Biblical Descriptions of God
Biblical Descriptions of God
While the Bible provides for us some formal/official names of God (i.e. Yahweh, Jehovah, Adonai, Elohim, etc.), there is also an extensive list of comparisons used to help us get a glimpse of him and his character. Here is a sample list, though by no means exhaustive, of various images God is compared to:
Furthermore, although God the Father is spirit and does not therefore possess a human body, his activities toward humanity are often described in metaphorical ways using parts of the human body, such as his face (Exodus 33:20), his eyes (Psalm 11:4), his ears (Psalm 55:1), his tongue (Isaiah 30:27), his nose (Deut. 33:10), his heart (Genesis 6:6), and so forth and so on.
So, why is God described in these ways? To demonstrate that he is both infinite and intimate. These lists could go on and on and on, piling up higher and higher. We are meant to see and remember that God is infinite and all-powerful and fully capable of keeping us and caring for us in a way that is far beyond anything we or anyone else is capable of. At the same time he is intimate; all of these images are “down to earth” and very easy for us to grasp. God, despite all of his infiniteness, has chosen to reveal himself to us, and to do so in ways that we can grasp and connect with. Ultimately, he has done this through Christ, who literally became fully human while also remaining fully God, so that he could pave the way for us to live in perfect intimacy with God for an infinite eternity.
While the Bible provides for us some formal/official names of God (i.e. Yahweh, Jehovah, Adonai, Elohim, etc.), there is also an extensive list of comparisons used to help us get a glimpse of him and his character. Here is a sample list, though by no means exhaustive, of various images God is compared to:
- Lion (Isaiah 31:4)
- Eagle (Deut. 32:11)
- Lamb (Isaiah 53:7)
- Hen (Matthew 23:37)
- Sun (Psalm 84:11)
- Fire (Hebrews 12:29)
- Moth (Psalm 39:11)
- Husband (Isaiah 54:5)
- Father (Deut. 32:6)
- Shepherd (Psalm 23:1)
- Physician (Exodus 15:26)
Furthermore, although God the Father is spirit and does not therefore possess a human body, his activities toward humanity are often described in metaphorical ways using parts of the human body, such as his face (Exodus 33:20), his eyes (Psalm 11:4), his ears (Psalm 55:1), his tongue (Isaiah 30:27), his nose (Deut. 33:10), his heart (Genesis 6:6), and so forth and so on.
So, why is God described in these ways? To demonstrate that he is both infinite and intimate. These lists could go on and on and on, piling up higher and higher. We are meant to see and remember that God is infinite and all-powerful and fully capable of keeping us and caring for us in a way that is far beyond anything we or anyone else is capable of. At the same time he is intimate; all of these images are “down to earth” and very easy for us to grasp. God, despite all of his infiniteness, has chosen to reveal himself to us, and to do so in ways that we can grasp and connect with. Ultimately, he has done this through Christ, who literally became fully human while also remaining fully God, so that he could pave the way for us to live in perfect intimacy with God for an infinite eternity.
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