Genesis 11:5

How can God “come down” from heaven when He is already here (and everywhere)?

PROBLEM: God is omnipresent, that is, everywhere at the same time (Psalms 139:7-10). But this text declares that God “came down” to see the city that men had built. But if He is already here, then how can He “come down” here?

SOLUTION: God “came down” as a theophany, which is a special localized manifestation of the presence of God. These theophanies often appeared in the OT. Once God appeared to Abraham as a man (Genesis 18:2). God also came down to speak to Moses (Exodus 3), Joshua (Joshua 5:13-15), and Gideon (Judges 6) in a similar manner.