Sluice Box Adventures

Believing Bible Study in the 21st century

The Face of the Son
(Or Beauty and the Beast)

Jesus Christ will appear awesomely beautiful in his countenance to all of us [who are born of the Spirit].

1 Thessalonians 2:13 "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe."


Face of the Son

The Face of the Son

(Or Beauty and the Beast)

Old Paths Baptist Mission © 2017 Richard St.James


7. The Face of God


In the regeneration we will most certainly see the consummation of all things. [Matthew 19:28]

The end [or completion] of this present system of things, which is called the time of the Gentiles, will be over.

It will be DONE! [Luke 21:24]

Jesus Christ will then sit down, here on earth, at the exact center of this earth, in the city of Jerusalem on “… the throne of his glory” [Matthew 25:31] as “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” [Revelation 19:16]

By then, we will have seen the vast fulfilment of the multitude of prophecy [as recorded in the Bible] concerning a certain king [who is Jesus Christ], and a certain kingdom [which is the Kingdom of Heaven].

Caution:

You must not fail to notice that this Bible [that is, the Authorized Bible of 1611, or any of its editions] is replete with the foretelling of that which is in the future with proven 100% accuracy:

The coming universal worship by all the nations of the earth of this king. Oh, see with me for this:

• Psalm 96:9: “O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.”

• Psalm 29:2: “Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.”

• Psalm 89:14: “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.”

Now, here is the question of the ages.

What will he [this is Jesus Christ] look like when we see him?

Is there a description in the BIBLE of God—of his body [the appearance of his body], and of his face?

See with me in the book of Daniel an instance of the appearance of the Son of God:

“His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.” [Daniel 10:6]

Next, we have given to us in the book of Matthew, in chapter seventeen [in what is known as the transfiguration of Jesus Christ], another glimpse of the future appearance of Jesus Christ:

“And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.” [Matthew 17:1-2]

This event was precursory to his revelation which will follow.

In the book of “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” we see through the eye of faith an awesome and very strange scene unfolding before us.

We see with great sight into the future where the Spirit of God shows the things “which must be hereafter.” [Revelation 4:1]

Now, here is the scene portrayed before us by the Spirit of God:

“And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.

And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” [Revelation 1:12-18]

To the world, Jesus Christ will show this face:

“His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;” [Revelation 1:14].

At which sight, the world will shake in their boots, and hide from the face of him:

“And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:” [Revelation 6:15,16]

To the believer, Jesus Christ will show a different face.

It will be a remarkably different face in appearance!

Now, how so?

Jesus Christ will appear awesomely beautiful in his countenance to all of us [who are born of the Spirit].

“Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” [Ephesians 3:21]

In that day [in the Kingdom of Heaven] his people [Israel] will be willing to enjoy the beauties of the holiness of God.

The certainty of the thing is declared in the BOOK in Psalm 110, verse three:

“Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.” [Psalms 110:3]

This thing is seen again in First Chronicles, chapter sixteen. Read with me verse twenty-nine:

“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” [1 Chronicles 16:29]

Now, link this “beauty of holiness” with the phrase “glorious in holiness” in the book of Exodus, chapter fifteen:

“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” [Exodus 15:11]

Thus, it is established:

Jesus Christ’s face is true beauty—the “beauty of holiness”.

What should our response be to his beautiful face?

Our response should be this:

Seek his face!

Seek his face!!!

Reflect here for a moment, and see the emphasis that is made in this seeking, or this beholding of the LORD’s FACE in the Bible.

See with me these following verses. Are you ready?

• Psalm 17:15: “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”

• Psalm 27:8: “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek."
• Psalm 27:9: “Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.”

• Psalm 31:16: “Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.”

• Psalm 51:9: “Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.”

• Psalm 84:9: “Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed.”

Summation:

When the believer in Jesus Christ continues to look upon “the face” of the “anointed”, then with the passing of time it will result in the believer being himself transfigured:

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” [2 Corinthians 3:18]

This “beholding” is called sanctification, which thing occurs while dwelling in the light of the countenance of the Son of God. [1 Corinthians 1:30; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:2]

For the believer in Jesus Christ, the most desired enjoyment to be experienced ... is derived from the light of the countenance of the LORD.

This is called being blessed: “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.” [Psalm 89:15]

Thus, life-giving light emanates from God’s countenance.

• Psalm 42:5: “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”

• Acts 2:28: “Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.”

• Numbers 6:26: “The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”

I will close here with the conclusion of this message.

Someone will in the near future step out of the clouds and the darkness, and will physically intervene in the affairs of the men of this world, in righteousness, and in judgment.

“Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.” [Psalm 97:2]

And again, in Isaiah chapter four, verse two:

“In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.” [Isaiah 4:2]

The face of the Son of God will appear differently to the believers in Jesus Christ (the body of Christ—the church) [see Colossians 1:24].

This transfigured view of Jesus Christ is seen through the viewport of the Song of Solomon.

Here he is!!!

The face of the Son of God “is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.”

And there can be made no comparison to this face!

• To the church: “His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.”

• To those of us who are the saved in this age: “His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.”

• To those of us who are born of the Spirit: “His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.”

And so it is:

We are enamored!

In other words, we are inflamed with love, and are throughly thrilled with him.

To sum it: We are totally delighted with the sight of the rose colored [ruddy] face of the Son of God.

Ruddy … rose colored it is, and thus, we have the rose of Sharon in our frontal view:

“I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.” [Song of Solomon 2:1]

We [the believers] find something different about Jesus Christ than the men of this world.

We find: “His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires. His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely.” [Song of Solomon 5:10-16]

To those who love him, “unto all them also that love his appearing” [2 Titus 4:8], the ruddy face of the Son of God is the shine that fills with life (makes us lively), who quickens us by the Spirit of God. [1 Corinthians 15: 36; Ephesians 2: 1, 5; Colossians 2:13; 1 Peter 3:18]

Thus, we end here:

The song Joy To The World by Isaac Watts [which is based on Psalm 98] proclaims what is to happen in the very near future.

The “Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David” [Revelation 5:5] is coming to this world to establish the Kingdom of Heaven from Jerusalem.

Look at the words of this song:

Verse 1 -
Joy to the world! The Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Verse 2 -
Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

Verse 3 -
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make his blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as the curse is found.

Verse 4 -
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness,
And wonders of his love,
And wonders of his love,
And wonders, wonders of his love.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Amen!

At the end of the great tribulation [Revelation 7:14], Jesus Christ is coming!

I quote: Revelation, chapter twenty-two, verse twenty:

“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

This is it: “Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.” [Psalm 45:2]

Amen!

Amen!

Amen!

 

Return to "The Face of the Son" Index

Top