To “fly in the face” of prevailing opinion suggests a course of action contrary to an accepted policy, belief, or standard, while “setting one’s face against” someone indicates open defiance or determination to oppose that person. Ps. Indeed, the brother’s failure to perform the required obligation was considered a serious breach of Mosaic Law. 3:4). 83:16).

In the first place, the text appears to indicate that it was pitch black that night—so dark that he could not even recognize his opponent (cf.

The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And … 88 Eugene Merrill, Deuteronomy, in The New American Commentary Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1994), 328. 6:15). Young, The Book of Isaiah, vol. “Stand up in the presence of (lit., the face of) the aged, show respect (lit., honor the face of) for the elderly and revere your God. 2:46), especially of a king (2 Sam. We shall see that the Bible uses many of them. King David expressed it so well: “Seek the LORD and the strength he gives! Another positive text including actions and the face is found in Elisha’s instructions to Gehazi, his servant, to run ahead and lay Elisha’s staff on the face (i.e., the body) of the Shunamite’s dead lad (2 Kings 4:29). Gideon also saw the angel of the Lord (Judges 6:22), as did Manoah and his wife, the parents of Samson (Judges 13:22).

Above all, the believer’s life is to be an exemplary one. If we report that we said something “to his face,” we indicate that we spoke openly in that person’s presence. 19:15), and the aged (Lev. A close victory can be expressed as “winning by a nose.” Those who pay an unreasonable price for something have “paid through the nose.” If we “count noses” we tally the number of people in attendance or who can be counted upon to support our position.

The Scriptures record many other facial features. 37:29). 6:16). Jeremiah speaks of “the face of the kingdoms which are … earth” (Jer.

As we have noted, in preparation for that meeting he sent gifts ahead so as to conciliate Esau hoping that Esau would “lift up the face” of Jacob (i.e., receive him cordially). 10:30), he that has seen Jesus has seen God the Father also (Jn.

4:6). Yet after three days, he will rise again” (Mk. "Shew me," he said, "I beseech thee, thy glory." God’s “face” also reminds believers that God is available in their everyday lives, whether in his self-revelation in the Scriptures or in their daily communion with him in prayer. 1:18; 6:46; 1 Jn. 4:12).

53:3-12). Anthropomorphism is a tool for understanding, but a flawed tool. He then took some of every kind of clean animal and clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. “Seek his presence (lit., face) always” (Ps. “So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before (in the face of) Pharaoh” (Ex. Suddenly, “A man wrestled with him until daybreak” (Gen. 32:24). 1:17).99 Paul also recognized that God’s judgment is just for Jew and Gentile alike, “For there is no partiality with God” (Rom. Mayor, The Epistle of St. James (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1954), 78-79. Solomon pointed out that “a joyful heart makes a face cheerful” (Prov. But,' he said, 'you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me … 9:6; 14:4; 18:28; 1 Kings 1:23, 31), self-humbling (Num.

When Balaam the hireling prophet “saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, he did not resort to sorcery as at other times, but turned (lit., set) his face toward the wilderness” (Num. As in the case of human activity in which the “face” is utilized, the action may be positive or negative. Jesus himself predicted, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and experts in the law.

A “long face” betrays a sense of gloom, while a “shining face” displays a sense of happiness or contentment. 107 W. D. Longstaff, “Take Time to Be Holy.”. Particularly satisfying was the life and propitiatory sacrifice of Christ. 33:15-16).

Climbers at times scale the “sheer face” of an outcrop of rock. Accordingly, Jesus advised that fasting ought not to be undertaken with external accompaniments such as a disfigured face or somber look. 26:31; Isa. And so Jonah turned to God in anguished prayer. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; …. Perhaps the most prominent image relative to the face is that of the hook in the nose. Rather, it is in Christ supremely that God has been known and seen (Jn. 12:45; 14:9). 19:15). Covering the face as a sign of shame occurs in other texts as well (cf. (Exodus 33:20, NIV) How Did God Appear to Man in the Old Testament? 59:8). Thus the twelve bulls, on which the basin known as the Sea rested, were arranged “three facing northward, three westward, three southward, and three eastward” (1 Kings 7:25). 17:15). 111 Willem VanGemeren, “Psalms,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, ed.

For example, paragraph 141 reads: “If a married lady who is dwelling in a man’s house sets her face to go out (of doors) and persists in behaving herself foolishly wasting her house (and) belittling her husband, they shall convict her” (etc.). Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular, The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre, Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular, Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine plural, Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular, Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular, LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel, Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular, When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek, Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, OT Poetry: Psalm 27:8 When you said Seek my face my (Psalm Ps Psa.) It cannot be, for God does not have a face.