Man. of God

Preface

God in his great majesty and splendor has appeared to hundreds of generations of people, since the beginning of time, he has appeared in many different forms, and supernatural visitations. This little teaching is intended to be a blessing to the reader, but is by no means an exhaustive study. Read the Word of God prayerfully, and be blessed, and may God visit upon you his wondrous presence.

                                                                                              Sincerely,

                                                                                       Todd A. Melfe

   Bethel Christian Ministry

God and His Many Manifestations

I. Important facts concerning God.

      1. There is only one God.

KJV Deuteronomy 6:4

4. Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord:

KJV Isaiah 44:6-8

6. Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

7. And who, as I, shall call, and shall declare it, and set it in order for me, since I appointed the ancient people? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.

8. Fear ye not, neither be afraid: have not I told thee from that time, and have declared it? ye are even my witnesses. Is there a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any.

KJV Isaiah 45:4-6

4. For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

5. I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

6. That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else.

KJV Isaiah 45:22

22. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

KJV Isaiah 46:9

9.        Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,

KJV Mark 12:29

29. And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

KJV 1 Corinthians 8:6

6. But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

KJV Ephesians 4:4-6

4. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5. One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

KJV 1 Timothy 2:5

5. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

KJV James 2:19

19. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

KJV Revelation 4:2

2. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

I. Important facts concerning God. - continued

   1. One God continued –

     * In the beginning God was known as El – Elah – Elohim; ‘the self

         Existing one’

   2. God is the one true and only Creator.

KJV Genesis 1:1

1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

KJV Genesis 2:7

7. And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

KJV Job 33:4

4. The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

KJV Psalms 33:6

6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

KJV Psalms 104:30

30. Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

KJV Isaiah 40:28

28. Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.

KJV Isaiah 44:24

24. Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;

KJV Isaiah 45:11-12

11. Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

12. I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

KJV Isaiah 45:11-12

11. Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

12. I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

* He (God was before all things).

COLOSSIANS 1:17

17.     And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

If God was before all things, then there was a point in time, or you might say before time that God was all alone, there had to be a time that this was

So, for all things were created by him, and for him!

COLOSSIANS 1:16

16    For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:



I. Important facts concerning God – continued.

   2. What is God?

     * The Bible say’s God is a Spirit.

KJV John 4:24

24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

God is a person, and a person is a personality unto themselves, God has and does manifest himself in three working offices and manifestations.

       (1). God the Eternal Spirit

         (2). The Logos or Word of God.

         (3). The Holy Spirit of God.

Yet God is still one God.

KJV 1 John 5:7

7. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

II. Manifestations of God.

   1. Cool of the Day - Gen. 3:8

KJV Genesis 3:8

8.        And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.

Here God is manifested by his presence in the ‘Cool’ of the day, this is taken from both the Hebrew and Aramaic word Ruwach which means the breath or wind of God. Some say the breeze of the day. This same word is

Used for the breath of God, or the wind. When the Holy Ghost came on the

Day of Pentecost the Bible says a sound came from heaven as of a rushing

Mighty wind. This word is also translated from a Greek word meaning wind

Or breath, breath of life. We often fear wind and the storms that are often associated with them, but the word of God bears out some very interesting

Facts.

KJV 2 Samuel 22:7-14   (see also Psalms 18:6-10)

7. In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.

8. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.

9. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.

10. He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet.

11. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.

12. And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.

13. Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.

14. The Lord thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice.

A.     Darkness was under His feet

B.     He Rode upon a Cherub

C.     He was seen upon the wings of the wind.

D.     Darkness, dark waters and thick clouds were around Him.

E.      Brightness was before him.

II. Manifestations of God – continued
Facts – continued
* Moses was commanded to make the ark after the pattern he had seen on the mount. Ex. Chap. 25, Heb. 8:5, Rev. Chap. 4

This word is sometimes used figuratively for hosts (Ps. 68:17; 2 Kings 6:17). Elijah, by his prayers and his counsel, was "the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof." The rapid agency of God in the phenomena of nature is also spoken of under the similitude of a chariot (Ps. 104:3; Isa. 66:15; Hab. 3:8). Chariot of the cherubim (1 Chr. 28:18), the chariot formed by the two cherubs on the mercy-seat on which the Lord rides.


The Mercy seat which sat upon the Ark of the Covenant was a pattern of that

Which is in heaven, where as on earth priests (Levites) bore up the Ark, in heaven the Mercy Seat Is bore up by the Cherubs, which attend the throne of God. This is found in Ezek. Chap. 1, 8, 10 and Isaiah chapter 6

    2. Enoch – walked with God, had true worship of and fellowship with

       God. Type of the Church just before Rapture.

GENESIS 5:22-24

22    And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

23    And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:

24    And Enoch walked with God: and he [was] not; for God took him.

    3. Talked with Noah, gave a covenant sign the Rainbow – Gen 6,7,8,9

    4. Appeared to Abraham as a Man ( Theophany ) Genesis 18

        GENESIS 18:1-2

1     ¶ And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

2    And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw [them], he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

           * The translation here for LORD (capitals) is Jhovah or Jehovah

       * The Lord and the two Angels agreed to stay until dinner was served,

          and they ate also. (Luke 24:30, John 21:12-14)

       * The Lord knew when Sarah laughed within herself, also when the two

        Angels went on into Sodom, Abraham stayed and communed with the

        Lord.

II. Manifestations of God – continued

5. As Melchizedek to Abraham – Gen. 14:18-20

    GENESIS 14:18    And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he [was] the priest of the most high God.

Here we can see the first communion being administered.

19    And he blessed him, and said, Blessed [be] Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

20    And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

PSALMS 110:4

4         The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou [art] a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek

HEBREWS 6:20

20    Whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

HEBREWS CHAPTER 7

HEBREWS 7:1

1     ¶ For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;

HEBREWS 7:2

2    To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

HEBREWS 7:3

3    Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

HEBREWS 7:4

4    Now consider how great this man [was], unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

HEBREWS 7:5

5    And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham:

HEBREWS 7:6

6    But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

II. Manifestations of God – continued

5. As Melchizedek - continued

Each was a priest,

(1) not of the Levitical tribe;

(2) superior to Abraham;

(3) whose beginning and ending are not known;

(4) who is not only a priest, but also a king of righteousness and

   peace.

Yet the Word of God states that.

(1)   Only God is righteous. Ps. 119:137

(2)   God is the true King. Ps. 24:8

(3)   God is the true King of Salem or Jerusalem.

6. Unto Jacob – through the Angel of the Lord

   GENESIS 32:24-28

24     ¶ And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day.

25    And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him.

26    And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.

27    And he said unto him, What [is] thy name? And he said, Jacob.

28    And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

7. Moses and the burning bush of Fire. Exodus 3:1-14 (see Deut. Chap.4)

1. The Eternal fire of God.

2. The sacred hallow ground.

3. The Voice of God.

4. Divine manifestations & signs.

5. A Divine commission.

Moses was sent with all the power and authority of the sender. This is what

The NT Apostole was - the Apostolos – one going in the authority of the sender.

JOHN 20:21

21        Then said Jesus to them again, Peace [be] unto you: as [my] Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

The word sent here is from the same root word – Apostelleo

So Moses met with God, and received his commission, with supernatural

Vindication.

MARK 16:17

17        And these signs shall follow them that believe

Compare with Acts Chapter 3:20-24 * how Jesus gave our commission.
II. Manifestations of God – continued

8. The Pillar of Fire, Cloud by Day   -   Exodus 13:21,22

EXODUS 13:21-22

21    And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:

22    He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, [from] before the people.

Though angels were at work, God was still the primary manifestation unto the people.

EXODUS 14:19

19        And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:

EXODUS 14:24

24        And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians,

EXODUS 33:9-10

9    And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood [at] the door of the tabernacle, and [the LORD] talked with Moses.

10    And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand [at] the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man [in] his tent door.

This is the same type of glory cloud that appeared in solomons day.

II CHRONICLES 5:12

12    Also the Levites [which were] the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, [being] arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:)

II CHRONICLES 5:13

13    It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers [were] as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up [their] voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, [saying], For [he is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever: that [then] the house was filled with a cloud, [even] the house of the LORD;

II CHRONICLES 5:14

14        So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

This same cloud is spoken of when the presence of God came down on mount Horeb.

(see also 2 Sam 22:, Job 26:8, Ps. 97:2, Dan. 7:13)

On the day of Pentecost the Ruwach or wind of God blew into the upper

Room, and the same pillar of fire divided itself among the people, and sat

Upon each of them as cloven tongues of fire!
II. Manifestations of God – continued

Yes the same pillar of fire – God showing himself supernaturally once again.

ACTS 2:1-4

1     ¶ And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

2    And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

3    And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

4    And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.



9. Unto Joshua as the Captain of the Lord’s Host – Joshua 5:13-15

JOSHUA 5:13-15

13     ¶ And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, [Art] thou for us, or for our adversaries?

14    And he said, Nay; but [as] captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?

15    And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest [is] holy. And Joshua did so.

Many have taken these passages to mean Arch Angels, possibly Michael, but in verse 14 an act of worship is not stayed, and further more in verse 15

The Captain requires Joshua to take his shoe off his feet, for the ground is Holy. Now compare this to when God appeared to Moses in a burning bush of fire, the ground was Holy, and the Word says that only the Lord is Holy!

Further more Angels do not accept worship, all glory goes to God, and him alone. We can also compare this to Paul’s testimony, of how God manifested himself as The Angel of God (Acts 27:23), Paul said the Angel was the I AM (Ex. 3:14) who he served. We only serve God!

ACTS 27:23

23        For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

The beauty of these passages are the fact that the Lord Himself chose to be the Angel, the word angel means ‘Messenger’, so in this case Jesus did not just send one of his Angels or messengers, He himself became the messenger! And he will do the same for us if we let him, he want to get personal with us, in our relationship with him. Will we allow him to get close?

II. Manifestations of God – continued

10. Unto Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as the Fourth Man – Dan. 3:25

    DANIEL 3:23-25

23    And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

24    Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, [and] spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

25    He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

The word of God declares that the Lord is our ‘present help’ in times of trouble. PSALMS 46:1

     ¶ To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God [is] our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Jesus while on this earth said; ‘ lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.’ (Mt. 28:20)

The reason so many find God so far away, is we have not invited him daily into our lives, our homes, and our hearts. The Lord will not intrude; we need to open our hearts unto him. Self-will is the gate to the heart of an individual, and we control it, this is how we were made.

REVELATION 3:20

20            Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

11. Unto Ezekial as the ‘Wheel in the middle of the wheel’ – Ezek. Chap. 10

EZEKIEL 10:8-11

8     ¶ And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man's hand under their wings.

9    And when I looked, behold the four wheels by the cherubims, one wheel by one cherub, and another wheel by another cherub: and the appearance of the wheels [was] as the colour of a beryl stone.

10    And [as for] their appearances, they four had one likeness, as if a wheel had been in the midst of a wheel.

11    When they went, they went upon their four sides; they turned not as they went, but to the place whither the head looked they followed it; they turned not as they went.

What we see here is a picture of the Cherubims which attend to the throne of God, the wheel in the midst of the wheel is the eternal presence of God. For God is the essence of all Life, he is life!, and life moves continuously never stopping, or idle, it cannot die or be totally still. These Cherubs attended to the throne of God, and just as the earthly example, they bore up the Mercy Seat of God, when need be, this in Jewish teaching is known as the merkivah, the War or battle chariot of the Lord. The point here is that God will always be, he cannot cease, or ever stop being God. Every day, every hour he always will be God! 24/7 year after year, generation after generation. You and I can change, but it is impossible for God to change;

MALACHI 3:6

6         For I [am] the LORD, I change not;

HEBREWS 13:8

7         Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

And just as he is unchanging, all his attributes and promises are unchanging also.

11. Unto Isaiah in his Glory – Isa. 6:1-3

ISAIAH 6:1-3

1     ¶ In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2    Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3    And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the LORD of hosts: the whole earth [is] full of his glory.

Here Isaiah got a glimpse of the Glory of the Lord, and notice his train filled the temple, which is the robe or skirt of his presence. This also compares to the dedication of the Temple Solomon built;

II CHRONICLES 7:1-3

1     ¶ Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house.

2    And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD'S house.

3    And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the LORD, [saying], For [he is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever.

When we draw nigh unto God, he will draw nigh unto us, his glory will fill the temple; I CORINTHIANS 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

We need to get filled up with the Lord! Get the presence of God in our Lives, our homes, our churches etc…

II. Manifestations of God – continued

12. Unto the World as Emmanuel, the Living Word, Jesus Christ -

ISAIAH 9:6

5         For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

JOHN 1:1-4,10-14

1     ¶ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was 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.

4    In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

10    He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11    He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12    But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:

13    Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

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.

When the church really gets a hold of this revelation of truth, she will become powerful!, Everything is wound up in Christ, all the promises contained in the Word of God are in him, he is the living word!

MATTHEW 28:18

18        And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

EPHESIANS 1:3

3     ¶ Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly [places] in Christ:

4    According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5    Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6    To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7    In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8    Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

9    Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

10    That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; [even] in him:

Will you allow Jesus to be your everything?