What is a theophany? What is a Christophany?

Answer  
  

A theophany is a manifestation of God in the Bible that is tangible to the human senses. In its most restrictive sense, it is a visible appearance of God in the Old Testament period, often, but not always, in human form. Some of the theophanies are found in these passages:  
  

1\. Genesis 12:7\-9 – The Lord appeared to Abraham on his arrival in the land God had promised to him and his descendants.  
  

2\. Genesis 18:1\-33 – One day, Abraham had some visitors: two angels and God Himself. He invited them to come to his home, and he and Sarah entertained them. Many commentators believe this could also be a Christophany, a pre\-incarnate appearance of Christ.  
  

3\. Genesis 32:22\-30 – Jacob wrestled with what appeared to be a man, but was actually God (vv. 28\-30\). This may also have been a Christophany.  
  

4\. Exodus 3:2 \- 4:17 – God appeared to Moses in the form of a burning bush, telling him exactly what He wanted him to do.  
  

5\. Exodus 24:9\-11 – God appeared to Moses with Aaron and his sons and the seventy elders.  
  

6\. Deuteronomy 31:14\-15 – God appeared to Moses and Joshua in the transfer of leadership to Joshua.  
  

7\. Job 38–42 – God answered Job out of the tempest and spoke at great length in answer to Job’s questions.  
  

Frequently, the term “glory of the Lord” reflects a theophany, as in Exodus 24:16\-18; the “pillar of cloud” has a similar function in Exodus 33:9\. A frequent introduction for theophanies may be seen in the words “the Lord came down,” as in Genesis 11:5; Exodus 34:5; Numbers 11:25; and 12:5\.  
  

Some Bible commentators believe that whenever someone received a visit from “the angel of the Lord,” this was in fact the pre\-incarnate Christ. These appearances can be seen in Genesis 16:7\-14; Genesis 22:11\-18; Judges 5:23; 2 Kings 19:35; and other passages. Other commentators believe these were in fact angelophanies, or appearances of angels. While there are no indisputable Christophanies in the Old Testament, every theophany wherein God takes on human form foreshadows the incarnation, where God took the form of a man to live among us as Emmanuel, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23\).  
  

