Can Anyone See God? Understanding God’s Veiled Glory in Scripture

Summary

This article explains how Scripture can say both that God was seen and that no one can see Him. The elders on Mount Sinai saw a veiled manifestation of God’s glory, not His essence. Throughout the Bible, God reveals Himself through clouds, fire, and intermediaries, shielding humanity from His overwhelming brilliance. Ultimately, God’s character is fully revealed in Jesus, even though His infinite glory remains unseen.

I read Exodus 24 in my devotions. Verse nine jumped off the page when I observed something I didn’t remember seeing before. It said that Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders ascended partway up Mount Sinai and saw the God of Israel. Let’s examine this divine encounter on Mount Sinai and others as well.

A Surprising Vision on Mount Sinai

Sparks started flying in my internal theological circuitry. How could they have seen God? My understanding was that no one has ever seen God, at least, no one could see God and live (Exodus 33:20). 1 Timothy 6:16 NLT adds, ^“He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. No human eye has ever seen him, nor ever will. All honor and power to him forever! Amen.”

Jesus said, “No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us” (John 1:18 NLT).

Is the Bible contradicting itself? I decided to research it.

Is Scripture Contradicting Itself?

The seventy elders made the trip because God had set them apart to help govern the Israelites and had given them a glimpse of who was in charge, to motivate them to carry out their responsibilities in the fear of the Lord.

Can Anyone See God?

Did the seventy-four people see God? Can anyone see God? We don’t know how God presented Himself on the mountain. They didn’t see Him fully and transparently clearly in the same sense as they could see each other. Their vision was likely similar to what Isaiah or Ezekiel saw (Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 1).¹

Dr. Gleason Archer wrote, “What was seen in this theophany was a glorious representation of God in His regal splendor, not the essence of God Himself.” He added, “The Bible draws a clear distinction between gazing on God in His unveiled glory and beholding a representation or reflection of God in a personal interview or encounter with Him.” ² 

The manifestation of God’s glory is like a rheostat. It was turned way down for the seventy-four men on Sinai. They never forgot what they saw, glorious, and as much as mortals can endure and live. It was like a glimpse of glory, not God’s full brilliance that outshines the sun.

God’s Glory Carefully Veiled

God veils Himself in His interactions with humanity. He mediates His glory through an intermediary, like the angel that appeared to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3:2-6), to Hagar announcing Ishmael’s birth (Genesis 16:7), and to Abraham to prevent him from sacrificing his son, Isaac (Genesis 22:11-12). He appeared as the fourth man in the fiery furnace in Daniel 3:25.

God Reveals Himself Through Clouds and Fire

He frequently appears in clouds. He was in a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire during the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt (Exodus 14:24). The Israelites saw His glory in a cloud (Exodus 16:10).

The pillar of His glory cloud guided the Israelites through the wilderness (Exodus 40:36). He appeared in a thick cloud (Exodus 19:9) that shielded His brightness (Psalm 18:12), a dense cloud (Exodus 19:16), a dark cloud (Exodus 20:21), and in flames, black clouds, and deep darkness on Mount Sinai (Numbers 4:11).

In a pillar of cloud (Exodus 33:9), a cloud covering the Tabernacle with the appearance of fire at night (Numbers 9:16), and a cloud that hovered over the Israelites as they moved (Numbers 10:34). In a glorious cloud that filled the Temple (2 Chronicles 5:14), and a cloud that hovered over the atonement cover.

David wrote, “He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dense rain clouds” (2 Samuel 22:12 NLT) when God rescued him from his enemies and King Saul. God advanced on a swift cloud against Egypt (Isaiah 19:1).

A cloud of glory exists in His presence (Ezekiel 10:3-4). One like a son of man comes with the clouds of heaven (Daniel 7:13).

The Father spoke from a bright cloud (Matthew 17:5). The Son of Man will come on the clouds of heaven with power and glory (Matthew 24:30, Matthew 26:64). The Father spoke from a cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One. Listen to him” (Luke 9:35 NLT).

Jesus Reveals the Father Fully

We don’t have to see God in all His glory to know what He is like. Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?” (John 14:9 NLT). The Father is like Jesus, admixed with unimaginable glory and unapproachable light. The God who sees me isn’t limited by our inability to see Him.

1.     Enduring Word Bible Commentary Exodus Chapter 24

2.     Archer, G. L. Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1982.

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