Nov. 23 God Appears

November 23 - God Appears

I often wonder about the time when God actually stopped appearing to man on earth. He and Abram managed to spend some time together:

"Abram traveled through the land ... The Canaanites were then in the land, but the Lord appeard to Abram and said, 'to your offspring I will give this land.'" (Genesis 12:6-7)

"When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, 'I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.'" (Genesis 17:1)

"The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day." (Genesis 18:1)

Then, he spent time with Isaac:

"The Lord appeared to Isaac and said, 'Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live..." (Genesis 26:2)

And then with Jacob:

"After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him." (Genesis 35:9)

We know that God talked to Moses - first from the burning bush, but look at what Exodus 3:16 says. "Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt."

God uses other means to communicate with His people until we come to 1 Kings 3:4-5, "The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, 'Ask for whatever you want me to give you.'"

"When Solomon had finished building the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had achieved all he had desired to do, the Lord appeared to him a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon." (1 Kings 9:2)

Now, having the Lord God Almighty show up to have a conversation with me would probably cause me to fall apart at the seams. I'd much rather He sent angels or prophets. But, He had important things to bring to His children as they were developing the relationship that Israel had with Him.

The further that they got from Him because of their sin, though, the more difficult it was for any of them to actually be in His presence.

I will be fine with seeing Him in all of His glory when I get to the throneroom. I can hardly wait to experience that moment!