Slade, if you are out there - otherwise, anyone else is welcome to answer too:

I have been confused lately about the question about being able to see God face to face. Adam and Eve walked and talked with God in the garden. Jacob wrestled with God and the Bible says he saw the face of God. Yet, in other places in the Bible, it says no one is actually able to see the face of God, only his glory or as he is walking by because if anyone saw Him, they would die. This seems to be a contradiction. Also, I have heard that even the angels in heaven aren't able to actually look on God. When we get to heaven, we will never actually be able to see God and talk to him? It's all very confusing to me. Anyone have any ideas?

This is a great question & I dunno how much my answer will be able to help you.

I was taught that if I see a contradiction it is actually just that because God's ways are higher than our ways & his thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isa 55:9) we just don't understand.

You are right there are a few passages that don't look like they fit together on the subject - I will do my best to pass on my understanding. As far as Adam & Eve - they were created perfect & therefore I dont think that there would be a problem with them seeing the face of God as if God wanted to show it to them he would have made their bodies able to handle it. However Jesus said God is a spirit (Jn 4:24) so that tells me that God doesn't have a body like we have a body & so when he appears in bodily form, we are not seeing all of him; just a representation. If you take the passages about the face of God literally then how do you explain the fact that he has wings & feathers? (17 Ps 8, 91 Ps 4) When the bible says that God has body parts I think it is just because the bible is written to us, & has to be in words & concepts that we can understand, not that he nessisarily has any body parts, as he is a spirit. Abraham also had at least 2 conversations with God when he pleaded for the towns of Sodom & Gommorah & also when God told him that he would have a son. The episode of Jacob wrestling God (Gen 33:10) I was taught that body was a pre-incarnate Jesus. The scripture says that "And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend." Ex 33:11 & also "And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone:" (Ex 34:35) as a result of that encounter. The bible does say twice that No man has seen God at any time (Jn 1:18, 1 Jn 4:12) but it also says that "Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father." Jn 6:46 & "Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?" Jn 14:9. I think it has to do with the fact that if we are not seeking God we will not find him (Jer 29:13). God is all powerful & can do whatever he wants to - if he wants to show his face to you for instance he can do it. "But how then can the other scripture be true, that says no man has seen God at any time?" I am not exactly sure, but it may have to do with the fact that if you are without Jesus (the way) you are a walking dead person, & therefore unable to see anything (Prov 21:16). Maybe the all inclusive term in the passage "No" man has seen god at any time - isnt so all inclusive as it sounds, because there is another all inclusive passage that says "All we like sheep have gone astray" Isa 53:6 but if that were as all inclusive as it sounds; nobody would be saved. As far as seeing God in heaven we are important to him - it says that there is silence in heaven so he can listen to our prayers (Rev 8:1-5), that means that he tells all the angels to shut up & stop praising him because listening to what we have to say is more important. I was taught that God is so big that when we are in heaven everybody gets a front row seat. Remember that by the time we get to heaven we will have a new body (1 Cor 15:40-44) so I am sure that our new body will be able to handle the presence of God, as like him we will have a spiritual body.

I hope this may be of some help; but just as you, I have wrestled with these same passages - I just have faith that God doesn't lie (Num 23:19, Rom 3:4) So if he says something that I don't understand; I don't have to - I can if it's his will "Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 13:11) but God is sovergn & doesn't have to tell me anything if he doesn't want to. He normally tells us only what we need to know, as we often can't handle too much information. Remember God is infinite & we are not, so we will never understand everything there is to know about God in this body; but I have faith that we will; because of this scripture - "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." (1 Cor 13:12) that passage tells me that God will reveal his whole self to us.

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