Is it possible to see God's 'face'?

[Redemptionsong]

I’d say so, yes.

Do you read it as a mundane text about a god in the shape of a gigantic man, putting a little man in a cave and covering it with his massive hand so that the little man cannot see the gigantic god-man’s face, do you mean?

Why would such an interpretation be of relevance? What relevance has Scripture to Man if not a spiritual one?


Humble
Hermit

It depends what one means by 'spiritual'.

I'm not sure l find the idea of a spiritual existence without any 'form' very appealing. It actually becomes a nothingness.

What kind of spiritual existence do you foresee? Is it a union of the spirit in man with the Spirit of God, in such a manner that all individual identity is lost?

The Bible talks about 'a new heaven and a new earth', suggesting that form and individuality are retained.

 

[Redemptionsong]

I think you have described Philippians 2 as we remember that for God, nothing is impossible. Remember, even angelic spirits can manifest in a natural spiritual body that is seen (Genesis has examples)

We could say that my spirit (that cannot be seen) is reflected in the same likeness as my body. One reflects the other without diminishing who we are.

God created a body (John 1) in which The Word was placed in and like unto our on body, it is the image and likeness of God. So I would conclude that indeed, God Spirit that cannot be seen was seen in the image of the body created.

That sounds about right to me.

Is it only the Father that is without form? If the Father is seen, he must be seen in the Son.

So, just as Christ can be seen, the resurrected man will also be a spirit in a spiritual body that can be seen by other spiritual bodies.

Moses, then, was allowed to see a visible spiritual appearance pass before him at Mount Sinai. God (the Son) must have 'materialised' to make this appearance possible for Moses to see. This is not to say that the event does not carry a spiritual significance, but both are important for the parable to work.

If this dualism of heaven and earth works consistently, then we will see a figure return from heaven, even if it is a spiritual one.

 

[Kenny]

That sounds about right to me.

Is it only the Father that is without form? If the Father is seen, he must be seen in the Son.

So, just as Christ can be seen, the resurrected man will also be a spirit in a spiritual body that can be seen by other spiritual bodies.

Moses, then, was allowed to see a visible spiritual appearance pass before him at Mount Sinai. God (the Son) must have 'materialised' to make this appearance possible for Moses to see. This is not to say that the event does not carry a spiritual significance, but both are important for the parable to work.

If this dualism of heaven and earth works consistently, then we will see a figure return from heaven, even if it is a spiritual one.

This sounds pretty good at first read without meditating on it.

We may differ on whether who the Holy Spirit is (I don't know) - but that is another subject. I think you encapsulated the thought well

 

[101G]

The 'express image of his person' could be a spiritual likeness, not a physical likeness.

Correct, for the Greek Word for express image is,
G5481 χαρακτήρ charakter (cha-rak-teer') n.
1. an engraver (the tool or the person).
2. (by implication) an engraving.
3. (hence) a “character,” the figure stamped.
4. (by extension) an exact copy.
5. (figuratively) a representation.
[from charasso “to sharpen to a point” (akin to G1125 through the idea of scratching)]
KJV: express image
Compare: G1125, G1504
See also: G5480

the Lord Jesus/Spirit is the EXACT same of God in "PERSON", meaning “character”. this is why he has the title "SON". understand, SON, G5207, huios in the Greek means metaphorically of prominent moral characteristics, those who manifest a certain character, or descendants, without reference to sex.

this is why the Lord Jesus, God has the title "Son" because of his character, and when we act "EXACTLY" like our Father, who art in heaven, we're his "sons"

101G.

 

[SDavis]

In John 1:18, it says, 'No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him'.

If John is correct, as I believe he is, then we need to understand more about the 'face' of God. For the 'face' and 'countenance' of the LORD appears numerous times in scripture. Here's a taster:

Genesis 32:30. 'And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face [Heb. panim], and my life is preserved'.

Exodus 33:11. 'And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face [Heb. panim] , as a man speaketh unto his friend'.

Exodus 33:20. 'And he said, Thou [Moses] canst not see my face [Heb. panim]: for there shall no man see me, and live'.

Numbers 6:25. 'The LORD make his face [Heb. panim] shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:'

Psalm 17:15. 'As for me, I will behold thy face [Heb. panim] in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness'.

Psalm 105:4. 'Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face [Heb. panim] evermore'.

Ezekiel 39:29. 'Neither will I hide my face [Heb. panim] any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD'.

1 Corinthians 13:12. 'For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face [Gk. prosopon]: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known'.

Is it possible to see God's 'face'?

No, not God who Jesus also referred to as Father in the same scripture John 1:18.
Some Churches call Him Father God others called him God the Father.

There are scripture from Adam and Eve and God walking in the garden together, to Cain, Abel, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, as well as those you've mentioned and various other prophets seeing and speaking to God.

Who is actually referred to as El / Elohim / Yahweh in the Old Testaments? Was it God the Father whom Jesus said no man has seen? Or what's it the one named Yeshua / Jesus while he walked upon the Earth in a flesh body, whom Isaiah gives all titles to. Jesus said before Abraham was I Am ... Thomas said to Jesus before his ascension my Lord and my God ... The Sadducees and Pharisees wanted to Stone him, accused him of blasphemy making himself equal to God. John 1: 1-14 identifies Jesus as God our creator.

Jesus also said God is a Spirit and must be worshiped in spirit and in truth. That scripture seems to indicate God the Father has no physical form or at least no visible form to the human eye. When one considers God opened the eyes of the people that the angels surrounding them could be seen or when Balaam didn't see the angel but the mule did.

Jesus is God of the Old Testament and made himself visible to man and mankind.




form
Jesus said all things have been given unto me in heaven and in Earth.

 

[Trailblazer]

Jesus is God of the Old Testament and made himself visible to man and mankind.

I believe that Jesus was a Manifestation of the God of the Old Testament, but not God incarnate.
The verse below says that God was manifest in the flesh; it does not say that God became flesh.

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

God cannot become flesh because God is spirit, and no man has ever seen God, since God is everlastingly hidden from the eyes of men.

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

“I and my Father are one” (John 10:30) means that when He walked among us in the flesh, Jesus manifested certain Attributes of God such as Good, Loving, Gracious, Merciful, Just, Righteous, Forgiving, and Patient.

However, certain Attributes are unique to God. Only God is Unchanging, Impassable, Infinite, Omnipresent, Self-Existent, Self-Sufficient, and Immaterial, so nobody except God can have those attributes, and that means Jesus was not 'literally' God.

 

[SDavis]

I believe that Jesus was a Manifestation of the God of the Old Testament, but not God incarnate.
The verse below says that God was manifest in the flesh; it does not say that God became flesh.

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

God cannot become flesh because God is spirit, and no man has ever seen God, since God is everlastingly hidden from the eyes of men.

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

“I and my Father are one” (John 10:30) means that when He walked among us in the flesh, Jesus manifested certain Attributes of God such as Good, Loving, Gracious, Merciful, Just, Righteous, Forgiving, and Patient.

However, certain Attributes are unique to God. Only God is Unchanging, Impassable, Infinite, Omnipresent, Self-Existent, Self-Sufficient, and Immaterial, so nobody except God can have those attributes, and that means Jesus was not 'literally' God.

Thank you
I tried indicate God our Father whom the church calls God the Father or Father God is not the God who walked and talked with man in the Old Testament but Jesus is.
So that I won't have to do a lot of writing these links can express better and give scriptures
Proving Jesus is God from Old Testament Scripture - Marg Mowczko

Jesus in the Old Testament?

Not saying I'm writing you wrong or you're right and I'm wrong just a difference in how we view whether Jesus was actually the God in the Old Testament who interacted with man.

 

[Trailblazer]

Thank you
I tried indicate God our Father whom the church calls God the Father or Father God is not the God who walked and talked with man in the Old Testament but Jesus is.
So that I won't have to do a lot of writing these links can express better and give scriptures
Proving Jesus is God from Old Testament Scripture - Marg Mowczko

I agree with what is on that link for the most part.

As Yahweh (along with the Father and the Holy Spirit) Jesus is eternal, having all the qualities and attributes of God. Even on earth, in human form, Jesus was the image of the invisible God, and the exact representation of God’s nature (Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3). Jesus is not some sort of demigod; rather, the fullness of deity (“God-ness”) dwells in him in bodily form (Col. 2:9). Jesus Christ, born of the virgin Mary, was fully man and fully God, having both a human and divine nature at the same time.

As eternal God, Jesus Christ existed before he came to earth as a human baby. He existed before the creation of the earth. In fact, Jesus was instrumental in its creation. The Bible says that all things were created by Him, and that nothing was made without Him (John 1:1-3; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:2). Jesus is not a created being himself.​

I believe that the soul (spirit) of Jesus has always existed in the spiritual world, so in that sense Jesus existed before the creation of earth, but I believe that only God is eternal.

As a Prophet and a Manifestation of God, I believe that the person of Jesus, which is His soul, not His body, existed in the spiritual world before the body of Jesus was born into this world.

The Prophets, unlike us, are pre-existent. The soul of Christ existed in the spiritual world before His birth in this world. We cannot imagine what that world is like, so words are inadequate to
picture His state of being.
(Shoghi Effendi: High Endeavors, Page: 71)​

I do not believe that God actually 'dwelled' in Jesus in bodily form, because I do not believe that 'all that is God' can can dwell inside a body. I believe that Jesus had a twofold nature, so He had a human nature and a divine nature at the same time. I think that is the meaning of fully man and fully God.

I believe that Jesus was the exact representation of 'certain' of God’s attributes such as Sovereign, Holy, All-Powerful, All-Knowing, All-Wise, Infallible, Good, Loving, Gracious, Merciful, Just, Righteous, Forgiving, Patient. As a Manifestation of God, Jesus has also had these attributes.

The Bible says that all things were created by Him, and that nothing was made without Him, I believe that 'Him' refers to God, not to Jesus.

John 1 King James Version (KJV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

I believe that the Word refers to Jesus.

The Word was God because Jesus was God manifested in the flesh

I believe that the following two verses are about God, not about Jesus. All things were made by God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

To summarize, I believe that the Word was because Jesus was a Manifestation of God.

The Holy Spirit and the Word are the "appearance of God." The Word means the divine perfections that "appeared" in Jesus Christ. That's why we have this verse further down.

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

The Word (Jesus) was made flesh and dwelt among us means that Jesus, who had previously been with God in the spiritual world (heaven) before His birth, was born into this world (made flesh) and walked among us.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

In John 1:18, it says, 'No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him'.

If John is correct, as I believe he is, then we need to understand more about the 'face' of God. For the 'face' and 'countenance' of the LORD appears numerous times in scripture. Here's a taster:

Genesis 32:30. 'And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face [Heb. panim], and my life is preserved'.

Exodus 33:11. 'And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face [Heb. panim] , as a man speaketh unto his friend'.

Exodus 33:20. 'And he said, Thou [Moses] canst not see my face [Heb. panim]: for there shall no man see me, and live'.

Numbers 6:25. 'The LORD make his face [Heb. panim] shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:'

Psalm 17:15. 'As for me, I will behold thy face [Heb. panim] in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness'.

Psalm 105:4. 'Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face [Heb. panim] evermore'.

Ezekiel 39:29. 'Neither will I hide my face [Heb. panim] any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD'.

1 Corinthians 13:12. 'For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face [Gk. prosopon]: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known'.

Is it possible to see God's 'face'?

God doesn't have a literal face. He has no body, no form. When we speak of God's face, we are using a specific form of figurative speech called anthropomorphism.

 

[Redemptionsong]

God doesn't have a literal face. He has no body, no form. When we speak of God's face, we are using a specific form of figurative speech called anthropomorphism.

That's fine...so long as you can apply this principle consistently.

Exodus 32:15,16. 'And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and the other were they written.
And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.'

Let's say that God's 'finger' is figurative language. This means that God did not literally write the 'two tables of the testimony'. Unless, of course, God used a laser instead of his finger!

The Ten Commandments (second version) found their way into the ark of the covenant, and then into the most sacred place in the tabernacle. Was it all a con? Were the Ten Commandments not the work of God?

Exodus 24:9,10. 'Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
And they saw the God of lsrael: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.'

Did this party of 74 people not see anything with their eyes?

And what about the host of other individuals who claimed to have seen the Lord? For instance, did Abraham meet the Lord at Mamre?

 

[Trailblazer]

That's fine...so long as you can apply this principle consistently.

Exodus 32:15,16. 'And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and the other were they written.
And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.'

Let's say that God's 'finger' is figurative language. This means that God did not literally write the 'two tables of the testimony'. Unless, of course, God used a laser instead of his finger!

I am by no means an expert on the Bible but I believe that God used the 'mind' of Moses to etch the writing on the stone tablets.

I believe that God spoke to Moses through the Holy Spirit and Moses etched the writing on the tablets, not with his hands, but with his mind. I believe that as a Prophet and Manifestation of God, Moses could do miracles, just like Jesus could.

As I recall, in the movie entitled The Ten Commandments, the writing on the tablets was etched as Moses was standing in front of the burning bush on the top of the mountain. I believe the Holy Spirit of God emanated from the burning bush and spoke to Moses, and Moses used his mind to etch the writing on the tablets.

 

[Redemptionsong]

I am by no means an expert on the Bible but I believe that God used the 'mind' of Moses to etch the writing on the stone tablets.

I believe that God spoke to Moses through the Holy Spirit and Moses etched the writing on the tablets, not with his hands, but with his mind. I believe that as a Prophet and Manifestation of God, Moses could do miracles, just like Jesus could.

As I recall, in the movie entitled The Ten Commandments, the writing on the tablets was etched as Moses was standing in front of the burning bush on the top of the mountain. I believe the Holy Spirit of God emanated from the burning bush and spoke to Moses, and Moses used his mind to etch the writing on the tablets.

In the story of the three 'men' who appeared to Abraham at Mamre [Genesis 18], it's recorded that Abraham saw the men and ran from his tent to meet them. To one, he bowed and said, My Lord. He then fetched food and, while he stood by, 'they did eat'.

Later, two of the men (angels) went on to Sodom. The Lord remained behind and communed with Abraham.

Can this all be happening in Abraham's mind and spirit, or is there a physical manifestation of the LORD present?

It seems mighty odd that Abraham should prepare food and watch the three men/angels eat. He even asks his wife to bake cakes of meal on the hearth.
If Abraham was seeing things 'in the spirit', then the reaction of his wife and the eating of the food seems out of place. Let's not forget that Sarah heard the words of the Lord, saying, 'Sarah thy wife shall have a son'.

How do you explain these things, given that the central figure of the three angels is described as the LORD?

 

[syo]

Kinda.

 

[Trailblazer]

In the story of the three 'men' who appeared to Abraham at Mamre [Genesis 18], it's recorded that Abraham saw the men and ran from his tent to meet them. To one, he bowed and said, My Lord. He then fetched food and, while he stood by, 'they did eat'.

Later, two of the men (angels) went on to Sodom. The Lord remained behind and communed with Abraham.

Can this all be happening in Abraham's mind and spirit, or is there a physical manifestation of the LORD present?

It seems mighty odd that Abraham should prepare food and watch the three men/angels eat. He even asks his wife to bake cakes of meal on the hearth.
If Abraham was seeing things 'in the spirit', then the reaction of his wife and the eating of the food seems out of place. Let's not forget that Sarah heard the words of the Lord, saying, 'Sarah thy wife shall have a son'.

I do not think this was all happening in Abraham's mind and spirit, but I do not believe there a physical manifestation of the LORD (God) present, since the LORD (God) is not a physical entity who shows up on earth and talks to people.
I cannot say why the Bible reads this way, only the writers would know that.

How do you explain these things, given that the central figure of the three angels is described as the LORD?

I believe it is a story written by men about The LORD (God). It is not a historical account that can be verified as ever having taken place.

 

[Redemptionsong]

I do not think this was all happening in Abraham's mind and spirit, but I do not believe there a physical manifestation of the LORD (God) present, since the LORD (God) is not a physical entity who shows up on earth and talks to people.
I cannot say why the Bible reads this way, only the writers would know that.

I believe it is a story written by men about The LORD (God). It is not a historical account that can be verified as ever having taken place.

The difficulty with not accepting the characters of the Bible as historical is that the origins to 'actual' history are removed.

Christianity is rooted in the history of Israel. The history of lsrael is found littered everywhere in documentary and archaeological evidence. Take, for example, Hezekiah's tunnel, built in Jerusalem to supply water in case of seige. This was built during Hezekiah's reign in Judah, at the time when lsaiah prophesied (about 700 BCE). Seals have been uncovered that confirm Hezekiah's existence (and also name 'lsaiah').

Isaiah, in his prophecies, mentions Moses by name (Isaiah 63). Psalms, written by David, also mention Moses. There is even one psalm [Psalms 90] that has the title, 'A prayer of Moses'. So gradually, we edge our way closer and closer to the historical Moses, whose position in the Egyptian hierarchy was high enough to provide more solid evidence.

The gap between Moses and Abraham is then around 600 years, given that lsrael was in Egypt for 430 years.

In 1 Chronicles, we have the genealogies that go back to Adam. In 1 Chronicles 1:32, there is a list that includes the 'sons of Keturah', Abraham's concubine. This list records people whose names still exist in place names in Arabia today. To say that these people did not exist in history is a problem, because it negates the evidence linking places to tribes and to individuals. So, one name is Sheba, and we know from the Bible that the queen of Sheba visited King Solomon, the son of King David, the son of Jesse.

I would like you to take a look at 1 Chronicles, and then tell me which of the people in the genealogy were not historical figures! With the names in front of you, it should be easy to pick a fictitious character.

P.S. Let's not forget that Jesus spoke about the days of Noah, believing them to have been 'actual', and not fictitious.

 

[Truthseeker]

In John 1:18, it says, 'No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him'.

If John is correct, as I believe he is, then we need to understand more about the 'face' of God. For the 'face' and 'countenance' of the LORD appears numerous times in scripture. Here's a taster:

Genesis 32:30. 'And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face [Heb. panim], and my life is preserved'.

Exodus 33:11. 'And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face [Heb. panim] , as a man speaketh unto his friend'.

Exodus 33:20. 'And he said, Thou [Moses] canst not see my face [Heb. panim]: for there shall no man see me, and live'.

Numbers 6:25. 'The LORD make his face [Heb. panim] shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:'

Psalm 17:15. 'As for me, I will behold thy face [Heb. panim] in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness'.

Psalm 105:4. 'Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face [Heb. panim] evermore'.

Ezekiel 39:29. 'Neither will I hide my face [Heb. panim] any more from them: for I have poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD'.

1 Corinthians 13:12. 'For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face [Gk. prosopon]: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known'.

Is it possible to see God's 'face'?

No, I am not an expert on these verses, but I believe that God transcends time and place. His face is his attributes, or in some cases the face of a Prophet of God. You quoted God saying to Moses "you cannot see my face and live" and in another quote Moses spoke to God face to face. Which is it? That's another problem, there are seeming contradictions in the Bible.

My opinion is based on the Baha'i Writings in part.

 

[Truthseeker]

8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us.

John 14:9
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, 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?

Yes, that's on the button, Jesus' face is the face of Father, that is, in the image of God.

 

[Truthseeker]

In the story of the three 'men' who appeared to Abraham at Mamre [Genesis 18], it's recorded that Abraham saw the men and ran from his tent to meet them. To one, he bowed and said, My Lord. He then fetched food and, while he stood by, 'they did eat'.

Later, two of the men (angels) went on to Sodom. The Lord remained behind and communed with Abraham.

Can this all be happening in Abraham's mind and spirit, or is there a physical manifestation of the LORD present?

It seems mighty odd that Abraham should prepare food and watch the three men/angels eat. He even asks his wife to bake cakes of meal on the hearth.
If Abraham was seeing things 'in the spirit', then the reaction of his wife and the eating of the food seems out of place. Let's not forget that Sarah heard the words of the Lord, saying, 'Sarah thy wife shall have a son'.

How do you explain these things, given that the central figure of the three angels is described as the LORD?

I just don't believe that happered, personally. That a personal opinion, not derived from any Baha'i Writing. That was passed own how many centuries orally? Could not someone along the way created a story that they thought had entertainment or spiritual value along the way in stories like this? How do we know this story was started be an actual event? If it was started by an actual event, what possible embellishments etc. might have happened if there was an event behind this? This creates doubt about the "event" being what literally happened.

 

[Redemptionsong]

No, I am not an expert on these verses, but I believe that God transcends time and place. His face is his attributes, or in some cases the face of a Prophet of God. You quoted God saying to Moses "you cannot see my face and live" and in another quote Moses spoke to God face to face. Which is it? That's another problem, there are seeming contradictions in the Bible.

My opinion is based on the Baha'i Writings in part.

I think you're right to use the phrase 'seeming contradictions' because there are a number of possible explanations for why both passages may be true.

Moses spake with God 'face to face', but he appears not to have seen God's face. This may indicate that Moses communicated directly with God and saw a figure, whilst, at the same time, not being allowed to see God's face (Christ) in all its (his) glory.

 

[Redemptionsong]

I just don't believe that happered, personally. That a personal opinion, not derived from any Baha'i Writing. That was passed own how many centuries orally? Could not someone along the way created a story that they thought had entertainment or spiritual value along the way in stories like this? How do we know this story was started be an actual event? If it was started by an actual event, what possible embellishments etc. might have happened if there was an event behind this? This creates doubt about the "event" being what literally happened.

As l see it, there are details in the story of Abraham that take it out of the realm of fiction. For instance, Abraham had a family tree that connects to figures of history. In Genesis 11:26 it says, 'And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran'.

Then we are also told where Abraham came from (Ur of the Chaldees), and where he was headed (Canaan). We also know he stopped at Haran (situated in Turkey), having travelled up beside the Euphrates river from 'the Chaldees'.

By the time we reach the story of Genesis 18, in the plains of Mamre, we already know much about Abraham, his household, and his relationship with neighbouring people. In Genesis 21, lsaac is born to Sarah, and we are told Abraham was, at that time, one hundred years old (verse 5).

We are also told about Abraham's dealings with Abimelech, and the well that Abraham dug at Beersheba, which, apparently, still exists to this day.

According to the scripture, Sarah died aged 137, and was buried in Machpelah, near Mamre. Abraham, when he reached 175 years of age was buried in the same cave by his sons, Isaac and lshmael [Genesis 25:9].

Abraham's story is set within genuine history (mentioning Chaldeans, Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Jebusites, Egyptians etc)

We also find Abraham mentioned elsewhere in scripture, and the references are not to a fictional character. He is mentioned in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Nehemiah, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Micah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Hebrews, James, and 1 Peter.

The story of Abraham is, to me, a believable account. But, l acknowledge that, without a belief in God, it is hard to accept testimony of supernatural events.

Then again, the idea that the universe could have come from nothing rather than from God is, IMO, untenable. And so, as an initial premise, the miracles of God become acceptable. Why should they not continue to appear when God is involved?