939. Que por “ver as faces do Senhor” não se entende ver Suas Faces, mas conhecer é reconhecer o Senhor como Ele é quanto aos Seus Divinos atributos, que são em grande número, e que (se entende) que aqueles que foram conjuntos a Ele pelo amor O conhecem e, assim, veem Sua Face, pode ser estabelecido pelas seguintes passagens:

“Que Me importa a multidão dos sacrifícios, quando vierdes para ver as faces de Jehovah?” (Isaías 1:11, 12).

“Meu coração disse: Buscai Minhas Faces; Tuas Faces, Jehovah, eu busco” (Salmo 27:8).

“Regozijemo nos peia rocha da nossa salvação; viemos diante de Tuas Faces em confissão” (Salmo 95:1, 2).

“A minha alma tem sede pelo Deus vivo; quando virei para ser visto pelas Faces de Deus? Ainda Lhe confessarei a salvação de Suas Faces” (Salmo 42:2, 5).

“Não serão vistas Minhas Faces no vazio.” (Êxodo 23:15). “Vir para implorar às Faces de Jehovah” (Zacarias 8:21, 22 — Malaquias 1:9).

“Faze luzir Tuas Faces sobre o Teu servo” (Salmo 31:16). “Quem nos mostrará o bem? Levanta sobre nós a luz das Tuas Faces, Jehovah” (Salmo 4:6).

“Ó Jehovah, eles marcharão na luz da Tua Face” (Salmo 89:15), “Deus, faze luzir as Tuas Faces para que sejamos salvos” (Salmo 80:3, 7, 19).

“Deus Se compadeça de nós e nos abençoe, faça luzir as Suas Faces sobre nós” (Salmo 67:1).

“Jehovah te abençoe e te guarde, Jehovah faça luzir as Suas Faces sobre ti e tenha misericórdia de ti, Jehovah levante Suas Faces sobre ti e te dê a paz” (Números 6:24-26).

“Tu os escondes no segredo de Tuas Faces” (Salmo 31:20).

“Puseste o nosso segredo na luz de Tuas Faces” (Salmo 90:8).

“Jehovah falou a Moisés: Minhas Faces irão. Disse Moisés: Se Tuas Faces não forem, não nos faças descer daqui” (Êxodo 33:14, 15).

“Os pães sobre a mesa no tabernáculo eram chamados pães das faces” (Êxodo 25:30, Números 4:7).

[2] Muitas vezes também se diz que “Jehovah escondeu Suas Faces” e também “desviou Suas Faces”, como nestas passagens:

“Por causa de sua malícia, escondi Minhas Faces deles” (Jeremias 33:5 — Ezequiel 7:22).

“Vossos pecados esconderam a Face de Deus de vós” (Isaias 59:2).

“As Faces de Jéhovah não mais os olhará” (Lamentações 4:16).

“Jehovah ocultará deles as Suas Faces, do mesmo modo que eles tornaram más suas obras” (Miquéias 3:4).

“Escondeste Tuas Faces” (Salmo 30:7, Salmo 44:24 — Salmo 104:20).

“Eu os abandonarei e ocultarei Minhas Faces deles; ocultando, ocultarei Minhas Faces por causa de todo o mal que fizeram” (Deuteronômio 31:17, 18).

(Além disso, em outros lugares, como Isaías 8:17 — Ezequiel 39:23, 28, 29 — Salmo 13:1 — Salmo 22:24, Salmo 27:8, 9 — Salmo 69:17, Salmo 88:14, Salmo 102:2 — Salmo 143:7 — Deuteronômio 32:20).

[3] No sentido oposto, pelas “faces de Jehovah” são significadas a ira e a aversão, pela razão de o homem mau se desviar do Senhor;

e, quando ele se desvia, parece-lhe que o Senhor Se desvia e Se ira, como se vê pelas seguintes passagens:

“Pus Minhas Faces contra esta cidade em mal” (Jeremias 21:10; 44:11).

“Porei Minhas Faces contra esse homem e o devastarei” (Ezequiel 14:7, 8).

“Porei as Minhas Faces contra eles e o fogo os devorará quando Eu tiver posto Minhas Faces contra eles” (Ezequiel 15:7).

“Quem comer algum sangue, Eu porei Minhas Faces contra aquela alma” (Levítico 17:10).

“Pela ameaça de Tuas Faces eles perecerão” (Salmo 80:16). “As Faces de Jehovah são contra os que fazem o mal” (Salmo 34:16).

“Mando o anjo diante de ti; acautela-te de Suas Faces, porque Ele não suportará a vossa prevaricação” (Êxodo 23:20, 21). “Sejam dispersados os Teus inimigos e fujam os que Te odeiam diante de Tuas Faces” (Números 10:35).

“Vi Aquele que estava sentado sobre o trono, de Cuja Face fugiram o céu e a terra” (Apocalipse 20:11).

Que ninguém pode ver o Senhor como Ele é em Si Mesmo, como já se disse, isso é evidente por estas palavras; “Disse Jehovah a Moisés:

Não podes ver as Minhas Faces, porque o homem não pode ver-Me e viver” (Êxodo 33:18-23). Que, entretanto, Ele tenha sido visto e que os que O viram viveram, porque Ele foi visto por intermédio de um anjo, é isso evidente segundo Gênesis 32:30, Juízes 13:22, 23 e outras passagens.

2336. That 'the street' means truth becomes clear from many places in the Word, as in John where the New Jerusalem is referred to,

The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate was one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. Revelation 21:21.

[2] 'The New Jerusalem' is the Lord's kingdom which because it is being described as regards good and truth is described by walls, gates, and streets. By the last of these -'the streets' - are meant all avenues of truth which lead to good, that is, all those of faith which lead to love and charity. And because truths in this way become part of good, and so are made transparent from good, it is said that 'the street was pure gold, like transparent glass'. In the same book,

Out of the middle of the street of it, and of the river, on this side and on that, was the tree of life bearing twelve fruits. Revelation 22:2.

This also refers to the New Jerusalem or the Lord's kingdom. 'The middle of the street' is the truth of faith, by means of which good comes and which after that stems from good. 'The twelve fruits' are those called the fruits of faith, for 'twelve' means all things of faith, as shown in 577, 2089, 2129, 2130.

[3] In Daniel,

Know and perceive that from the going forth of the Word to restore and to build Jerusalem until the Messiah, the Leader, there will be seven weeks - and sixty-two weeks; and it will be restored and built with street and moat. Daniel 9:25.

This refers to the Coming of the Lord, 'it will be restored with street and moat' meaning that there will be truth and good at that time. The fact that Jerusalem was not restored and built at that time is well known; and that it is not to be restored and built anew anyone may also know provided he does not fix his ideas on a worldly kingdom but on a heavenly kingdom meant in the internal sense by Jerusalem.

[4] In Luke,

The householder said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. Luke 14:21.

People who confine themselves to the sense of the letter gain nothing more from this verse than the idea that the servant was to go everywhere, and that this is what is meant by 'streets and lanes', and that he was to fetch in everybody, and that this is what is meant by 'the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind'. But each and all of these words, being the Lord's, embody arcana within them. The command that he should go out into the streets and lanes means that he was to search everywhere for some genuine truth, that is, for truth which shines out of good, or through which good shines. The command that he should bring in the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind, means that such people were to be brought in as had in the Ancient Church been called the poor, maimed, lame, or blind - that is, he was to bring in those who were such as regards faith but who had led good lives, and who for this reason ought to be taught about the Lord's kingdom - thus to bring in gentiles who were as yet uninformed.

[5] Because 'streets' meant truths it was a representative custom among the Jews to teach in the streets, as is evident from Matthew 6:2, 5, and Luke 13:26-27. Wherever 'streets' are mentioned in the Prophets they mean in the internal sense either truths or things contrary to truths, as in Isaiah,

Judgement is cast away backwards, and justice stands afar off, for truth has stumbled in the street, and uprightness cannot come in. Isaiah 59:14.

In the same prophet,

Your sons fainted and lay at the head of every street. Isaiah 51:20.

In Jeremiah,

Death has come up into our windows, it has entered our palaces, cutting off the small child from the street and the young men from the lanes. Jeremiah 9:21.

[6] In Ezekiel,

By means of the hoofs of his horses Nebuchadnezzar will trample all your streets. Ezekiel 26:11.

This refers to Tyre, which means cognitions of truth, 1201. 'The hoofs of the horses' are facts which pervert the truth. In Nahum,

In the streets the chariots rage; they rush about in the lanes. Nahum 2:4.

'Chariots' stands for the doctrine of truth, which is said 'to rage in the streets' when falsity has replaced truth. In Zechariah,

Old men and old women will again dwell in the streets of Jerusalem. And the streets of the city will be full of boys and girls playing in the streets. Zechariah 8:4-5.

This refers to affections for truth, and consequent forms of joy and gladness. There are other places besides these, such as Isaiah 24:11; Jeremiah 5:1; 7:34; 49:26; Lamentations 2:11, 19; 4:8, 14; Zephaniah 3:6.