There are mysterious incidents in the Bible where some people met with Yahweh. The circumstances are different from one to another, but there are two factors that are the same. There is an audible voice and there is light or radiance. The same Lord and Savior who created the heavens and the earth visits his people with a divine voice and brilliant light. John gave us an intimate spiritual view of our Lord and Savior in the opening verses of his gospel. John tells us that Jesus is the divine utterance, he is the living voice, mirroring Genesis 1, and he is the radiance in the obscurity. Many people heard Yahweh’s voice, the divine utterance, and cultivated their relationship with him. But some saw him, they saw his radiance. The divine utterance spoke light into being in the origin and we see his radiance. He resides in his children and we radiate His radiance.
John 1:1 G1722 In G746 the beginning G1510.7.3 was G3588 the G3056 word, G2532 and G3588 the G3056 word G1510.7.3 was G4314 with G3588 G2316 God, G2532 and G2316 [4God G1510.7.3 3was G3588 1the G3056 2word].
“In origin was becoming the divine utterance. And the divine utterance was becoming with the Elohim and the Elohim was becoming the living voice.”
The origin or the archē, is the point that we are starting from. It denotes a beginning, maybe not the only beginning, but a beginning. When we take into consideration that the origin, archē, the Elohim made heaven and earth, that is one beginning. The origin of plants and animals is another beginning. The origin of manfaced is another beginning. A change occurred and the earth had another beginning with light. The origin of our age is a beginning, but maybe not the time that the earth was made.
Genesis 1:1 G1722 In G746 the beginning G4160 God made G3588 G2316 G3588 the G3772 heaven G2532 and G3588 the G1093 earth.
2 G3588 But the G1161 G1093 earth G1510.7.3 was G517 unseen G2532 and G180.2 unready, G2532 and G4655 darkness G1883 was upon G3588 the G12 abyss, G2532 and G4151 spirit G2316 of God G2018 bore G1883 upon G3588 the G5204 water.
3 G2532 And G2036 God said, G3588 G2316 G1096 Let there be G5457 light! G2532 And G1096 there was G5457 light
Genesis1:1 LXX-WH G1722 PREP εν G746 N-DSF αρχη G4160 V-AAI-3S εποιησεν G3588 T-NSM ο G2316 N-NSM θεος G3588 T-ASM τον G3772 N-ASM ουρανον G2532 CONJ και G3588 T-ASF την G1093 N-ASF γην
2 G3588 T-NSF η G1161 PRT δε G1065 N-NSF γη G1510 V-IAI-3S ην G517 A-NSM αορατος G2532 CONJ και A-NSM ακατασκευαστος G2532 CONJ και G4655 N-NSN σκοτος G1883 PREP επανω G3588 T-GSF της G12 N-GSF αβυσσου G2532 CONJ και G4151 N-NSN πνευμα G2316 N-GSM θεου G2018 V-IMI-3S επεφερετο G1883 PREP επανω G3588 T-GSN του G5204 N-GSN υδατος
3 G2532 CONJ και V-AAI-3S ειπεν G3588 T-NSM ο G2316 N-NSM θεος G1096 V-APD-3S γενηθητω G5457 N-NSN φως G2532 CONJ και G1096 V-AMI-3S εγενετο G5457 N-NSN φως
The heavens and earth are one origin. Then there is a “but”. But is an adversative expressing opposition. The but affects the earth only. The heaven is not affected by whatever took place. We note again from Genesis 1:2 that the earth was become, εἰμί, formless, void, and dark. The word εἰμί is an imperfect tense meaning it is “an action that is ongoing, repeated, or not yet completed”. It is also known as a “past continuous tense”, like was become/was becoming. Since the Elohim does not create imperfection, he did not create the earth formlessness, void, dark, or invisible, unconstructed, and obscure. What was the earth before it was formless, void, and dark? Something happened to cause the earth to change, but the heavens did not change.
The Holy Spirit epipherō, epi “on”, pherō “bring”, or “superinduced” the water and the Elohim spoke. This is the origin that John is speaking of. He is not speaking of the origin when the heaven and earth were perfect or when the earth became imperfect. John is speaking of the origin of light. The origin is the divine utterance of the spoken “come into being light”. Which of the Elohim was the divine voice? This is the point that John is making.
John 1:2 G3778 This one G1510.7.3 was G1722 in G746 the beginning G4314 with G3588 G2316 God.
“He was becoming in origin with the Elohim.”
Who is “he”? Jesus the Messiah.
John 1:3 G3956 All G1223 through G1473 him G1096 existed, G2532 and G5565 apart from G1473 him G1096 existed G3761 not even G1520 one thing G3739 which G1096 exists.
“Everything by means of Him came into being and without Him came into being not even one that came into being.”
Jesus the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. Everything was created by him, for him, and through him. He spoke and it became. He is the author and finisher.
John 1:4 G1722 In G1473 him G2222 was life, G1510.7.3 G2532 and G3588 the G2222 life G1510.7.3 was G3588 the G5457 light G3588 G444 of men.
“In Him life was becoming and the life was becoming the radiance the manfaced.”
Life was actively becoming when he spoke “come into being light”. The life was becoming the radiance, the manfaced was made in the image and likeness of the Elohim. Every human is made radiant to start. Babies are radiant. Children are radiant. However we become dark and obscure in our own selves when the world beats us down. We can become radiant again. Jesus himself was born radiant. He was always radiant, the source of light. He is luminous.
Jesus spoke light into existence as the living word. The earth came out of gloom. Yet he himself is radiance, phōs. As a physical human he was becoming radiance, or continually radiant.
John 1:5 G2532 And G3588 the G5457 light G1722 in G3588 the G4653 darkness G5316 appears, G2532 and G3588 the G4653 darkness G1473 [2it G3756 3not G2638 1overtook].
“And the radiance in the obscurity brings to light and the obscurity He not downward receive.”
Imagine we walk into a dark room and turn on a flashlight. What happens? The light dispels the dark. We can illuminate anything we want, directly and indirectly everything in the room is illuminated. Jesus did not receive the darkness. When we note κατελαβεν, the idea is kata “downward” from heaven to earth, and lambanō to “take or receive”. Jesus did not receive, obtain, or accept, darkness, obscurity. Jesus did not take darkness by the shoulders and shake it until it stopped being dark, he just didn’t lay hold of it. John is saying that Jesus did not change the darkness, he did not take it from heaven to earth and seize or remove it, he simply left it. His own radiance and the radiance of his people dispels darkness, but it is still here.
The darkness cannot remove the radiance either. Even when the saints are harpazo’d, there will be radiance from the 144,000 and the new believers.
John 1:10 G1722 [2in G3588 3the G2889 4world G1510.7.3 1He was], G2532 and G3588 the G2889 world G1223 by G1473 him G1096 existed, G2532 and G3588 the G2889 world G1473 [2him G3756 3not G1097 1knew].
“in the cosmos was become, and the cosmos though him came into being, and the cosmos Him not know.”
This is a little cryptic because we have a hard time imagining that cosmos did not realize who Jesus was. He made the cosmos and the cosmos didn’t recognize him. We assume the cosmos would have rejoiced over our Saviors birth. We assume that since the heavens were rejoicing the lower heavens would have known him and rejoiced too. They did not.
John 1:11 G1519 Unto G3588 his own G2398 G2064 he came, G2532 and G3588 his own G2398 G1473 [2him G3756 3not G3880 1received].
“into the ones own came and the ones own him not receive near.”
Jesus came as an heir of Jacob but the heirs of Jacob did not receive Jesus Messiah.
John 1:12 G3745 But as many as G1161 G2983 received G1473 him, G1325 he gave G1473 to them G1849 authority G5043 [2children G2316 3of God G1096 1to become], G3588 to the ones G4100 believing G1519 in G3588 G3686 his name; G1473
“But how many receive him he gave them supra-mundane powers come into being children the Elohim the trusting into the name his.”
However many people receive Jesus Messiah he gives exousia “authority”, transcending the everyday spiritual, to become children of the Elohim by trusting in His name. There is a spiritual aspect to our radiance. Once we believe and trust in Jesus we have an exercised authority as the Elohims children. Other people cannot understand this exousia even though they may see our radiance.
John 1:13 G3739 the ones who G3756 not G1537 from G129 blood, G3761 nor G1537 from G2307 will G4561 of flesh, G3761 nor G1537 from G2307 will G435 of man, G235 but G1537 from G2316 God G1080 were born.
“That not from out of blood neither from out of determination flesh neither from out of determination human being, contrariwise from out of the Elohim birthed.”
This statement clears up any false ideas that Jesus decided he was going to be the Messiah, he was born the Messiah. Some people think that Jesus was a prophet, as if he chose to do that himself, but they cannot see him as Messiah. He was birthed from the Elohim as Messiah. No flesh or blood willed the Messiah. No human pointed to baby Jesus and chose to make him Israel’s Messiah. The Elohim chose Jesus to be Israel’s Messiah. He went to Israel first, but the majority rejected him.
John 1:14 G2532 And G3588 the G3056 word G4561 [2flesh G1096 1became], G2532 and G4637 tented G1722 among G1473 us, G2532 and G2300 we saw G3588 G1391 his glory, G1473 G1391 glory G5613 as G3439 an only child G3844 of G3962 the father, G4134 full G5484 of favor G2532 and G225 truth.
“And the divine utterance come into being flesh and encamped in us and look on the his glory, glory like as only born in the presence of Father full favor and truth.”
The one who is the divine utterance, who was born from the Elohim, became flesh and lived in us. We believed and trusted in him and then we could see his glory and his radiance. Those who saw him when he walked the region of Israel, who believed on him, saw his glory and radiance. He lives in us. His glory is that of one born from the Father with full favor and truth. He gave us the exousia to be children of the Father in Heaven.
Jesus did not embrace the darkness. He didn’t try to convert the darkness he did what he did in the origin and said “come into being light”. He lived on the earth he created, among the people who were waiting and expecting their Messiah. By our receiving Him as Messiah and Lord he lives in us, and our radiance is spiritually blinding to the darkness.
While we have Christ in us the hope of glory, there were people who saw Yahweh Jesus Messiah and they too believed on him. These people were serving Yahweh without having seen him first. They believed first then they saw him. They all had different reactions as well. Let’s explore.
Abraham had an interesting relationship with Yahweh as he had always known him, and was taught about him by Noah and Shem. This is why the first time we see Yahweh speak to Abram in Genesis Yahweh is telling him to leave Terah’s house and move. Abraham is not shocked or surprised. One would think that if this was the first time Abraham is hearing from Yahweh he would interact, question, contemplate, ask if it was really Yahweh speaking to him. Abraham does not question Yahweh, he simply does what he is told. Notice from Jasher, Abram/Abraham was brought up knowing Yahweh from Noah and Shem.
Jasher 9:4 Haran was forty-two years old when he had Sarai, which was in the tenth year of the life of Abram; and in those days Abram and his mother and nurse went out from the cave, as the king and his subjects had forgotten the affair of Abram. 5 When Abram came out from the cave, he went to Noah and his son Shem, and he remained with them to learn the instruction of the Lord and his ways; no man knew where Abram was, and Abram served Noah and Shem his son for a long time. 6 Abram was in Noah's house thirty-nine years, and Abram knew the Lord from three years old; he went in the ways of the Lord until the day of his death, as Noah and his son Shem had taught him,…
Lumpkin, Joseph. Enoch, Jubilees, Jasher: Banned from the Bible (p. 190). Fifth Estate. Kindle Edition.
We see all through Abraham’s life that he just rolls with Yahweh. He doesn’t struggle, he doesn’t resist. He just flows in Yahweh. It is only when we understand his life of relationship with Yahweh that this makes sense. Especially when Yahweh tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. Isaac was 37 years old, not a child, but they both go along with it. They both supernaturally trust Yahweh.
We see Yahweh walking and talking with Abraham as a friend. Yahweh was very willing to tell Abraham what was going to happen in Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim. Abraham was comfortable to negotiate for as many people as possible, which turned out to be four, with three making it to Zohar.
Gen 18:22 And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
Gen 18:23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
Gen 18:33 And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
The Pharisees loved to tell everyone that Abraham was their father. In reality Abraham may not have been their blood relation. Abraham was not their spiritual father either as they did not have the faith of Abraham and a personal relationship with Yahweh Elohim. In their anger the Pharisees report to Jesus that Abraham is dead.
Jhn 8:50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.
Jhn 8:51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.
Jhn 8:52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.
Jhn 8:53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
This question opened the door for Jesus to tell them that in fact he is greater than Abraham.
Jhn 8:54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God:
Jhn 8:55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
Jhn 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
Many times people focus on the wrong verse here. They look at verse 56 and surmise that Abraham was only “seeing” prophetically. However the Pharisees respond with an answer that points to Abraham seeing Jesus physically.
There is something to be said for Abraham rejoicing when he saw Yahweh. Abraham had quite a relationship with Yahweh. The Pharisees help us out here because their response is that Jesus isn’t old enough to have seen Abraham. He wasn’t old enough as a manfaced. However as the Creator who said “come into being light”, he certainly was old enough. Why wouldn’t the Creator come to earth to visit his people? Just because he didn’t come to earth to visit the Pharisees doesn’t mean he didn’t come to visit those who believed on Him and worshipped Him.
Jhn 8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
Jhn 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
What a predicament the Pharisees put themselves in. Nonetheless, we see that Abraham was quite comfortable hanging out with Yahweh.
Moses grew up in Pharaohs house but he knew that he was from a Hebrew family of the tribe of Levi. Moses grew up with some knowledge of the Hebrew God but he experienced Yahweh face to face after he left Egypt. Moses wasn’t searching for the Elohim or a spiritual journey, he is content herding his father-in-laws sheep. One day he sees something he cannot comprehend and goes to investigate. There he meets Yahweh.
Exo 3:2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
Exo 3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.
Exo 3:4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
Moses sees a bush burning but not being consumed. Curious. Then Yahweh calls him by name.
Exo 3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
Moses turned his face away from Yahweh. He was afraid. What was scary? His radiance. How can Moses look upon such a holy Elohim? Abraham was not afraid, but Moses on his first meeting was afraid.
Exo 3:13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
Exo 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.
Jesus told the Pharisees that he is I AM. Who was Moses speaking to? I AM. Yahweh Elohim even tells Moses to tell the Israelites in Egypt that he, I AM, is sending Moses to them. The Pharisees knew full well who Jesus was claiming to be, so instead of asking a lot more questions and trying to learn from him, the Pharisees decide to kill him. Jesus is the I AM who delivered Jacob’s heirs out of Egypt, yet he was in Jerusalem, standing in the temple courts proclaiming that Abraham and Mosses knew him. As Moses is directed by Yahweh we see him become comfortable in Yahweh’s presence.
Exo 33:11 And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
Is it possible that Moses’ face was covered? As we will see, Yahweh and Moses spoke face to face, but Moses is not to see Yahweh’s face. Moses gets comfortable pretty fast. While he still may not have been looking at Yahweh Elohim’s face, he was certainly talking with Him. Then Moses has a big ask.
Exo 33:17 And 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.
Exo 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.
Exo 33:19 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 shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
Exo 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
Exo 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:
Exo 33:22 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:
Exo 33:23 And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
Abraham walked and talked with Yahweh. Moses spoke with Yahweh but was told that he could not look at him and live. When Moses came down from the mountain in the wilderness, his face radiated.
Exo 34:29 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
Exo 34:30 And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him.
Exo 34:31 And Moses called unto them; and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned unto him: and Moses talked with them.
Exo 34:32 And afterward all the children of Israel came nigh: and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him in mount Sinai.
Exo 34:33 And till Moses had done speaking with them, he put a vail on his face.
Exo 34:34 But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he took the vail off, until he came out. And he came out, and spake unto the children of Israel that which he was commanded.
Exo 34:35 And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the vail upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
Meeting with Yahweh caused Moses to be so radiant the people couldn’t look at him.
If we were living in Israel knowing that Moses met with Yahweh on Horeb we might think that if we went to Horeb we could have that same experience, a personal meeting. It wouldn’t be unusual for us to think that today we could meet with Yahweh on Horeb. Elijah knew from prophecies that he was to be taken up, not die on the earth. After standing down evil in Israel Elijah probably thought it was time to be taken. Unfortunately for Elijah Yahweh had a few more assignments. Elijah ran over 411 miles to get to Horeb to meet Yahweh. Elijah gets to Horeb and audibly talks to Yahweh. Yahweh asks why Elijah is there and Elijah answers. But Elijah seems to want a face to face meeting.
Elijah is to “come out” and “stand”, histēmi, “before the face of”, enōpion, Yahweh in the mountain. Yahweh told him to come out to the front of the cave to stand in the face of Yahweh because Yahweh was coming for a visit. Yahweh will pass by. Yahweh is already talking to Elijah, but now Yahweh is going to come in person. When Yahweh shows up it is unmistakable.
...G2532 And G4151 [3wind G3173 1 there was a great G2900 2strong] G1262 parting G3735 the mountains, G2532 and G4937 breaking G4073 rocks G1799 before G2962 the lord; G3756 [2 was not G1722 3in G3588 4the G4151 5wind G2962 1 but the lord]. G2532 And G3326 after G3588 the G4151 wind G4952.2 a rumbling; G3756 [2 was not G1722 3in G3588 4the G4952.2 5rumbling G2962 1 but the lord].
There was a wind so strong that it dispersed the mountains and crushed rocks or was it actually the Holy Spirit? The words megas krataios pneuma can be a great powerful wind or a great powerful spirit. The Holy Spirit came and dispersed mountains and crushed rocks before the face of Yahweh. The word “before”, enōpion, means “in the face” or “before the face of” or “in the presence of”. The wind came before the presence of the Lord. Read this as the time or the sequence of the event, the wind came before the face of Yahweh was seen. Yahweh was not in the wind, the Holy Spirit was.
The next thing that happened was a rumbling or a concussion, sysseismón. This is not quite the word for earthquake, seismos, it was something more, like a violent convulsion in the atmosphere. The rumbling was not coming from the earth. This rumbling happened to David when he battled the Philistines.
Because the Greek is very specific, they differentiate sysseismón from an actual earthquake. It is the sound and the violent convulsing coming from heaven not from within the earth. It comes from above the ground, not from below the earth’s surface up to the surface of the earth. The rumbling is a sonic boom. A sonic boom is a shock wave from something traveling through air faster than the speed of sound. Think lightning. When Yahweh and the military show up they travel faster than the speed of sound. Yahweh was not in the sonic boom. Elijah is saying that he saw the effects of the wind, but did not see Yahweh. He heard the sonic boom, but did not see Yahweh.
Yahweh travels to earth faster than the speed of sound. When Yahweh shows up it is loud. He breaks the sound barrier. When airplanes break the sound barrier there is a visible effect as well, as the air is pushed out of the way by the plane. There is a rippling effect in the air similar to a rippling effect of a stick drawn through water, although the ripples are much closer together and dense. This causes a smoke/cloud like appearance around the plane. Have we ever learned about Yahweh entering the atmosphere breaking the sound barrier in our churches? Elijah does a great job of explaining this event. Today we have the words and the understanding to put it together. In Elijah’s time all he could do was simply explain it, so that later Jeremiah would record it, and eventually we would have the technological understanding of a sonic boom.
Imagine, somewhere around 918 BCE, before there were cars, planes, computers, or indoor plumbing, Elijah was explaining the breaking of the sound barrier. Even the understanding of lightning and thunder was not enough to explain how Yahweh enters our atmosphere. But seeing how this idea is used several times in scripture, we can understand there is something sinister here. We have not been taught this correctly, nor have we had this translated correctly. Why? Why would someone want to hide the truth from us? Why make Yahweh obscure and hard to see?
1 Kings 19:12 G2532 And G3326 after G3588 the G4952.2 rumbling G4442 a fire; G3756 [2 was not G1722 3in G3588 4the G4442 5fire G2962 1 but the lord]. G2532 And G3326 after G3588 the G4442 fire G5456 a sound G838.1 [2breeze G3016 1of a fine] -- G1563 there was G2962 the lord .
Yahweh was not in the noise of a sonic boom, he travels ahead of the speed of sound. The cracking of the atmosphere around him is like a bolt of lightning striking a tree. After the rumbling there was a fire or lightning. Yahweh was not in the fire. Elijah did not see Yahweh as the lightning was striking.
Then there was a voice or sound of a light aura, not a breeze, an aura. Late middle English used the word aura as a “breeze” or “breath”. We could think of it as spirit like pneuma, an apparition with no form, just light or color. It would look like an incorporeal being, air, aether, fire, or light. The tone, phōnē, of a small aura in that place was Yahweh.
If we think of the way that this might be portrayed in a movie we would see things blowing in the wind, and rocks shattering. We would hear the roar of the sonic boom, see fire, but then things would calm down. Yahweh would be present as the atmosphere around him would quiet to angels singing in the light behind him. Or we could make our movie to depict the wind blowing, the rocks shattering, the sonic boom, the fire, and then a bit of steam sizzling as cold temperatures from outer space warm up in the mountain sun. None of these events were still, and none were small, and none were a voice. Yahweh came after these things, he was not in these things.
We have tried to be philosophical about this chain of events, but let’s put them together literally. First there was a mega-strong Spirit that moved and crushed rocks, a sonic boom, lightning, and a light sound aura. It sounds more like something broke into the atmosphere displacing the rocks and the mountains, it created a sonic boom as it entered and was heard after it entered, and it had fire, like the lightning chariots, and then everything calmed down and there was sound or language from a small aura or a glow. And “there”, “in that place”, “yonder”, “tither”, ekei, was Yahweh. There was no “still small voice”, there was a loud sound-barrier shaking and quaking with lightning, and then a distinctive tone in the atmosphere, and then Yahweh was perceived. It was Yahweh meeting with Elijah face to face.
If we want to hide the events of Elijah meeting Yahweh face to face we might simply claim that Yahweh was a still small voice. However Yahweh enters earth’s atmosphere so fast he creates a sonic boom. The entire area reacts to his coming. There is nothing quiet about this. But keep in mind that Elijah received a rhēma first. So Yahweh is already talking to Elijah. Elijah is there because he needs a face to face meeting. Why would he want to meet Yahweh face to face? We don’t understand the need to meet face to face, but it might be because there was a prophecy about Elijah from the days of Heshbon that said Yahweh would take Elijah up. Elijah may have thought he was done here on earth.
https://musingsofawinsomeheart.blogspot.com/2023/01/deeper-breaking-sound-barrier-face-to.html
If we were to ask for a face to face meeting with someone we would certainly comb our hair, brush our teeth, and attempt to look nice. We would make sure our face was seen. Not Elijah. He does something particularly odd, he hides his face under a sheep skin.
1 Kings 19:13 G2532 And G1096 it came to pass G5613 as G191 Elijah heard, G* G2532 that G1943 he covered over G3588 G4383 his face G1473 G1722 with G3588 G3374 his sheepskin, G1473 G2532 and G1831 he went forth G2532 and G2476 stood G3844 by G3588 the G4693 cave. G2532 And G2400 behold, G4314 before G1473 him G5456 was a voice, G2532 and G2036 he said, G5100 Why are G1473 you G1778.2 here, G* Elijah?
As Elijah comprehends what is going on with all the commotions, as if a spaceship landed on Horeb, he covers his face with a leathery sheepskin, looks down at his feet, and walks out of the cave. Yahweh shows up after a violent commotion and asks Elijah why he is there. Elijah does not want to look directly at a holy Elohim. There was lightning, fire, and a glowing hissing aura coming from whatever Yahweh arrived in. Radiance and illuminating glory. Looking at his feet he would have seen just enough radiance without seeing Yahweh Elohim’s face. In Elijah’s meeting there was Yahweh’s divine utterance and Yahweh’s radiance.
Isaiah’s reaction is a bit different. Isaiah’s life spanned over four kings. He was a very accurate prophet, but up to this time he, like Elijah was audibly hearing from Yahweh Elohim. One day he saw Yahweh face to face.
Isaiah 6:1 G2532 And G1096 it came to pass G3588 the G1763 year G3739 of which G599 [3died G3588 G935 1king G* 2Uzziah], G1492 I beheld G3588 the G2962 lord G2521 sitting G1909 upon G2362 [2throne G5308 1a high], G2532 and G1869 being lifted up; G2532 and G4134 [3 was full G3588 1the G3624 2house] G3588 G1391 of his glory.
2 G2532 And G4587.1 seraphim G2476 stood G2945 round about G1473 him; G1803 six G4420 wings G3588 to the G1520 one, G2532 and G1803 six G4420 wings G3588 to the G1520 other one. G2532 And G3588 with the G3303 first G1417 two G2619 they covered up G3588 the G4383 front; G3588 and with the second G1161 G1417 two G2619 they covered up G3588 the G4228 feet; G2532 and G3588 with the third G1417 two G4072 they flew.
3 G2532 And G2896 they cried out G2087 another G4314 to G3588 G2087 another, G2532 and G3004 said, G39 Holy, G39 holy, G39 holy G2962 is the lord G4519 of Hosts; G4134 [4 is full G3956 1all G3588 2the G1093 3earth] G3588 G1391 of his glory. G1473
4 G2532 And G1869 [3lifted up G3588 1the G5244.1 2lintel] G575 from G3588 the G5456 sound G3739 of which G2896 they cried out, G2532 and G3588 the G3624 house G1705 was filled up G2586 of smoke.
Isaiah gives us the approximate timeframe of his meeting. Isaiah was not asking to meet with Yahweh it seems to have just happened.
Isaiah 6:5 G2532 And G2036 I said, G5599 O, G5007.1 I am miserable, G1473 G3754 for G2660 I am vexed, G3754 for G444 [2a man G1510.6 1being] G2532 and G169 [2unclean G5491 3lips G2192 1having] G1722 in G3319 the midst G2992 of a people G169 [2unclean G5491 3lips G2192 1having] G1473 I G3611 live in. G2532 And G3588 the G935 king, G2962 the lord G4519 of Hosts, G1492 I beheld G3588 with G3788 my eyes. G1473
Isaiah cries out ‘woe is me I am thoroughly pierced’. Isaiah realizes his position and seems to feel overwhelmed. Yahweh’s divine utterance and radiance scare Isaiah. The holiness of Yahweh is so clean and pure Isaiah feels dirty being a mortal living among unclean mortals. A seraphim takes a burning coal and puts it to Isaiah’s lips to cleanse his iniquity. Then Yahweh asks a question as to whom he should send to the people. Isaiah told Yahweh to send him. Isaiah was to prophesy that Judea would be deaf, dumb, and blind, until the cities were barren wastelands.
Jesus died and was resurrected from the dead. He was seen by many disciples for forty days in his resurrected body. Thomas wasn’t sure about Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus showed up and Thomas believed. Jesus said:
John 20:29 G3004 [2says G1473 3to him G3588 G* 1Jesus], G3754 Because G3708 you have seen G1473 me, G4100 you have believed; G3107 blessed are G3588 the ones G3361 not G1492 seeing G2532 and G4100 having believed.
“Say him Jesus since look upon me believe blessed the not see and believe.”
We are the children of the Most High Elohim, the Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Messiah. We receive power when we believe and then become radiant. We who have never seen the Messiah with our eyes but perceive Him in our heart and hear and know His voice are blessed. We have faith like Abraham.
Abraham knew Yahweh Jesus Messiah his whole life. He walked and talked with Yahweh as a friend. Moses met him while looking at a burning bush. He turned away but later asked to see his glory. Elijah served Yahweh Jesus Messiah growing up in the the city of priests. He had not seen him most of his life but he took a four hundred mile journey to meet Yahweh face to face, but didn’t look at him. Isaiah met Yahweh and was shaken to his core when he saw his glory. He volunteered for an assignment on behalf of Judah. The one who divinely spoke “come into being light” was the light and radiance of the world. He did not receive the darkness. He did not convert the darkness. He ignored the darkness and focused on making more light through his disciples.
One day we are going to hear a shout as Jesus enters the lower atmosphere. We will hear the voice of the archangel calling our names We will hear the trumpet of the Elohim. If we are alive on the earth we will see him for the first time, in the air. Will we be able to look at him like a friend? Will we want to see his face? Will we hide our face? Will we cry out in anguish at our own uncleanliness? Profound contemplation.
