Back, Back Parts
The Back of God: A Pivotal Theophany
The most theologically significant reference to God's 'back' occurs in Exodus 33:18-23. After the incident of the golden calf, Moses requests to see God's glory. God responds that no one can see His face and live, but He will place Moses in the cleft of a rock, cover him with His hand as He passes by, and then remove His hand so Moses may see His 'back' (Hebrew: 'achor). This profound moment establishes a paradigm for divine revelation: humanity encounters God's goodness and glory, but not His full, unmediated presence, which would be overwhelming. The 'back parts' represent what God chooses to reveal of Himself. His afterglow, the effects of His presence, and His character as displayed in His actions.
Back as Direction and Location
The Hebrew word 'achar appears in Exodus 3:1, where Moses leads Jethro's flock to 'the back of the wilderness.' This denotes a remote pastureland on the far side of the desert from Midianite settlements. Here, 'back' signifies geographical separation and isolation, setting the stage for Moses's encounter at the burning bush. This usage reflects a common Semitic orientation where 'back' often indicated the west (the direction of the setting sun, behind one when facing east), while 'face' indicated the east.
Back as Symbol of Rejection and Judgment
Scripture frequently uses turning one's 'back' as an image of rejection, abandonment, or judgment. In 1 Kings 14:9, God declares through the prophet Ahijah that Jeroboam has done more evil than all who preceded him, 'and have gone and made for yourself other gods... but have cast me behind your back.' This powerful metaphor depicts deliberate rejection and contempt for the covenant. Similarly, Nehemiah 9:26 recounts Israel's rebellion: 'They were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their backs.' The posture signifies willful disobedience and treating God's commands as worthless.
The Back of a Scroll: Fullness of Revelation
In the New Testament, Revelation 5:1 describes a scroll 'written within and on the back' (Greek: opisthen), sealed with seven seals. Unlike modern books, ancient scrolls were typically written only on the inner side (the recto). A scroll written on both sides indicates extraordinary completeness, no space is left unused. This parallels Ezekiel's vision of a scroll 'written on the front and on the back' containing 'words of lamentation and mourning and woe' (Ezekiel 2:10). The imagery suggests the fullness of God's decrees, judgments, and redemptive plan, containing all that is destined to occur.
Healing and Burden-Bearing Imagery
Other references to the 'back' carry significant theological weight. Isaiah 38:17 speaks metaphorically of God casting sins 'behind your back,' portraying complete forgiveness and removal of guilt. Psalm 129:3 uses the image of plowers making long furrows 'on my back' to describe intense persecution. In the New Testament, Jesus commands taking up one's cross (Matthew 16:24), and Paul encourages bearing one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2), both concepts relating to what is carried 'on the back.' These images connect to the broader biblical theme of suffering, substitution, and communal responsibility.
Biblical Context
The terms appear across both Testaments in varied contexts. Key appearances include: Exodus 3:1 (geographical location); Exodus 33:23 (theophany to Moses); 1 Kings 14:9 and Nehemiah 9:26 (metaphor for rejecting God); Isaiah 38:17 (forgiveness imagery); Ezekiel 2:10 and Revelation 5:1 (scrolls written on both sides). The concept plays roles in narratives of divine encounter, prophetic judgment, visions of heaven, and metaphors for sin and forgiveness.
Theological Significance
The 'back of God' in Exodus 33 reveals fundamental truths about God's nature and human limitation. It teaches that God is both revealer and concealer. He makes Himself known, yet His full essence remains beyond human comprehension. This protects humanity while allowing relational knowledge. The imagery of casting sins behind God's back (Isaiah 38:17) powerfully illustrates complete forgiveness. God deliberately puts our transgressions out of His sight, never to be revisited. The scroll written on back and front symbolizes the completeness of God's sovereign plan and revelation. Together, these concepts highlight divine transcendence, gracious accommodation, thorough forgiveness, and the exhaustive nature of God's purposes.
Historical Background
Ancient Near Eastern cultures commonly used bodily orientation for direction. Facing east (toward the rising sun) was primary, making 'back' naturally indicate west. This orientation appears in Hebrew words like qedem ('east,' also 'front') and 'achor ('west,' also 'back'). The description of scrolls written on both sides (Ezekiel, Revelation) reflects actual documentary practices. While most literary scrolls used only the inner side (recto) due to writing material limitations, some administrative documents, like certain Roman wax tablets or reused parchments, contained writing on both sides (opisthograph). This made such scrolls unusual and notable, explaining why John and Ezekiel specifically mention this detail in their visionary experiences.