Ruth's Journey My pastor asked who has seen God (face to face)? I replied that in Genesis several occurrences take place where several individuals talked, walked, and conversed with God as they would with you and/or me. worship, and said unto You might have forgotten that he did so two thousand years ago. August 2018 Problem involving number of ways of moving bead. Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. March 2017 This site is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google These descriptions of the same event have been widely used as an argument for the bible being self-contradictory, but the truth was that the person who physically spoke the words didn't matter as much to the writer as with whom the words originated. How could God take on the form of a man? He also later said "I have seen God face to face", There is a question in here, but as it's written, it is rather lacking. Stream CCLI #21810036. Sinai: The, In Deuteronomy 34:10, likely written by Joshua right after the death of Moses, we read, And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the, This is reminiscent of the Messianic titles given in Isaiah 9:6: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.. 30 So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared., 18 Then Moses said, Now show me your glory. How could the Egyptian magicians do what God did through Moses? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? Jacob saw and wrestled with God in human form. The Father who sent Me has Himself testified about Me. Can you legally have an (unloaded) black powder revolver in your carry-on luggage? The same thing could be asked about Moses being in God's presence and talking with Him face to face. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. In some cultures it was common to not differentiate between messengers and those they spoke for, especially in retrospect, as they were considered "the voice of" their masters. Gods goodness, however, cannot be seen as he is passing. The Israelites has the cloud, (shekhinah). Ezekiel 1:4 - And I am seeing and beholding wind of tempest coming from the North, cloud great and fire taking itself, and brightness to him round about, and from the midst of her, as sparkle of the amber from midst of fire. When God appears this way, he does not display his full glory because no one would survive the encounter. Simplify Your Life 6 Lord, he said, my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.. <--That would be my hint that this is one interpretation. This implies that the word used in 32:24 refers to a mortal. October 2015 Did UK hospital tell the police that a patient was not raped because the alleged attacker was transgender? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works (John 14:710). Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. How do precise garbage collectors find roots in the stack? The point is that God cannot be seen, but yet can be. Donald Jacobs is an ordained minister with the spiritual gift of teaching. What is the best way to loan money to a family member until CD matures? Some argue that the Bible contradicts itself on whether a person can see God face-to-facebut all biblical data should be considered (in context) before leveling that charge. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us (1John4:12). This fact, that God would show Himself in created things even prior to the incarnation is actually really useful information. - 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV, I have been crucified with Christ. NKJV, Deluxe Gift Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, Abide Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version, NKJV, The American Patriot's Bible: The Word of God and the Shaping of America, NKJV, Chronological Study Bible: Holy Bible, New King James Version. October 2014. John 1:18 in document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Follow R Sutcliffe Theologistics on WordPress.com. - Not that any one hath seen the Father, save he who is from God, he hath seen the Father. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. They saw a man, or a plant, or an angel. October 2021 John 4 - Jesus is tired, hungry and thirsty and appeared as a man, indistinguishable from other middle eastern Jewish men, Matt 17:1-13, Mark 9:113; Luke 9:2836 - Jesus reveals. Theoretically can the Ackermann function be optimized? I'm sure I have heard that before, but I think you should source this as. But, he said, you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live. (Exodus 33:1920), Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen. He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. For this corruptible must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality. For who is there of all flesh, that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of fire as we have, and has still lived?. Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called Gods children. And the way he described it can lead to much conjecture. friend. He says You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live! No one can see Him and live? (Gen 32:28). Well, reading again, I see that you are saying that who Jacob wrestled with was Jesus in some form, not God the Father. Then He said to Jacob, Let Me go, for it is daybreak. But Jacob said, I will not let You go unless You bless me.. However, Moses was apparently another exception, as Exodus 33:18-23 recounts: 18 And he saith, `Shew me, I pray Thee, Thine honour;' 19 and He saith, `I cause all My goodness to pass before thy face, and have called concerning the Name of Jehovah before thee, and favoured him whom I favour, and loved him whom I love.' All I'm not entirely sure either way, just thought I'd support that possibility a bit more. 18 No one has seen God at any time. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. Then the Lord told Abraham that he and Sarah would have a child in about a years time. Who Is God NIV states it as "a man wrestled with him till daybreak". Similar quotes to "Eat the fish, spit the bones". would also be a sign that I do not view this as a certainty, which implies that it is one interpretation (idea) amongst possibly others. What is the relationship between God's glory and goodness? Numerous passages seem to clearly indicate God appearing to Moses, who seemed to have unique opportunities for such interactions: However, Moses was not permitted to see God the Fathers full glory or his faceonly his back. One is that is was God the Son, not the Father. The word angel has two meaning June 2016 Now, it is a simple matter that because the NT so clearly says that no human has seen God, then, Moses obviously saw the pre-incarnate Jesus as it is Jesus who regularly reveals Himself to humans in dozens of occasions in the OT, here is a sample: This is consistent with other NT statements that Jesus is the greatest revelation of the Father such as Heb 1:1-3, John 14:5-13, etc. Then the Angel of the Lord told him, But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man (Judges 6:16). No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up on the last day. You before the world existed. - John 1:18 ESV (cf. All these answers are fascinating and on-topic, but have all seemed to miss a salient point: 'Jacob' did die that day - the man who walked away from that place was named Israel. Jesus). But Genesis 17:1 says the Lord appeared to This is the last post in this series and in it I deal with what is perhaps the biggest reason that skeptics say that Jesus isnt and cant be God. Brothers and fathers, he said, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran. 'isn't this just speculation?' New King James Version (NKJV). We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus himself proclaimed that seeing God would be the reward of the pure in heart (Matt 5:8). Even in the Old Testament, by the ritual cleansing that foreshadowed the ultimate tearing of the veil by Christ, there was provision to behold God after a fashion. Your newsletter signup did not work out. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Rather, he saw the face of a man. He continues to shine the light of the knowledge of the glory of God into our hearts (2 Cor 4:6). John 1:18 claims that no one has ever seen God, except Jesus: 18 God no one hath ever seen; the only begotten Son, who is on the bosom of the Father -- he did declare. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. And as per our first quoted verse, he who has seen me (Jesus) has seen the father. How can you say, Show us the Father? (John 14:9). The Angel of the Lord is here identified as God. Prayer And Praise The One and Only Son the One who is at the Fathers side He has revealed Him. October 2017 55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into Please refresh the page and try again. Jesus said, Because you have seen Me, you have believed. rev2023.6.27.43513. Jacob, however, might not have realized that he encountered a messenger rather than God himself. Read full chapter. For now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. The text does not tell us whether Job saw God in human form. May 2018 He does allow us to get glimpses of Him through His Son Jesus. LORD's host said unto Privacy Policy and For you were afraid because of the fire, and you did not go up into the mountain. Can I have all three? Am I not sending you? [See also V16]. Sign up for daily inspiration today! Saul is dazzled and blinded. Your question has presented me with an answer. Then Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered (32:30). This prayer was fulfilled at the resurrection when the soldiers guarding the tomb became as dead men. The view of Hosea seems to be that the man in Gen 32:24 is a messenger (angel) of Elohim. Can God be seen face to face (Genesis 32:30; Exodus 33:11) or not (Exodus 33:20; John 1:18; 1 John 4:12)? Who Is Jesus God says he knows him by name, implying that God knows who Moses truly is and that Moses has found favor with God: God also answers Moses request to know God and be shown his ways; It is my interpretation that the next part of the passage is figurative in meaning and contain a revelation about who God is and the working of his grace: Just as God knew Moses by name, Gods name, or rather his nature, will be made known to Moses. Can I correct ungrounded circuits with GFCI breakers or do I need to run a ground wire? "To see" can carry a similar metaphorical meaning in English, such as "I see your point." Therefore in our sinful state mankind cannot survive in the presence or Gods full glory. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Several passages mention the angel of the Lord appearing to people, and this angel is even referred to as God in some passages. He took on the form of a servant, he took on full humanity, in order to do for us what we could not do for ourselves; tear down the veil, remove the separation, sanctify us and enable us to approach God, not in fear of a consuming fire, but as a loving Father, and we as his children. Whenever a heavenly being was seen, they always had [spiritual/heavenly] bodies. Instead, they see an angel, or a plant, or a man, or whatever else. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?. No one is able to snatch them out of the Fathers hand.30, I also point out that Jesus did things that only God can do (see, ), that Jesus has attributes that only God has (see, Jesus Is God He Has Attributes That Only God Has, ), and in my last post I show how He can be at the right hand of God and still be God (see, How Can Jesus Be God And Be At The Right Hand of God?. 20 But, he said, you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.. Once again, we see a physical manifestation of God able to touch Elijah. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Romans 1 clearly says that unbelievers see God in creation - until/unless they suppress this inner perception. God is invisible to us (Colossians 1:15, 1 Timothy 1:17). You can see/sense/feel [via your physical senses] God without actually seeing God with your physical eyes. What does "form of the LORD"/similitude of the LORD mean in Numbers 12:8? I know that this manwhether in the body or out of the body I dont know, God knows--. However, God the Son, took on the form of a man (He did so on the earth and in heaven also. In Judges 6:1216, the Angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said that he was going to defeat the Midianites, who were oppressing Israel at the time. The incident in Exodus when God reveals Himself to Moses is a result of a very specific request by Moses in Ex 33:18, "Show me your glory". Therefore, Jacob didn't see the face of God. My guess: Moses was looking heavenward, talking back and forth with God, with God responding vocally and immediately (like when talking to a person). The Titan is 22 feet long, weighs NKJV, Ancient-Modern Bible, Comfort Print: One faith. But Moses, in Exodus 33, is not conversing with the Angel of the LORD. John 1:18 claims that no one has ever seen God, except Jesus: 18 God no one hath ever seen; the only begotten Son, who is on the bosom of the Father -- he did But they don't die, because they don't see God's actual face. Are Prophet's "uncertainty intervals" confidence intervals or prediction intervals? But his wife, realizing that she and her husband had to live to conceive and give birth to the promised son, said to Manoah, If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these (Judges 13:23). Doesn't that contradict John 1:18? Let us be very clear that the NT is unambiguous about no one (human - angels see God's face, Matt 18:10) ever having seen the Father. They say that the Bible says that no man can see God and live or they use the statement that Jesus made that No one has ever seen God. Not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father (John6:46). November 2019 That reference to Gods back parts probably has some [Hebraic] meaning beyond the literal meaning? Will it be limited to the awful spectacle of the glory of the Lord as seen by Isaiah and Ezekiel? No one has seen God at any time. And he said, Nay; but In fact all who looked upon his face 'died' - either to the world and their old lives through putting their trust in Him. As you mentioned, many people in the Old Testament are said to have seen God, such as Abraham (Genesis 18:133), Jacob (Genesis 32:30), and Gideon (Judges , I make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. After all, as you pointed out, when Moses asked to see God's face 430 years later, he was told that if he did, he would die. - Exodus 33:20 refers to Himself. 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man God turns our attention to his ultimate solution, by posing a problem that only Christ can solve. But He answered, You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.. WebJhn 1:18 - No G3762 one G3762 has seen G3708 God G2316 at any G4455 time G4455; God G2316 the only G3439 Son, who is in the arms G2859 of the Father G3962, He has Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness. This is recently written in a new answer. vv. February 2016 Now the manifestation that Moses experienced on the mountain was obviously something unique. Please see. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. My interpretation is based on the context of the events from the previous passage. It would be like us saying someone said something based on a book we read that they authored. Listen! Whatever the case, it is as the Bible says, none of them (including Jacob) have ever "seen" God. Examples are Sarah (Sarai), Abraham, Jacob (later renamed Israel) just to name a few that come to mind right now. November 2014 (See also Matt 18:10.). March 2016 Stack Exchange network consists of 182 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Who Is The Holy Spirit? And you said, Behold, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire. Deuteronomy 5:24 And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire: we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth. See also Acts 10:3, 4, Gal 4:14. In verse 33, we read, And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place. Clearly, Abraham saw God in human form at this time.