God

From: Basic Bible Teaching

God

• 7 min. read • grade level: 8

The names by which God makes Himself known are various.

1. El, “the strong or mighty one.” It is often used of God, especially in Job and the Psalms (Job 5:8⁸I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: (Job 5:8); Psa. 22:1¹<<To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David.>> My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? (Psalm 22:1), etc.); and of the Lord Jesus in Isaiah 9:6⁶For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6). It is also used for the false gods (Psa. 81:9⁹There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god. (Psalm 81:9); Dan. 11:36³⁶And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. (Daniel 11:36)); and is translated “mighty” (Psa. 29:1¹<<A Psalm of David.>> Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength. (Psalm 29:1); Psa. 82:1¹<<A Psalm of Asaph.>> God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. (Psalm 82:1)).

2. Eloah (Elah Chaldee), Elohim. The names most commonly used for God the Creator, the One with whom man has to do, the supreme Deity (Gen. 1:1-31¹In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ²And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. ³And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. ⁴And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. ⁵And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. ⁶And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. ⁷And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. ⁸And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. ⁹And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. ¹⁰And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. ¹¹And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. ¹²And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. ¹³And the evening and the morning were the third day. ¹⁴And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: ¹⁵And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. ¹⁶And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. ¹⁷And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, ¹⁸And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. ¹⁹And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. ²⁰And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. ²¹And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. ²²And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. ²³And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. ²⁴And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so. ²⁵And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. ²⁶And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. ²⁷So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ²⁸And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. ²⁹And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. ³⁰And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. ³¹And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:1‑31)). (Running all through the Old Testament to Malachi 3:18¹⁸Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. (Malachi 3:18).) These words are also applied to God’s representatives, such as angels and judges (Ex. 22:28²⁸Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. (Exodus 22:28); Psa. 82:6⁶I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. (Psalm 82:6)); and also to false gods (Lev. 19:4⁴Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:4)). Elohim (which is plural, called the plural of majesty or excellency) is the word of most frequent occurrence. When it is distinctly used for the one true God the article is often added.

3. Jehovah. This is a name of relationship with men, especially with Israel, taken by God in time. It is derived from havah, “to exist,” and may be expanded into “who is, who was, and is to come.” God thus reveals Himself in time as the ever-existing One: that is, in Himself eternally, He is always the same (compare Heb. 1:12¹²And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. (Hebrews 1:12)). The above “relationship” may be seen in the change from Elohim, the Creator, in Genesis 1, to Jehovah Elohim in Genesis 2, when man was brought into relationship with God. Again in Genesis 7:16¹⁶And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the Lord shut him in. (Genesis 7:16) Elohim ordered Noah to make the ark but Jehovah shut him in. Unfortunately the name Jehovah is seldom employed in the AV. It is generally represented by LORD (sometimes GOD) printed in small capitals. In four places the AV has preserved the name Jehovah, namely, Ex. 6:3³And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. (Exodus 6:3); Psa. 83:18¹⁸That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. (Psalm 83:18); Isa. 12:2²Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2); Isa. 26:4⁴Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: (Isaiah 26:4).

There is a contraction of Jehovah into Jah, also translated in the AV by LORD, except in Psalm 68:4⁴Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him. (Psalm 68:4), where Israel is exhorted to sing unto God, and “extol Him by His name JAH.” Jah signifies the absolute supremacy of the self-existing One; whereas Jehovah was the name made known to Israel, and on which they could count. “God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM” (Ex. 3:14¹⁴And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3:14)), where the word is Ehyeh, which is from the same root as Jehovah, the Eternal existing One; He that was, and is, and the coming One.

4. Shaddai, “the Almighty,” is another name of God, and is often so translated, especially in Job, without any other name attached (Job 6:4, 14⁴For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. (Job 6:4)
¹⁴To him that is afflicted pity should be showed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty. (Job 6:14); Psa. 68:14¹⁴When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon. (Psalm 68:14), etc). At times it is associated with one of the above words, and was the name by which He was especially known to the Patriarchs, as El Shaddai, God Almighty (Ex. 6:3³And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. (Exodus 6:3)): which passage does not mean that the Patriarchs had not heard of the name of Jehovah, but that it was not the especial name for them.

5. Elyon, “the Most High,” is another name of God, which stands alone, as in Deuteronomy 32:8⁸When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. (Deuteronomy 32:8) and 2 Samuel 24:14¹⁴And David said unto Gad, I am in a great strait: let us fall now into the hand of the Lord; for his mercies are great: and let me not fall into the hand of man. (2 Samuel 24:14); and in Daniel 4:17-34¹⁷This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. ¹⁸This dream I king Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation: but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee. ¹⁹Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said, Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof, trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to thine enemies. ²⁰The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; ²¹Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: ²²It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. ²³And whereas the king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him; ²⁴This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king: ²⁵That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. ²⁶And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule. ²⁷Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity. ²⁸All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. ³⁰The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty? ³¹While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. ³²And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. ³³The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws. ³⁴And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: (Daniel 4:17‑34) (from a kindred word); or it has one of the above words added and is then “the most high God” (Gen. 14:20²⁰And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. (Genesis 14:20)); or “the LORD most high” (Psa. 7:17¹⁷I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high. (Psalm 7:17)). It is not confined to Israel, for He is “the Most High over all the earth” (Psa. 83:18¹⁸That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth. (Psalm 83:18)).

6-7. Adon and Adonai, and the plural Adonim, are all translated “Lord”; they occur frequently, and are found in some of the following compounds:

Adon Jehovah (Ex. 23:17¹⁷Three times in the year all thy males shall appear before the Lord God. (Exodus 23:17)), the Lord God.

Adon Jehovah Elohim (Isa. 51:22²²Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: (Isaiah 51:22)), thy Lord, the LORD, and thy God.

Adon Jehovah Sabaoth (Isa. 19:4⁴And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of hosts. (Isaiah 19:4)), the Lord, the LORD of hosts.

Adonai Elohim (Psa. 86:12¹²I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. (Psalm 86:12)), O Lord my God (compare Dan. 9:3,9,15³And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: (Daniel 9:3)
⁹To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; (Daniel 9:9)
¹⁵And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. (Daniel 9:15)).

Adona Jehovah (Deut. 9:26²⁶I prayed therefore unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand. (Deuteronomy 9:26)), O Lord GOD (occurs frequently).

Adonai Jehovah Sabaoth (Jer. 2:19¹⁹Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts. (Jeremiah 2:19)), the Lord GOD of hosts.

El Elohim (Gen. 33:20²⁰And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel. (Genesis 33:20)), El-elohe (Israel); (Gen. 46:3³And he said, I am God, the God of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will there make of thee a great nation: (Genesis 46:3)), God, the God (of thy father).

El Elohim Jehovah (Josh. 22:22²²The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, (save us not this day,) (Joshua 22:22)), the LORD God of gods.

El Shaddai (Gen. 28:3³And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; (Genesis 28:3), etc.), God Almighty.

Jah Jehovah (Isa. 26:4⁴Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: (Isaiah 26:4)), the LORD JEHOVAH.

Jehovah Adon (Neh. 10:29²⁹They clave to their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse, and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes; (Nehemiah 10:29)), the LORD our Lord.

Jehovah Adonai (Psa. 68:20²⁰He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. (Psalm 68:20)), GOD the Lord.

Jehovah El (Psa. 31:5⁵Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. (Psalm 31:5)), O LORD God.

Jehovah Elohim (Gen. 9:26²⁶And he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant. (Genesis 9:26), etc.), the LORD God.

Jehovah Elohim Sabaoth Adonai (Amos 5:16¹⁶Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing. (Amos 5:16)), the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord.

Jehovah Jehovah El (Ex. 34:6⁶And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, (Exodus 34:6)), the LORD, the LORD God.

Jehovah Sabaoth (Jer. 46:18¹⁸As I live, saith the King, whose name is the Lord of hosts, Surely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel by the sea, so shall he come. (Jeremiah 46:18)), the LORD of hosts.

Jehovah Sabaoth Elohim (Jer. 27:4⁴And command them to say unto their masters, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters; (Jeremiah 27:4), etc.), the LORD of hosts, the God (of Israel).

For titles in combination with Jehovah, see JEHOVAH.

The true pronunciation of Jehovah is declared to be lost: the Jews when reading the Old Testament never utter it (from a constrained interpretation of Leviticus 24:16¹⁶And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death. (Leviticus 24:16)), but say, “the name,” “the great and terrible name,” and the like.

In the New Testament the word Θεός is constantly translated God; and Κύριος is the word commonly rendered Lord. In the Old Testament the latter is used by the LXX as the translation of Jehovah, so in the New Testament it often represents Jehovah, and is then mostly, if not always, without the article, as in Matthew 1:20,22,24²⁰But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 1:20)
²²Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, (Matthew 1:22)
²⁴Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: (Matthew 1:24). The Lord is also called “the Almighty” (Rev. 1:8⁸I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. (Revelation 1:8), etc.); and there are a few compound names as in the Old Testament:

God Almighty (Rev. 16:14¹⁴For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Revelation 16:14); Rev. 19:15¹⁵And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15)).

Lord Almighty (2 Cor. 6:18¹⁸And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:18)).

Lord God Almighty (Rev. 4:8⁸And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Revelation 4:8); Rev. 11:17¹⁷Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. (Revelation 11:17); Rev. 15:3³And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. (Revelation 15:3); Rev. 16:7⁷And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. (Revelation 16:7); Rev. 21:22²²And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. (Revelation 21:22)).

Lord of Sabaoth (Rom. 9:29²⁹And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. (Romans 9:29); James 5:4⁴Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. (James 5:4)).

The characteristic name of God in the New Testament in relationship with His saints is that of FATHER: it was used anticipatively in the Lord’s intercourse with His disciples, but made a reality after His resurrection, when He sent the message: “I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” (John 20:17¹⁷Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. (John 20:17)).

THE TRINITY. In reference to this term the Father is God (Phil. 2:11¹¹And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:11); 1 Thess. 1:1¹Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 1:1), etc.). The Lord Jesus is God (Isa. 9:6⁶For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6); Matt. 1:23²³Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (Matthew 1:23); John 1:1¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1); Rom. 9:5⁵Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. (Romans 9:5); Phil. 2:6⁶Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (Philippians 2:6); Col. 2:9⁹For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9); 1 Tim. 3:16¹⁶And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Timothy 3:16); Heb. 1:8⁸But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. (Hebrews 1:8)). The Holy Spirit is God: “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:2²And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2)). Ananias lied to “the Holy Ghost,” “unto God”; and Sapphira unto the “Spirit of the Lord” (Acts 5:3-4, 9³But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? ⁴Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. (Acts 5:3‑4)
⁹Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. (Acts 5:9)); “Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:11¹¹For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 2:11); 1 Cor. 3:16¹⁶Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16), etc). That there are three divine Persons (if we may so express it) is plain from scripture. The Father sent the Son, and He came to earth. The Father sent the Holy Spirit, and the Lord Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, and He came from heaven. He is a divine Person, of which there are many proofs (see HOLY SPIRIT). There is but one God.

Scripture reveals what God is in Himself, “God is love” used absolutely (1 John 4:8⁸He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1 John 4:8)); and “God is light” used relatively, in opposition to darkness (1 John 1:5⁵This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (1 John 1:5)); and Christ is the expression of both in a Man. The principal of God’s attributes and characteristics as revealed in scripture are—

1. His Eternity (Hab. 1:12¹²Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. (Habakkuk 1:12); Rom. 1:20²⁰For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:20)).

2. Invisibility (Col. 1:15¹⁵Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: (Colossians 1:15)).

3. Immortality (Psa. 90:2²Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. (Psalm 90:2); 1 Tim. 1:17¹⁷Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)).

4. Omnipotence (Job 24:1¹Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days? (Job 24:1); Matt. 19:26²⁶But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. (Matthew 19:26); only Potentate. 1 Tim. 6:15¹⁵Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; (1 Timothy 6:15)).

5. Omnipresence (Psa. 139:7-10⁷Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? ⁸If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. ⁹If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; ¹⁰Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. (Psalm 139:7‑10); Jer. 23:23-24²³Am I a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off? ²⁴Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:23‑24)).

6. Omniscience (1 Chron. 28:9⁹And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. (1 Chronicles 28:9); Isa. 42:8-9⁸I am the Lord: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. ⁹Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. (Isaiah 42:8‑9); Rom. 8:29-30²⁹For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. ³⁰Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. (Romans 8:29‑30); Heb. 4:13¹³Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (Hebrews 4:13)).

7. Incorruptibility (Rom. 1:23²³And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (Romans 1:23); James 1:13¹³Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: (James 1:13)).

8. Immutability (Mal. 3:6⁶For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6); James 1:17¹⁷Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. (James 1:17)).

9. Wisdom (Psa. 104:24²⁴O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. (Psalm 104:24); Rom. 11:33-36³³O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! ³⁴For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? ³⁵Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? ³⁶For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Romans 11:33‑36)).

10. Holiness (Psa. 47:8⁸God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. (Psalm 47:8); Psa. 99:3, 5³Let them praise thy great and terrible name; for it is holy. (Psalm 99:3)
⁵Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy. (Psalm 99:5); Rev. 4:8⁸And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. (Revelation 4:8)).

11. Justice (Psa. 89:14¹⁴Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. (Psalm 89:14); 2 Tim. 4:8⁸Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8)).

12. Grace and mercy (Psa. 136; 2 Cor. 1:3³Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; (2 Corinthians 1:3); Eph. 2:4⁴But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (Ephesians 2:4)).

13. Longsuffering (Ex. 34:6⁶And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, (Exodus 34:6); Rom. 9:22²²What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: (Romans 9:22)).

14. Faithfulness (Psa. 36:5⁵Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. (Psalm 36:5); Heb. 10:23²³Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) (Hebrews 10:23)).

God’s eternal power and divinity may be known in creation (Rom. 1:20²⁰For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:20)); but He has revealed Himself in the person of Christ, the Son, the eternal Word. God has been pleased also to reveal Himself in His written word. His purposes, His ways, and what He has done for sinful man, all demand universal reverence, adoration, and worship.

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