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-13-
The God Who Is
Incorporeal
God is incorporeal, or, as we have already noted, "God is a Spirit." For this reason we are forbidden to make a picture, a painting, a sculpture, or any image or representation of God. To do so is to confine Him within the limits of space, and we must put no constraints upon Him. All who do so limit the Holy One of Israel (Psalm 78:41). However, there are passages in the Bible which utilize poetical language to describe the abilities of God. Such examples that make allusion to man are called "anthropomorphisms," or "man-forms."
anthropomorphisms
For instance, in Isaiah chapter 59, verse 1 we read, "Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." God does hear, but as He is a Spirit, He does not have ears. Ears are fleshly. But, what better way could God's ability to hear be understood than by referring to ears?
Consider another example. "The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the earth" (II Chronicles 16:9). God beholds the good and the evil. Nothing escapes Him. The psalmist says, "If I say, `Surely the darkness shall cover me;' even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee" (Psalm 139:11,12). This does not mean the eyes of the Lord are physical. Neither does it mean they can be seen running along the ground. This is rather the use of an anthropomorphism. What better way is there to allow a reader to comprehend the fact that God knows what is going on?
theophanies and christophanies
Although God is incorporeal and has no fleshly body, there are times in the Bible when He has assumed the form of a man. These are called "theophanies" if they are simply manifestations of God in human form; or "Christophanies" if they are specifically manifestations of the Lord Jesus Christ.
In Genesis chapter 18, the Lord appeared to Abraham. Beginning in verse 1, we read. "And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; and he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground." The patriarch ran to greet these visitors, believing they were men. We are told, however, that two of them were angels. When they passed on to go to Sodom to see if there were even 10 righteous men in that wicked city, "Abraham stood yet before the LORD" (verse 22). This is a Christophany.
In Genesis chapter 32, beginning at verse 24, we read, "And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, `Let me go, for the day breaketh.' And he said, `I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.' And he said unto him, `What is thy name?' And he said, `Jacob.' And he said, `Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.'
"And Jacob asked him, and said, `Tell me, I pray thee, thy name.' And he said, `Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name?' And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place `Peniel' (which means "the face of God,") `for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.'" Here is a theophany, and probably a Christophany.
One of the most memorable examples of a theophany is found in Exodus chapter 34. In chapter 33, "The LORD said unto Moses, `I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name.' And he said, `I beseech thee, show me thy glory.'
"And he said, `I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.' And he said `Thou canst not see my face; for there shall no man see me, and live.' And the LORD said, `Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: and it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: and I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen'" (Exodus 33:17-23).
"...And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, `The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children unto the third and to the fourth generation.' And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped" (Exodus 34:5-8).
Consider another example. In Joshua chapter 5, the children of Israel have crossed the Jordan River. The city of Jericho is shut up to them. In verse 13, we read, "It came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, `Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?'" Joshua thought this person was a man.
"And he said, `Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.' And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship ...." (verse 14). It is contrary to the Law of God to worship any except the Lord. So, when the apostle John was caught up in the revelation of Christ, on two different occasions he became so enraptured with the majesty and glory of God that he fell before the angel to worship him. On both occasions the angel rebuked him, saying, "See thou do it not: for I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God" (Revelation 22:8,9; see: 19:10).
It is unlawful to worship any but the Lord. The fact that Joshua worshipped this "Angel" shows that this messenger was divine. It was a Christophany.