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Originally Posted by Davidius  Quote:
Originally Posted by ImagoDei As you can tell, I do believe that there is a physical element. I came to that conclusion strictly on the basis of Scriptural exegesis alone (And that, contrary to what I had been taught all my life). | Perhaps God's form is that of a bird. The "exegesis" shows that he has wings, right? How can he hide us in their shadow unless he actually has them?! |
So it's either ALL metaphor or none of it is? Why would that have to be?
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Quite frankly, I find that there is no argument against a physical aspect that can stand against the sheer weight of exegetical evidence FOR a physical aspect.
I.D.
| I can think of a few: literary device, anthropomorphism, and the assuming a body which is not part of a spirit nature for the sake of particular moments of communication.
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You can perhaps explain some of the "anthropomorphisms" by way of literary device, but some make no sense at all... as if we are assuming that God is really lying about Himself.
Consider this passage:
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18Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!"
19And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion."
20But He said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!"
21Then the LORD said, "Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock;
22and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.
23"Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen." - Exodus 33 (NASB)
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There is no reason at all for God to use anthropomorphisms here. Moses asked to see God's Glory. God told him that he couldn't see His face, but allowed him to see his back side. That simply is beyond explanation simply as an anthropomorphism. This is God revealing Himself in His glory to His servant. There was no need at all to "appear as a man" here.
What's more, you see that God is actually moving His presence in a physical space. He is actually "passing by" Moses while he is hidden. All this is the testimony of God about Himself, not the testimony of a man trying to explain the unexplainable.
So either God is misleading Moses about His true nature (having a face, hands, back side, and passing by), or else He was revealing Himself as He really is.
I.D.