Seeking His Face (Part 1)

In the beginning, God--. 

God? What does that mean?

Merriam-Webster tells us that "god" refers to  "a spirit or being that has great power, strength, knowledge, etc., and that can affect nature and the lives of people : one of various spirits or beings worshiped in some religions." 

But the God of the Bible seems to be more than just a powerful spirit who can affect nature and the lives of people. The word seems to be a proper name, describing a conscious, animate Being. This god can do more than affect things. This god has brought into being everything that exists--out of nothing.

First, the Bible says, there was only this God and then God created everything else. On His part, that implies personality, purpose, and power. He (as opposed to "It," not "her") animated some of those objects He created--grasses, robins, antelopes, groupers, giraffes--gave them life and installed in them some sort of self-replicating mechanism. Cows always birth calves. Chimps never morph into men (no matter how much time is allowed).

His masterpiece is the male and female unit he named "Adam" (man), the first made from dust into flesh and the second made from the flesh of the first. He designed them with some of His own qualities, so they could know Hm and be in relationship with Him. He made them to preserve and rule over the rest of His creation in the same way He rules over them, keeping them safe, helping them flourish and reach their highest potential. Reflecting His love for them, Adam and Eve replicated themselves in response to His mandate to "fill the earth."

Of the universe of beings God made, man and woman alone were given freedom to choose to be grateful and love Him back--or to turn their back on perfect love.

Throughout the Old Testament, through His qualities, through what this Being does and says, we gradually see Him as eternal, infinite, omnipotent, omniscient, holy, just, merciful, One who is both separate from and sovereign over His universe and yet intimately connected with and concerned for it. He is presented as the only true god, the only god worthy of worship.


But the Old Testament never defines this Being. We understand who He is not through theological description but primarily through what He does and says. Our perceptions of Him are formed by simile and metaphor: He is "a consuming fire, a jealous God," "a shield," "a strong tower," "a shepherd." And finally we know Him by Self-revelation: "I am the 'I am.'" The forever self-existent One.

The Scriptures say He is "spirit" yet there are anthropomorphic references to body parts of God and (what we consider) human emotions:

"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host" Psalm 33:6. With His hands He shapes a man and with His mouth He breathes life into him. From the living man he sculpts a woman. He stretches out His hand in blessing or in judgment. "The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry." Psalm 34:15 He has a strong right arm, which He stretches out over nations in judgment and which He bares to fight for and protect those who love Him. Underneath His people are the "everlasting arms" of His protection. He watches over them "with His eye upon them."


"In several places in the Bible, God is described as having the physical attributes of man. He “sets [his] face” against evil (Leviticus 20:6); the Lord will make “His face” to shine on you (Numbers 6:25); He “stretched out his hand” (Exodus 7:5; Isaiah 23:11), and God scattered enemies with His strong arm (Psalm 89:10). He “stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth” (Psalm 113:6). He “keeps his eye” on the land (Deuteronomy 11:12), the “eyes of the Lord” are on the righteous (Psalm 34:15), and the earth is His “footstool” (Isaiah 66:1). Do all these verses mean that God literally has eyes, a face, hands and feet? Not necessarily. God is spirit, not flesh and blood, but because we are not spirit, these anthropomorphisms help us to understand God’s nature and actions." http://www.gotquestions.org/anthropomorphism.html

He even has "wings" and "feathers." "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge" Psalm 91:4.

These anatomical features must be figurative. "The Psalms refer repeatedly to the eyes of God, but Psalm 94:9 remarks that the God who made the eye is not limited to lesser faculties than the creatures He made." 



In the New Testament, God will become flesh and have literal body parts. Jesus fulfills prophecy when he says, "A body you have prepared for me, O Lord. . . I am come to do Your will, O God" Hebrews chapter 10, verses 5-10.  Jesus is "the fullness of God in a human body" Colossians chapter 2, verse 9. He could say (and did, to Philip), "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." Gospel of John chapter 14, verse 9 As a man Jesus was a certain height and weight, had hair, eyes, and skin of a certain color. He was born a baby and died a man. (His resurrection body, with all the recognizable features of the physical one, transcended the physical one and was the first fruit of a new kind of life.)

Under the old covenant, we were not to make, draw or sculpt God--because those representations, if only by the very fact of their being bound by time and space, were false, and their makers would be worshiping something other than the true God.

But God Himself in His son Jesus encapsulated His God-ness in a tangible representation of Himself fused inextricably "in the likeness of men."


Afterwards, remembering His time among them, His disciples would say of Jesus' deity and humanity, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled--" He had vocal chords which could carry his voice across valley and sea. He had teeth, muscles to help him swallow, a digestive system. He had a lap children could climb into. He was stirred to anger and to grief. His body wearied and required sleep. He had hands which could not only bless and heal but which could be penetrated with spikes, flesh which could bleed and die.

And He had a face. (To be continued)


Biblical anthropomorphisms
 
How does the Bible use anthropomorphism to talk about God?

God is

20 Bible Facts About God