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There are several examples within the Old Testament where different people saw God. Here are just a few examples.
Jesus did not just show up at His birth. When Jesus walked on this earth, he told the disciples that He proceeded from God, and that he would return to God. (John 8:42-47)
Jesus said:
John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
John 8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
John 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
John 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
_Genesis 18:1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
The word "Lord," examined from that very verse, in Strong's Concordance:
Pronounce: ad-o-noy'
Strong: H136
Orig: am emphatic form of 113; the Lord (used as a proper name of God only):--(my) Lord. H113
Use: TWOT-27b Noun Masculine
Grk Strong: G1203 G2233 G2316 G2316 G2962 G2962
- my lord, lord
1a) of men
1b) of God - Lord-title, spoken in place of Yahweh in Jewish display of reverence
DefinitionLink
The chapter where the above verse is recorded goes on to speak about Judgment. Sodom and Gomorrah were going to be judged. Sin had waxed worse and worse in those places making them completely corrupt.
"The Lord, (Adona) as shown above,) asked Sarah if there was there was anything too hard for Him. (In regards to Sarah having a son (Isaac.)
For comparison, let's look at Luke 1 and what the angel of the Lord said to Mary.
Luke 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
The bible makes a distinction when Adona is speaking, and if an angel is speaking the bible reference the angel, and if it is a man speaking, the bible makes reference to the man. Certain religious sects believe that Jesus was an angel. That isn't true at all. Again, the bible makes the distinctions itself.
The chapter goes on to describe the "Lord," (Adona) telling Abraham that Sodom and Gommorah will be destroyed, and Abraham enterceeds by asking repeatedly if God will spare Sodom and Gommorah if righteous people are found there.
When the world was flooded during the time of Noah God said this:
And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.Genesis 6:5
When Abraham talked with the "Lord," (Adona) this is what was said.
And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
Genesis 18:20-21
There is another place where the bible tells us that "The Lord, came down to see." It's recorded in Genesis 11:5, and it is in regard to the "Tower of Babel."
The "Lord," (Adona) used the same type of Language.
Let's go and look at the words that God spoke when Aaron and Miriam spoke against Moses.
Numbers 12:2 And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORD heard it.
The word, "LORD," in this passage means" 'yeh-ho-vaw'.
Definitionfromtheverse
The passage goes on to say:
And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
Numbers And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.
And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
Numbers With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
Numbers 12:4-8
God said that HE spoke to Moses mouth to mouth, and the Similitude of the Lord shall he behold.
Other versions such as the NLT use the words, "face to face," instead of, "mouth to mouth."
The word "similitude," in the above passage means.
- form, image, likeness, representation, semblance
The word, "Similtude," is mentioned 19 times in the bible. Some of the references are listed below for comparison.
| Mentioned | In Reference to |
|---|---|
| Numbers 12:8 | Moses |
| Deuteronomy 4:12-25 (5 times) | Moses |
| Deuteronomy 5:8 | One of the Ten Commadments |
| 2 Chronicles 4:3 | Solomon's Temple |
| Job 4:16 | Job's friend Speaking of God about God |
Deut 5:8 is one of the Ten Commandments:
Deuteronomy 5:8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:
A graven image is an idol made by men, such a "Dagon," (The false god of the Philistines.)
When the refernces were made to "similitude," in the two accounts with Moses and Abraham, God made the statement.
He did not use the word, "Idolatry," in either case, instead, like in the case of Moses He said, "In MY similitude."
Jesus did not just show up in the New Testament, He's written of all the way through the bible, from beginning to end:
John 16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
The people in the Old Testament knew who Jesus is. The verse below, written by Solomon asks the question "who is God, and what is His son's name if thou canst tell.?" is recorded in Proverbs:
Proverbs 30:4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth?
what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?
One last example, Jacob wresled with God.
Genesis 32:30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
"God also gave Jacob a new name, ISRAEL."
There are several accounts where God gives people new names, from Solomon, "Jedediah" in 2 Sam 12:25.
God changed "Abrams" name to "Abraham," and "Sarai," to Sarah. God changed "Saul's" name to "Paul," in the NT.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
The word, "Simililtude" means: resemblance, similarity, likeness, sameness.
Hebrews 1:13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?
The very next chapter:
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.
But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?
Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
Hebrews 2:1-7
I added links to the direct definitions from Strong's Concordance, so anyone who reads this can see for themselves.
The examples above are just few.
June 30-2017