xxxv. But He who visibly appeared to, and wrestled with him on the occasion referred to, Gen. xxxii., and whom he saw face to face, was Elohim in the likeness of man, and is called by Hosea Melach, the Messenger, even Jehovah Elohe of Zebaoth.

The above-mentioned appearance of Elohim to Jacob was doubtless a visible appearance, for after talking with Jacob, Elohim went up from him and from the place of meeting. And it is clear that the same Person who before was called a man is here called Elohim. Probably in other instances, where Jehovah or Elohim is said to appear, as to Isaac, Gen. xxvi. 2, 24, and to Abraham and others on various occasions, were visible personal appearances.

Another instance in the history of Jacob, in which the official designation Melach occurs interchangeably with Elohim, is Gen. xlviii. 15: "And he blessed Joseph and said, (The) Elohim, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, (the) Elohim which fed me all my life long unto this day, the Melach which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads." The identity of Person here is made emphatic by the article prefixed to each designation.

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CHAPTER VII.

References to various Appearances of Jehovah and Elohim to the Patriarchs.

IT is evident from the preceding illustrations that during the patriarchal dispensation, the personal Word, Jehovah in the delegated character of Messiah, appeared visibly in the form of man, and was recognized under official and other Divine designations, appropriated separately and interchangeably to the one manifested and acting interposer and agent in the works of creation, providence and redemption. There are in the records. of that dispensation numerous collateral evidences and implications to the same effect, which may be comprised under what relates to personal designations and appearances, the import and reference of sacrificial offerings, the places, manner, and immediate object of worship, prayer, faith and trust, and the familiarity of intercourse on the part of the Divine administrator of Providence and guardian of his people during that economy.

As a further evidence that the instances in which it is said that Elohim or Jehovah appeared to Abraham or others were local, personal, visible appearances, it may be observed that on the occasion mentioned, Gen. xvii., it is said that Jehovah appeared to him: "And he left off talking with him, and Elohim went up from Abraham;" as in a passage before referred to, chap. xxxv., that "Elohim appeared unto Jacob; and Elohim went up from him in the place where he talked with him." The word translated went up, signifies to ascend, to go up, &c., and is of frequent occurrence. Thus, Ps. lxviii.

-18: “Thou hast ascended up on high, thou hast led captivity," &c.; quoted and applied to Christ, Eph. iv. Judges xiii. 20: "When the flame went up towards heaven from off the altar, Melach Jehovah ascended in the flame of the altar." Ezekiel xi. 23: "And the glory of Jehovah went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain." Gen. xix. 28: "The smoke of the country went up, as the smoke of a furnace."

tower.

The like evidence as to the local, personal presence of Jehovah on such occasions, results from the use of the word translated came down, descended, where his presence or the local exercise of his prerogatives is mentioned. Thus, with reference to Babel and the dispersion: "Jehovah came down to see the city and the So Jehovah scattered them abroad," &c. Gen. xi. 5. So on the occasion of his first visible appearance to Moses: "Melach Jehovah appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon Elohim. And Jehovah said, I am come down to deliver them," &c. Exod. iii. Again: "Jehovah came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount; and Jehovah called Moses up to the top of the mount, and Moses went up." Exod. xix. 20. And when Moses took the two tables of stone up to the top of Sinai, "Jehovah descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of Jehovah." Exod. xxxv. At the consecration of the seventy elders, "Jehovah came down in a cloud, and spake unto Moses." Numbers xi. 25. At the sedition of Miriam and Aaron, "Jehovah came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and said, Hear now my words." Ibid. xii. 5. These and various other passages clearly import a personal descent in a visible form; and no less clearly

indicate, by the titles, occasions and acts narrated, that it was the delegated One, the Word, to whom all such manifestations refer, conformably to the allusion to the ascension of Christ, Ephes. iv.: "He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens.”

The word translated appeared, in all the instances of local personal manifestation, literally means appeared visibly, was seen; as Gen. i. 9: "Let the dry land appear;" Gen. viii. 5: "The tops of the mountains were seen;" and vii. 1: "Thee have I seen righteous;" ix. 14: "The bow shall be seen;" xxxi. 42: "Elohim hath seen mine affliction;" xlviii. 3: "El-Shadai appeared unto me at Luz;" literally, was seen by me. Judges xiii. 22: "We have seen Elohim." Exod. xxiv. 10: "And they saw the Elohe of Israel."

This will be further illustrated by reference to particular instances mentioned in the book of Genesis. "And Jehovah appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto Jehovah who appeared unto him." Chap. lxii. 7. That this was a visible manifestation, is indicated not only by the obvious import of the terms employed, but by Abram's building an altar, and consecrating the locality as a place of worship, and of typical offerings to Jehovah.

Again, chap. xvii. 1: "Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am El-Shadai; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And Abram fell on his face; and Elohim talked with him, saying," &c. After changing his name to Abraham, and that of his wife to Sarah, announcing a covenant with him, hearing his prayer for Ishmael, and giving sundry promises and directions, "Elohim left off talking with him, and went up from Abraham." The language, and all the circumstances

and details of this interview, imply a local, personal, visible presence of Jehovah.

The next instance, chap. xviii., is that in which "Jehovah appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre,” in the likeness of man; was entertained by him, walked and conversed with, and heard his requests in behalf of the righteous in Sodom: which undoubtedly was a local, visible, personal appearance of Jehovah the Word.

In the 26th chapter we read that Isaac went to Gerar, "And Jehovah appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt," &c. Afterwards he removed to Beersheba, "And Jehovah appeared unto him, and said, I am the Elohe of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee," &c. "And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of Jehovah, and pitched his tent there." At these interviews the same promises. substantially respecting his descendants were made to him, that had been made to Abraham, with the same introductory formula concerning the appearance of the Divine speaker; and considering that Isaac built an altar and fixed his residence at Beersheba, worshipped, doubtless presenting typical offerings on the altar, and consecrating that as the place of his future worship in the confidence of its being thereafter a place of Divine manifestation, there seems to be very ample ground to conclude that these were local, personal, and visible appearances, similar in their form, as they were in their object, to those vouchsafed to Abraham.

The first instance to be noticed in the history of Jacob, is referred to in chap. xlviii. 3: "And Jacob said unto Joseph, El-Shadai appeared unto me at Luz, and blessed me," &c. The occasion was that of his vision of a ladder: "And Jehovah stood above it and said, I am Jehovah Elohe of Abraham;" see chap.