Theophanies in the Old Testament
- Ken Kalis
- Apr 7
- 6 min read
How can our invisible God appear to His people visually?
Theophanies are such appearances, routine for polytheists, but rare for the God of the Bible.
Nevertheless, He has done so over 80 times in the Old Testament.
These were powerful, life-changing events.
Would you like to see Him? Read this before you decide.
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“Theophany” is the appearance of a god.(from Ancient Greek (ἡ θεοφάνεια theophaneia,
meaning "appearance of a god"). The Greeks, of course, had many gods and goddesses who appeared and interacted with men and women. They were believed to live on Mount Olympus in heavenly splendor, immortal creatures with perfect bodies that looked like those of humans.
Sometimes, they took other forms when they came down to visit people, such as the form of an animal, as when Zeus took the form of a swan to seduce the married Leda. Their distinctive forms made the Greeks’ deities easily distinguishable, and their theophanies are depicted numberless times in art and recounted in Hesiod, Homer, and their many successors. In short, the people to whom the gods appeared clearly knew what they saw.
It is not so in the Bible. In some instances, the narrative gives no optic details. Often, there is audio with no visual. At other times, people see “angels” or super-human figures bringing divine messages or guidance, but there is always the question, “Was this really God?” By that, we mean Jehovah, the LORD of the Bible, who said to Moses* (1571-1451BC), “Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” Exodus 33:20
An asterisk* after a name means that person is in SPIRITUAL LIFES.
Jewish rabbinic literature teaches that God actually lived among his creations before the fall. But when Adam* (4004-3074) sinned, God left the earth and ascended to the lowest of the seven heavens. With each succeeding generation, God removed Himself further and further away from their sins until He reached the 7th heaven.
This withdrawal was reversed when Abraham* (1996-1821BC) believed God and left Ur to go to the Promised Land. With each of the next 7 generations, God came closer to earth until He affirmed to Moses that he would again dwell with His people when they had prepared a place for Him. “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” Exodus 25:8
They believe He resided between the cherubim of the ark of the covenant on the mercy seat. From this time on, only Israel enjoyed and experienced God's presence. But this presence, this “shekinah glory” of the LORD, was incorporeal, and hence, people's experience of seeing God became mysterious or problematic. This remains so until the New Testament gives us the key to understanding.
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. – John 1:18
God is not simply incorporeal but invisible: 1 Timothy 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, INVISIBLE, the only wise God, be honour and glory forever. Amen.
How, then, was God seen in the Old Testament? through Jesus: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: – Colossians 1:15
Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? John 14:8-9
I and my Father are one. John 10:30
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2017.List of Theophanies:
1. Theophanies in the Old Testament: Introduction
2. The First Theophany, Adam and Eve Genesis 3:8-24
3. More on the First Theophany Abram 12:7 missed
4. Melchizedek and Abram, Genesis 14: 18-20,
5. Abram and the LORD Genesis 15:1 (Part of Hagar below)
6. Hagar and the Angel of the LORD, Genesis 16: 8-14
7. Abram and Almighty God, Genesis 17:1
8. Three-ophany?, Genesis 18: 1-2
9. Sodom & Gomorrah, Genesis 19:1-18
10. Abimelech and God, Genesis 20:3
11. Isaac and the LORD, Genesis 26:1-5
12. Isaac and the God of Abraham, Genesis 26:24
13. Jacob's Ladder, Genesis 28:10-18
14. Jacob at Bethel, Genesis 31:11-13
15. God and Laban, Genesis 31:24
16. Jacob Meets Angels, Genesis 32:1-2
17. Jacob Wrestles, Genesis :24-30
18. Jacob’s Last Theophany, Genesis: 35:9-15
19. The Burning Bush, Exodus 3
20. The Burning Bush, Part II
21. Scary Theophany, Exodus 4: 24-26
22. Pillar of Fire, Exodus 13:21-22
23. Under the Cloud, Exodus 14:19
24. Manna, Exodus 16:10
25. Water from the Rock, Exodus 17:6
26. Ten Commandments, Exodus 19 through 20
27. Ten Commandments, Part II
28. Ten Commandments, Part III
29. Ten Commandments, Part IV
30. Sapphire Stone, Exodus 24:10
31. Glory of the LORD, Exodus 33
32. God’s Back Parts, Exodus 33:23
33. Shekhinah, Leviticus 9:23
34. Caleb and Joshua See the Glory, Numbers 14:10
35. Theophanies Defied, Numbers 14:20-22
36. Glory and Judgment, Numbers 16
37. Consuming Fire, Numbers 16:42
38. Water from the Rock, Numbers 20:6
39. Moses and Joshua, Deuteronomy 31:14-15
40. Balaam, Numbers 22:9 Part I
41. Balaam, Part II missing
42. Captain of the Host of the Lord, Joshua 5:13-15
43. Human Angel?/Gideon’s Call, Judges 2:1 and Judges 6:11-14
44. Manoah’s Wife, Judges 6:
45. Gideon’s Call, Part II, Judges 6:19-23
46. Gideon/Moses, Judges 6:36-40
47. Samson’s Mother, Judges 13:9-24
48. Call, Pause, Theophany: Samuel, I Samuel 3:1-12
49. Samuel, Part II, I Samuel 3:13-21
50. Solomon’s Dream, I Kings 3:1-5
51. The Dream Becomes Real, I Kings 3:6-15
52. A Second Theophany, I Kings 9:1-1
53. Accountability, I Kings 11-1-11
54. Elijah, I Kings 19:5-8
55. Micaiah Sees Into Heaven, 1Kings 22:17-23
56. Elisha, 2 Kings 2:9-12
57. Elisha, Part II, 2 Kings 6:9-12
58. Elisha, Part III, 2 Kings 6:18-22
59. Amos, Amos 9:1
60. Isaiah, Holy, Holy, Holy, Isaiah 6:1
61. Isaiah’s Seraphim, Isaiah 6:2-3
62. Isaiah’s Cleansing and Call, Isaiah 6:6-13
63. Jeremiah? Jeremiah 1:9
64. Ezekiel: Visions of God, Ezekiel 1: 1-18
65. Ezekiel Sees the Glory of God, Ezekiel
66. Ezekiel Called the “Son of Man,” Ezekiel 2:2-7
67. Fueled for Flight, Ezekiel 3:3-7
68. Flight Plan, Ezekiel 3:12-21
69. River of Chebar, Ezekiel 3:13-15
70. Glory in the Plain, Ezekiel 3:17-21
71. Weird Interlude, Ezekiel 8:1
72. Appearance of Fire, Ezekiel 8:4
73. A Heavenly Guided Tour, Ezekiel 8:5-10
74. Idolatry & Judgment, Ezekiel 8:11-9:4
75. Mercy Before Judgment, Ezekiel 9:5-7
76. Glory Departs, Ezekiel 9:9-10:4
77. Theophany of Sadness, Ezekiel 10:11-11:4
78. Son of God, Daniel 3:16-25
79. Prophetic Theophany, Daniel 8:1-14
80. World View, Daniel 8
81. Gabriel, 70 Weeks, Daniel 9:17-27
82. Final Theophany, Daniel 10-12
83. Amos 9:1
1 As I journey through the land singing as I go,
Pointing souls to Calvary– to the crimson flow,
Many arrows pierce my soul from without, within;
But my Lord leads me on, through Him I must win.
Refrain:
Oh, I want to see Him, look upon His face,
There to sing forever of His saving grace;
On the streets of Glory let me lift my voice;
Cares all past, home at last, ever to rejoice.
2 When in service for my Lord dark may be the night,
But I'll cling more close to Him, He will give me light;
Satan's snares may vex my soul, turn my thoughts aside;
But my Lord goes ahead, leads whate'er betide. [Refrain]
3 When in valleys low I look toward the mountain height,
And behold my Savior there, leading in the fight,
With a tender hand outstretched toward the valley low,
Guiding me, I can see as I onward go. [Refrain]
4 When before me billows rise from the mighty deep,
Then my Lord directs my bark; He doth safely keep,
And He leads me gently on through this world below;
He's a real friend to me, oh, I love Him so. [Refrain]
Author: R. H. Cornelius (1916)
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