Behold, the Awesome Power

Greek mythology and Christianity share the element concerning the imperceptible nature of the divine. In each case the God or gods are unable to show themselves in full glory.

As we talked about in class today, Semele couldn't take the breathtaking power of Zeus in all his glory when he revealed himself to her. And so she exploded.

In the Bible,  Moses was physically affected by being in the presence of God. His face would glow so much that it would frighten the people of Israel to the point where he had put a veil over his face.

In the book of Isaiah, Isaiah tells us of a vision of the throne room of God. The seraphim (interesting looking creatures with six wings) flew around the throne with a pair of their wings covering their face for they were humbled before the glory of God, even as perfect beings. In the same vision, Isaiah is terrified at seeing the glory of God.

The prophet Ezekiel had a similar reaction in that he fell on his face when he saw the glory of God in a field.

Moral of the story, being in the presence of God is a pretty awe-inspiring event.