Theophany. It’s a new word to most of us, but one that means a lot to our understanding of the Bible and who God is. Join us as we begin a study through the theophanies of Scripture to learn more about the God we love. // 1. What is something exciting or dramatic that you’ve witnessed before? Maybe it was a sports event, a concert, a car crash, or a natural disaster. How did you feel when you were watching it with your own eyes? How did it affect you afterward? // 2. Throughout the Bible, God shows up to people visibly (theophany). What are some of the ways people respond to encountering God in the Bible? Read Genesis 3:8 again—how did Adam and Eve respond? Why did they respond in that way? // 3. Is God everywhere in general, or is He specifically in certain places? Read the following verses and compare: Everywhere in general: Jeremiah 23:24, Proverbs 15:3, Acts 17:24; Specifically present: Ecclesiastes 5:2, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 34:18, 1 Corinthians 3:16. How do these two truths go together? How is that good news for us as Christians? // 4. How is Jesus the “ultimate theophany”? Read Matthew 1:23, John 14:9, and Hebrews 1:1-3. Some churches think God can still appear to them as a cloud, dust, smoke—even gold or feathers! (Bethel Church, Bill Johnson) How do these verses keep us from falling for those teachings? Do we need to look past Jesus for some other revelation of God, or is He the theophany of all theophanies?
