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Marakesh π“…¦ 2y ago

"Something like a throne with the appearance of lapis lazuli was above the expanse over their heads. On the throne, high above, was someone who looked like a human. From what seemed to be his waist up, I saw a gleam like amber, with what looked like fire enclosing it all around. From what seemed to be his waist down, I also saw what looked like fire. There was a brilliant light all around him. The appearance of the brilliant light all around was like that of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the likeness of the Lord’s glory. When I saw it, I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking."

The Bible, Ezekiel 1:26–28 (CSB)

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hodlbod 2y ago

Angels and theophanies are hard to distinguish in the OT. It's possible modalism was taking place distinct from the incarnation. But I think since God is outside of time it was probably Jesus' incarnate body. I know Catholics would agree with me based on what they think about Melchizidek

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Marakesh π“…¦ 2y ago

True. What do Catholics think about Melchizedek? I'm not familiar with that. My view is that he might have been a Christophany.

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hodlbod 2y ago

From what my Catholic friend told me the food he gave Abraham was Jesus' transubstantiated body. I'm not sure who they think Melchizedek was, but that demonstrates that they think Jesus' physical body can travel through time and violate causality.

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Marakesh π“…¦ 2y ago

Yeah, I've heard of the bread and wine that Abraham and Melchizedek shared being called "communion" or the Eucharist, but of course since Catholics believe it is Jesus' actual body that would make for some weird theology!

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MichaelJ 2y ago

The only take on Melchizedek that I'm familiar with is that the bread and wine were a prefigurement of the Eucharist. I haven't heard anyone say it was itself the Eucharist.

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MichaelJ 2y ago

A good example is Moses' theophany in Exodus, where God passes by and let's Moses see His back. It's hard to say for sure, but personally I suspect Moses saw Jesus in anticipation of the Incarnation.

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MichaelJ 2y ago

The coolest theological speculation I've heard is that Moses' theophany, Elijah's encounter with the "still, small voice," and Jesus' Transfiguration were all the same event, transcending time and space.

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hodlbod 2y ago

That is cool. So I guess moses was standing behind Jesus and Elijah was standing in front of him? Haha

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MichaelJ 2y ago

Haha maybe so. IIRC, the Gospels don't say precisely in what orientation Moses and Elijah were standing relative to Jesus 😁

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Marakesh π“…¦ 2y ago

At Jesus' Transfiguration Moses did see Jesus in anticipation of His death, which interestingly Luke calls His "exodus" in the Greek (Luke 9:31).

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MichaelJ 2y ago

And Moses is later identified as a type of Christ. Jesus fulfills the Exodus by leading us out of spiritual slavery to sin.

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Marakesh π“…¦ 2y ago

And yet no type is as complete as the Antitype, Jesus. Moses, for example, couldn't lead God's people into the Promised Land; that was left for Joshua ("Jesus," in the Greek), to do, who was also a type of Christ. This shows that the Law of Moses (and the Jewish faith) would only get you so far.