We are in chapter nine of Leviticus with our word for today which is a phrase. וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם and fell on their faces. It is used 6 times in the Old Testament. We see our phrase used by those interceding for others who God is angry with. Numbers 16:20-22 And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, “Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.”וַיִּפְּל֤וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם֙ And they fell on their faces and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?” Then the very next day we see the same things happening again. Numbers 16:42-45 And when the congregation had assembled against Moses and against Aaron, they turned toward the tent of meeting. And behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared. And Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, and the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Get away from the midst of this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.” וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם And they fell on their faces. We also see our phrase used in response to God showing up in a miraculous way. Leviticus 9:24 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶֽם and fell on their faces. This is in response to God sending fire to consume the burnt offering during the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests. We also see this action of reverence and worship to God in very similar events with Samson’s parents and Elijah with the prophets of Baal. Judges 13:19-20 So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it on the rock to the Lord, to the one who works wonders, and Manoah and his wife were watching. And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the Lord went up in the flame of the altar. Now Manoah and his wife were watching, וַיִּפְּל֥וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֖ם and they fell on their faces to the ground. 1 Kings 18:38-39 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, וַֽיִּפְּל֖וּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶ֑ם they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” These responses to God’s miraculous way of showing up remind me of miracles that Jesus preformed. Notice the reaction to these two examples that I’ll close with. Luke 17:15-16 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. John 5:7-9 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken.