Did God Ever Appear As A Man In The Old Testament? - Michael Heiser

Part 2: https://youtu.be/mpS0Q4rc4c8 Dr. Mike Heiser explores the concept of God appearing as a man in the Old Testament, a theme often associated exclusively with Jesus due to His deity. Heiser explains that the Old Testament contains multiple instances where God manifests in human form, such as the visitors to Abraham in Genesis 18—where two are angels and the third is Yahweh—and Jacob wrestling with a divine being who is both angel and God. He discusses the significance of the "name of God" in passages like Exodus 23, where an angel carries God's name, embodying God's presence visibly and tangibly, and how this prefigures New Testament themes of incarnation, especially with Jesus carrying God's name in John 17. Heiser also highlights Joshua’s encounter with the commander of the Lord's host, linked with the angel of the Lord, and connects these appearances to New Testament claims like in Jude, that Jesus led Israel out of Egypt. The story of Samuel further shows God appearing as a man, the "word of the Lord" who speaks visually and audibly to Samuel, tying Old Testament manifestations to John 1's concept of the Word becoming flesh. Heiser concludes that these Old Testament appearances prepare readers theologically for the incarnation of Jesus in the New Testament, emphasising continuity in biblical theology rather than contradiction. This series invites readers to see the Old Testament’s human forms of God as foundational for understanding the incarnation doctrine. #God #Angel #Bible #OldTestament #Heiser #Divine #Faith #Scripture #Prophecy #Messiah