Close Encounters of the Bible Kind
Part 4
Near The Vehicle

Exodus
Moses Encounters Yhovah
3:2  And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed. 3  And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.  4  And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.
            There is a glowing object on the ground resembling a bramble.  Yhovah speaks to Moses from this object.  Note that he sees light that seems to be a fire, but it is not consuming the object, in other words, it is glowing.  Since in other text God contacts mankind in glowing flying objects and not glowing bushes, this is something on the ground other than a burning bush. Further examination of the method God uses to present himself will show that this is more likely a flying craft that is on the ground.  Bush = bramble.            

Ezekiel
Ezekiel Encounter a Great Flying Vehicle
1:4. And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Matthew  
Spirit Of God Descends
3:16  And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:  17  And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is  my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
            This is the first time Jesus is recorded as encountering the reality of his former spiritual existence as a god.  The Father of Jesus speaks from the sky and declares his approval. 

A Very Bright Cloud Hovers
17:5   While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
            A radiant cloud enveloped them in a brilliant haze and the Father spoke from the cloud.

Mark
A Voice From The Sky
1:10  And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11  And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 12  And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
            The “Spirit” descended from the sky and the Father spoke from the sky.

The Transfiguration Cloud
9:1  And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.  2  And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and  James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them.  3  And his raiment  became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.  4  And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.  5  And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.  6  For he wist not what to say;  for they were sore afraid.  7  And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. 8  And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves. 
            This is known as the “Transfiguration”.  Jesus tells his apostles that some of them will see the realm of God before they die.  Jesus is praying and his appearance changes.  His clothes became pure white and gleaming.  Two men appear with Jesus and a cloud enveloped them with a brilliant haze and suddenly the two men disappear.

Luke
Spirit Descends
3:21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,  22  And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
            The sky opened.  The Holy Spirit in a physical shape descends and the Father spoke.  The Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit are the same force.

John
Spirit Descends From The Sky
1:32  And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
             This Spirit appears to be some form of energy.  See Acts 2:2

Another Encounter Before The Crucifixion
12:28  Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.  29  The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
            This is another encounter that Jesus has, much like the one known as the transfiguration though not as graphic and more public in nature.

Acts
Shining Flashing Lights 
9:3   And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
            Jesus, who uses bright, flashing lights from the sky to get his attention, confronts Paul. 

An Apparatus Descends From The Sky
10:11  And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth:
             Peter sees a craft descending from the sky.  Vessel = apparatus.

The Apparatus Ascends Into The Sky
10:16  This was done thrice: and the vessel was received up again into heaven.
            The craft ascended into the sky.

An Apparatus Descends From The Sky
11:5  I was in the city of Joppa praying: and in a trance I saw a vision, A certain vessel descend, as it had been a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came even to me:
            Peter describes the encounter mentioned in verse 10:11.


Very Bright Flashing Lights
22:6   And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.  7  And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?  8  And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest.  9  And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. 10  And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. 11  And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
            Paul says that in the middle of the day very bright, luminescent rays began to flash all around him.