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Many christians nowadays believe entirely that God the Father is invisible and the only God we will ever get to see in heaven is The glorified jesus! However the bible says fairly enough in probably more than 10 verses that indeed God the father will be seen. He can't be seen in this life while on Earth but definitely in heaven he shall be seen. People seem to be taking things out of context to a huge degree. Yes the bible says that god the father is invisible in these places :
Exodus 33:20 – “But He [God] said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live !"
John 1:18 – “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”
John 5:37 – “"And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.”
John 6:46 - "Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.”
1 Tim. 6:15-16 – “He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.”
If you examine the context here you will realize that "No man can see me and live " refers to the fact that if somebody sees god he will be not able to bear it and die (whether because of physical or intelectual capability-whatever)
-dwelling in unapproachable light- here the same reason ...the light is unbearable for man to look at and live. This verse clearly refers to the father because it says "whom no man has seen nor can see" which means that it can't be Jesus since Jesus was seen by many people already it is the father whom no man has seen nor can see. And if it dwells in this infinite light so to say this means that he actually is having some form or something so that to emitt that light. (he is not just a shapeless substance flowing in the air).
-no man has seen god at any time means that his glory and glorious nature was never behold in its fullness or essence but only in visions or theophanies.
This was about the invisibility Now about the VISIBILITY.
-When jesus or the apostles were saying that God is invisible they were referring to the earthly state. They meant that you can't go somewhere and expect to see god. He is a spiritual being not of this world. But being a spiritual being doesn't make him shapelss or formless!!! Angels themselves are spirits but none argues that they have bodies ( spiritual bodies) and can be seen. Even Jesus himself said that we will see the father one day. He said it more clearly than it could be said. "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall SEE God". Who is the God who they are going to see? It is not referring to Jesus here because people have already saw him and were even looking at him at the moment these words were uttered. It can only refer to the father.
- Jesus said something very interesting: Matthew 18:10 " For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."
This verse however you interpret it can only mean that angels in heaven are priviliged with the honor of looking at God. And since Jesus was saying these things it was not looking at Jesus which was meant but at God the father who sits upon the throne in heaven.
-Jesus says probably more than 7 or 8 times that God the Father is in heaven! "My father in heaven ... Your father in heaven..." and so on.
-The bible mentions probably more than 4 or 5 times that Jesus is at the right hand of the FATHER. Yes but people come and say "Oh come on this is figurative it is not meant literally the right hand". Well if you read the bible you will see that it is just what is meant since it is mentioned many times and the whole book of revelation speaks about the fact that "THE LAMB" is separated from the "One on the throne" .
-Daniel has a vision in chapter 7:13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence." The ancient of days can be no other than the father here. As you can see this is a vision and not his true essence but he is clearly described as having a physical appearance.
And on top of all that the strongest arguement is found here :
-Revelation 21 : "Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. "
Lets examine the context. The people have been with Christ and have reigned with him throughout the 1000 years. But only AFTER the 1000 years "Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power". 1 corintheans 15:24
So it is when the throne of God comes along with the New Jerusalem that the bible says that "They shall see his face" !. Even though the whole world saw Christ when he was here throughout his reign the Bible makes very clearly the destinction that it is God the Father who will be also seen now and not only Jesus.
The Throne of God and of the lamb means that "...just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne." revelation 3:21. It is one throne shared by the 2 persons of the trinity Father and son in perfect union.
I must note in the end that I am not trying to say that The father has an explicit or fixed appearance. I want to say that he can manifest his presence so as to be seen by his creatures. (Light usually). In heaven he definitely can be seen and we the redeemed will see him one day. I hope you pay attention to this topic since it addresses an issue which is common nowadays. I hope this will be useful.
Exodus 33:20 – “But He [God] said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live !"
John 1:18 – “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”
John 5:37 – “"And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.”
John 6:46 - "Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.”
1 Tim. 6:15-16 – “He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen.”
If you examine the context here you will realize that "No man can see me and live " refers to the fact that if somebody sees god he will be not able to bear it and die (whether because of physical or intelectual capability-whatever)
-dwelling in unapproachable light- here the same reason ...the light is unbearable for man to look at and live. This verse clearly refers to the father because it says "whom no man has seen nor can see" which means that it can't be Jesus since Jesus was seen by many people already it is the father whom no man has seen nor can see. And if it dwells in this infinite light so to say this means that he actually is having some form or something so that to emitt that light. (he is not just a shapeless substance flowing in the air).
-no man has seen god at any time means that his glory and glorious nature was never behold in its fullness or essence but only in visions or theophanies.
This was about the invisibility Now about the VISIBILITY.
-When jesus or the apostles were saying that God is invisible they were referring to the earthly state. They meant that you can't go somewhere and expect to see god. He is a spiritual being not of this world. But being a spiritual being doesn't make him shapelss or formless!!! Angels themselves are spirits but none argues that they have bodies ( spiritual bodies) and can be seen. Even Jesus himself said that we will see the father one day. He said it more clearly than it could be said. "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall SEE God". Who is the God who they are going to see? It is not referring to Jesus here because people have already saw him and were even looking at him at the moment these words were uttered. It can only refer to the father.
- Jesus said something very interesting: Matthew 18:10 " For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven."
This verse however you interpret it can only mean that angels in heaven are priviliged with the honor of looking at God. And since Jesus was saying these things it was not looking at Jesus which was meant but at God the father who sits upon the throne in heaven.
-Jesus says probably more than 7 or 8 times that God the Father is in heaven! "My father in heaven ... Your father in heaven..." and so on.
-The bible mentions probably more than 4 or 5 times that Jesus is at the right hand of the FATHER. Yes but people come and say "Oh come on this is figurative it is not meant literally the right hand". Well if you read the bible you will see that it is just what is meant since it is mentioned many times and the whole book of revelation speaks about the fact that "THE LAMB" is separated from the "One on the throne" .
-Daniel has a vision in chapter 7:13 "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence." The ancient of days can be no other than the father here. As you can see this is a vision and not his true essence but he is clearly described as having a physical appearance.
And on top of all that the strongest arguement is found here :
-Revelation 21 : "Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. "
Lets examine the context. The people have been with Christ and have reigned with him throughout the 1000 years. But only AFTER the 1000 years "Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power". 1 corintheans 15:24
So it is when the throne of God comes along with the New Jerusalem that the bible says that "They shall see his face" !. Even though the whole world saw Christ when he was here throughout his reign the Bible makes very clearly the destinction that it is God the Father who will be also seen now and not only Jesus.
The Throne of God and of the lamb means that "...just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne." revelation 3:21. It is one throne shared by the 2 persons of the trinity Father and son in perfect union.
I must note in the end that I am not trying to say that The father has an explicit or fixed appearance. I want to say that he can manifest his presence so as to be seen by his creatures. (Light usually). In heaven he definitely can be seen and we the redeemed will see him one day. I hope you pay attention to this topic since it addresses an issue which is common nowadays. I hope this will be useful.
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