The Scriptures are ancient texts influenced by surrounding cultures, geopolitics, time-sensitive events, and of course, God. Theological concepts established by God and repeated by the prophets, like monotheism, were not always followed in every season of early Israelite life. Unlike other ancient deities, HaShem (Adonai) provided an instruction manual for community life and worship. His guiding principles are faith (trust) and obedience, working together to express love. These two principles must always work in tandem, for without the first, there is slavery, and without the latter, love becomes perverse. Hence, grace and law complement one another.
God’s love for his people, Israel, would be poured out as presence, provision, and protection. Sometimes his presence manifested as fire in a lone bush, unscathed and wonderous. At other times, it appeared in the grandeur of a guiding cloud or pillar of fire. It dominated the thunderous mountain. Throughout Israel’s infancy, the all-embracing watchful presence of HaShem was unmistakable.
This summer, I took three courses—one through Jerusalem University College and others at Israel Bible Center, on God’s presence in the Bible. These courses explored phenomenological* views about God’s presence as perceived by the ancient Israelites and those artistically depicted by other cultures within Ancient Near East (ANE) iconography. *That is a fancy word for life experiences and their interpretation as passed down to generations, generally through storytelling—oral transmission but also in iconography. The following material is from these classes.
How did the ANE depict the gods and the heavenlies? How does the Bible similarly express HaShem? What does this say about the fluidity of God’s presence? In some ways, the biblical authors used similar language as Mesopotamian cultures to describe the divine domain and reality. Even so, the biblical writers demonstrate that HaShem is unique among the gods.
Two bas-reliefs portraying heavenly scenes illustrate ancient concepts on today’s topic: God’s Fluidity (ontology). However, each relief carries similar themes about two different gods. The stele from southern Mesopotamia in Ur depicts the presentation of a libation offering to the god and goddess (pointy hats!) Nammu and Ningal.1 You can distinguish the king from the gods by the smaller cap.2 This is indicative of Mesopotamian iconography.
The other attendants escort the king into the presence of the divine, who are seated on thrones upon a hard “raqia” (firmament), dividing the heavenly and earthly realms. The second image depicts a similar scene on the Sippar Stele found further north in Babylon. It is the image of Shamash, The Sun God. Again, a king is pulled into the divine realm by attendants to Shamash, who holds a ring and rod—symbols of justice and law.3 Notably, Shamash sits upon a raqia over the “waters above” and is tented within a pillared throne. The stars and planets are situated within a second raqia. Notice similar imagery by the psalmists:
“You are clothed with splendor and covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters” (Psalms 104 1b-3a ESV).
“The Lord is enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits enthroned as a king forever” (Psalm 29:10 ESV).
Other biblical texts describe a similar scene. For space, here are a couple of verses:
“Then I looked, and behold, on the raqia (expanse) that was over the heads of the cherubim, there appeared above them something like a sapphire in appearance, like a throne” (Ezek. 10:1 ESV).
Who by Himself spread out the heavens and trod on the back of the seas?” (Job 9:8).
“Thus says Adonai, ‘Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool.” (Isa. 66:1a).
However, we also experience the presence of HaShem in ways that aren’t seen within the iconography of other gods. HaShem manifests before Moses as a burning bush (Exod. 3) as the Malach Adonai (Angel of the Lord) before Hagar (Gen. 16:13), to Abram (Gen. 18:1), to Jacob (Gen. 31:11), and Samson’s parents (Judges 13:21-22). He manifests as the Ruach Elohim (Spirit of God) in Genesis 1:2; 6:17; 8:1. He shows up as a small voice (bat kol) in 1 Kings 19:12, Matt. 3:17, John 12:28. Finally, he appears as the only and unique Son—Jesus (Jn. 10:38; 14:9).
I would add the radiant Shekhinah above the ark of the covenant (Exod. 40:34) but for the fact that godly radiance is attested in ancient iconography. Nonetheless, the fluidity of God’s presence manifests as transcendent above the raqia. Yet, he confines his majesty (tzimtzum) in many other forms, making himself accessible and intimate with his creation.
So, the biblical writers and prophets seem to draw upon familiar ANE visuals to verbalize HaShem’s majesty. Yet, he gives them ample evidence of his fluidity, making him unique among the gods. When I speak of other “gods,” I simply say in the language of the ancients. We know from the biblical texts that they are subservient, created spiritual entities.
Since we have touched on Jewish streams of thought from various ancient texts, the next series of teachings will focus on the New Testament and later rabbinic literature. Accordingly, we will look at Jesus’ perplexing statements using Mishnaic (rabbinic texts) and modern scholarship. We will round out this discussion of the New Testament as a Judaism, looking at technical elements of the New Testament through Qumranic (Dead Sea Scroll) samples. I hope to link all texts before the New Testament and afterward within a Jewish context by showing a linear flow of Jewish ideas and beliefs, not necessarily devoid of ANE influences. It is my assertion, therefore, that the New Testament should be studied as a Judaic construct within first-century Jewish diversity.
Quick Announcement: Please consider having hard copies of your favorite books and teachings. If the power goes out for an extended period of time, you will not have access to the wise council and encouraging words in the Scriptures if your sources are digital.
P.R.S. Moorey, ed., Ur of the Chaldees: A Revised Edition of Sir Leonard Woolley’s Excavations at Ur (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1982), 174.
Dr. Taylor Gray, “Divine Imagery in the Biblical World,” Israel Bible Center, lecture 1.8-9, accessed August 3, 2023, Divine Imagery.
Ibid, accessed August 10, 2023, Three Spheres.