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How Does the Bible Describe God?

If you were asked on the spot how to describe God what would you say? Do you think you could come up with one sentence that fully encompasses all that God is?

I can’t. I’ve tried and there is just so much depth to who God is and so much about Him we have yet to discover. It’s almost impossible to describe God in full but listen. If we as Christians are ever going to have a real conversation with the world about God, we have to have an idea of who God actually is. We need to be able to provide a frame of reference and use simple words to describe God without causing confusion or undermining His sovereignty.

The typical depiction of God according to the world is a man sitting on a gold throne, somewhere in the clouds, with lengthy white hair and a glowing appearance.

Is that really what God looks like?

Is His character left up to our imagination?

How does the Bible describe God?

How Does the Bible Describe God?

Who is God in the Bible? I like to describe Him as the main character. The Bible is entirely God’s story; from beginning to end.

He is the only sovereign God (see Isaiah 44:6).

The Creator of all things. (see John 1:1-3 and Colossians 1:16).

There was nothing before Him and He will always be. He inhabits eternity (see Isaiah 57:15).

If we had to describe God in three words this isn’t a bad start. Sovereign. Creator. Eternal. These words describe portions of God’s nature but they don’t tell us much about God’s character. That’s the information most people are looking for. They want to know that have reason to trust in the Lord beyond the hype of experiences and romanticism.

They want to know who they’re building their confidence in and giving loyalty to. So let’s talk a little about God’s character.

“...faith is confidence in the character of God and if we don't know what kind of God God is, we can't have faith. - Tozer Share on X

Attributes of God

“…faith is confidence in the character of God and if we don’t know what kind of God God is, we can’t have faith. 

– Attributes of God, Tozer

My first response when challenged to describe God in one sentence was simply, “God is love.” As I put the period at the end of that sentence I realized that wasn’t sufficient. Why not? Because God’s definition of love and the world’s definition of love contradict each other. It’s not enough to just say God is love, I have to explain what love is according to God. Love on God’s level encompasses so much. We get a small glimpse of it in 1 Corinthians 13.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil’ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails… 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

The Bible also reveals the depth of God’s love in Romans 5:8,

But God demonstrated His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

What’s really cool about 1 Corinthians 13 is that the depiction of love here also matches the fruits of the Holy Spirit (God’s spirit) outlined for us in Galatians 5:22-23,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…

Seven Character traits of God

God’s love encompasses so much! But because God’s love for us is so great, He responds seriously to the things that try to rob us of the life He intended for us (aka sin). Part of “faithfulness” and “rejoicing in truth” is acknowledging what is just. Often times what we consider harsh in the Bible (the wars God allowed to happened and the lives that were lost in the midst of it all – Old Testament Scripture) was God’s very just response to unrepentant sin. He punishes sin to remind us of the lie that sin is rooted in. The devil wants us to believe that unrepentant sin doesn’t carry eternal consequences. God wants us to know the truth. He punishes sin so that we are aware of what it produces. Instead of taking part in sin, we have the option to follow God and be lead to eternal life.

In addition to God being the finite sources of love in every sense of the word, A.W. Tozer uses these words to accurately list more than seven characteristics of God. He provides the scripture to support them in His book, Attributes of God:

• Infinite – never-ending; always going.
• Immense – extremely large and great.
• Good – morally right, the absence of evil.
• Just – behaves according to what is morally right and fair.
• Merciful – He is a God of compassion and forgiveness
• Gracious – He gives well beyond what we deserve.
• Omnipresent – always here; everywhere.
• Immanent – He holds us and this world together. He’s the glue; the Sustainer.
• Holy – Set apart. Revered.
• Perfect – Complete. Absolute. Without fault or blemish.

It’s one thing to describe God in nature and character. It’s a whole separate challenge to describe what He looks likes.

What Does God Look Like?

This is the part about describing God that I’ll confess I’m a little unclear on. In the Bible, God presents Himself to people in so many different ways.

To Moses, He was a burning bush (see Exodus 3:1-5).

To the Hebrews, He was a cloud by day (see Exodus 33:7-10) and a fire by night (see Exodus 13:21-22).

On Mt. Sinai, God’s glory was so incredible it left a visible glow on the face of Moses.

To Saul (later named Paul) on the road to Damascus God was a blinding light (see Acts 9:3-5).

Jacob wrestled with God but He didn’t really take the time to describe the details of that encounter, all we know is that He saw and wrestled the angel of the Lord (see Genesis 32:22-32).

In Revelation John describes God in a way that quite frankly challenges my imagination.

“and in the midst of the seven lampstands, One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a gold band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.

Revelation 1:13-17

Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance.

Revelation 4:2-3

I honestly can’t even comprehend what it will be like to finally set eyes on God, but I’m excited about it!

Names of God

Another way we can learn about God’s nature and character is by studying the names of God. There are many and each of them reflects the nature or character of God. A few of them are used to describe God in terms of our relationship with Him. Three characteristics of God that I love to share and are revealed through His names are:

• Life Giver from the name Elohim, the Hebrew name for God used in Genesis 1:26. Elohim also means God of Power and Might.
• Father from the name Abba (the Aramaic word for Father used by both Jesus (Mark 14:36) and Paul (Romans 8:14-16) to address God in a relational manner.
• Provider from the name Jehovah Jireh, “the Lord will Provide”, first mentioned by Abraham in Genesis 22:14.

If you’re new to learning the names of God these Names of God coloring pages offer a fun way to learn them!

How Does the Bible Describe Jesus?

We’ve spent a few moments learning about who God is in simple terms (mostly simple…). With all that we’ve uncovered about God, are curious to learn how the Bible describes Jesus?

It’s almost easier to have this conversation as Jesus because we can relate to his humanity.  He went through the stages of childbirth, toddler years, child-rearing, and adulthood. Even in human form, He was the perfect and sinless Son of God.

Isaiah 9:6 is a beautifully blended description of Jesus as both human and the Son of God.

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

Jesus came with all the authority of Heaven given to Him. Yet He humbled Himself. Instead of becoming one who used His authority for His own gain Jesus used His to serve.

But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 2:25-28

I guess you could say He was a quintessential picture of God’s love in action, here on Earth.

John chapter 1 refers to Jesus as the Word (John 1:1), the life and light of men (John 1:4), and only begotten of the Father (John 1:14).

John the Baptist refers to Jesus as the Lamb of God. “…Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” John 1:29. Similarly, in Pauls’s letters, He refers to Jesus as the Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7) and in 1 Peter 1:19 is described as a lamb without spot or blemish, pointing us back to the gospel story and Jesus’ willingness to sacrifice His life to atone for our sins. 

The disciples referred to Him as “Rabbi” meaning teacher (John 1:38).

Hebrews describes Jesus as our High Preist (Hebrews 4:14-15, Hebrews 8:6).

He is our advocate and mediator (1 John 2:1 and 1 Timothy 2:5).

Our intercessor (Hebrews 7:25).

Honestly, this is just the tipping point. There is so much more to discover in the Bible about the nature and character of Jesus.

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