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GOD-MANIFESTATION

STEPHEN GREEN

THE IMPORTANCE to us as Christadelphians of our teaching on God-manifestation and its distinctiveness is highlighted in the following comment from the writings of Brother L. G. Sargent:

“God’s manifestation of Himself in the Angels, in His Son, and ultimately in those ‘many sons’ who are to be ‘brought unto glory’ is of the essence of God’s redemptive work. It was part of the belief set forth by Dr. John Thomas in his rediscovery of Bible teaching as a body of revealed truth. and while much that he taught may be found also in earlier writers this doctrine may be regarded as his most distinctive contribution. It is vital to right understanding of the Godhead, the relation of Father and Son and the purpose of God with man. It is the true alternative to the doctrine of the Trinity, and where it is neglected there is a danger of Christadelphian teaching becoming so over-simplified that it brings Christ down to a lower level than the Scriptures would have us give him, and may even veer towards Unitarian or Adoptionist conceptions of him”.(Footnote 1)

God-manifestation is truly the fundamental purpose of God, the expression of Divine attributes in His creation. While it is founded upon the teaching that “God is”, and that His will is to go on creating, it underlies and weaves together all other aspects of the Truth of God. All things, we are told, were created for God’s pleasure: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:11).

Sometimes the theme is neglected, although, of course, many of its sub-themes are widely promoted in their own right. But it ought to be recognised as a part of our distinctive teaching. Although much of the Bible teaching involved in God-manifestation is often appreciated without the use of the label, it helpfully centres attention on the concepts as a group. This theme is immensely far-reaching in its scope, running deeply not only into all other doctrinal issues, but also into many expositional areas which pass beyond the limits of essential principle yet are extremely valuable for all that. In a single article we are forced to confine ourselves to the most basic aspects of God-manifestation.(Footnote 2)

The nature of God

God is not an abstraction to be defined by theologians or philosophers, but is real and personal, to be known in His works and His words. Occasionally this is direct, as when he spoke to Christ (Mt. 3:17; Jno. 5:3712:28). but more frequently it is through intermediaries—His angels, His prophets, or His Anointed (Christ)—who have spoken to men on His behalf. Everywhere present by His Spirit, God is the source and sustainer of all. That is, He is the Creator of all, and underpins all that exists:

In the Biblical view created things emanate from the focus of God’s power, personality and intelligence; and so the Spirit that is God is local and forms a body. This implies His substantial (or corporeal) nature. But created things are kept in being by His power, that is, the Spirit which belongs to Him, which radiates throughout creation and through which He is omnipresent.

“God is spirit”, but this does not mean that He is unsubstantial; rather, that He is of spirit-substance. The teaching of Paul that all things are “out of Him”, the One Source, means that they are not made out of nothing, as frequently taught by ‘Christians’. It supports the conclusion that He Himself is substantial, and denies the teaching of immanent philosophy that the person of God is distributed through all created matter.

Christ is “the image of the invisible God”, “the express image of His person” (Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:2,3). For this to be true the Father must have body and form, contrasting with the teaching of the first of the Church of England’s “Thirty-nine Articles” of religion, which says that he is “without body, parts or passions”.

The Scriptures teach that God dwells in heaven in light inaccessible to mortal man; He cannot be present in the earth in the same way as He dwells in light, and therefore His person exists locally, having body and form(Footnote 3):

That the invisible God is real, having body and form, is confirmed by the promise that glorified man will see Him, though man cannot now: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Mt. 5:8). On the other hand He is also everywhere present by His Spirit: “Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?...” (Ps. 139:7); “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” (Jer. 23:24).

Passages such as the first five above are negated by ideas of immateriality or of the distribution of personality and intelligence throughout the universe. These ideas tend not to recognise the separation between God and man caused by Adam’s sin. They are encouraged by a false belief in the immateriality (as well as immortality) of man’s soul as a part of God’s nature.

Character and attributes of God

As we read the Bible we discover that there is none like God in His abilities: He is all-powerful, almighty, eternal, immutable, omniscient, omnipresent, invisible, unsearchable, incomprehensible, and supreme in wisdom and glory. God possesses supremely the qualities of holiness, justice, faithfulness, truth, mercy, goodness, and love. He is glorious, gracious, longsuffering, compassionate, great, righteous, upright, light, perfect, incorruptible, and a consuming fire. He is jealous of His glory being given to another. He functions as the Disposer of events, the Judge of all, the Searcher of the hearts, the Saviour, Sanctuary and Refuge.

When the Lord stood with Moses on mount Sinai, He went on to proclaim the attributes belonging to His name:

“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” (Ex. 34:5-7).

We have seen that man in his present state cannot approach God in heaven His dwelling place. Paul continues: “... Whom no man hath seen, nor can see” (1 Tim. 6:16); and John says: “No man hath seen God at any time” (Jno. 1:18). But God desires to show Himself to man, and needs to find some other way. He does this by God-manifestation, and because this is the means by which man has been able to ‘see’ God its importance to us is obvious.

God has revealed, is revealing, and will reveal His character and attributes in a wide variety of ways. Some of the more important we shall consider. What God is, or will be, is revealed both in what He says and what He does.

Manifestation in angels

In Old Testament times the function of God-manifestation was performed by angels. They were God’s agents in Creation (e.g. Job 38:7). They are not impersonal spirits, but “rejoiced”, themselves manifesting the character and the joy of God. Angels are not merely created for the occasion they appear, but are personal and immortal. Since the Creation they have directed world affairs, and will continue to do so until Christ changes the present order. They watch over those who fear God (Ps. 34:7). Since the creation of man through to the commencement of New Testament times they have been God’s representatives or messengers to men, this being an aspect of ministering to the heirs of salvation. Even now they can be the messengers of His Son (Mt. 13:41).

A function of certain angels was to carry the name of God, Yahweh, representing and speaking for Him. And so the angel of the Lord that spoke to Hagar was called “the LORD” (Yahweh), and Hagar herself called him “Thou God seest me”. Similarly, when three angels looking like men visited Abraham, “the LORD (Yahweh) appeared unto him (Abraham) in the plains of Mamre” (Gen. 18:1). Moses had to promise the people of Israel that God would send an angel before them to keep them in the way. They were to “Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for My name is in him” (Ex. 23:20,21).

The name of God

The name and names of God are relevant to the theme of God-manifestation. The point is that God is revealed in the meaning of His name, as well as His name taking on a significance from the attributes of the one whom it designates. Is it valuable to know the correct meaning of God’s name? It seemed to be important for Israel in Egypt to know it, just as it seemed to be important that Jesus was called by God’s own name (and his name was prophetic, of course).

As Moses was keeping sheep at Horeb, the mountain of God, the angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a flame of fire in a burning bush (Ex. 3:1,2; Acts 7:30). Like the other angels, he spoke as God: “I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:4,6). In a land of many gods it was important to know His name. God gives the name by which He is to be known: “I am that I am”, or “I will be Who I will be” (RSV). This was not telling them to mind their own business, but rather saying that God was self-determining and self-sufficient, and would act and manifest Himself.

It is clear that God is more than a God of the present; He is a God of the future, and so in Exodus 6:6-8, with frequent emphasis on the word “will”, He associates His name with what He will do for Israel: He will certainly redeem them (cf. Mt. 22:32). The glory of the redemptive aspects of God’s name, His mercy and judgement, is later proclaimed before Moses (Ex. 33:18,19; 34:5-7).

Back in chapter 3 God derives from His name the new form “I am (I will be)” and “Yahweh (He Who will be)” (vv. 14,15). The last of these is the name normally used for God in the Hebrew Scriptures, sometimes spelt in other forms, and in the AV usually substituted by the word ‘LORD’ in large and small capitals.

The remainder of verse 15 is significant to the theme of God-manifestation, since it speaks of the future (“for ever”;), and links the meaning of the name as a memorial to the promised birth of future generations for the Lord (compare Ps. 22:30; 24:6; Hos. 12:5,6). The continuing light and burning of the bush without it being destroyed illustrates the future as well as present and past aspects of the nature and manifestation of God.

The cherubim

The appearance to men of God’s glory in the cherubim, sometimes literally, more often in vision, is important for study and meditation, as are their detailed forms and patterns. The simple principles of their symbology are all that we need here.

In the first record (Gen. 3) a literal angelic representation appeared, to protect the way of the tree of life. Angelic beings guarded the access and provided knowledge of the way by which death-stricken man might attain the nature of the angels (Lk. 20:36), and so become themselves part of the cherubim, carrying and enthroning the glory of God. The cherubic symbolism appears again in the tabernacle, indicating God’s intention to be manifested through descendants of Adam who have been perfected. The details of the tabernacle and its service we are told symbolised things to come. They were “the patterns of things in the heavens” (not simply a depiction of the angels). So the use of cherubim on the curtains, doors and walls signifies God’s future manifestation in the features typified, the human components of the spiritual temple.

The glory of angelic manifestation appeared also in vision to the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. In the New Testament a similar manifestation appeared to John the Apostle (Rev. 4,5). Here the cherubic symbols represent the redeemed who are exalted in the earth and sing the new song (5:8-10). Christ is accepted in the midst of the cherubic four beasts (5:6), which are themselves amongst the singers of the song mentioned in the verses following.

The cherubim, either when appearing literally as angels or in symbol, seem never to represent themselves, as messengers of God, but teach of men’s current and prospective relationship with Him.

The Logos

“The Word (Logos) was God”, says John in chapter 1 of the Gospel. Logos is said to refer to collected thought normally expressed in speech.(Footnote 4) The thought or mind of God was not only expressed in speech as Logos, but culminated in its expression in flesh. “The Word was made flesh” (1:14) in the person of God’s Son, “the only begotten ... of the Father” (1:18).

Developing God-manifestation in Christ

God manifested Himself in Jesus, not only by the truth spoken, and by the wonders performed, but also by moral attributes displayed. He was the manifestation of the Word from his very origin as the Son of God to his ascension.

Biblical teaching that Christ is the Son of God, that is, that God was his Father (2 Sam. 7:14; Ps. 110:1; Mt. 22:42-45), is expanded in more detail in another article.(Footnote 6) By the overshadowing power of the Holy Spirit he was born the Son of God (Lk. 1:35) and was therefore called Emmanuel, “God with us (Mt. 1:23).

From this necessary beginning he came to manifest God in increasing degrees of glory as he developed to perfection through the stages of his life. Thus we read that, though made in the form of God, he did not grasp at equality with God as had Adam and Eve (Phil. 2:5-7). He went on to humble himself and become obedient unto death (v.8).

Because in his intellectual nature Christ was both man from his mother and inherited from his Father a greater response to the will of God, the process of development of the image of God in him in response to the Word of God was similar but more perfect than the same process at work in us. Hebrews 5:8 teaches the same: “though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered”; while Hebrews 2:10 says that he was made perfect through suffering, showing willing acceptance of his role as a sacrifice and a representative man.

Finally, as a climax of the progression, Christ has been exalted in resurrection to Divine nature: “Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee” (Ps. 2:7). The glory of the Father is seen in this too, for “God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name... that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9,11).

Thus Christ carries the name Yahweh (Isa. 45:23), and men bow to the Father through him. And so the names of God are given to the Son, the “righteous Branch” in prophecy: “and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Yahweh-tsidkenu)” (Jer. 23:5,6).

Jesus came in God’s name—“I am come in my Father’s name” (Jno. 5:43)—carrying that name to men in his ministry.(Footnote 7) He manifested that name (Jno. 17:6), and made known (“declared”;) the name (v.26). The function performed in Old Testament times by angels in representing God to men was taken over by this representative of men. Now that Jesus has been given a name above every name, greater even than the angels (Heb. 1:4), he provides a more powerful mediatorship than they.

A passage in 1 Timothy 3:16 summarises the glorious manifestation of God seen in Christ Jesus: “without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory”.

Manifestation in the saints

Since the first century there has been a shortage of visible manifestation of Divine glory. Even the angelic activity of Divine power, though still present, is in these days hidden. But the future manifestation of God in the saints will be a visible manifestation of Divine power. In Christ’s reign on earth the charge and work of angels will be taken over by Christ and his brethren. Full dominion of man over the earth in fulfilment of God’s charge (Gen. 1:28) belongs to the perfect state of the resurrection, when man at last truly glorifies God.

The labour of Christ has been bringing many sons to glory, as fullness and grace is extended to relate them to God (Heb. 2:10). Isaiah expresses it thus: “he shall see his seed... He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied” (53:10,11). Sons of God are in the process of being created through Jesus who sanctifies. Jesus and they are “all of one” Father (Heb. 2:11), and so are all brethren.

Adam was made in the image of God, that is, of the elohim (or angels). But he fell from his position; and since then, apart from Christ (Heb. 1:2,3), man has not displayed the image of God.

The idea of man having a Divine essence within implies that man is inherently a manifestation of God’s character. The creation of God-manifestation in him is thereby made unnecessary. On the other hand, a realisation that man is dying, corrupting, and of himself without hope, leads us to recognise that a manifestation of God must be created.

Our God is a God of the living. If He is truly our God it follows that our creation as sons must be completed by resurrection, so that we become glorious manifestations of Him (Mt. 22:31,32).

Manifestation of God in men now

There is a more limited sense in which mortal men can be Scripturally taken for manifestations of God. After the pattern of Israel’s rulers, men appointed to administer the Word of God are called ‘gods’; they are elohim (Ex. 21:6, cf. RV; 22:8, cf. RV; v.28), as Jesus explains in John 10:34-36 (quoting Ps. 82). If it is true of the judges of Israel, then the apostles and Spirit-gifted brethren also qualify, being in receipt of God’s Word and ministers for the world.

The application of Psalm 82 by Jesus to the contemporary rulers of Israel implies that in these days, though our authority is so much weaker than the spirituals of the first century, receipt of the Word still gives us responsibility to manifest God in the world. By the Divine power of the Word we become “children of the most High”.

If we have been buried in baptism, but have risen with Christ (Col. 2:12), we have “put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him” (3:10). We have become “conformed to the image of (God’s) Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom. 8:29).

Another important aspect of the revelation of God in the saints is based on them being viewed as the perfect ecclesia, the body of Christ (see Eph. 5:23-32). The type of the woman taken out of Adam is used as the basis for this figure, and the ecclesia is regarded as one flesh with Christ (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:31,32). The saints are not to be viewed purely as individuals in relationship with Christ and the Father, but they form one body (1 Cor. 12:12,13,27; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 4:12), each member having responsibility towards the others. With Christ as their head (Eph. 5:23) they become part of the name of God, to His glory.

Manifestation of the saints in glory

This corporate man in Christ is now being created of dust, that is, of flesh. When its members achieve the resurrection to a “spiritual body” in the “Divine nature”, then the body will live as the ‘multitudinous Christ’ in glory.

This creature earnestly waits for deliverance from corruption and for “the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward. For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God ...” (Rom. 8:18-21, RV). This unity of the glorified body of Christ, “the fulness of (Christ) that filleth (them) all in all”, is in mind elsewhere too (Ps. 8:4-9; Eph. 1:18-23). As the spiritual Jerusalem she will take the name of her husband, “The LORD our righteousness (Yahweh-tsidkenu)” (Jer. 33:15,16; cf. 23:5,6 and Rev. 3:12).

The study of God-manifestation in man is greater than man himself. It should induce grateful humility in the student. God’s purpose in Creation is brought to fruition in His manifestation, the full blossoming of which is promised in association with the completion of the work of Christ in subduing all enemies, when it is rather enigmatically described as God being “all in all” (1 Cor. 15:28). He is to be both the source of all and manifest in all. This is the manifestation of God’s name in glory. But today we must wait with our souls yearning for Him: “In the path of Thy judgments, O LORD (Yahweh), we wait for Thee; Thy memorial name is the desire of our soul” (Isa. 26:8, RSV).

FOOTNOTES

1. The Christadelphian, vol. 104, 1967, p. 453.

2. There are a number of books providing a deeper look, such as Phanerosis by John Thomas and Theophany by C. C. Walker, and many articles for those willing to search past magazines.

3. See Phanerosis, pp. 25-7, 1954 edn.; Christendom Astray, lect. VI.

4. See, for example, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon.

5. In contrast, the idea of the Trinity leads to a wrong idea of God-manifestation, that is, the literal seeing of God Himself. This contradicts Bible teaching that no man has seen God at any time. Just as belief in the immortality of the soul makes the Bible teaching of man’s bodily resurrection unnecessary, so belief in the pre-existence of Christ makes God-manifestation, the declaration of God or of His name, unnecessary, since, according to this erroneous view, men have actually seen the Godhead.

6. See also H. Tennant, “The nature of Christ”, in this issue, p.234.

7. For the significance of the name Jesus see J. Nicholls, “The Atonement”, in this issue, section 6, p.238.

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