Theophany
Throughout this Advent devotion we are doing to look at the ancient Near Eastern view of theophany and the role it plays in the pantheon of a nation. Theophany is a visible manifestation of a deity revealed to humanity.
Here is a quote for our recommended resources
“Since people cannot possible process God’s nature as a disembodied, formless spirit, Theophany allows God to make His presence known in a physical way that people can discern through their senses.”
Faithlife Study Bible: in the Article: Theophany in the Old Testament
Today we will be looking at another Old Testament’s description of visible person of the invisible God, The Rider on the Clouds.
Psalms 68
“Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before him—his name is the Lord.”
Psalms 68:4
This passage combines The Name theology that we looked at last week with The Rider on the Clouds. The Name and the one who rides on the clouds are God.
Here is yet another quote from our resource
“rides on the clouds. In the Ugaritic Baal Cycle, Baal is regularly referred to as the “rider of the clouds.” References can be found in both the Baal Cycle and in the Aqhat Legend. This image of power over the winds and weather stands as another example of the psalmist using descriptions of the gods that were familiar in other cultures. In doing so they are asserting Yahweh’s control over nature and nations (104:3; Jer 4:13)- a control elsewhere attributed to other gods.”
The NIV Culture Backgrounds Study Bible: Notes on Psalms 68:4 pg 943
Yahweh is The Cloud Rider
Here is a quote from our other recommended resources that gives more insight to the cloud rider.
“Another motif in the OT that indicates that there is an Israelite binitarian Godhead is the ‘Rider on the Clouds.’ Although this epithet was a well-known title for Baal, the Hebrew Bible consistently used it and similar designations to refer exclusively to Yahweh (Pss 68:4; 68:33; 104:3; Deut 33:26; Isa 19:1), with one exception: the “son of man” in Dan 7:13. This Human figure- though distinct from the Ancient of Days (the enthroned deity in Dan 7)- bears a title reserved exclusively for Yahweh in the OT.”
Faithlife Study Bible: in the Article: Old Testament Godhead Language
We hope you enjoyed this Theology Lesson in 60 seconds.
If you are interested in this subject continue this study in our longer post here
Citations:
Faithlife Study Bible. J. D. Barry et al. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2012
NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible Grand Rapids, Michigan USA Zondervan 2016
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