In What Form was Yahweh God
when He was Walking in the Garden?
(Gen. 3:8, 10)
By Jonathan Mitchell
In What Form was Yahweh God, when He was Walking in the Garden?
(Gen. 3:8, 10)
This study will investigate some anthropomorphisms used by the ancient writers of the OT, when they spoke about God as though He had a body. Our intent is not to suggest the childish "Old Man in the sky" idea, but rather to inquire of the Scriptures the significance of the expressions used to describe the actions of God, as these writers were given to perceive them, through their lens and the world view of their times and culture. In Gal. 4, Paul applied the current method of allegorical interpretation, of OT stories and events, in order to present spiritual realities which lay behind the ancient narratives.
In the creation story, in Genesis 2:7b, we read, "then the LORD God fashioned the human, humus from the soil, and blew into his nostrils the breath of life" (Robert Alter). How are we supposed to picture this, or understand the mechanics of God's actions? I think that most of us simply assume, without really thinking about it, that God used His hands to form the soil and fashion a human body. And the thoughtful reader will assume that this narrative is anthropomorphism. Now, considering that Gen. 1:26 informs us that God decides to "make a human in our image, by our likeness" (ibid), we could assume that we look like God, or at least have His form, and extrapolate from this that God has a form like ours. But again, Gen. 1 can be read as figurative, or symbolic, speech, and thus we may realize that the creation story is not meant to be read literally. It is speaking Truth using linguistic devices to convey the story to human beings.
Now, we can answer these questions by assuming that God actually simply spoke all these perceived "actions," as we read in Gen. 1:2-31, "And God said..." etc. How did God speak? With His "mouth"? John 1:1-3 instructs us that it was the Logos (the Word, or Thought) that made everything. A word begins in the mind, and then may or may not be spoken. Gen. 1 instructs us that God "spoke."In Gen. 2:18, we read that "God fashioned from the soil each beast of the field and each fowl of the heavens and brought each to the human..." (ibid). In 2:22, "the LORD God built the rib He had taken from the human into a woman..." (ibid). Should we assume that God breathed the breath of life into Eve? How about the animals and birds? As an aside, notice that the realm of birds is called "the heavens."
In thinking about just how God breathed into Adam (the human), let us transcend time and hear the words spoken to Ezekiel in 37:1-14. In 37:4-5, He said, "prophesy over these bones, and you will say to the, 'Dry bones, hear [the] Word of Yahweh. Thus says my Lord Yahweh to these bones: Behold, I [will] bring spirit into you, and you will live...'" Then, in 9b, "Come from the four winds, O spirit, and blow into these [who were] killed, so that they may live." (CVOT). Can we tie this picture, in Ezk. 37, to the narrative of Gen. 2 where breath was blown into the nostrils of the human?
In Gen. 3:22, we find that:
"Later [the] LORD (= Yahweh) God at some point made (formed; constructed; produced; created) on Adam and on his wife (or: in or for Adam and his woman) skin tunics (or: inner garments made from removed skin), and then He clothed them (or: He entered within them; or: He put them on them)." (LXX, JM)
Then Isa. 64:8 informs us:
"But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; we are all the work of Your hand."
But still, the question remains: How were Adam and Eve encountering God? Did they observe Him as He clothed them? Enquiring minds want to know : )
Now, in Jn. 20:22, we read:
"And after saying this, He suddenly blows on, and says to, them (or: He breathes within [them], as to inflate them [note: same verb as used in Gen. 2:7, LXX], then is saying to them), 'Receive a set-apart spirit! (or: Get [the] Holy Spirit!; Take the Sacred Breath-effect!; or: Receive a sacred attitude).'"
Was this the beginning of the forming of the "Body" of the Second Humanity (1 Cor. 15:47)? The "Second Humanity" is a Resurrected Humanity (1 Cor. 15:42-49). Recall that,
"'The first human (or: man), Adam, came for existence (or: was birthed) into [being] a living soul' [Gen. 2:7]; the Last Adam into [being] a continuously life-making (life-producing; life-creating; life-forming) Spirit (or: Breath-effect; Attitude)." (1 Cor. 15:45)
To set the context of this verse, let us read the previous three verses:
42. Thus also (or: In this way too) [is] the resurrection of the dead people. It is habitually (repeatedly; presently; one after another) being sown [as a seed] within corruption (or: in union with decay and ruin; in perishability); it is being habitually (or: presently; repeatedly; one after another) awakened and raised up within incorruption (non-decayability; imperishableness).
43. It is constantly being sown within dishonor (in union with lack of value; in the midst of worthlessness), it is being habitually (or: repeatedly; constantly; progressively; one after another) awakened and raised up within, and in union with, glory (a manifestation which calls forth praise; an assumed appearance of good repute). It is constantly being sown within weakness (in union with lack of strength), it is being habitually (or: repeatedly; constantly; one after another; progressively) awakened and raised up within, and in union with, inherent power, means of influence, potentiality, and ability. [cf 1 Cor. 6:14; Phil. 3:20-21; 2 Cor. 1:9]
44. It is habitually (continually; repeatedly; presently) being sown a body having the qualities and characteristics of a soul (a body with the life of a soul and a consciousness of self; or: = a body animated by soul; or: = a natural, psychical entity); it is habitually (repeatedly; constantly; presently; one after another) being awakened and raised up a spiritual body (a body determined by the characteristics of the Breath-effect, or spirit; = a spiritual entity). Since there is a soulish (soul-animated) body, there also is (or: exists) a spiritual (spirit-animated) one.
[comment: note the germinal connection between the two - they are a progression of the same body, from seed to plant; the Seed is Resurrection Life - vs. 42a]
Read again the last sentence of vs. 44: "Since there is a soul-animated body, there also exist a spiritual one." What is the source of the spirit-animated body? Well, of course, everything comes from out of the midst of God (Rom. 11:36), so, does He have a Spiritual Body? How could we have something that He does not have?
In 2 Cor. 5:1, Paul instructs us about this:
"we constantly have (continuously hold; presently possess) a dwelling structure or place (a building for an abode) forth from out of the midst of God: an eonian act of building a roofed house (or: a covered building for dwelling - a home - having qualities and character which pertain to the Age [of the Messiah]; a structure of edification of, for, and pertaining to, the eras and ages) - not made by hands [cf Heb. 9:1-8, 11; Dan. 2:34, 45; Eph. 2:11; Col. 2:11] - resident within these atmospheres (or: in union with the heavens)." [cf 6:16, below; 1 Tim. 3:15; Heb. 9:24; Rev. 21:10]
Then, in 2 Cor. 5:4b he puts it this way:
"to fully enter within and to add clothing upon ourselves, to the end that the mortal (or: this mortal thing) may be drunk down and swallowed under (or: by) The Life."
Genesis 2 uses language different from Gen. 1 to narrate God's actions. He does not "speak," but rather, He "fashioned" soil into a human, and next "fashions" soil into animals and birds, and then "builds" a rib into a woman. Anthropomorphism throughout the text, but what is this literary device signifying? Was the fashioning and building accomplished by speaking? If so, why does not the text indicate this? How are we to think about how God acted?
Genesis 3:8 continues this device, putting God in the same setting as Adam and Eve: "they heard the sounds of the LORD God walking about in the garden" (Alter)..."and the human and his woman hid from the LORD God, in the midst of the trees of the garden" (ibid). So, now to the question in our topic: In what form was the Lord, when He was walking in the garden? Our intent is not to give an answer to this question, but rather to cause our readers to pause and think about the texts which they may be reading. To think, perhaps, beyond and to behind the anthropomorphism.
In Gen. 18:1, Yahweh appeared to Abraham, and in vs. 2, he looked up and saw three men (in the LXX, three adult human males) standing before him. After Abraham spoke with them and fed them, they ask for the whereabouts of Sarah, Abraham's wife. In vs. 10, the narrative changes from the plural to the singular, "Now He said, 'I will return to you according to the season of life, and consider this: you wife Sarah will have a son." From this verse on, it is Yahweh speaking with Abraham. In 18:22, the "men" turned from being with Abraham and "went toward Sodom, while the LORD was still standing before Abraham" (Alter). In what form was Yahweh "standing before Abraham"? The text does not tell us.
We observe, in 2 Chron. 16:9 that:
"For [as regards] Yahweh, His eyes [go] to and fro through all the earth to reinforce the heart of those [who are] at peace with Him." (CVOT)
This anthropomorphism would most likely suggest the function of God's awareness of all things, and of His presence in the realm of all things. It is a statement of pervasiveness and awareness, not of His "spiritual body." Function, rather than form or body. A similar picture, found in Ps. 68:4, offers the metaphor about "Him who rides upon the clouds - his name is the LORD" (NRSV) [Cf Isa. 19:1]. Ps. 68:33a speaks of "a rider in the heavens." Ps. 18:10 tells us, "He rode on a cherub and flew, so He swooped down on the wings of the wind." These picturesque verses speak of God's immanent involvement with His creation. [cf The Couds are the Dust of His Feet]
In John 1 we are instructed that the Word (Logos) became flesh... i.e., was born in a Body. We have an apocalyptic picture of the risen Christ in Rev. 1:
13. and within the midst of the lampstands, One like a Son of Man (or: a son of mankind; = [the] son of Adam; = like a human being; [or: an eschatological symbol referring to such as in Dan. 7:13 and 10:5-6]), being clothed (or: invested) [with a garment] reaching to the feet; being girded (or: wrapped) about at the breasts with a golden belt.
14. Now His head and hairs [are] white, as white wool - as snow - and His eyes as a flame of fire,
15. and His feet [are] like white hot brass (or: refined bronze or copper) as having been set on fire in a furnace, and His Voice [is] as a roar (or: sound; voice) of many [rushing or crashing] waters. [cf Ezk. 1:7, 24; 43:2]
Prior to this, we have the account in Mk. 16:12, "Yet after these things, He was displayed in clear light and manifested - in a different form - to two of their group, when they continued walking along, being on their way journeying into [the] country." [cf Lu. 24:13-16]
In the Exodus story, we see God in the form of a cloud which is mixed with Fire. It both protects Israel from the Egyptian army, but also leads them through the wilderness. We read in Heb. 12:29,
"for you see, 'even our God [is] a continuously all-consuming Fire (or: our God [is] also a progressively fully-devouring fire).'" [Deut. 4:24; 9:3; Isa. 33:14; cf Rev. 19:20]
Paul shares a surprising disclosure about Israel's wilderness journey, in 1 Cor. 10:4.
and they all drank the same spiritual drink, for they kept on drinking from out of a spiritual bedrock (or: cliff rock; rock mass) - one continually following along behind (or: progressively accompanying [them]). Now the bedrock (or: cliff rock) was the Christ (or: this rock mass was existing being the Anointing).
Can we conclude that God takes different forms when acting with, and within, His creation? We find, in Ps. 19:1, that:
"The heavens (skies; atmospheres) continuously set out in detail and progressively describe God's glory (a manifestation from God which calls forth praise; an assumed appearance of, and which is, God), but now this result of firmness and the effect of solidness (or: the firmament) constantly reports back, recounts and proclaims a producing of His hands (or: a creating, forming, constructing, building and performing, from His hands, and which pertain to His hands)." (LXX, JM)
We can learn about God through observing, contemplating and listening to, His creation. Jesus instructed us to consider lilies of the field. He told us that, "not one from among [the sparrows] will proceed falling upon the ground without (or: apart from) your Father" (Mat. 10:29).
In the Incarnation, God took the form of a human being. Might He have also done so in the Garden of Eden, in order to commune with, and minister to, Adam and Eve? Paul wrote about Christ in Phil. 2:
6. Who, starting and continuing as inherently existing (or: beginning under; subsisting) in union with God's form, and centered in an outward expression denoting the inner reality, ability, and coordination of action, which is Deity (or: in an outward mold, from God), He does not consider this [situation] - [i.e.], to be equals in, and by, God - a plunder (or: a pillaging; a robbery; a snatching; or: a thing, situation or status [that was] seized and held), (or: Who, [although] constantly humbly and supportively ruling in union with an external shape and an outward appearance from God, did not give consideration to a seizure: the [situation] to continuously exist being the same things with God, even on the same levels in God, or equal [things; aspects] to God,) [cf Jn. 1:1-2; 5:18; 17:5; Mat. 17:2; Col. 1:15]
7. but to the contrary, He empties Himself (or: removed the contents of Himself; made Himself empty; or: impoverished Himself; divested Himself) upon receiving (or: in taking; then accepting) a slave's form (external shape; outward mold) in coming to be (or: by birthing Himself) in union with an effect of humanity's likeness (or: centered in a result of a likeness from people; within the sphere of an effect of being made like [one] belonging to people; in the midst of a result of people's likeness). [cf Ps. 22:6; Isa. 42:1; 53:3, 11; Mat. 20:28; Jn. 1:14; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 10:5b]
In this passage, Paul does not explain the mechanisms which he employs to set forth the Truth that he was given to see. We may wonder, "How did all this work?" For Paul, understanding how it worked was not the important thing. It was revealed to him that Christ was "starting and continuing as inherently existing ("hup-archon)" in union with God's form." This "form or outward mold" was Deity, i.e., God. He did not give further explanation about this form, or "outward expression," and so we are left only to ponder what this was. But it was definitely different from "a slave's form." We might also ponder about what the contents were, which He emptied/removed from Himself. Still, we should keep in mind that "God was existing within Christ (God was and continued being centered in, and in union with [the] Anointed One)." (2 Cor. 5:19a; JMNT)
One thing that seems obvious in these ancient writings, is that they describe what we might metaphorically call a "hands on" involvement of God with both humanity and His creation.
We are not told about God being in any "form" in the creation or Garden stories. The style of the narrative makes some of us wonder about such details, and their absences, but they are not yet uncovered for us, and so we must leave it there. We trust that this article has been a catalyst for thought about what actually lies behind the ancient anthropomorphisms which we encounter in the Scriptures. May these observations be an aid to a greater awareness of our being "within the midst of [God]" (Acts 17:28a).
Jonathan
And from John Gavazzoni
Pseudo-orthodoxy Attributes
Psychopathy to God.
John R. Gavazzoni
Such attributes as omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence, for instance, are rightly acknowledged by general Christian orthodoxy to be ontologically the possession of God exclusively. God, and God alone, is all-knowing, all-powerful and all/everywhere-present, and He is so AS love. He is filled to the full with love with no room for anything else, and certainly not anything contrary to the Love He is.
He is all-lovingly all-knowing; all-lovingly all-powerful; all-lovingly ever-present. To even, in any way, or by any definition, hedge somehow as to deny the absoluteness of such attribution; to suggest there could be reason for Him to be less than or other than so for some reason, for instance, by some affectively-effective behavior of man that would cause Him set aside some measure of all that He is in order to make way for man's free will, has no place in the revelation of Himself to man in His Son.
If such hedging is not theologically allowable, what of attributing to God that which is characteristic of psychopathic-compulsion? With a minority of exception, mainstream orthodoxy actually attributes to God a compulsive deep desire found among psychopaths, that if an occasion presents itself, the psychopath will, with great satisfaction, give himself over to the pleasure of inflicting pain, most desirably to the point of extreme torture on his target victim.
His pleasure is specific. For full satisfaction, it must be he who directly inflicts the pain, or be the responsible, ordering, or manipulating agent if some other does the actual physical or psychological infliction. he would actually be resentful if it was someone else's doing instead of himself. Mainstream orthodoxy, in the majority, portrays God as of the same kind of compulsion, as in, requiring the infliction of pain to satisfy the demands of His holiness. The theological word most commonly used to convey such satisfaction is, "propitiation," though in some translation-cases, one might find instead, "expiation."
[The latter emphasizes freedom from sin and guilt rather than appeasement of divine wrath. In such cases, it may be a translator's way of encouraging the reader to consider atonement in a different light]
Appeasement of God's wrath: God can only find satisfaction in the face the sinner's infamous disobedience, through the sinner's suffering. This differs not at all from the satisfaction of a psychopath. We're not talking about the consequence of death by sin, which has nothing to do with divine negative reaction. There is no appeasement factor in God's arrangement for consequence to have a place on humanity's path to our glorious destiny in union with Christ. Consequence has no relationship with the idea of God needing to beat up on folks so that He can feel free to forgive.
You say, it isn't God who does that. Wait a minute: it's mainstream theology's teaching that the sinner goes to hell forever because of the wrath of God. Without said wrath, there would be no need for appeasement. Supposedly, in the conventional scenario, it's God's wrath that sends the sinner to hell. C'mon, don't try to white-wash God in the face of orthodoxy really, actually, painting Him hideously.
Backing up a bit, I must note that the psychopathy attributed to God is not exactly parallel to that the human psychopath, for it would be a strange, anomalous case should a psychopath, who has his victim tied up in the basement, to ask his son to take the victim's place, so that if he'd be willing, the psychopath would find the his compulsive need to torture satisfied by his son enduring the torture instead. Yeah; there's a difference. I don't think there any record of a psycho going down into the basement and offering his prisoner a deal: "if you'll agree to me torturing my son instead of you, you can go free."
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