Face to Face with God

Although Moses requests to see God face to face God rebuffs such a desire, saying "No one shall see me face to face and live." Jacob is surprised to have survived his face-to-face encounter with God on the eve of encountering his estranged and enraged brother Esau. When at last they meet, Jacob is again surprised that Esau has been reconciled and embraces Jacob-the-Usurper with love. Jacob exclaims, "To see your face is to see the face of God since you have received me with such kindness." I suppose if Esau had nurtured his hatred Jacob would not have seen the proper face of God.
Pastor Thomas Torrence recalls how both an old woman dying at home in her a bed and a dying soldier on the battlefield both asked him the very same question: whether to see the face of Christ was really to see the face of God. Torrence reassured them both that yes, to see the face of Christ is indeed to see the true face of God. There is no angry God of wrath lurking behind the gentle face of Jesus. As Jesus himself says, "I and the Father are one," and "to know me is to know the Father."
Whereas Jacob and others are overcome with fear at the approach of God Almighty, few people were overcome with fear in the presence of Jesus. I think instead they were overwhelmed with love. I think especially of the Samaritan Woman at the Well, Zaccheus. The demons seemed intimidated.
Again the thief on the cross speaks to and sees God face to face when he asks the Crucified Messiah to remember him.