In Judaism and Christianity 150px|Andrea Mantegna, Sacrifice of Isaac The Hand of God was the only part of God shown in art for many centuries. In Judaism and Christianity, the concept is the manifestation of God rather than a remote immanence or delegation of an angel, even though a mortal would not be able to gaze directly upon him. In Jewish mysticism, it is traditionally believed that even the angels who attend him cannot endure seeing the divine countenance directly. Where there are references to visionary encounters, these are thought to be either products of the human imagination, as in dreams or, alternatively, a sight of the divine glory which surrounds God , not the Godhead itself.%DIFDELCMD < %DIFDELCMD < %%% An important early use of the concept in the Old Testament is the blessing passed by Moses to the children of Israel in Numbers 6: 24 The name of the city of Peniel literally means the "   face of God " in Hebrew. The place was named by Jacob after his wrestling match there which is recounted in Genesis. His opponent seemed divine and so Jacob claimed to have looked upon the face of God.
In %DIFDELCMD < %DIFDELCMD < %%% Islam Islam considers Allah to be beyond ordinary vision as the Qur'an states that "Sights cannot attain him; he can attain sights", but other verses indicate that he would be visible in the hereafter. The Qur'an makes many references to the face of God but its use of the Arabic word for a physical face — wajh — is symbolic and is used to refer to God's presence which, in Islam, is everywhere: " wherever you turn, there is the face of God". In Paganism In pagan religions, the face of God might be viewed in a literal sense - the face of an idol in a temple. In prayers and blessings, the concept was more metaphorical, indicating the favourable attention of the deity. For example, in the Babylonian blessing:
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Judaism and Christianity 150px|Andrea Mantegna, Sacrifice of Isaac The Hand of God was the only part of God shown in art for many centuries.
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In Judaism and Christianity, the concept is the manifestation of God rather than a remote immanence or delegation of an angel, even though a mortal would not be able to gaze directly upon him. In Jewish mysticism, it is traditionally believed that even the angels who attend him cannot endure seeing the divine countenance directly. Where there are references to visionary encounters, these are thought to be either products of the human imagination, as in dreams or, alternatively, a sight of the divine glory which surrounds God , not the Godhead itself.
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An important early
Islam Islam considers Allah to be beyond ordinary vision as the Qur'an states that "Sights cannot attain him; he can attain sights", but other verses indicate that he would be visible in the hereafter. The Qur'an makes many references to the face of God but its
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concept in the Old Testament is the blessing passed by Moses to the children of Israel in Numbers 6: 24
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The name of the city of Peniel literally means the
Arabic word for a physical face — wajh — is symbolic and is used to refer to God's presence which, in Islam, is everywhere:
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wherever you turn, there is the face of God".
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In Paganism In pagan religions, the
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" in Hebrew. The place was named by Jacob after his wrestling match there which is recounted in Genesis. His opponent seemed divine and so Jacob claimed to have looked upon the face of God.
might be viewed in a literal sense - the face of an idol in a temple. In prayers and blessings, the concept was more metaphorical, indicating the favourable attention of the deity. For example, in the Babylonian blessing: