Faces Set Toward Jerusalem

Focus, Determination, and an Odd Biblical Connection

Before we dive into the curiosity journey for this week, I just wanted to share the news that pre-orders are now open for my next book! Ten Treasures of Learning to Pray releases on August 20 and you can preorder it now from the publisher at: https://www.cph.org/ten-treasures-of-learning-to-pray

Now, onto some Bible curiosity.

The other day I was reading through 2 Kings and I noticed this line:

“At that time Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath and took it. But when Hazael set his face to go up against Jerusalem…” (2 Kings 12:17).

That phrase “set his face” paired with Jerusalem reminded me of this line about Jesus.

“When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51).

To set one’s face communicates intense focus and determination. Nothing can distract someone with a set face. Whatever they have set their mind to and face toward, it is going to happen.

We get lots of set faces in the Scriptures.

Jacob sets his face toward Gilead (Genesis 31:21). Balaam sets his face toward the wilderness (Numbers 24:1). Jehoshaphat sets his face to seek the Lord (2 Chronicles 20:3). God sets His face against various people in Leviticus and in a couple of other books.

And we do get a couple more examples of set faces involving Jerusalem. God sets His face against Jerusalem in Jeremiah 21:10, promising its destruction.

And God instructs Ezekiel to set his face toward Jerusalem (and several other locations) to prophesy against it.

The occasion from 2 Kings 12 involves Hazael King of Syria. Hazael was planning to go and destroy Jerusalem, but Jehoash King of Judah bribes Hazael so he does not attack. Jehoash gives Hazael “all the gold that was found in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and of the king’s house” (2 Kings 12:18).

Hazael no longer needs to have his face set against Jerusalem. Everything he could have gained from attacking it was already given to him.

What I find interesting about these examples is that when one’s face is set, it is almost always negative. It’s for destruction. So often, one’s face is set against the place or people involved.

Yet there are a couple of those positive examples, mainly Jehoshaphat and Jesus. Jehoshaphat seeks the Lord with his set face.

Jesus sets His face toward Jerusalem, not for destruction, but for its salvation through His own destruction. He sets His face there and cannot be bought like Hazael. He cannot be bribed away from His mission. He will not take gold or silver, but rather Jesus will give something much more precious than gold or silver. He will give His innocent life. He will give His holy and precious blood. That’s His mission. That’s where His face is set.

It makes me wonder: Where is my face set? Is it set toward something or against something? Or is it not set at all, but rather wandering and wondering. I think if I’m honest, at the moment I’m not filled with a lot of focus or determination. There are things I’m working on. But I’m largely bouncing around a lot between different things. Nothing quite has my attention and focus. Nothing has drawn my set face in a while.

I’m curious. How about you? Is your face set toward something? Against something? What has you focused and determined? Feel free to share in the comments.

Thanks for reading.

Andy