We are in chapter thirty-three of Exodus with our word for today which is a phrase. פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים face to face. It is used 5 times in the Old Testament. Our phrase is used to describe a special kind of in person closeness of communication like between friends. Every time our phrase is used it is referring to God and a human being. All of the uses are positive except for this one in Ezekiel. Ezekiel 20:33-35 I will enter into judgment with you פָּנִ֖ים אֶל־פָּנִֽים face to face. On two of these uses angels are present as God’s messengers or representatives but the person interprets this as a close connection with God himself. We see these with Jacob and Gideon. Genesis 32:24-30 And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him ... Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” We are not exactly sure who the “man” is but he is probably an angel or the angel of the Lord or angel of YHWH based on how sometimes the Bible calls angels’ men referring to the same being. It is interesting that this angel says that Jacob was wrestling God and Jacob interpreted this event in the same way. We also see this angel representing God in the next example of our phrase used by Gideon. Judges 6:20-22 And the מַלְאַ֣ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them.” And he did so. Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight. Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֔ה [sovereign or lord YWHWH literally] Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord פָּנִ֖ים אֶל־פָּנִֽים face to face.” This is quite a sentence! We have sovereign YHWH and angel of YHWH and earlier in verse 20 we have angel of God. So a lot of titles referring to God with his representative being the angel. Our last two uses of our phrase are used to identify Moses connecting with God in prayer in a special unique way. Exodus 33:9-11 When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the Lord would speak with Moses. And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door. Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses פָּנִ֣ים אֶל־פָּנִ֔ים face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Deuteronomy 34:10-11 And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew פָּנִ֖ים אֶל־פָּנִֽים face to face. The good news is that even though Moses was unique in his opportunity to connect with God because of Christ we as believers have the closest connection possible. That is God himself living in us through his Spirit. I’ll close with these great passages. Romans 5:5 Hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 8:26-28 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
