21And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
22And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:
23And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.”
Moses talked with God “face to face” as a person would talk to a friend, but that does not mean that he saw God’s face. No one can see God’s face and live. This passage tells us how Moses talked to God, and what he saw. Perhaps our Heavenly Father does not want anyone to be able to paint a portrait of Him and that is why He will not allow any one to see His face. Such a portrait would be a violation of the First Commandment and would, no doubt, become an object that people would bow down to and worship. It is certain that God did not leave a portrait of Himself, nor of His Son, on canvas or on cloth.
God wants us to walk by faith, not by sight. Allowing someone to see His face, or to have a portrait of Him, would violate this principle of His Word.