WAS THE BROTHER OF JARED THE FIRST TO SEE THE LORD? NO - BUT NO ONE HAD SEEN HIM IN THIS MANNER

"A final explanation -- and in terms of the brother of Jared's faith the most persuasive one -- is that Christ was saying to the brother of Jared, 'Never have I showed myself unto man [in this manner, without my volition, driving solely by the faith of the beholder].' As a rule, prophets are *invited* into the presence of the Lord, are bidden to enter his presence by him and only with his sanction. The brother of Jared, on the other hand, seems to have thrust himself through the veil, not as an unwelcome guest but perhaps technically as an uninvited one. Said Jehovah, 'Never has man come before me with such exceeding faith as thou hast; for were it not so ye could not have seen my finger... Never has man believed in me as thou hast.' Obviously the Lord himself was linking unprecedented faith with this unprecedented vision. If the vision itself was not unique, then it had to be the faith and how the vision was obtained that was so unparalleled. The only way that faith could be so remarkable was its ability to take the prophet, uninvited, where others had been able to go only with God's bidding" (23).  J. Holland.