Expert: Michael O`Flaherty - 6/16/2004

Question
>>Is there fire in hell?  Also, does God have a body?  And is he a man?

I am glad you believe that there is fire in hell.  I too believe this.  I was quite surprised when I recently learned that Hank Hanegraaf, "The Bible Answer Man" of the radio program of the same name, does not believe that there is fire in hell.

>We are made in God's image, but that image is not referring to our bodies.

>GE 1:27 So God created man in his own image,
 in the image of God he created him;
 male and female he created them.

>NU 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie,
   nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.

>    JN 4:23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

After reading Numbers 23:19, I looked up the Hebrew word translated as "man" in both verses.  It is 'iysh.  Here is the definition I got:

1. man
a. man, male (in contrast to woman, female)
b. husband
c. human being, person (in contrast to God)
d. servant
e. mankind
f. champion
g. great man
2. whosoever
3. each (adjective)

In context, only definition 1 makes sense.  So, looking at the context of each verse, I tried to figure out which part of definition 1 is meant in each verse.  First, Numbers 23:19.

God is not a human being, that he should lie, or a mortal, that he should change his mind. Has he promised, and will he not do it? Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? (Numbers 23:19)

This verse starts by contrasting God with 'iysh.  So definition 1c is correct here, and the NRSV has in this case chosen the correct definition (human being), as opposed to most translations which use the word "man" here.  So, Numbers 29:19 is not claiming that God is not a man.  It is stating that God is not a human being.  And I certainly agree with that.  But that doesn't mean that he's not a man or does not have a body.

The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. (Exodus 15:3)

Here, the NRSV translators clearly added their own spin to the verse.  The verse says that God is an 'iysh of war.  What is translated as "warrior" here is two words in the Hebrew: 'iysh, and war.  Anyway, the verse does not contrast God to anything, so definitions 1a and 1c are out.  Of the remaining definitions, only 1f makes sense in context, so Exodus 15:3 is saying that God is a champion of war, not a man of war as it is often translated.

Also, you posted John 4:23 which says that God is spirit.  I agree that God is spirit, but that in no way means that he doesn't also have a body or is not also a man.  It doesn't say that God is spirit only.  It says that he is spirit.  Moreover, if the meaning here were that God is spirit only, then it could not be the case that Jesus was or is God, because Jesus had and still does have a body, and he was a man.  And yet, we know both that Jesus was and is God, and that he did and does have a body, and that he was a man.

>I hope this helps! Are you a born-again Christian in the Lord Jesus?

Yes.  Thank you very much for your answers.  They have caused me to look deeper into the scriptures and I have learned quite a bit from this study.  I had always considered Exodus 15:3 to be proof that God was a man, but as said above, this doens't seem to be the case.  I hope you will consider my response and tell me whether or not you agree.

Answer
Well sure – no problem. It is always neat to discuss issues like this. Since I have never seen God, or course I am not going to pretend that he does or does not have a body. That is one of the mysteries of the Trinity. For example, Jesus is the human representation of God, but while here he chose to empty himself of being God:

PHP 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place     and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Yet at the same time, Jesus said he would raise himself from the dead:

JN 2:18 Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?" 19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." 20 The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

He was also very clear here:

JN 8:57 "You are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!" 58 "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

Since Jesus said God is Spirit, and since I do not believe that the Holy Spirit has a fleshly body, I take that to mean he does not have a body either. I question that sometimes when I look here:

GE 18:1 The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.

So is this Jesus or God? It is questions and verses like this that will always keep us guessing. The important part is to make sure you have been washed of you sins so you can find out for yourself! If you are, then great! Jesus states that to be born again you must be born of water and Spirit...

In Jesus Name!
Michael
www.oflaherty.com/mo.htm