The Face of Grace

The Face of the God who blesses the unworthy. Rembrandt’s version.

The night before Jacob is to meet his brother Esau, he is afraid. He thinks that Esau will likely kill him because many years earlier he had stolen his brother’s birthright by lying, and then he had fled to a far country. That night, Jacob struggles with the Angel of the Lord, seeking a blessing from Him. After He blesses him, Jacob says, “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved” Gen. 32.

Forgiveness = the Face of God

Then, on the heels of seeing God face-to-face, he meets up with Esau and offers to be his slave and offers him all his possessions, which Esau refuses. He hugs Jacob, falls on his neck and kisses him. Jacob tells him to receive his gifts, “inasmuch as I have see your face, as though I had seen the face of God.” Gen. 33.

Two accurate glimpses of the face of God: the blessing God, the forgiving God.

Seeking Shepherd, Lamb of God

The dumb, careless sheep who got himself in trouble is you. Jesus is the Shepherd who came to rescue you. This painting illustrates His love for you and His mission on the earth. He is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for His sheep. To do that, He became the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” The Shepherd became the Lamb. A paradox and a mystery worthy of meditation.