Question 44: Please explain Exodus 33:11: “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend”; also Exodus 33:20: “And He said, thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me, and live.” A. G. C.
Answer: Exodus 33:11, tells us the intimate way the Lord chose to speak to Moses. (See also Num. 12:8; Deut. 34:10). To him alone did He speak face to face, mouth to mouth, and His similitude did he behold; that is, part of Jehovah’s character was revealed to him; but 2 Chronicles 6:1 tells us that He dwells in thick darkness.
Moses had been on the mount with Jehovah, and when he came down with the tables of stone in his hands, the people were worshiping a golden calf. Moses had pled for them and Jehovah repented (Ex. 32:11-14), and through all this Moses learned what suited Jehovah. He saw the calf and the dancing, and cast the tables down and broke them, and this saved Israel from destruction. Moses further takes the sword and calls on all who were on Jehovah’s side to take vengeance on the idolatry, and then he goes up to offer himself in atonement, but this act waited for a greater than Moses. Jesus, the Son of God, could alone accomplish this. Jehovah hears Moses’ pleadings, and spares the people, but smote some of them. Jehovah says, I will send an angel. I will not go up with you, for this people are stiff-necked. Moses answers, Jehovah must go with him, because they are stiff-necked. Jehovah called them, “thy people.” Moses says, “Consider that this nation is Thy people.” What intimacy is seen in all this, yet when Moses says, “Show me Thy glory,” He shows him but a part, putting him in the cleft of the rock, and covering him with His hand, so that in safety he could behold part of Jehovah’s character, for He said, “Thou canst not see My face; for no man can see My face and live.”
Exodus 34:5-7, is the declaration: “God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.”
God could not reveal Himself fully, till the Lord Jesus came, and atonement was wrought. “How am I straitened till it be accomplished.” Luke 11:50, tells of love that was pent up till God’s righteousness was declared (Rom. 3:25-26). Now God is revealed. “The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him” (John 1:18). “God is light” and “God is love” (1 John 1:5; 4:8). And we are children of light, and our home is in His presence. No longer do we need to put our shoes from off our feet, but clothed and fitted for His presence we joy in God as His dear children.
The absolute deity of God, all that He is, no creature can see or know, to whom be honor and power eternal. Amen. The finite cannot comprehend the Infinite. We know God in those blessed ways revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Praise His most blessed name!
Question 45: What does “ALL ISRAEL shall be saved” mean? (Rom. 11:26). N. C.
Answer: It means that Israel as a nation will be saved. It does not mean that every Israelite will be saved. All of them, as well as all Gentiles, who have died without Christ, are lost for eternity, for they have died in their sins. Israel is to be gathered into Palestine again, and all the ungodly ones will be sifted out from them and the rest will have the national place and be twelve tribes again (Ezek. 38; Rev. 7; Heb. 8:8).
Question 46: Does Acts 1:11 refer to Christ’s coming for us or to His appearing to Israel? H. G.
Answer: The disciples here are still the remnant of Israel, looking for the setting up of the kingdom.
When the Lord comes for us, who are His heavenly people, we will hear His shout, and will be caught up in a moment to meet Him in the air (1 Thess. 4:16, 17).
When He comes to Israel as King, we will come with Him, and every eye shall see Him. He shall so come in like manner as they saw Him go; this is His appearing.
But the precious truth expressed here is sweet to each saved one—that it is “this same Jesus,” the Lord “Himself,” whom we have known as our Saviour, will come for us. He will not send an angel for us.
Question 47: Is Melchizedek the Lord?
Answer: No, I do not at all think he was the Lord. He was for a purpose made like unto the Son of God; and that he might be like Him, no record of his birth or death is given, and it is to this Hebrews 7:3 refers. We know nothing of his pedigree, though Hebrews 7:6 lets us know he had one; at least, so I have taken it.
In the passage in Genesis he is brought before us as “King of Salem,” and “Priest of the most high God,” but of his beginning and end, of his father and mother, we know nothing, though in Genesis we naturally look for this. This is in order, as just said that he might be the type of the Lord. I have never thought he was actually without father and mother, and beginning of days nor end of life. If he was the Lord, then it would be His typifying Himself in a future day.