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8. The Servants of God Will Serve Him and See His Face (Revelation 22:3-5)
They Will See the Face of God: The servants and handmaids of the Lord who are serving as priests will see His face, the face of the Father and of the Son, which resemble each other completely (John 14:9). Basically, in eternity there are not men and women, as it is written, “For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.” (Matthew 22:30). So, strictly, we should speak of both sexes also in the singular form. The dream of the Islamic paradise collapses like a house of cards in the light of this rebuke and turns out to be a lie inspired by the father of all lies. In addition, psychopathic feminism is unmasked as an ungodly teaching through this word of the Lord.
The worshippers are not focused on themselves and do not turn round but see the face of their father! Blessed is he who prostates before the face of the godly Goodness and stammers like the lost son, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.” (Luke 15:21). Whoever confesses his sins in this manner already nowadays and in whom the spirit of repentance abides, need not repeat these words in eternity. He will experience that the Father will cover him with the robe of righteousness and take him to the feast of the justified saints (Luke 15:11-32).
The phrase “they will see my face” has a special meaning for Jews and Jewish Christians. More than fifty times we read about the face of the Lord in the Scriptures of the Old Testament (Genesis 3:8; 32:31; Exodus 33:11.14.20.23; 2 Samuel 21:1; 2 Chronicles 30:9; Psalm 11:7; 42:3; 51:13; 90:8; 95:2; 139:7; 140:14; Isaiah 50:6; 54:8; Ezekiel 39:29; and other verses). They prayed long before our time, while they trusted in Him, the travel blessings of Aaron and hoped for the fulfillment: The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you: The LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)
When Christ came into our world, then the veiled face of God became visible. Do you want to know how God looks like? Then, get to know Jesus, as he is revealed to us in the New Testament (John 14:9). On the mountain of transfiguration and at the beginning of the revelation which John received, the face of Jesus shone like the sun (Matthew 17:2; Revelation 1:16). His enemies, however, did not recognize the holy love in his eyes. “Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands.” (Matthew 26:27). Jesus, however, asked his Father for pardon because of this blasphemy.
The apostles of Christ write about the face of God several times, sometimes with joy, sometimes with fright (1 Corinthians 13:12; 14:25; 2 Corinthians 3:7.13.18; 4:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Hebrews 9:24; Revelation 6:16; 20:11). In the same way as you may sometimes read in the face and eyes of a man about his attitude and what he thinks of (Matthew 6:22-23), so on a higher level the face of God reveals His favor or wrath, His holiness and His love, His glory as well as His judgment. The face of God means His interior, His self. Servants serving as priests and the guardian angels of the little ones see every time the face of the Father of Jesus Christ in heaven and in New Jerusalem (Matthew 18:10; Revelation 22:4), and so they become transformed in his image and his glory (1 John 3:2).
This is the purpose of the salvation history, “He will dwell with them and be their God, and they shall be his people and his children.” (Revelation 21:3.7). Whoever serves God in a worshipping attitude, will see him as he is. Paul described this mystery as follows, “Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together grows to a holy temple in the Lord. In whom you also are built together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22).
PRAYER: Father in heaven, Your Son said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father". We worship to You as we see in Your Son Your love, patience, holiness, mercifulness, meekness, and truth. Your face is as His, turning to the poor, the harmless and the sinful. And as Your Son so You comfort the sorrowful, save the lost, and sanctify those who come to You as You did to us. Amen.
QUESTION:
- Describe God's face according to your knowledge and faith!