PICTURING GOD

Ezekiel 30:1–31:18; Revelation 14:14–15:8; Job 37:1–8

If you were to ask five people at random, “How do you picture God?” you would receive five very different answers. A social network prompt to “describe God in one word” confirms this idea: It resulted in more than 50 answers. For John, that one word was logos or “Word.” Ultimately, God is far too complex to fit into human language. His personality is too diverse to capture in a painting. His intricacy of character far surpasses ours.
God is able to feel the full spectrum of emotion and able to articulate who He is using the full spectrum of vocabulary. He is able to encounter us in any way He sees fit. Where we may be able to change only our hair color, glasses, or general way of speaking, He can change anything.
Throughout the books of Ezekiel and Revelation, we see diverse descriptions of God. They are so different that they could, by analogy, range from a mannerist painting of Jesus to a surrealist or modern one. Ezekiel 30:1–8 depicts Yahweh as a warrior, whereas in Rev 14:14–20, we see God using messengers to glean a crop and bring fire. The images vary even more when we peek into the next chapter, where a warring God sends His angels to bring plagues (Rev 15:1–8).
There is not one depiction of God in the Bible, and any attempt to create one is an ill-conceived effort. We know much about Him, but we’re not capable of understanding Him fully. As we attempt to picture God, we should be aware that our words about Him and visions of Him are shortsighted compared to who He actually is. Yet one thing we do know for certain is that He, our indescribable creator, desires to enter into relationship with His creation (e.g., John 15–17).

How do you picture God? How do you describe Him?

JOHN D. BARRY