An Invisible God

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Frankk

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My last query for today, folks šŸ‘ :

I think it is in John, that we are told that no one can see the face of God and live (sorry I canā€™t remember the chapter or verse).

However in Exodus 33:11 Moses talks to God ā€˜face to faceā€™ but a few verses later in Ex 33:21 God tells Moses he canā€™t look at his face and stay alive.

What is the reality behind this, please?
 
Frankk said:
My last query for today, folks šŸ‘ :

I think it is in John, that we are told that no one can see the face of God and live (sorry I canā€™t remember the chapter or verse).

However in Exodus 33:11 Moses talks to God ā€˜face to faceā€™ but a few verses later in Ex 33:21 God tells Moses he canā€™t look at his face and stay alive.

What is the reality behind this, please?
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Consider that it may have something to do with the difference between talking directly to someone and looking directly at someone.
I interpret Mosesā€™ talking face to face with God as meaning he had a direct one on one conversation; no intermediaries; and that Moses heard God either audibly or by a clear interior locution.

Nita
 
Just to add a question on to this:

Why canā€™t you see the face of God and live? Where would you ever see the face of God? He doesnā€™t sound like He would accidently show you his face and you would die. If you saw His face then He wanted you to die, right? Does He mean you only see His face once you die and are judged?
 
Hi Brooklyn__,

God has no face. He is a pure spirit. So ā€œseeing God face to faceā€ must mean something else. When St. Paul speaks of seeing God face to face, he is speaking of the ā€œbeatific visionā€. The beatific vision is the state of those who are in heaven. They see God as He really is, not as reflected in nature or as presented through human thought. This is not possible for us in our present state. It is a special gift of God. If we were to be exposed to God as He really is, a being infinite in all his qualities, we would be overwhemved. Indeed, I donā€™t see how we could live, unless God sustained us.Perhaps he did sustain Moses in some of his appearances.

Verbum
 
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