beanpie

If the God of the Bible has no "physicall" form but, is instead
a "spirit", how come the Bible states that Jonah attempted to flee
from the "PRESENCE" of the LORD?
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Webster Dictionary, 1913
Searching for: "presence"
Found 1 hit(s).
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Presence (Page: 1132)
Pres"ence (?), n. [F. pr�sence, L. praesentia. See Present.]

1. The state of being present, or of being within sight or call, or
at hand; -- opposed to absence.

2. The place in which one is present; the part of space within one's
ken, call, influence, etc.; neighborhood without the intervention of
anything that forbids intercourse.

Wrath shell be no more Thenceforth, but in thy presence joy entire.
Milton.
3. Specifically, neighborhood to the person of one of superior of
exalted rank; also, presence chamber.

In such a presence here to plead my thoughts. Shak.
An't please your grace, the two great cardinals. Wait in the
presence. Shak.
4. The whole of the personal qualities of an individual; person;
personality; especially, the person of a superior, as a sovereign.

The Sovran Presence thus replied. Milton.
5. An assembly, especially of person of rank or nobility; noble
company.

Odmar, of all this presence does contain, Give her your wreath whom
you esteem most fair. Dryden.
6. Port, mien; air; personal appearence. Rather dignity of presence
than beauty of aspect." Bacon.

A graceful presence bespeaks acceptance. Collier.




JONAH Chapter 1 1: Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of
Amit'tai, saying,
2: "Arise, go to Nin'eveh, that great city, and cry against it; for
their wickedness has come up before me."
3: But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid
the fare, and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from
the presence of the LORD.

external solipsism

what makes you think that a coporeal form is needed to be present?

Amos

Why did the writer bother to mention that Jonah paid for the fare. I find this most unusual and the only time this is ever done in the bible. It means that Jonah felt guilty for the turmoil around him and that is why to "him alone" there was turmoil ("to me alone there came a time of grief" form Intimations of Immortality) . He therefore went into the bottom of the ship, as if below the surface of the earth and even there felt guilty for the storm at sea. When he went overboard he abandonned his faculty of reason and emerged on dry land on the other side of reason.

beanpie

Is one able to leave the presence of something or someone that is NOT corporeal?

mike_decock

I can walk away from a loud sound or a bright light.

-Mike...

beanpie

VERY GOOD POINT!

but, are you able to walk away from most people's idea of spiritual god? :notworthy

DrJim

The way I read it, context and requirements of the story's plot should determine interpretation.

I don't think there is anything odd about Jonah 1:3. The reader is supposed to know that Jonah cannot ultimately flee from God, even if he is successful if getting far away from the location of the divine manifestation. On the other hand, the reader is to accept that this was something that Jonah had forgotten: affirming ominipresence and omnipotence are part of what the book is about, is it not? One must not confuse a character's knowledge or motives etc. with the author's or the implied reader's knowldege, or the capacities of other characters.

mike_decock

What "most people's idea of a spiritual god" is, is besides the point. We need to consider what Jonah's (or the author of Jonah's) idea of god is. Is it the kind of god who can take a stroll in the garden of Eden? Is it the kind of god who dwells in a temple? Is it the kind of god who is omnipresent and noncorporeal?

-Mike...

Amaleq13

Beanpie,


I think you'll find something more firmly along the lines of your original question in the passage where Moses is allowed to see the "back side" of God but not his face. That seems kind of, uh, physical to say the least. Can't recall the specific verse right now but I'm sure somebody here knows it.

beanpie

[QUOTE]I don't think there is anything odd about Jonah about Jonah 1:3\
NEITHER DO I. I CONCUR.

"affirming ominipresence and omnipotence are part of what the book is about, is it not?
IS IT? I PERCEIVE IT MORE, AS A "WARNING".