Associating God with
observable, awe-inspiring natural phenomena
People in ancient times attempted to identify their gods
with impressive, natural forces such as storms, lightning or quakes. They saw
their gods as has having more than super-human power therefore witnessed them
as all powerful, natural phenomena or threatening animals of prey. Canaan was a
land of tempests, so their gods were represented by storm gods. Storm gods were
portrayed in religious iconography as riding on the backs of beasts with spears
or other weapons of war in their hands. The god of Israel also appears in storms. In
fact, the Old Testament fleshes out the concept of God controlling the storms!
Yahweh, who is
omnipresent filling the earth, appears in the world as a physical, divine
presence who presents Himself at different times in different locations. An
appearance of God is what is referred to as a “theophany.”
Seeing God in a storm is thought to either suggest Him
coming to save us or to judge us as referred to in; (Dt 4:33-35, Mic 1:3 and
Hab 3:3-15.) Theophany is only but for
the moment since God’s true terrifying glory cannot be endured by humans. God
appeared in the Sinai desert to the people of Israel when He made covenant with
them and they became His people (Ex 20:16-19).
When this world comes to an end God will return to earth in
the person of Jesus Christ, mounted on a white stallion, riding on the clouds
with the trumpet blast judging all living and dead (Mt 24:30-31, 1 Th4:16-17;
Rev 1:7). This imagery of God and His awesome power is how we mortals attempt
to put an identifiable image or face to an unimaginable, incredible, very real God! And, He is
our God, and we are His people. Thank you Father God.