The God Who Appeared in the Old Testament Was Christ**
To clearly understand who appeared to patriarchs and prophets in the Old Testament and to establish from Scripture and the Spirit of Prophecy that Jesus Christ (the pre-incarnate Son of God) was the divine Person revealed to them—not God the Father, who is invisible to fallen humanity.
John 8:58 – “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.”
➡ Jesus identifies Himself as the “I AM” — the same divine name used by God in Exodus 3:14.
Let’s examine some key Bible figures who “saw” God and identify who it really was.
Text: Exodus 3:2–6
Who Appeared: “The Angel of the Lord” spoke as God from the bush.
Jesus’ Identity: John 8:58 — “Before Abraham was, I AM.”
SOP Insight:
“It was Christ who from the bush on Mount Horeb spoke to Moses.”
— The Desire of Ages, p. 24
Text: Genesis 32:24–30
➤ Jacob said, “I have seen God face to face…”
Cross-reference: Hosea 12:3–5
➤ He wrestled with the Angel… the LORD God of hosts.
Who Appeared: Christ, in angelic/human form.
Text: Isaiah 6:1–5
➤ “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne…”
Cross-reference: John 12:41
➤ “These things Isaiah said when he saw His [Christ’s] glory…”
Who Appeared: Christ, exalted in vision.
Text: Genesis 18:1–3, 13, 17, 22
➤ The LORD appeared to Abraham as a “man.”
SOP Insight:
“This guest was no less than the Son of God.”
— Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 138
Principle
Explanation
No man has seen the Father
John 1:18, 1 Tim. 6:16 — God the Father is invisible and dwells in unapproachable light.
Christ is the visible God
Colossians 1:15 — “He is the image of the invisible God.”
Old Testament appearances were Christ
Every visible form of God to man (in the OT) was the pre-incarnate Christ.
Jesus claimed to be the I AM
John 8:58 directly connects Jesus to the God of Exodus 3.
Desire of Ages, p. 469:
“Before Abraham was, I AM. Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God.”
Education, p. 74:
“Christ was the One who spoke through the prophets… the Spirit of Christ was in them.”
Letter 52, 1890:
“Christ was the visible representation of the invisible God.”
Those who “saw God” in the Old Testament were seeing the pre-incarnate Christ, not God the Father. Jesus is the ever-living “I AM”, who has always been with His people. He is our Deliverer, Defender, and Divine Guide — from Genesis to Revelation.
Why is it important to know that Jesus is the one who appeared in the Old Testament?
How does John 8:58 strengthen our faith in Jesus’ eternal divinity?
What does it mean for you personally that the “I AM” who spoke to Moses now calls you by name?
Does anyone have seen God?
This is a profound question, and the Bible provides a multi-layered answer. Let's break it down clearly and concisely:
John 1:18 –
“No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”
1 Timothy 6:16 –
“Who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see…”
Exodus 33:20 –
“You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”
🔹 These texts teach us that God in His full divine essence and glory is invisible and unapproachable by fallen human beings.
Despite the above, several people in the Bible are said to have seen God — but in a manifested or representative form:
Moses saw God's back (Exodus 33:21–23), but not His face.
Isaiah saw “the Lord sitting on a throne” (Isaiah 6:1), likely a vision of Christ’s glory (compare John 12:41).
Jacob said, “I have seen God face to face” (Genesis 32:30), but this was likely the pre-incarnate Christ.
The 70 elders of Israel “saw the God of Israel” (Exodus 24:10), but this was a theophany (a visible manifestation of God, not His full essence).
John 14:9 –
“He who has seen Me has seen the Father…”
🔹 Jesus is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). Through Him, humanity sees the character, love, and nature of God in a form we can understand and relate to.
Matthew 5:8 –
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
Revelation 22:4 –
“They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.”
🔹 In the new earth, the redeemed will behold God face to face — a privilege only possible when sin is completely removed, and humanity is glorified.
Q: Has anyone ever seen God?
A: No one has seen God's full glory and lived, but many have seen manifestations of Him (such as Christ, angels, or theophanies). Jesus is the clearest revelation of God we have. One day, the saved will see God face to face.
Who does the God who show himself to Moses, Isaiah, Jacob and others?
Great question! Let’s look at the Bible carefully, and add prophetic insight to understand who exactly was the God that appeared to Moses, Isaiah, Jacob, and others.
The appearances of God in the Old Testament are what we often call theophanies — visible manifestations of God. But since no one can see the Father in His full glory (John 1:18; 1 Tim. 6:16), we must ask: Who was it they saw?
Exodus 3:2–6 – At the burning bush, the “Angel of the Lord” appeared to Moses, and God spoke from the bush.
“I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” (v.6)
📖 Spirit of Prophecy (Ellen G. White):
“It was Christ who from the bush on Mount Horeb spoke to Moses, saying, ‘I AM THAT I AM.’”
— Desire of Ages, p. 24
➡️ So, the “I AM” who appeared to Moses was Christ, the eternal Son of God.
Genesis 32:24–30 – Jacob wrestled with a “Man,” yet afterward said:
“I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” (v.30)
📖 Hosea 12:3–5 explains it further:
“He struggled with the Angel... He found Him in Bethel, and there He spoke to us—that is, the Lord God of hosts; the Lord is His memorable name.”
➡️ This “Man” and “Angel” was no ordinary being—it was Christ, in the form of an angel.
Isaiah 6:1 –
“I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up…”
📖 John 12:41 confirms who Isaiah saw:
“These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.” (referring to Christ)
➡️ John tells us directly: Isaiah saw the glory of Christ in vision.
Genesis 18 – Three “men” appeared to Abraham. One of them spoke as Yahweh (the LORD).
📖 Ellen White confirms:
“This guest was no less than the Son of God.”
— Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 138
➡️ Again, it was Christ, in human form before His incarnation.
Person
Encounter
Who Was Seen?
Moses
Burning bush, Mount Sinai
Christ (as “I AM”)
Jacob
Wrestled with “Man” or “Angel”
Christ (pre-incarnate)
Isaiah
Saw the Lord on the throne
Christ (glorified vision)
Abraham
Met 3 “men”; one was the LORD
Christ (in human form)
All these Old Testament appearances of God were manifestations of Christ before He came as a man.
The Father is “invisible” to fallen humanity (Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 1:17), but the Son reveals Him (John 14:9).
📖 Ellen White writes:
“Christ was the visible representation of the invisible God.”
— Letter 52, 1890
John 8:58 is a powerful and essential verse that connects directly to the appearances of God in the Old Testament — especially the one in the burning bush to Moses.
“Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.” — John 8:58
🔍 This is not just a statement of pre-existence — Jesus uses the exact name God gave to Moses in Exodus 3:14:
“I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” — Exodus 3:14
By saying “I AM”, Jesus clearly identifies Himself as the same divine being who spoke from the burning bush — the eternal, self-existent One.
It confirms Jesus is the “I AM” who appeared to Moses.
➤ This ties directly to Exodus 3 and proves that the God Moses saw was Christ in His pre-incarnate form.
The Jews understood the claim — and tried to stone Him.
➤ In John 8:59, they picked up stones to kill Him for blasphemy because He claimed to be God.
It seals the identity of the One who appeared in Old Testament theophanies.
➤ This verse supports our earlier conclusion: those who “saw God” in the Old Testament were seeing Christ — not the Father, but the visible expression of the invisible God.
“It was Christ who spoke to His people through the prophets. The apostle Peter, writing to the Christian church, says that the prophets ‘prophesied of the grace that should come unto you, searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify…’ (1 Peter 1:10, 11).”
— Education, p. 74
“Before Abraham was, I AM. Christ is the pre-existent, self-existent Son of God.”
— The Desire of Ages, p. 469
Biblical Figure
Text
Who Appeared
Supporting Text
Moses
Exodus 3:2–6
Christ (as “I AM”)
John 8:58 — “Before Abraham was, I AM”
Jacob
Genesis 32:24–30
Christ (as Angel of the Lord)
Hosea 12:3–5
Isaiah
Isaiah 6:1 / John 12:41
Christ (glorified vision)
John 12:41
Abraham
Genesis 18
Christ (in human form)
Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 138