Debunking Sam Shamoun’s Claims: “God Was Seen in Person”
In a recent social media video, Sam Shamoun, a Christian apologist, responded to a challenge that the Bible clearly states that “no one has seen God.” Shamoun attempts to rebut this claim by referencing several passages from the Old Testament, particularly from Exodus, Isaiah, and Daniel, to argue that certain figures in the Bible did indeed “see” God. However, a careful examination of these passages, within their biblical context and alongside other scriptures, reveals that his interpretation is misleading. In this article, we will debunk Shamoun’s claims and provide clarity on the subject.
Shamoun’s Claim: People Have Seen God
Sam Shamoun argues that the Bible presents examples where individuals “saw God,” citing the following Old Testament passages:
- Exodus 24:9-11 – Moses and the elders of Israel are said to have seen “the God of Israel.”
- Isaiah 6:1-5 – The prophet Isaiah speaks of seeing God on His throne.
- Daniel 7:9-10 – Daniel describes a vision of God’s throne and the “Ancient of Days.”
These are key verses Shamoun uses to suggest that people have indeed seen God. Let’s take a closer look at each one and examine whether they support his argument.
- Exodus 24:9-11: “The God of Israel” Appears to Moses and the Elders
Passage (Exodus 24:9-11):
“Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel. There was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity. But on the nobles of the children of Israel He did not lay His hand. So they saw God, and they ate and drank.”
Shamoun’s Argument: Shamoun points to this passage to suggest that Moses and the elders of Israel literally saw God.
Debunking Shamoun: While this passage states that Moses and the elders “saw the God of Israel,” it is crucial to understand the nature of this vision. In biblical theology, when people “see God,” it is not always a literal physical sighting of God’s essence. Theologians traditionally understand such encounters to be theophanies—visible manifestations of God that allow humans to experience His presence in a way they can comprehend.
The text specifically mentions that “under His feet… was a paved work of sapphire,” which emphasizes the glory and splendor of the vision, not the actual “seeing” of God’s full being. In fact, earlier in the book of Exodus, in Exodus 33:20, God tells Moses, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me and live.”
This is a critical contradiction to the claim that Moses and the elders saw God’s literal, full essence. The vision they experienced was a manifestation, not a direct, unmediated encounter with God’s being.
- Isaiah 6:1-5: Isaiah’s Vision of God
Passage (Isaiah 6:1-5):
“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings… And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!’ And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: ‘Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.’”
Shamoun’s Argument: Shamoun argues that Isaiah’s vision of God shows that it is possible for humans to see God directly.
Debunking Shamoun: Isaiah’s experience was a vision of God, not a literal, physical sighting of God’s essence. The text describes a spiritual experience where Isaiah is transported into the heavenly throne room and sees a vision of God in His glory. However, it’s important to note that Isaiah himself reacts by saying, “Woe is me, for I am undone!” This reaction shows his recognition that he, a sinful human, cannot stand in the direct presence of God without being destroyed. Isaiah’s vision of God is not a physical encounter, but a supernatural manifestation that conveyed God’s holiness and majesty.
Further, in John 12:41, the New Testament clarifies that Isaiah saw Jesus’ glory in this vision, confirming that the vision was not of the Father’s essence but a pre-incarnate appearance of the Son. This again supports the view that “seeing God” in visions does not equate to seeing God in His full, unmediated essence.
- Daniel 7:9-10: Daniel’s Vision of the “Ancient of Days”
Passage (Daniel 7:9-10):
“I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool; His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened.”
Shamoun’s Argument: Shamoun claims that Daniel’s vision is a literal sighting of God, citing the description of the “Ancient of Days.”
Debunking Shamoun: Once again, Daniel’s experience is a vision rather than a literal, face-to-face encounter with God. The passage describes a vision of the throne room of God, but the text does not claim that Daniel directly saw God’s essence. Similar to Isaiah, Daniel is having a visionary experience, and the focus is on the majesty and authority of God’s throne, not a physical appearance of God Himself. Daniel, in his vision, is not seeing God face-to-face in His full glory.
Moreover, in Daniel 7:13, the “Son of Man” (a title referring to the Messiah, Jesus Christ) is seen coming before the “Ancient of Days.” This emphasizes that the vision of the “Ancient of Days” is symbolic of God’s rule, and the encounter is not meant to be a direct physical seeing of God’s unapproachable essence.
Conclusion: No One Has Seen God’s Full Essence
Sam Shamoun’s argument that people in the Bible have “seen God” is based on a misunderstanding of the biblical concept of “seeing God.” Throughout Scripture, direct encounters with God’s full essence are consistently described as impossible for humans, as God is infinitely holy and transcendent. The passages Shamoun cites (Exodus 24, Isaiah 6, and Daniel 7) describe visions and theophanies—manifestations of God that allow certain individuals to experience His presence in a way they can comprehend. These encounters are not literal, physical sightings of God in His essence.
The Bible is clear that no one has seen God’s face and lived. In Exodus 33:20, God tells Moses, “You cannot see My face, for no one may see Me and live.” Similarly, in 1 Timothy 6:16, Paul writes that God “dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.”
In conclusion, the Bible consistently teaches that while God can manifest His presence in various forms (such as in visions or theophanies), no human has seen His full, unmediated essence. Sam Shamoun’s claim is therefore unbiblical and misleading.