Appendix 8: Answers to Objections to Seeing God<\/b><\/p>\n
Excerpt from Appendix 8 of\u2026<\/p>\n
Immanuel: A Practicum<\/i>\u00a0by Patricia A. Velotta<\/p>\n
Objections to Seeing God<\/p>\n
Objection 1: You Can\u2019t See God<\/span><\/p>\n I. Supportive Scriptures<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son,<\/p>\n who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared\u00a0Him<\/i>.<\/p>\n (John 1:18)<\/p>\n And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me.<\/p>\n You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen<\/p>\n His form. (John 5:37)<\/p>\n Who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable<\/p>\n light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom<\/p>\n be honor and everlasting power. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:16)<\/p>\n II. Answers To Objection 1<\/i> A. People Survived Encountering God<\/b><\/p>\n People of the Old Testament believed they would die if they saw<\/p>\n him, but they did not die when they encountered him face to<\/p>\n face!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, \u201cThou<\/p>\n art a God of seeing\u201d; for she said, \u201cHave I really seen God<\/p>\n and remained alive after seeing him?\u201d (Genesis 16:13)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n A. People Survived Encountering God (continued)<\/b><\/p>\n Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, \u201cFor I<\/p>\n have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.\u201d<\/p>\n (Genesis 32:30)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Behold, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and<\/p>\n greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of<\/p>\n the fire; we have this day seen God speak with man and<\/p>\n man still live. (Deuteronomy 5:24)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And Manoah said to his wife, \u201cWe shall surely die, because we have<\/p>\n seen God!\u201d (Judges 13:22)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n B. God Accommodates Our Humanity<\/b><\/p>\n God tailors his perceived presence for our humanity. All his<\/p>\n glory, splendor, majesty, joy, brilliance, dimensionality, brightness,<\/p>\n cognition and other attributes would destroy us.<\/p>\n And he said, \u201cPlease, show me Your glory.\u201d Then He said,<\/p>\n \u201cI will make all My goodness pass before you, and I will<\/p>\n proclaim the name of the LORD before you. I will be gracious<\/p>\n to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion<\/p>\n on whom I will have compassion.\u201d But He said, \u201cYou<\/p>\n cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.\u201d<\/p>\n And the LORD said, \u201cHere is a place by Me, and you shall<\/p>\n stand on the rock. So it shall be, while My glory passes by,<\/p>\n that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover<\/p>\n you with My hand while I pass by. Then I will take away<\/p>\n My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall<\/p>\n not be seen.\u201d (Exodus 33:18\u201323)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n C. God Reveals Himself to People<\/b><\/p>\n Here are some ways he revealed himself to people.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n 1. Moses and Joshua Met God at the Tent of Meeting<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n before the Tabernacle Was Completed.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n So Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly<\/p>\n to the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and they<\/p>\n fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared<\/p>\n to them. (Numbers 20:6)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in<\/p>\n the tabernacle of meeting. Now the LORD appeared at<\/p>\n the tabernacle in a pillar of cloud, and the pillar of cloud<\/p>\n stood above the door of the tabernacle. (Deuteronomy<\/p>\n 31:14b\u201315)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n 2. God\u2019s Presence was above the Ark of the Covenant,<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n over the Mercy Seat, between the Cherubim.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n a. God presence was seen and heard there.<\/i><\/p>\n You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the<\/p>\n ark you shall put the Testimony that I will give you. And<\/p>\n there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from<\/p>\n above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim<\/p>\n which\u00a0are\u00a0<\/i>on the ark of the Testimony. (Exodus 25:21\u201322a)<\/p>\n So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from<\/p>\n thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts,<\/p>\n which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons<\/p>\n of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of<\/p>\n the covenant of God. (1 Samuel 4:4, KJV)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n 2. God\u2019s Presence with the Ark of the Covenant (cont.)<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n b. God\u2019s presence in rested on the ark when the Philistines took<\/i><\/p>\n the ark to Philistia as a prize of war.\u00a0See\u00a0<\/i>1 Samuel 4:17, 21; 5:1\u201312.<\/p>\n So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the<\/p>\n Philistines, and said, \u201cSend away the ark of the God of Israel,<\/p>\n and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not<\/p>\n kill us and our people.\u201d For there was a deadly destruction<\/p>\n throughout all the city; the hand of God was very<\/p>\n heavy there. (1 Samuel 5:11)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n c. God\u2019s presence was on the ark at Obed-Edom\u2019s house<\/i><\/p>\n So David would not move the ark of the LORD with him<\/p>\n into the City of David; but David took it aside into the<\/p>\n house of Obed\u2013Edom the Gittite. The ark of the LORD<\/p>\n remained in the house of Obed\u2013Edom the Gittite three<\/p>\n months. And the LORD blessed Obed\u2013Edom and all his<\/p>\n household. (2 Samuel 6:10\u201311)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n d. God\u2019s unveiled presence was in the tabernacle of David<\/i><\/p>\n Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the<\/p>\n LORD with shouting and with the sound of the horn,<\/p>\n with trumpets and with cymbals, making music with<\/p>\n stringed instruments and harps. And it happened,\u00a0as\u00a0<\/i>the<\/p>\n ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the City of<\/p>\n David . . . (1 Chronicles 15:28\u201329)<\/p>\n So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst<\/p>\n of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then they<\/p>\n offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. . . .<\/p>\n And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before<\/p>\n the ark of the LORD, to commemorate, to thank, and to<\/p>\n praise the LORD God of Israel . . . Benaiah and Jahaziel<\/p>\n the priests regularly\u00a0blew\u00a0<\/i>the trumpets before the ark of<\/p>\n the covenant of God. . . . So he left Asaph and his brothers<\/p>\n there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to<\/p>\n minister before the ark regularly, as every day\u2019s work<\/p>\n required. (1 Chronicles 16:1, 4, 6, 37)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n e. The high priests in the holy of holies experienced God in<\/i><\/p>\n both the tabernacle and the temple<\/i><\/p>\n And the LORD said to Moses: \u201cTell Aaron your brother<\/p>\n not to come at\u00a0just\u00a0<\/i>any time into the Holy\u00a0Place\u00a0<\/i>inside<\/p>\n the veil, before the mercy seat which\u00a0is\u00a0<\/i>on the ark, lest he<\/p>\n die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.\u201d<\/p>\n (Leviticus 16:2)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n That we may perform the service of the LORD before Him with<\/p>\n our burnt offerings, with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings;\u201d<\/p>\n (Joshua 22: 27)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n 3. God Appeared in Old Testament Theophanies (preincarnate<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n appearances \u00a0of Jesus)<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n a. The Angel of the Lord<\/i>\u2014See\u00a0<\/i>appendix 6A, \u201cGod Can Appear<\/p>\n in Different Forms,\u201d under point A.<\/p>\n b. Melchizedek, King of Peace and High Priest forever is God<\/i>\u2014<\/p>\n See\u00a0<\/i>appendix 6B, 4: \u201cGod Can Appear in Different Forms.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 3. God Appeared in Old Testament Theophanies (cont.)<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n c. Commander of the Lord\u2019s Army (Captain of the Host)<\/i>\u2014See<\/i><\/p>\n appendix 6 B,5, \u201cGod Can Appear in Different Forms.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n 4. Jesus Came in the Form of a Man<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery<\/p>\n to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation,<\/p>\n taking the form of a bondservant,\u00a0and\u00a0<\/i>coming in<\/p>\n the likeness of men. And\u00a0being found in appearance as a<\/i><\/p>\n man<\/i>, He humbled Himself and became obedient to\u00a0the<\/i><\/p>\n point of\u00a0<\/i>death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians<\/p>\n 2:6\u20138)<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n D. God Is Both Transcendent and Immanent.<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cAm\u00a0<\/i>I a God near at hand,\u201d says the LORD, \u201cAnd not a<\/p>\n God afar off ?\u201d (Jeremiah 23:23)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and<\/p>\n to present\u00a0you\u00a0<\/i>faultless before the presence of His glory<\/p>\n with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, Who alone is wise,<\/p>\n be\u00a0<\/i>glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and<\/p>\n forever. Amen. (Jude 1:24\u201325)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am<\/p>\n gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your<\/p>\n souls. (Matthew 11:29)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Who being the brightness of\u00a0His\u00a0<\/i>glory and the express<\/p>\n image of His person, and upholding all things by the<\/p>\n word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our<\/p>\n sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.<\/p>\n (Hebrews 1:3)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given<\/p>\n Him the name which is above every name, that at the<\/p>\n name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven,<\/p>\n and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,<\/p>\n and\u00a0that\u00a0<\/i>every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ\u00a0is<\/i><\/p>\n Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9\u201311)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n My beloved [Jesus, not expressly indicated] is like a gazelle or a young stag. Behold,<\/p>\n he stands behind our wall; He is looking through<\/p>\n the windows, gazing through the lattice. My beloved<\/p>\n spoke, and said to me: \u201cRise up, my love, my fair one, and<\/p>\n come away. (Song of Solomon 2:9\u201310)<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Who\u00a0is\u00a0<\/i>like You, O LORD, among the gods? Who\u00a0is\u00a0<\/i>like<\/p>\n You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?<\/p>\n (Exodus 15:11)<\/p>\n Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?<\/p>\n Tell\u00a0Me<\/i>, if you have understanding. . . . Have the gates of<\/p>\n death been revealed to you? Or have you seen the doors of<\/p>\n the shadow of death? . . . Have you entered the treasury of<\/p>\n snow, or have you seen the treasury of hail? . . . Can you<\/p>\n bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the belt of Orion?<\/p>\n (Job 38:4, 17, 22, 31)<\/p>\n The Following Topics Will Also be Addressed in Appendix 8:<\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Objection 2: Jesus is Not Omnipresent; He Is out of<\/span><\/p>\n Our Sight, Physically Seated at the Right Hand of God.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n I. Supportive Scriptures<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n II. Answers To Objection 2<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n A. Scripture Directs Us to Look to Jesus Who is Seated at<\/b><\/p>\n the Right Hand of the Father in Heaven.<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n B. While Jesus is Seated at the Right Hand of the Father<\/b><\/p>\n in Heaven, He Tells Us That We Will See Him There and<\/b><\/p>\n See Him Coming in the Clouds.<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n C. We are Seated with Him in Heavenly Places<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n D. While We are Seated with Jesus in Heavenly Places Together, He also Lives in Us by His Spirit<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n D. (cont.) While We are Seated with Jesus in Heavenly Places<\/b><\/p>\n Together, He also Lives in Us by His Spirit<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n E. It\u2019s the Father Who Sends the Spirit of Wisdom and<\/b><\/p>\n the Spirit of Revelation\/Understanding (Holy Spirit) to<\/b><\/p>\n Reveal Jesus to Us.<\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n F. And Jesus Reveals the Father.<\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Appendix 8: Answers to Objections to Seeing God Excerpt from Appendix 8 of\u2026 Immanuel: A Practicum\u00a0by Patricia A. Velotta Objections to Seeing God Objection 1: You Can\u2019t See God I. Supportive Scriptures No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared\u00a0Him. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-149","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","hentry","category-appendices","post_format-post-format-gallery"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n<\/b><\/p>\n