses in Exodus 33:20, when Moses was on Mt. Sinai and wanted to see God: And he said, “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me and live. And the Lord said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock.”
Why did Moses hide his face? Response: When Moses talked with God at the burning bush, “Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God” ( Exodus 3:6 ). Later, God tells Moses, “You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live” ( Exodus 33:20 ). In other words, truly seeing God as He is, in the fullness of His glory, is more than any mortal can tolerate (cf. Isaiah 6:5 ).
Beside above, Did God Speak to Moses face-to-face?
As Moses visited this tent of meeting to intercede for the people of Israel, “the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses” (verse 9). Moses’ position of favor with God is evident in the fact that “the Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend” (verse 11).