How do people see God in Scripture if He is invisible?

[@maxaplin4204]

This topic is a good example of a biblical paradox. At first sight there looks to be a contradiction (God is invisible and visible), but when we dig deeper we find that there is no contradiction at all.

[@garrettwalden8678]

Excellent video! Dr. Claunch was one of my favorite professors at SBTS. I couldn't recommend his ministry more highly!

[@yashdayma4723]

One of the best detailed explanation videos I have ever seen about God - Thank You truly for this awesome explanation ❤

[@davidblick2192]

God is invisible when He wants to be and visible when He wants to be.

[@martinharrison7880]

In John14:8-10 Remember when the Apostle Phillip said "Lord show us the Father" JESUS said 2 him "Have I been with U so long and yet U have not known Me, Phillip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father So how can U say "Show us the Father"

[@runwillrobinson]

Very good and helpful information... thank you.

[@joeyhenry7287]

The invisibility of God seems to be an attribute in relation to created beings rather than God’s ability to show or reveal himself to his creation. It is not that God is unable to make himself visible should he choose to be visible. Rather, no created being can will by its own power or ability to see God. God does not need to hide before our eyes for on our own, we can’t see God at our choosing. The divide between the Creator and Creation is so vast that no created being can see God unless God chooses to reveal or disclose himself. When God does disclose himself, it is always an accomodation to our ability to see and comprehend. As created beings, we are unable to see the fullness of God without being consumed. God is infinite and our finite eyes and mind will not be able to fully grasp God. So, God always accomodate our finiteness when he reveals himself. The Bible often speaks of God revealing himself through human form, light, fire, smoke, etc… The ultimate expression of his disclosure to his creation is his incarnation and the coming of the Spirit at the pentecost, where people see tongues of fire resting in his disciples.

[@maxaplin4204]

God is literally invisible by nature, as spirit (John 4:24), so literally he cannot make himself visible or he would cease to be who he is. But he can non-literally make himself visible in various ways.

[@StraitTalkMedia]

Love this channel thank you for that explanation ❤

[@maxaplin4204]

Very helpful explanation. God is literally invisible. But human beings have seen and will see God in various non-literal ways.

[@torikatsudon018]

Really well explained!

[@athenaparish72]

God is in the details. You can see him everywhere.

[@AnampiuMarangu]

Psalms chapter 19

[@sabfan729]

I cannot believe you went through this entire video and not once mentioned Exodus 33: 18-20. Where God tells Moses that his face cannot be seen because no man can see God and live.

[@paulmackintosh2038]

Here are the real questions: What was our closest moment with God? How did we get there? What's preventing us from getting there again and getting even closer? Why are some closer to God than others?

[@Johnvalkyre]

We don't deserve to see God were dirty sinners. His glow is so bright it would blind us. Its like looking at the Sun except more brighter and deadly. So he'll not reveal himself to us unless he chooses.

[@latenightcereal2390]

God gave His own attribute to himself when He said "I Am." He's not a part of His creation. He is above and separate from it. He, of Himself, couldn't fit here. He comes in spirit, or man, or angel, or cloud, or bush, or just a whisper, in the examples of the Bible. It seems in some cases the angel of the lord is an embodiment of Him. And sometimes he's a man, that comes through, drops some crazy knowledge, blows everyone's minds and is gone. Or he comes as 3 men, or however. He Is. Just Is. Absolutes! Thems the rules. They don't change, situations do! He's God however He decides to present Himself! There's no choice about it. Absolutes! So yeah, I agree... Invisible. Or not, but according to that one vision, the angels in heaven kept their eyes covered in His presence, so what's it matter? Too glorious, and great to look at.

[@bosse641]

"God is spirit". .....and spirit is invisible. When the Scriptures then speak of people having seen or shall see Him, that must than be understood correctly. And for that we need light from Above. Revelation. We do not know what it means to see God.

[@darkpatches]

Is it a coincidence that a "real" god reveals himself through the same method as fictional gods: Through a marketing team? Both kinds are invisible.

[@Potato-Eye]

Nope, trimity belief is wrong. They are not the same. Even jesus said i am not God. You are close to the true word. But still wrong who would belive that god would pray to himself?

[@ehdforlife]

Exodus 33:11 NIV [11] The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. Moses talked with God face to face. This is not an effect. And when Abraham had the 3 men showed up and the 3rd was the Lord. They actually sat down for a meal, and talked. I would suggest this was Jesus. Jesus was with God in the beginning, so to me, why wouldn't he be the one. Even when Shadrack Mishak and Abendigo we're cast in the fire, the King could see one, like the Son of man. I guess we will only truly know on the other side.

[@strangelaw6384]

But it said, "(...) face to face, AS one speaks to a friend." I think "face to face" in this context is more a figure of speech than a visual description. This puts emphasis on the relationship between Moses and God (friend-like), which juxtaposes the relationship between God and the Israelites (ruler and subjects), and elevating the degree of holiness of Moses far above that achievable by a regular Israelite.

[@ehdforlife]

@strangelaw6384 Numbers 12:7-8 NIV [7] But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. [8] With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” Face to face, he sees the form of the Lord.

[@strangelaw6384]

@@ehdforlife I read Numbers 12. Okay, you're right.

[@adamsanchez222]

Jesus Christ of Nazareth is my Lord and my God and one day my eyes will see Him as He is. Jesus replied, “Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? -John 14: 9

[@luketolson9829]

Jesus is the second person of the holy trinity he is God he claims to be God and he took on flesh fair for God, has appeared, and was born in a physical way, lived a life on earth. That is why we can now paint icons of Christ, Jesus, because his image was known

[@strangelaw6384]

But is Jesus really "God"? Or is Jesus simply the "word of God made flesh"? I am not undermining the divinity of Jesus and God's plan, simply that John did not make it clear that Jesus is on the same hierarchical level as the Lord, an a clear way. In fact, Jesus himself repeatedly conveyed that he is subordinate to Him. If so, what does John mean by "was from God" AND "is God"?

[@maxaplin4204]

@@strangelaw6384 The person who is God the Father has authority over the person who is God the Son, but both are fully the Being that is God. The New Testament often uses the word 'God' (Greek: theos) to refer to the Being that is God without thinking of persons of the Trinity. And it also often uses this word to refer specifically to the person of the Trinity who is God the Father. Here is John 1:1 with explanatory additions in square brackets: 'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God [the person who is God the Father], and the Word was God [the Being that is God].' There is nothing illogical about this. 'God' is being used in this sentence in two different ways. Important too is John 20:28, where Thomas says to Jesus: 'My Lord and my God.' It is notable that Jesus doesn't correct Thomas, which we would certainly expect him to do if Thomas was wrongly calling him 'God'.

[@bosse641]

God(YHVH) is NOT a human, Job 9:32 / Numbers 23:19 / Hosea 11:9 But the man Jesus, the second Adam, is a human, 1 Timothy 2:5 ...And God do not change, Malachi 3:6 Jesus called his God, Father, John 20:17 And so did the apostles, 1 Corinthians 8:6 .....and so do I, amazing grace. I have the same God as they. Father God is the only One, John 17:3 YHVH is His holy name, The God of Israel, Deuteronomy 6:4 / Mark 12:29 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort." 2 Corinthians 1:3 Amen.

[@strangelaw6384]

@@maxaplin4204 When I am talking to my friend on the phone and you ask me who I am talking to, I tell you "this is my friend, dave". I don't mean that the acoustic waves coming out of the speaker of my phone IS Dave. What I meant is that there is a person who is on the other side of the phoneline, producing those sounds, that got transmitted to my phone. That person is Dave. The Word of God "is God" insofar that it, the Word of God, represents God. And when the Word of God is made flesh, it became he. Jesus is God's creation. God created Jesus in His image (Colossians 1:15), but unlike what He did with us, He made Jesus to contain the fullness of Him. In this way, and only in this way, Jesus "is" Him.

[@maxaplin4204]

@@strangelaw6384 I would suggest that your explanation doesn't do justice to John 20:28, where Thomas calls Jesus 'my God'. This certainly doesn't sound as if Thomas is simply referring to a created entity that is merely representing God. I would also suggest that it isn't possible for an entity lesser than God to contain the fullness of God. Similarly, in John 5:18 we are told that Jesus was making himself equal to God. But logically only an entity that is in fact God could be equal to God.

[@melvinhunt6976]

Nobody has actually seen God !