Where Did God Go? Theophanic Shift in Exodus
Divine presence in Exodus is vigorous, decisive, and variable. The Burning Bush, the ten plagues, the parting of the Sea, and the covenant atop Mt. Sinai all portray providence as interventionist in nature. Yet, after the Sinai theophany, divine potency downshifts and becomes manifest as “a pillar o...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Sage
2013
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| In: |
Biblical theology bulletin
Year: 2013, Volume: 43, Issue: 3, Pages: 115-123 |
| Further subjects: | B
aniconic
B Priestly B Exodus B Divine Presence B “Pillar of Cloud” B Theophany |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | Divine presence in Exodus is vigorous, decisive, and variable. The Burning Bush, the ten plagues, the parting of the Sea, and the covenant atop Mt. Sinai all portray providence as interventionist in nature. Yet, after the Sinai theophany, divine potency downshifts and becomes manifest as “a pillar of cloud and of fire” and a cloud surrounding the desert sanctuary. This shift in theophany toward ephemeral imagery signals, not an attenuation of divine power, but the increased role of the people in discerning divine presence via the cult. The present essay first examines the relationship between the Sinai theophany (19–20) as a potential source of the cloud and fire elements for the pillar. Then, it discusses the imagery of a pillar of cloud as a new form of theophany that links divine guidance to constituting Israel in the desert journey via instruction and the cult. A final section argues that the pillar of cloud image served at least a dual agenda for the priestly redactors: one theological, built on divine ineffability within Israel's aniconic tradition; and one prescriptive, for participation in worship. |
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| ISSN: | 1945-7596 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Biblical theology bulletin
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1177/0146107913493560 |