Yes — God appeared to Abraham in a visible, physical human form.
Stephen records that “the God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham” in Mesopotamia (Acts 7:2), and Genesis 18 shows the Lord standing before Abraham in human form, even eating the meal Abraham prepared. Les Feldick emphasizes that the Greek word optomai, used for “appeared,” means actual sight — Abraham saw God with his eyes.
Genesis 18:1 — This verse directly states that the LORD appeared unto Abraham in the plains of Mamre, the event Les uses to show God in human form.
Acts 7:2 — Stephen says the God of glory appeared unto Abraham before he dwelt in Charran, providing the location and certainty of the appearance.
Genesis 12:7 — Another explicit record that the LORD appeared unto Abram, reinforcing that God showed Himself visibly.
The Bible directly states that God appeared to Abraham. Acts 7:2 records Stephen’s words: “The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran.” Genesis 18:1 repeats this: “And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre.” In the next verse, Abraham “lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him,” and he addressed one of them as “My Lord” (Genesis 18:2-3). Genesis 12:7 also says, “And the LORD appeared unto Abram.” Scripture therefore records these as visible appearances, not merely an inward impression.
Les Feldick teaches that God dealt with Abraham on a face-to-face, eyeball-to-eyeball basis. At the calling of Abraham out of Ur, the Greek word optomai in Acts 7 indicates that the appearance was a visible sight, not just a voice. Les says God came down and took on human form. He points to Genesis 18 as one of the most vivid chapters of God appearing in human form: Jehovah, God the Son, actually sat down and partook of the meal Abraham prepared. Les also sees the Lord with Abraham in human form in Genesis 15, standing with him on the mountains of central Israel and showing him the stars.
According to Acts 7:2, the God of glory appeared unto Abraham “when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran” (later called Haran). This means the appearance happened before Abraham moved to Haran, while he was still in Ur of the Chaldees. Les notes that God told Abraham to separate from his country and his father’s house because his family served other gods.
Les calls Genesis 18 “one of the most vivid chapters of God appearing in human form.” Abraham saw three men standing by him in the plains of Mamre, and one of them was the Lord. Les identifies this as Jehovah, God the Son, who actually sat down and partook of the meal Abraham prepared. This shows that God did not just speak to Abraham as a voice, but appeared as a real person.
Les points out that the word Stephen used in Acts 7 for “appeared” comes from the Greek optomai, which deals with sight. So when Stephen said the God of glory appeared unto Abraham, it meant Abraham actually saw God. Les adds that Abraham saw God in physical form when God gave him the promise to separate from his idolatrous family.
Why Israel Rejected Their Messiah — Acts 7 & Joseph Explained
gave His Word to the average individual. And I've mentioned before that one of the early Reformers, I think it was Tyndale, it might have been Wycliffe, but as they were burning him at the stake, his prayer was that every plow boy in England could have a copy of this Book. So it is meant for the common person. It wasn't meant to be kept in the seminaries and the monasteries and what have you.
God took on human form to speak to Abraham face to face
Les says the Lord dealt with Abraham face-to-face, and that God came down and took on human form. He cites the Greek word optomai in Acts 7 to show that God appeared visibly to Abraham.
Genesis 18: God in human form sat down and ate with Abraham
Les points to Genesis 18 as the clearest example of God appearing in human form in the Old Testament, where the I AM, Jehovah, actually sat down and ate the meal Abraham prepared.
Genesis 18: one of the most vivid chapters of God appearing in human form
Les teaches that the Lord, Jehovah, God the Son, appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre. Abraham saw three men standing by him and addressed the Lord as 'My Lord.'
God visibly appeared to Abraham in Ur
Les says Stephen's word for 'appeared' in Acts 7 comes from the Greek optomai, indicating a visible appearance — not just an inward impression.
Abraham saw God in physical form when he was called out
Les teaches that when God appeared to Abraham, Abraham saw God in physical form, and God told him to leave his country and father's house to be separated from idolatry.
The Lord standing with Abraham in human form at Genesis 15
Les pictures the Lord in human form standing with Abraham on the mountains of central Israel, looking out toward heaven and showing him the stars.
Stephen's account: the God of glory appeared to Abraham
Les quotes Stephen's words to Israel — 'the God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham' — as the scriptural record of God's visible appearance to Abraham.
Genesis 18:1: And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
This is the opening of the Genesis 18 account, which Les calls the most vivid chapter of God appearing in human form to Abraham.
Genesis 18:2: And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,
Abraham clearly saw men standing before him, showing that the Lord's appearance was physically visible.
Acts 7:2: And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
Stephen's statement confirms that God appeared to Abraham and indicates the location and timing of that appearance.
Genesis 12:7: And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
Another explicit record that God appeared to Abraham, reinforcing the visible nature of the appearance.
Yes, according to Les Feldick, God took on human form and appeared to Abraham. The Greek word optomai in Acts 7:2 indicates a visible appearance, and Genesis 18 shows the Lord eating a meal Abraham prepared.
Stephen says the God of glory appeared unto Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran (Acts 7:2). Les says this was at the calling out of Ur, before Abraham moved to Haran.
Les says God appeared to Abraham to separate him from his idolatrous family and give him the Abrahamic covenant promises — that he would become a great nation (Genesis 12:1-2).
Yes. Les says God dealt with Abraham face to face more than once, citing Genesis 18 and also the Genesis 15 experience on the mountains of central Israel.
Watch the Teaching: Why Israel Rejected Their Messiah — Acts 7 & Joseph Explained