יהוה appeared to Abraham as a man
Genesis 18:1-2 And יהוה appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, while he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he [Abraham] lifted his eyes and looked, and saw three men standing opposite him. And when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,
Genesis 18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before יהוה.
Genesis 19:1 And the two messengers came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom.
Did יהוה appear to the Disciples as the "man" Yeshua? Will He appear as a "man" yet again in the future?
Is it not obvious and profoundly intriguing that יהוה appeared in the flesh as a man in Genesis 18? If it was not actual flesh which He appeared in, He at least looked like a man. יהוה even ate fleshy food that Abraham gave Him to eat. Read the whole passage in context. Physical flesh or not is irrelevant. From the start, we define and think on these matters poorly. Is it not we who are made in His image (Genesis 1:26) and not the other way around? Teachers often get kabbalistic when regarding the question of what His image was/is, but regardless if there are greater and unknowable levels of His imagery, the plain level of meaning is this: WE LOOK LIKE HIM, which may be why He calls us all elohim in Psalm 82:6. Furthermore, many claim that Yeshua (as יהוה) appearing in the flesh of a man is a pagan idea, thus in their mind, Yeshua can't be יהוה, but they forget that man is the image/reflection of יהוה. No matter how many pagans have hijacked this reality in antiquity, we can see from Genesis 18-19 and John 20:28 (speaking of Yeshua) that יהוה has indeed appeared in physical form and/or imagery as a "man" in the past and will do so again in the future according to the Prophets. This should simply not be confusing or a stumbling block for those born of the Spirit. Carefully read the following passages!
Habakkuk 3:3-6 Eloah comes from Teman, And the Set-Apart One from Mount Paran. Selah. His splendor covers the heavens, And the earth is full of His praise. His radiance is like the sunlight; He has rays flashing from His hand, And there is the secret of His power. Before Him goes pestilence, and plague comes after Him. He stood and surveyed the earth; He looked and startled the nations. Yes, the perpetual mountains were shattered, The ancient hills collapsed. His ways are everlasting.
Revelation 19:11-16 And I saw the heaven opened, and there was a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Trustworthy and True, and in righteousness He judges and fights. And His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns, having a Name that had been written, which no one had perceived except Himself and having been dressed in a robe dipped in blood – and His Name is called: The Word of יהוה. And the armies in the heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. And out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations. And He shall shepherd them with a rod of iron. And He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of El Shaddai. And on His robe and on His banner [or thigh?] He has a name written: SOVEREIGN OF SOVEREIGNS AND MASTER OF MASTERS.
Ezekiel 43:1-4 Then he led me to the gate, the gate facing toward the east; and behold, the glory of the Elohim of Israel was coming from the way of the east. And His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory ... And the glory of יהוה came into the house by the way of the gate facing toward the east. And He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell among the sons of Israel forever.
Ezekiel 37:26-28 And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever. My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their Elohim, and they will be My people. And the nations will know that I am יהוה who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever.
Isaiah 24 (selected verses) Behold, יהוה lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface, and scatters its inhabitants ... They raise their voices, they shout for joy. They cry out from the west concerning the majesty of יהוה. Therefore glorify יהוה in the east, The name of יהוה, the Elohim of Israel in the coastlands of the sea ... So it will happen in that day, that יהוה will punish the host of heaven, on high, and the kings of the earth, on earth ... Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed, For יהוה of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, And His glory will be before His elders ... For behold, יהוה is about to come out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; and the earth will reveal her bloodshed, and will no longer cover her slain.
Isaiah 60 (selected verses) Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of יהוה has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and deep darkness the peoples; but יהוה will rise upon you, and His glory will appear upon you. ... No longer is the sun your light by day, nor does the moon give light to you for brightness, but יהוה shall be to you an everlasting light, and your Elohim your comeliness. ... No longer does your sun go down, nor your moon withdraw itself, for יהוה shall be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended.
Revelation 21:22-24 And I saw no temple therein: for יהוה Elohim Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of Elohim did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Revelation 22:5 And night shall be no more, and they shall have no need of a lamp or the light of the sun, because יהוה Elohim shall give them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Hebrews 1:8-9 But to the Son He says, "Your throne, O Elohim, is forever and ever, a sceptre of straightness is the sceptre of Your reign (reference Psalm 45:6). You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. Because of this, Elohim, Your Elohim, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions."
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Note: Just because there is no Temple in the future (as Revelation indicates), this doesn't mean there will not be an altar and priesthood for sacrifices. Some of the sacrifices may not continue because of "the Lamb" Yeshua being perpetually present, but there are many other sacrificial offerings that aren't connected to national atonement and individual salvation. We will simply have to wait to understand many of the things that will transpire in the future.
Related Content:
- Did the Disciples think of Yeshua as YHWH Elohim?
- The Second Coming of YHVH (a weak alternative view)
