Appearances in Nature

Faithlife Study Bible Theophany in the Old Testament

Thunderstorm or whirlwind theophanies are common (Exod 15:7–10; 19:16, 19; Deut 33:26–29; Ezek 1:4; Hab 3:8, 11; Psa 18, 29, 50, 77, 83, 97, 104, 144). Other theophanies are more obscure, like in Genesis 3:8, when Adam and Eve hear “the sound of Yahweh God walking in the garden at the windy time of day.” Some of the language is anthropomorphic, requiring a body (“walking”), and might belong more properly to the theophanies that involve God taking human form. The “windy time of day” phrase, however, may be indicative of the whirlwind motifs found in many other Old Testament passages.

Other natural elements serve as theophanies, such as a pillar fire or cloud (Gen 15:17; Exod 3:1–4; 13:21–22; 14:19–20; Num 10:33–34; 14:13–14), as well as fire and smoke (Exod 24:15–18; 40:34–38; Num 9:15–23; Deut 1:33; 4:9–40; 1 Kgs 8:10–13)

Appearances as a person

when we read the account of Steven in Acts7, we realized that Abraham was very accustomed to God appearing to him. it explains the easiness with which Abraham handled the divine visit of the trinity on their way to sodom and gomorha. by steven account we see that God appeared to Abraham to tell him to go to a foreign land, he appears to him and tells him he will multiply hi descendant and Abraham says he has no sons, he appears to him at the altar, works in the midst of the sacrifice and consumes the sacrifice with fire.

Faithlife Study Bible Theophany in the Old Testament

The earliest theophany in human form—aside from the possibility of Genesis 3:8—is God’s appearance to Abraham. Stephen comments on this appearance in Acts 7:2–4: “Men—brothers and fathers—listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was in Mesopotamia, before he settled in Haran.” The word “appeared” indicates that the call of Abraham was a visible phenomenon. But Stephen’s reference to the theophany of Abraham is not the first time it is mentioned. When passages in Genesis are understood collectively, it is clear that God appeared to Abraham as a man—Stephen’s source is either Genesis 12:1–6 or Genesis 15:1–6. These appearances culminate in Genesis 18, where the embodied Yahweh eats a meal in Abraham’s presence. That Abraham appears to recognize one of the men as Yahweh suggests he had seen this man before. In the Gospel of John, Jesus Himself refers to these episodes as appearances. In John 8:56, Jesus tells His Jewish antagonists that God appeared to Abraham prior to Jesus’ incarnation: “Abraham your father rejoiced that he would see my day, and he saw it and was glad.” The Jews object to this claim, which prompts Jesus’ response, “before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58)—connecting this appearance to His own personhood.