The Invisibility Of God
It is common for people to wonder how God can be invisible after they realize He has a body. Many base their views on the invisibility of God on what tradition and religion have taught, rather than on what the word of God has taught. Yet, the subject is fairly simple to understand when key Scriptures are looked at prayerfully.
Romans 1:20
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
We must ask how can something be invisible or not visible? Does it mean that the eyes cannot see it, or that it is not presently seen with the eyes? In discussing God and other spirit beings the answer would have to be the later, for God has been seen many times.
Exodus 24:9-11
9 Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel:
10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness.
11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
After Jacob had wrestled with God until the breaking of day (Genesis 32:24) the Bible says:
Genesis 32:30
30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
Even Job said that he had seen God:
Job 42:5
5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
While there are numerous other Scriptures proving that God has a body and has been seen bodily by men, these set a firm foundation for that belief.
If God has been seen by men, and He has, then He can’t be invisible in the sense that He cannot be seen, but in the sense that He is located out of our sight, and our natural eyes sometimes cannot see spiritual things. Yet, this doesn’t mean that spiritual things cannot be seen, rather that they are not seen presently due to location or the natural eye’s inability to see spiritual things.
Even the natural eye’s inability to see spiritual things can be divinely adjusted as is seen in the Scripture below.
2 Kings 6:15-17
15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
The spirit world has things just like the natural world (See Facts About Heaven), but sometimes the natural eyes need adjustment to see them. This doesn’t make them non-material, but makes them non-physical and of spiritual material (Romans 1:20; 1 Corinthians 15:44; Colossians 1:15-18). So it is with God. He is not physical, but is a Spirit (John 4:24) Being. He can be seen with natural eyes as long as they are tuned into the spirit world.
VERSES PROVING THE INVISIBILITY OF GOD
Romans 1:20
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Colossians 1:15
15 [Christ] Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
1 Timothy 1:17
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 11:27
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
The Greek word “aoratos” is translated “invisible” in these four verses and means not visible, unseen, not presently seen, not accessible to view, out of sight, hidden, concealed, not in sight. It in no way implies that God cannot be seen, or that spiritual things are not real. It does imply that the thing in question is out of sight, but not that it can’t be seen. While natural eyes may need divine adjustment in order to see spiritual things, that doesn’t mean that spiritual things cannot be visible.
1 Corinthians 13:12
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Not until we are perfected in body will we be able to see clearly (Romans 8:17; 1 Corinthians 15:23, 42-58; Philippians 3:21; Colossians 3:4; 1 John 3:2). The darkness and veil that now limits our present visibility will be destroyed. Then God will dwell among men and we will see God visibly for all eternity (Psalm 68:15-16; Ezekiel 43:7; 48:35; Joel 3:17; Matthew 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 21:3-7; 22:4-5).
In conclusion, we must realize that it is unscriptural to state that spirit beings such as God and spiritual things consist of an invisible material that cannot be seen. It is only the distance of those spiritual things and man’s inability to see those things that causes us to not be able to see spiritual things.
