What form did Jesus take before He came to Earth?

[sachi]

I agree with this, and it goes along with Jesus telling the Pharasees that before Abraham was, I AM.

However I am not sure how you could get that across to a third grader and have him/her understand

.

Thats a good observation; however, I have found, forthe most part a child's spiritual understanding is astonishing - they do quatum leaps and grasp things intuitively - maybe that is why our Lord said we have to become like little children - Piaget called this the "magical thinking" of a child . . .

another scripture passage that occured to me, HEIDI 04, was Joshua 5:13 to Joshus 6:2 where Jesus appears to Joshua as the Captain of the Lord's Hosts.

I have found working with kids- as I do - when a kid asks you a question about something, it means they trust you for the answer too -

God Bless -

ps

just curious....Heidi04 . . .

Are you as a teacher allowed to talk with kids about Christian topics at school?

Wow! That is great!

We can't here in Canada.

Edited October 3, 2004 by sachi

[Trinity]

Kids are so cool alil pesty at times but over all there Awesome!!! lol

[other one]

I have found working with kids- as I do - when a kid asks you a question about something, it means they trust you for the answer too -

Which makes Heidi04 a very special person in a very special place. My wife teaches young ones also, and it is an awsome responsibility.

[Guest TaBiblia]

Hi everyone - I hope you can help me with this question. One of my 3rd grade students asked me what Jesus looked like before He came to Earth. Are there any references to this in the Bible? I have searched and searched, and have come up empty-handed. Thanks for any help you can give me. Heidi

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heidi,

The following notes are from one of our publications related to your question. Many do not agree with our views on this subject but we believe it is based in scripture and offer it to you for your consideration.

The idea that Jesus was the Son of God for all past eternity is incorrect. He was the "Word" eternally and not the "Son" of God. God has many "created" sons but only one "begotten" Son. His "only begotten Son" did not exist (except as the second member of the Godhead "the Word") until He was born of the virgin Mary in Bethlehem.

Places in the Old Testament which refer to the "Son of God" were prophetic; and do not suggest that he existed as a "begotten" Son at that time. The Word and the Holy Spirit have existed eternally as individual members of the Godhead.

Scripture strictly describes the person we now know as Jesus as having NO BEGINNING AS DEITY. He was the Word eternally right along with the God and the Holy Spirit. He DID have a beginning as "human" and thereby became the "begotten" Son of God.

One passage that causes students to believe God had a "begotten" Son in the eternal past is John 3:16 which states: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

It is generally believed that God "gave" His Son AT BIRTH. That is not correct since He had no Son to give until after Jesus was born of Mary and the Word became flesh. Therefore, God did not "give" His Son AT BIRTH; but rather He "gave" Him AT DEATH.

The definition of "gave" in this passage means to "offer" and also to "smite." Therefore, Jesus was "offered" or "smitten" in death and not at His birth.

Passages referring to God sending His Son into the world are misinterpreted because many people picture him being sent from heaven and this is incorrect. God could not send a Son who did not exist anywhere. It was the Word that was sent from heaven. It was the Word that BECAME flesh and in doing so became the Son of God. Jesus was sent into the world (or social order) into which He had been born AFTER his birth and not from heaven.

The traditional interpretation of the fourth man in the fiery furnace in Daniel 3:25 as being the "Son of God", for example, confuses many bible students and is incorrect.

Dan. 3:25 "He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God."

This was said by a pagan King who worshipped many gods; and it was an understandable thing for him to say. This pagan King could not look into the future and see the form of the "only begotten Son of God" who had not even been born yet.

There is no definite article in the original language; and the best manuscripts correctly translate this passage to read "A son of A god" --- and not "THE Son of God" as it is here in the King James. The scriptures themselves clear up this question in Daniel 3:28; but very few people notice that fact.

Dan. 3:28 "Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Messiah, and Abednego, who hath sent his ANGEL, and delivered his servants that trusted in him,"

This pagan King did not see the "Son of God"; but, as the scripture states, he saw an "angel."

God did not have a begotten son until Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Therefore, the doctrine of eternal Sonship is incorrect.

We hope you find this study helpful. This and other publications are available at no charge. Just link to us below!

[Guest TaBiblia]

When Jacob wrestled with the angel of the Lord, could that have been Jesus in His preincarnate form?

Since no man has seen God at any time(speaking of the father), those that declared they saw God must have seen the preincarnate Son, who has declared, revealed the father. Jacob, Abraham, Minoah and his wife, and others had seen "God" and lived.

LT

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heidi,

Possibly this note will help on whether God has been seen or not. Scripture is very clear that He has been seen face to face and what cannot be seen is His Glory.

The idea that God can not be looked upon is incorrect. He has, in fact, been seen many times. The problem is with the traditional misunderstanding of the word "seen" in John 1:18 which says: "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."

This word "seen" must be understood to mean "comprehended" and not to mean that the face of God has never been looked upon. He has, in fact, been seen many times in scripture; and to interpret this word from our Western concept of the word is incorrect. Allow me to give the typical passages which have contributed to this misconception.

Exo 33:11 "And the Lord spake unto Moses FACE TO FACE, as a man speaketh unto his friend."

Exodus 33:11 states that Moses spoke to God face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend.

This is a fact that must be reconciled with Exo 33:20 just a few verses later.

Exo 33:20 "And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live."

Exodus 33:20 states that God told Moses he could not see His face: because if he did he (Moses) would die. This problem is cleared up when the student reads the entire text, including verse 18 --- which prompted God to answer Moses in this manner.

Exo 33:18 "And he said, I beseach thee, SHEW ME THY GLORY."

Remember, it is within God's power to remove His Glory from His face in order to speak face to face with His created beings if He so desires. Moses had already been communicating face to face with God.

The problem was with his request to see God's "glory" in verse 18. Since God has been seen many times, it is HIS GLORY that cannot be looked upon, and NOT HIS FACE.

God has, in fact, been described clearly in several places in scripture. He is described in great detail in some of these accounts.

God has been seen dining with human beings. He has also been seen speaking with them. Some of our other publications list some of those occasions.

The idea that God cannot be looked upon is incorrect and is a notion brought about because some very simple truths have been overlooked in our studies of the bible.

This and other publications are available at no charge. Just link to us below!

[seraph]

Since Jesus was since the beginning with God, and is God... perhaps to a third grader you could just say something like, "when Jesus came to Earth, He looked liked us, but when He is in Heaven, He looks more like God."??? (Then they might ask what God looks like, lol)

IDK wot God looks like... but He walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden prior to the Fall. And then later He told Moses nobody could see His face... Moses only saw a reflected glimpse of His glory.

[BobTriez]

Hi everyone - I hope you can help me with this question. One of my 3rd grade students asked me what Jesus looked like before He came to Earth. Are there any references to this in the Bible? I have searched and searched, and have come up empty-handed. Thanks for any help you can give me. Heidi

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Consider this...

Joshua 5:13-15

13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"

14 "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?"

15 The commander of the LORD's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.

Who could this be ? It is not an angel, for we are told time & time again that angels always refuse worship...and it was NOT Spirit, for Joshua saw "a man" and a Spirit does not have flesh & bones ( Luke 24:39 ). So, here we have God ( accepting worship ), yet we have One that is not a Spirit ....and since the Father is Spirit ( John 4:24 ) as well as is the Holy Spirit.....that leaves just the Son, Jesus Christ.

Sumptin' to ponder at least......

God bless,

Bob

[Repent1]

Hi everyone - I hope you can help me with this question. One of my 3rd grade students asked me what Jesus looked like before He came to Earth. Are there any references to this in the Bible? I have searched and searched, and have come up empty-handed. Thanks for any help you can give me. Heidi

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Greetings Heidi04,

God bless

I would humblely offer this testimony for your consideration

I believe that [John 1:1-2] holds the clue to the mystery:In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.

Q: What are your words?

A: Your thoughts manifested in sounds.

I would suggest to you that Jesus is the manifested thoughts of God.

[Jesus' testimony]

[John 5:19]

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Scripture teaches that all things were spoken into existence by God, scripture also teaches: [John 1:3] All things were made by him (the word/God); and without him was not any thing made that was made.

[My testimony]

Whatever God thinks, that thing is manifested by his word. Then the word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and it pleased the Father that in him dwelled all the fulnessof the Godhead, in bodily form.

Jesus, the manifested thoughts of God the Father

Your brethren in Christ,

Repent1.....

[Dad Ernie]

Greetings Heidi,

Hi everyone - I hope you can help me with this question. One of my 3rd grade students asked me what Jesus looked like before He came to Earth. Are there any references to this in the Bible? I have searched and searched, and have come up empty-handed. Thanks for any help you can give me.

God is SPIRIT, no many at any time has seen God, ONLY the Son. An explanation of the attributes of God, i.e. Omniscience, Omnipotence, Omnipresence and Eternal Character, might given your children some of the answers they seek.

Contrary to what TaBiblia has written, the Son has existed eternally with the Father, as has the Holy Spirit. We see many references to Him through the scriptures of the OT for those who have "ears to hear". But here is a verse that is interesting:

Proverbs 30:4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

As much as it is possible, it is best not to go beyond your students questions and only answer enough to satisfy their present question. Don't try to anticipate and answer all their future questions. They WILL ask them when the time comes and it will save you a big headache in research and keep them from falling asleep from long dissertations.

Bless you for your service to your children.

Dad Ernie

[SkilletRocksMyFace]

I disagree with God's glory not being seen. For Ezekiel saw visions of God's glory, plus the glory of God filled the temple.

No man has seen God the father, period, this is scripturaly clear. Many have seen his son Jesus but Jesus is not the father.

Jesus did not have a form with God in the beginnig but he was in God's plan and purpose right from the beginning. Christ's for took no the nature of man (Hebrews 2) at his birth from Mary.

peace