God Manifestation 101

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GOD MANIFESTATION

101

Concise Introductions to the Bibles Most Fundamental Themes

Kevin Daniels

The Bible 101 Study Series


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Do your best to present yourself to God as

one approved, a workman who does not needto be ashamed and who correctly handles the

word of truth.

2 Timothy 2: 15 (NIV)


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Acknowledgments:

This book started out as an e-mail for one of my Senior Sunday School scholars (who

asked me to help her explain several passages that seemed to imply Jesus was God) andfor a friend (who wanted to share this subject with her father). Once I realized that there

would be too much information to present in an e-mail, I decided to present the material

in this format.

Special thanks to Ken Langston and Shannon Strickland for their valuable input.

Please send any comments and/or suggestions to [email protected]

Editions

Edition: Date: Changes:

First Edition January 2007 Initial Release


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1: BEFORE YOU BEGIN . . .................................................7

SECTION 2: WHAT IS GOD MANIFESTATION? .........................9

SECTION 3: GODS MEMORIAL NAME...........................................13

SECTION 4: TITLES OF DEITY ........................................................17

SECTION 5: EXAMPLES OF GOD MANIFESTATION................21

SECTION 6: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER .................................. 37

SECTION 7: CLOSING THOUGHTS ................................................45

SPECIAL TOPIC: IS JESUS GOD?................................................... 47


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BEFORE YOU

BEGIN . . .

Thesubject of God Manifestation is one of the most important themes in the Bible,and a careful reading of both the Old and New Testaments is required to gain a proper

understanding of it.

The purpose of this book is to provide an introduction to the subject. It is in no way

meant to imply that everything there is to know about God Manifestation is discussedhere.

I pray that this work will provide you with a solid foundation from which you cancontinue to build upon during subsequent personal study.

1

With any study book on the Bible, it is important not to accept

what is being said without considering whether or not it is true.

Look up the verses, check out the references, and verify the

facts! I expect nothing less from the readers of this book.

Also, at various points throughout this book, I have includedCheck It Out boxes, such as this one, to provide personal

challenges to the reader or to give him or her ideas for further

study into a particular area.

All verses have been taken from the King James Version of the

Bible, unless otherwise indicated.

As with any Bible Study, remember to follow the example of the

Bereans:

11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the

Thessalonians, for they received the message with great

eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if whatPaul said was true.

Acts 17:11 (NIV)

CHECK IT OUT!

CHECK IT OUT!


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God Manifestation 101 Section 2: What is God Manifestation?

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Why God Manifestation?

So, why did God chose to reveal Himself through others? Why cant God simply reveal

Himself?

There are two answers to this question.

First, no man can see God and live, for He is far too powerful. The Bible is very clear

about this fact:

Because of this, God makes Himself known (His will, His character) through others.

Secondly, God plans to use this principle of manifestation as one of the methods to

ultimately fill the entire earth with His glory. We will look at this in more detail inSection 5: Examples of God Manifestation.

God Manifestation in the Past, Present and Future

God Manifestation is not a new principle. God used in the past, is using it today, and will

continue to use it in the future.

In the past, God called on many different individuals to Manifest Him. The Bible gives

many examples, and we will look at some of them in detail in Section 5: Examples of

God Manifestation. In fact, we will see that God not only used individuals asinstruments, but he also used entire nations!

Today, we can manifest God in our daily life. God commands us to live our life basedupon spiritual qualities, as opposed to qualities of the flesh. Spiritual qualities include

love, forgiveness, faith, compassion, honesty and kindness, just to name a few. All of

these characteristics are actually qualities of God, and when we apply and adhere to theseprinciples, others around us can come to know the character of God.

And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there

shall no man see me, and live.

Exodus 33:20

18No man hath seen God at any time;

John 1:18


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God Manifestation 101 Section 2: What is God Manifestation?

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However, mortal men and women cannot completely manifest God in the ultimate senseof the word today, because we are still of sin nature.

Ultimately, when Christs followers have been given immortality in the Kingdom Age,they will perfectly manifest God. No longer will we be burdened by mortality, that sin

nature that mars the Divine image. We will then be able to perform Gods willcompletely. This is how God Manifestation will continue to exist in the future. InSection 5, we will learn more about this when we consider examples of God

Manifestation.

Where do we Begin?

At this point, Im sure you have lots of questions and are anxious to learn more about

God Manifestation. You may be wondering, Where do you even begin to study a subject

as important and all-encompassing as this?

The answer is, It all starts with His name!


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GODS MEMORIAL

NAME

Inorder to fully understand the subject of God Manifestation, we have to start bylooking at Gods Memorial name. (Memorial here means that this is the name that God

asked to be remembered by).

We find this name in Exodus chapter 2. In this chapter, the story of Moses at the burning

bush is told. During this encounter, God instructs Moses that he has chosen him to leadIsrael out of Egypt. Moses wonders what he will say to the Israelites when they ask him

who sent him. So, he asks God what his name is and God tells him! We pick up the storyin Exodus chapter 2 and verse 13 . . .

The phrase, I AM THAT I AM, in the King James Translation, is translated from the

Hebrew phrase, EHYEH ASHER EHYEH. (This is how the Hebrew letters would be

pronounced in English).

(In the Bible, the Old Testament was originally written mostly in Hebrew, with a fewplaces being written in Aramaic. The New Testament was originally written in Greek).

The phrase, the LORD, is translated from the Hebrew word, YHWH.

13And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto

the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God

of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall

say to me, What is his name? What shall I say untothem?

14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and

he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel,

I AM hath sent me unto you.15

And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt

thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God ofyour fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac,

and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my

name for ever, and this is my memorial unto allgenerations

Exodus 3:14-15

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God Manifestation 101 Section 3: Gods Memorial Name

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Lets consider these words in a little more detail.

EHYEH

EHYEH is a singular, first person verb that is written in the imperfect tense and

it means to be or to exist.

Thus, EHYEH simply means I am, or I will be.

ASHER

ASHER, in ancient Hebrew, can be translated as who, that, or which. or

where.

Thus, the phrase EHYEH ASHER EHYEH has been translated into English as,

I am that I am and as I will be who I will be.

YHWH

Notice that EHYEH is in the 1st

person and is for God to say (see verse 14above).

When others speak his name, God instructs them to say YHWH (see verse 15above).

YHWH is in the third person and is Gods memorial name. It means, He is, orHe will be. (Most people pronounce this as, Yahweh).

In ancient Hebrew, verbs could be written in either theperfect tense or the imperfect tense. A verb written in the

perfect tense meant that it had been completed, while a

verb written in the imperfect tense meant that it had not

been completed.

QUICK NOTES


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God Manifestation 101 Section 3: Gods Memorial Name

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But . . . what exactly He is, or what exactly He will be, is left unexpressed. For theanswer, we must turn to scripture and consider how His name is used . . .

EHYEH (1st Person Verb)

I AM

I WILL BE

YHWH (3rd Person Noun)

HE IS

HE WILL BE

In the King James Bible, the translators most often (but not

always) translated YHWH as the LORD and GOD.

Check a Bible concordance to be sure!

QUICK NOTES


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TITLES OF DEITY

Nowthat we know what Gods Memorial name is, we can take a look at how it isused in the Bible and how it fits into the subject of God Manifestation.

In the Bible, we come across Gods Memorial name, YHWH, many times. Sometimes, itis used by itself, but usually, it is used as part of a phrase (as we have already seen in

Exodus 2).

For example, we often come across the phrase, the LORD God, or Lord GOD, orLORD of Hosts. Lets look at each of these phrases one by one.

The LORD God

This phrase is used literally hundreds of places in the Bible. One such instance isin Exodus 3 and verse 15.

Here, the LORD is YHWH and God is Elohim.

Elohim in Hebrew means mighty ones. The Bible uses this word to describeimmortal angels, mortal men and even idols. Idols were referred to as elohim

not because they had any real power, but because they were so esteemed by thosethat made them.

14And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou

say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of yourfathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the

God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name

for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

Exodus 3:14-15

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God Manifestation 101 Section 4: Titles of Deity

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So, putting it all together, we have:

LORD God

Hebrew Word YHWH Elohim

Meaning He Will Be Mighty Ones

Lord GOD

This phrase is also used quite extensively throughout the Bible. One such location

is in Isaiah 25 and verse 8:

Here, the word Lord is the Hebrew word Adonai which means rulers.

The word GOD is YHWH.


Lord GOD

Hebrew Word Adonai YHWH

Meaning Rulers He Will Be

8He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord

GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and therebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the

earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

Isaiah 25:8


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God Manifestation 101 Section 4: Titles of Deity

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LORD of hosts

This phrase isnt used as extensively as the others, but we still come across it

quite a bit. One such location is in Malachi chapter 3 and verse 5:

Here, the word LORD is YHWH.

The phrase of hosts comes from the Hebrew word, Tseba-ah and meansArmies.


LORD of hosts

Hebrew Word YHWH Tseba-ahMeaning He Will Be Armies

Lets now consider some specific examples of God Manifestation to give us a more

complete understanding of the Titles we have just looked at above.

5And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be

a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the

adulterers, and against false swearers, and against thosethat oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and

the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his

right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 3:5


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EXAMPLES OF GOD

MANIFESTATION

Nowthat we know what Gods Memorial name is, and now that we understand how itis used in Titles throughout the Bible, we can now begin to understand the Biblical teaching

of God Manifestation.

We have seen that when Gods Memorial name, YHWH, is coupled together with another

noun, it creates a Title. And this Title is actually a declaration of what He is doing or intends

to do through whatever tool He deems necessary. This tool or instrument may be a

mighty one, a ruler or even an army (and these are just a few of the examples we find inthe Bible)! And when this instrument carries out Gods will so perfectly and manifests

(shows, makes known, reveals) Him flawlessly, we can say that God is extending Himselfthrough this individual (not in a literal sense because that would be impossible, but in anabstract sense).

Lets now look in the Bible at some specific examples of where God was manifested in aparticular individual (and group of individuals).

Once we have done this, we can then take a look at how each of these examples fit into theTitles of Deity we looked at before! Only then can we begin to gain a deeper understanding

(and appreciation) of what these Titles really mean!

The examples that we will consider will be Angels, Judges, Priests, Jesus Christ and finally

Christs Followers.

Angels

If you recall, the Title, LORD God means, YHWH Elohim, or Hewill be mighty ones. The Hebrew word Elohim has been used in the

Bible to describe immortal angels, mortal men and even idols. Idols were

referred to as Elohim not because they had any real power, but becausethey were so esteemed by those that made them.

Lets consider angels and look at a few examples in the Bible of where God ismanifested (shown, made known, revealed) in an angel.

God Manifested in

Angels

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God Manifestation 101 Section 5: Examples of God Manifestation

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In Psalm 8:5, the word Elohim is specifically used to refer to the angels. Inthis verse, David writes:

Paul reinforces this translation when he quotes David in his letter to the

Hebrews. In Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 7, we read:

The Bible describes angels as being mighty:

1And I saw another mighty angel come down from

heaven,

Revelation 10:1

5For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the

world to come, whereof we speak.6

But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is

man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man,that thou visitest him?

7Thou madest him a little lower

than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and

honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

Hebrews 2:5-7

4What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son

of man, that thou visitest him?5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels(Elohim in the original Hebrew), and hast crowned

him with glory and honour.

Psalm 8:5


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. . . and excelling in strength:

A specific example of a time when God was manifested in an angel occursin Exodus chapter 3, when Moses was at the burning bush.

In Exodus chapter 3 and verse 2 we read,

But in verse 6, we read,

What we see here is that God is using His angel as an instrument and the

angel is speaking on behalf of God. The angel is manifesting (showing,

making known, revealing) God. Another way to think about this is thatGod is speaking through His angel.

Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, theGod of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of

Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to

look upon God.7

And the LORD said, I have surely seen the afflictionof my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their

cry by reason of their taskmasters;

Exodus 3:6-7

2And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a

flame of fire out of the midst of a bush:

Exodus 3:2

20Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in

strength, that do his commandments, hearkening untothe voice of his word.

Psalm 103:20


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Stephen reiterates this point during his defense before the Jewish council.We read of this account in Acts chapter 7. Beginning in verses 29 we read:

A similar situation happens again in Exodus when God instructs Moses toclimb to the top of Mount Sinai to receive the 10 Commandments. In

Exodus chapter 24 and verse 12 we read:

And once there, God speaks to Moses in chapter 25 verse 1:

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speakunto the children of Israel, that they bring me an

offering:

Exodus 25:1

12And the LORD said unto Moses, Come up to me

into the mount, and be there: and I will give thee tables

of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have

written; that thou mayest teach them.

Exodus 24:12

29

Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger inthe land of Midian, where he begat two sons.30

And when forty years were expired, there appeared to

him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the

Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.31

When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight: and ashe drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came

unto him,

Acts 7:29-31


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Stephen also speaks about this situation during his defense. He says inActs chapter 7, beginning in verse 37:

In summary, lets look at what God has to say about His angels. As youread through His description, notice how the pronouns interchange. We

read in Exodus 23, beginning at verse 20:

From Gods own description, we can clearly see how He is manifested

(shown, made known, revealed in His angels.

Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee inthe way, and to bring thee into the place which I have

prepared.21

Beware ofhim, and obey his voice, provoke him not;

for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my

name is in him.22But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all

that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thineenemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.23

Formine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee

in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and thePerizzites, and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the

Jebusites: and I will cut them off.

Exodus 23:20-23

37

This is that Moses, which said unto the children ofIsrael, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up untoyou of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear.38

This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness

with the angel which spake to him in the mount

Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively

oracles to give unto us:

Acts 7:37-38


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The Israelite Judges

Another example of God being manifested in a mighty one is when He

commanded Moses to appoint Judges over the Israelites to help himresolve daily conflicts between individuals. This happens in Exodus

chapter 18. Later, these judges are referred to as Elohim, or mightyones on more than one occasion! This is the same word used for God!

One such place is in Exodus chapter 22 and verse 9. Here, the law

regarding disputes over property is given:

Also much later, during the time when Jehoshaphat was king over Judah,he too appointed Judges over the Israelites. Listen to what he had to tell

these Judges in 2 Chronicles chapter 19 and verse 6,

The judges in the Old Testament were not mighty in the sense that they performed miracles, but they were mighty in the sense that they had

power to settle disputes amongst the people. They judged on behalf of

God and administeredHis laws withHis authority. Truly, such men could be described as mighty indeed! Because God was with them in their

judgments, they manifested Him by manifesting (showing, making known,

revealing) His will!

6And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye

judge not for man, but for the LORD,who is with you

in the judgment.

2 Chronicles 19:6

9For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for

ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost

thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of

both parties shall come before thejudges (Elohim inthe original Hebrew); and whom the judges (Elohimin the original Hebrew) shall condemn, he shall pay

double unto his neighbor.

Exodus 22:9

God Manifested in

Israelite Judges


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The Israelite Priests

Soon after God delivered the Israelites out of Egypt through His servant

Moses, God appointed Aaron as High Priest and his sons to act as Priests.Aaron and his family were descendants of Levi, and from that time

forward all Israelite Priests had to be from the tribe of Levi. Othermembers of the tribe of Levi served in the office of the Priests anddepending on which family they were from, were given special tasks to

complete with regards to service in the Tabernacle.

The purpose of a Priest was to act as an intermediary between God and the

Israelites. They represented the Israelite citizens to God and were required

by God to be examples to the people of Israel by following Hisrequirements.

Whenever the people of Israel would stand before the Priests, they were

described as standing before God. Look at what Deuteronomy chapter19 and verse 17 says:

And, when an Israelite would bring an offering to God, they were to giveit to Aaron and his sons in front of the Tabernacle. Look at what Leviticushas to say regarding the Meat Offering (just one of the many types of

offerings that a person could bring):

17Then, both the men, between whom the controversy

is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests

and the judgers, which shall be in those days.

Deuteronomy 19:17

8And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made

of these things unto the LORD: and when it is

presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the

altar.9And the priest shall take from the meat offering a

memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is

an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto theLORD.

10And that which is left of the meat offering

shall be Aarons and his sons: it is a thing most holy ofthe offerings of the LORD made by fire.

Leviticus 2:8-10

God Manifested in

Israelite Priests


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The Priests were specifically called by God to act as examples to theIsraelites. They taught Gods statutes not only by words, but by heir

example as well. Just look at these verses from Leviticus:

And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not

drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with

thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation,lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your

generations:10

And that ye may put difference

between holy and unholy, and between unclean and

clean; 11And that ye may teach the children of Israelall the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them

by the hand of Moses.

Leviticus 10:8-11

1The LORD said to Moses,

2Tell Aaron and his sons to

treat with respect the sacred offerings the Israelites

consecrate to me, so they will not profane my holy

name. I am the LORD.

Leviticus 22:1-2

9The priests are to keep my requirements so that they

do not become guilty and die for treating them with

contempt. I am the LORD, who makes them holy.

Leviticus 22:9


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The Israelite Priests not only had to manifest Godthrough their actions, but they also manifested God

in the way that they dressed!

The Priests were required to wear some very special

clothing, and each piece of their outfit taught a

lesson.

Read all about it in Exodus chapter 28!

CHECK IT OUT!

CHECK IT OUT!


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The Nation of Israel

You might be surprised to learn that God can even manifest Himself in anentire nation!

God created the Israelites to be His chosen people and His Witnesses.By following Gods statutes, they would manifest Him to all of the nations

around them.

Just look at the following verses:

9The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as

he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of

the LORD your God and walk in his ways.

10Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are

called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear

you.

Deuteronomy 28:10 (NIV)

23Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this;

shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you

mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the

LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory inIsrael.

Isaiah 44:23 (NIV)

Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my

servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and

believe me, and understand that I am he: before methere was no God formed, neither shall there be afterme.

Isaiah 43:10

God Manifested in

Israel


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16This day the LORD thy God hath commanded thee

to do these statutes and judgments: thou shalt

therefore keep and do them with all thine heart, and withall thy soul.17

Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God,

and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and

his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearkenunto his voice:18

And the LORD hath avouched thee this day to be hispeculiar people, as he hath promised thee, and that thou

shouldest keep all his commandments;19

And to make thee high above all nations which he hath

made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that

thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thyGod, as he hath spoken.

Leviticus 10:8-11


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Jesus Christ

The greatest example of God Manifestation is Jesus Christ.

Jesus came in his fathers name:

A name which he manifested:

The purpose of Christ was so that God could reconcile the world unto

Himself. God helped him to be the perfect example for us:

43I am come in my Fathers name . . .

John 5:43

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled usto himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us theministry of reconciliation;

19To wit, that God was in

Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not

imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committedunto us the word of reconciliation

2 Corinthians 5:18-19

6I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou

gavest me out of the world:

John 17:5

God Manifested in

Jesus Christ


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Christs entire life was spent following Gods will:

No other man since Christ has ever manifested God to the extent Christdid. He remained sinless and totally dedicated to following his fathers

will. So much so, that those around him were able to learn of Gods

character by watching his example.

To learn more about Jesus Christ as the ultimate manifestation of God,

take a look at the Special Topics Section at the end of this book.

30I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge:

and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine ownwill, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

John 5:30


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Christs Followers

Those that have heard the gospel, responded to its message and havebecome baptized into Christ, are known as Children of God. They are

also described as Spiritual Israel, Christs Followers, the Elect, andas Sons of God.

Look at what is said about them in the book of Acts:

Christs followers are spiritual Israelites:

Abraham is known as The Father of the Jews.

He was promised, in Genesis 12, that a great nation

would be created from his descendants. This was

the Nation of Israel!

29And if ye be Christs, then are ye Abrahams seed,

and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 3: 29

14Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the

Gentiles, to take out of them a people forHis name.

Acts 15:14

God Manifested in

Christs Followers

QUICK NOTES


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And just as natural Israel manifested God to the nations around them,spiritual Israelites manifest God to others around them:

But remember, Christs followers today are still mortal creatures andsubject to sinful nature. They sin constantly and, therefore, are not able to

perfectly manifest God.

The perfect manifestation of God would be an individual that not only

doesnt sin, but that also shared Gods immortal nature!

The only ones that have this distinction today are the Angels and JesusChrist. But although this scenario does not exist today for Christs

followers, it will in the future! Just look at what is promised to them.

Peter taught that they could become partakers of divine nature.

3According as his divine power hath given unto us all

things that pertain unto life and godliness, through theknowledge of him that hath called us to glory and

virtue:

4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great andprecious promises: that by these ye might be

partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the

corruption that is in the world through lust.

2 Peter 1:3-4

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see

your good works, and glorify your Father which is in

heaven.

Matthew 5:16

24

And if they that are Christs have crucified the fleshwith the affections and lusts,25

If we live in the spirit,

let us also walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:26


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And Jesus promised to write upon those who overcome the name of myGod:

So we can see that for Christs followers there is first a moralmanifestation of God today, to be followed by aphysical manifestation of

God in the future.

Once sin and mortality have ultimately been destroyed, then only perfect

manifestations of God will exist!

We can then get a much clearer picture of how God will truly fill this earth

with His entire Glory!

And, we now have a more complete understanding of what Paul means

when he says in 1 Corinthians 15:28:

And when all things shall be subdued unto him, thenshall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put

all things under him, that God may be all in all.

1 Corinthians 15:28

21 But as truly as I love, all the earth shall be filledwith the Glory of the LORD.

Numbers 14:21

12

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in thetemple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I

will write upon him the name of my God, and the

name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem,

which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and Iwill write upon him my new name.

Revelation 3:12


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PUTTING IT ALL

TOGETHER

Nowthat weve looked at many examples in the Bible of instances whereGod was manifested in a particular individual, and now that we understand what

some of the Titles of God are, we can begin putting these pieces together! This

will give us a much greater understanding and appreciation of just what exactlythe Titles of God mean!

Lets revisit the three Titles we considered in Section 4.

LORD God

Recall from Section 4 that this phrase means He will be mighty ones.

From Section 5, we saw several examples of individuals who were

described as mighty ones. These included the Angels as well as theJudges during the time of Israel. And when Christs followers are granted

immortality in the Kingdom Age, they too may be described as mighty

ones!

In all of the examples we looked at of mighty

ones, notice how that none of them were mighty

of their own accord. Their might was given to

them by God and was used for His purposes. Check

it out!

God Manifested in

Mighty Ones

CHECK IT OUT!

6

CHECK IT OUT!


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God Manifestation 101 Section 6: Putting it all Together

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Lord GOD

From Section 4, we learned that this Title means, He will be rulers.

The Bible uses the term Adon (singular), or Adonai (plural), to

describe various rulers. In fact, Jesus is referred to as a future ruler. Listento the words of the Angel in Luke chapter 1:

And dont forget, Christs followers will be future rulers with Christ in the

Kingdom Age!

We have already seen how these particular individuals have been

described as mighty ones. It is very easy to see how a mighty one of

God would very naturally fit into the role of a ruler.

11

Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, wewill also live with him;12

if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we

disown him, he will also disown us;

2 Timothy 2:11-12

30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou

hast found favor with God.31

And, behold, thou shalt

conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt

call his name JESUS.32

He shall be great, and shall becalled the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall

give unto him the throne of his father David:33

And

he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and ofhis kingdom there shall be no end.

Luke 1:30-33

God Manifested in

Rulers


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At this time, Hezekiah was the King of Judah. In verses 6 through 9, we

read of Hezekiahs response and what he had to say to his generals . . .

Not only was God manifested in the armies of Israel when they

accomplished His will, but He was (and is) also manifested in His army ofAngels. It was this army that often fought for Israel in their battles.

6And he set captains of war over the people, and

gathered them together to him in the street of the gate of

the city, and spake comfortably to them, saying,7Be

strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed forthe king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with

him: for there be more with us than with him: 8Withhim is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our

God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the

people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiahking of Judah.

2 Chronicles 32:6-8

Before this time, Israel and Judah were divided into

two separate nations and Israel had just recently

been conquered by the Assyrians. God allowed this

to happen because of their disobedience to Him.

Now, the Assyrians were coming for Judah, but

because of their obedience, God promised to be

with them!

QUICK NOTES


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And Gods prophet Elisha even asked God to make this army visible toone of his servants.

The man Balaam also had a personal encounter with an angelic warrior.

Joel tells us that God is the ultimate commander of His army.

This army of God carries out His will so perfectly and without error that

we can say that God is manifested (shown, revealed, made known)

through it.

The LORD thunders at the head of his army;

His forces are beyond number, and mighty are those

who obey His command.

Joel 2:11 (NIV)

15When the servant of the man of God got up and went

out early the next morning, an army with horses andchariots had surrounded the city. Oh, my lord, whatshall we do? the servant asked.16

Dont be afraid, the prophet answered. Those who

are with us are more than those who are with them.17

And Elisha prayed, O LORD, open his eyes so hemay see. Then the LORD opened the servants eyes,

and he looked and saw the hills full of horses andchariots of fire all around Elisha.

2 Kings 6: 15-17 (NIV)

Then the LORD opened the eys of Balaam, and he saw

the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his

sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his

head, and fell flat on his face.

Numbers 22:31


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And what about the verse we read earlier in Micah:

Notice how the context of this verse is speaking about judgment and destruction.Therefore, it is very fitting for the Title, He will be armies to be used here.

5And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be

a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against theadulterers, and against false swearers, and against thosethat oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and

the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his

right, and fear not me, saith the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 3:5

Try it for yourself! When you come across a Title of God in a

particular passage, notice how it fits right in to what is

being discussed. Youll find that it not only helps to

emphasize the context of the verse, but it provides a

deeper meaning to the passage as well! CHECK IT OUT!

CHECK IT OUT!


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CLOSING THOUGHTS

As was stated from the very beginning, the subject of God Manifestation is one of themost important themes in the entire Bible. What has been presented here is only anintroduction to the subject. From here, you can now confidently continue in your ownstudies and build upon what you have already learned!

Lets look at how others Bible students have summarized God Manifestation.

HP Mansfield, in his article Index to the Titles of Deity, summarized GodManifestation this way:

By defining His name as I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE or I AM WHO I AM,

God does not give a concrete predicate (receives the action of a verb) of who orwhat exactly he will be and thus paving the way for extending himself in others.

He was like a father proclaiming His intention of extending himself in a family,

the firstborn of which is the Lord Jesus who now manifests the fullness of theDivine Glory mentally, morally and physically.

John Thomas, in his book Elpis Israel, summarized it this way:

Men were not ushered into being for the purpose of being saved or lost! God

manifestation not human salvation was the great purpose of the Eternal Spirit. Thesalvation of a multitude is incidental to the manifestation, but was not the end

proposed. The Eternal Spirit intended to enthrone himself on the earth, and in so

doing, to develop a Divine family from among men, every one of whom shall be

Spirit, because born of the Spirit, and that this family shall be large enough to fillthe earth, when perfected, to the entire exclusion of flesh and blood.

The subject of God Manifestation has not only taught us about God and His plans, but italso teaches us how we should live our own lives today. Consider what the apostle Paul

has to say in his letter to the Corinthians:

7


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One final thing that needs to be remembered when studying God Manifestation is that no

matter whom or what God chooses to reveal Himself through . . .

Heis,

Andalways will be,

Aboveall!

17

For the LORD your God is God of gods andLord of lords, the great God, mighty andawesome, who shows no partiality and accepts

no bribes.

Deuteronomy 10:17 (NIV)

3But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds

of them which believe not, lest the light of the gloriousgospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine

unto them.

5

For we preach not ourselves, but ChristJesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus'sake.

6For God, who commanded the light to shine out

of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give thelight of the knowledge of the glory of God in the faceof Jesus Christ.

7But we have this treasure in earthen

vessels, that the Excellency of the power may be of

God, and not of us.8We are troubled on every side, yet

not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;9Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not

destroyed;10

Always bearing about in the body the dying

of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might bemade manifest in our body.11

For we which live arealways delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life

also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal

flesh . . .

2 Corinthians 4:3-11


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SPECIAL TOPIC:

IS JESUS GOD?

Nowthat you have a solid foundation and understanding of God Manifestation (andsince it is fresh on your mind), this is a good time to take a moment to consider the

greatest example of God Manifestation, Jesus Christ. In fact, in order to answer thequestion, Is Jesus God, a solid understanding of God Manifestation is required.

Jesus Christ is the greatest example of God Manifestation that we have. While the angelsare also perfect manifestations of God, in that they follow His will and share of His

nature, it was Jesus Christ who obtained a more excellent name than the angels. Also,it was Jesus Christ who shared our nature and with whom we can most closely identify.

Consider these verses that describe Christ as being the image of God.

1God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake

in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,2Hath in

these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath

appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the

worlds (or Ages);3Who being the brightness ofhis

glory, and the express image of his person, andupholding all things by the word of his power, when he

had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the righthand of the Majesty on high;4

Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath

by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than

they.5For unto which of the angels said he at any time,

Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And

again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a

Son?

Hebrews 1:4-5

ST


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Each of these verses clearly states that Christ was an image (or as is implied in theoriginal Greek, a representative) of God.

However, one of the most common misconceptions about Christ is that he was not animage of God, but rather God Himself. But such a notion is contrary to the teaching of

Scripture. Consider the following Scriptural Facts. (I encourage the reader to look up

these verses on his or her own).

Jesus constantly denied equality with Godo John 14: 28; Mark 10:18; Matthew 26:39; 1 Corinthians 11:13

He refers to God as my God, and my Fathero Mark 15:34; Hebrews 1:9

He is always presented as a second person separate from his fathero Romans 1:7; Ephesians 1:3

Jesus was tempted, while God cannot be tempted.o Hebrews 4:15 compared with James 1:13

Jesus increased in wisdom, but God is omniscient (all knowing)o Luke 2: 52

Jesus learned obedienceo Hebrews 5:8

15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn

of every creature:

Colossians 1:15

3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those

who are perishing.4The god of this age has blinded the

minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light ofthe gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of

God.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NIV)


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Jesus lacks knowledge of his fathers will unless it is given to him.o Mark 13:32

Jesus was dependent upon and subject to his fathero Hebrews 5:7; John 3:34; Philippians 2:9; John 5:19, 30; John 7:16; 1

Corinthians 15:24

Jesus dies, while God cannot dieo Luke 23: 46; compared with 1 Timothy 6:16

Men saw Jesus while no man can see Godo John 1:14 compared with John 1:18

So given these facts from the Bible, why do some say that the Bible actually teaches thatJesus is God?

The answer to this question is that there are some verses, that when read alone (and not inconsideration of the surrounding verses or in light of the rest of scripture), seem to imply

that he is.

For example, consider the verse in John chapter 14 and verse 9, where Jesus says to

Philip:

If you read this verse by itself, without any consideration of the verses around it or

without consideration of how it fits in with the rest of Scriptural teaching, you might be

tempted to conclude that Jesus is saying he is actually God Himself.

9

Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time withyou, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that

hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest

thou then, Show us the Father?

John 14:9


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In this verse, Jesus can mean one of two things.

1) He is God.

2) He is a manifestation (representative or image) of God.This implies that he has carried out Gods will so perfectly that through

his life and example, he has revealed Gods will and character to thosearound him. It is in this manner that others have seen the father, not thatthey have seen him physically. Its as if Jesus were a character mirror

reflecting God.

We have established with the facts above that option 1 is a Scriptural impossibility, and

we have seen throughout this book, that option 2 is, in fact, a Scriptural teaching.

But not only that, if you read the verses that follow and consider the entire context of

what Christ is saying, you will find that this is in fact the case:

Therefore, in the same way that Jesus is in the Father and the Father in Christ, we toowill be in Christ and Christ in us!

Are we prepared to say then that we are in fact Christ?? Of course not! But once youunderstand the principle of God Manifestation, it is very easy to see how Christs words

make perfect sense. Christ lived his life in perfect harmony with Gods will. He revealed

Gods character and purpose to the world around him. When we live our lives after thissame example, it becomes clear how Christ may be in us and us in him. Its not a physical

in-dwelling, but one ofprinciple, commitmentandpurpose.

11Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father

in me: or else believe me for the very works sake.

. . .

20At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father,

and ye in me, and I in you.

John 14:11 and 20


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This same idea is repeated again a few chapters later, when Jesus, in John chapter 17 andverses 17 through 21 says the following:

Lets also take a moment to consider Christs statements in John chapter 10. In verse 30,

Jesus says,

Again, when pulling this verse out of context and reading it on its own, you may be

tempted to think that Jesus is stating that he is, in fact, God. But, we have already seenhow this is an impossibility when considered in light of the rest of Scripture. However,

with our new-found knowledge of God Manifestation, we can readily understand the

meaning behind Christs words. He and his father are one in commitment, will andpurpose, not one in the same being.

30I and my father are one.

John 10:30

17

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.18As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have Ialso sent them into the world.

19And for their sakes I

sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified

through the truth.20

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also whichshall believe on me through their word;

21That they all

may be one; as thou, Father, artin me, and I in thee,

that they also may be one in us: that the world maybelieve that thou hast sent me.

John 14:17-21


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Just take a look at the context of Christs words in the surrounding verses, and youll seethat this truly is the case:

23

And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomons porch.24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said untohim, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be

the Christ, tell us plainly.25

Jesus answered them, I told

you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my

Fathers name, they bear witness of me.26

But ye

believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said

unto you.27

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,

and they follow me:28

And I give unto them eternal life;and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck

them out of my hand.29

My Father, which gave them

me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluckthemout of my Fathers hand.30

I and my Father are one.31

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.32

Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showedyou from my Father; for which of those works do ye

stone me?33

The Jews answered him, saying, For a good

work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because

that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.34

Jesus

answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said,

Ye are gods?35

If he called them gods, unto whom the

word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;36

Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and

sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I

am the Son of God?37

If I do not the works of myFather, believe me not.

38But if I do, though ye believe

not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and

believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

John 11:23-38


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Notice the following facts from this exchange:

Jesus states that the work he is doing is in his fathers name. Jesus states that his father is greater than all. When the Jews heard Jesus say, I and my father are one, they too made the

same mistake that people make today. They took this to mean that Jesus wasmaking himself God. But, how did Jesus respond??

He answered by quoting from Psalm 82 (which is a Psalm about the IsraeliteJudges) where it says in verse 6, I have said, ye are Gods. (Remember when weread in Exodus that the Judges were referred to as God)?

So, instead of responding with, I am God (when this would have been theperfect occasion to make such a statement in response to their question), he points

out the Jews hypocrisy. They can accept the fact that some of their own may becalled God (and they can understand that this doesnt imply they are the same

being as God), but they are missing the point that Jesus isnt even calling himself

God. He is simply calling himself the Son of God. He begins to provide an explanation by describing how he is performing the

works of his father, but the Jews dont want to hear a word of it!

Although Jesus did not call himself God in this instance, consider the following points:

Recall that the Angels carried Gods name.o We have seen examples of when they are referred to as God; and we

actually read in Psalm a verse where God said of His angel, My name is

in him.

We have also seen examples of where mortal men were also called God.o Recall that the judges were called God (Elohim) in Exodus.

And not only this, but we have already learned that as followers of Christ, we arepromised that someday he will write upon us the name of his Father.

o We read this in Revelation 3:12.

Given these facts, shouldnt we expect to at least find in scripture instances of where thegreatest example of God Manifestation is also referred to as God?


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Of course; and in fact we do. And not only that, but the prophet Isaiah foretold that thiswould be the case when he wrote in Isaiah chapter 9 and verse 6:

Also, notice that this is a prophecy and that Isaiah is indicating that Christ would becalled these things in the future.

We find an example of where Jesus is called God in John 20:28, when Thomas firstencounters Jesus after he had risen from the dead. Here, Thomas says to Jesus:

But notice that just prior to this, Jesus said to Mary in verse 17,

Simply because someone uses a Title, or goes by someone elses name, this does notimply that they are in fact that very person. Consider the example of a representative of a

certain company. When they speak to others, they may simply say This is Company A

Calling, but it is clearly understood that they are simply a representative of thatcompany and speaking on that companies behalf. While this is not a direct example of an

individual taking on the title of another individual, the principle is the same.

17

He shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, TheMighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince ofPeace.

Isaiah 9:6

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not: for I am not yet

ascended to my father: but go to my brethren, and say

unto them, I ascend unto my father, and your father,and to my God, and your God.

John 20:17

My Lord and my God.

John 20:28


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CONCLUSION

What has been presented in this Special Topics Section is only a brief introduction to

what makes for a fascinating study. The Scriptural evidence of Christ being the son ofGod, and not God Himself, is overwhelming, and it would take another book just to cover

it all!

Hopefully, you have come to the realization that in order to fully understand who Jesus

Christ was, a sound understanding of God Manifestation is vital.

Its my prayer that, through this brief introduction, you have gained a greater appreciation

for the subject of God Manifestation and seen just how integral of a principle it is when it

comes to properly understanding the Bible.

May God bless you as you continue to study His Word . . .

God Manifestation 101

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Transcript of God Manifestation 101