The Bible is essentially a story about mankind's relationship with God. Since the Bible covers the panorama of human history from beginning (Genesis) to the end (Revelation), it defines all of human history as fundamentally centering around this relationship.
Some people, of course, reject the very existence of God. The Bible calls such people foolish (Psalm 14:1 and 53:1). Others believe that God is more a reflection of the universe and collective human existence. The Bible rejects this as well, presenting God as an independent, transcendent, intelligent Being. But what else can be known about God?
How Does the Bible Describe God?
The Bible presents God as an intelligent, transcendent, and yet infinite Being. The Bible explains that it is impossible to fully grasp God through human understanding (Psalm 139:6, Psalm 145:3; I Corinthians 2:14, 21; John 1:18).
Fortunately, according to the Bible, the human race need not attempt to fully grasp God. Instead, the human race is accountable, based on God's revelation.
The Bible teaches that mankind can access the reality of God through general revelation and special revelation. General revelation refers to Nature, including the universe and the human heart. Special revelation encompasses prophets, apostles, Jesus, and (say evangelical Christians) the Bible.
According to the Bible, Christians are expected to "increase in the knowledge of God" via these forms of special revelation (Colossians 1:10). Thus, while human beings can never fully understand God, they can still grasp truths about God.
The Bible offers a broad, complex portrayal of God's nature and attributes, including:
- God is Spirit (John 4:24)
- God is the source and sustainer of existence (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3; Revelation 4:11)
- God is transcendent and immanent (I Kings 8:27; Acts 7:48; Colossians 1:17)
- God is all-knowing and all-powerful (Psalm 139: 1-2; I John 3:20; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37)
- God self-exists in three persons (Genesis 1:26; Matthew 28:18-20; I John 5:7)
The above list is hardly comprehensive. Indeed, a mere cursory read of the Bible reveals numerous attributes of God. Theologians often categorize these attributes as either "communicable" (those God communicates or shares with humanity through special revelation) and "incommunicable" (those implied or seen via general revelation). And the way these attributes are studied is often by looking at the names of God in Scripture.
What are the Biblical Names for God?
Dr. Wayne Grudemn, a noted biblical scholar and theologian, writes: "In the Bible, a person's name is a description of his or her character. Likewise, the names of God in Scripture are various descriptions of His character." (Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Leicester: Intervarsity Press and Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994).
Here is a partial list of the "names" given to God in the Bible:
- El Shaddai - Almighty God is all-sufficient and all-powerful. (Genesis 17:1-3; Psalm 90:2)
- Adonai - "The Lord is majestic." (Psalm 8; Ezekiel 16:8; Habakkuk 3:19)
- Immanuel - "God with us." (Isaiah 7:14, 8:8-10)
- Yahweh or Jehovah - "I AM" and the God who never changes. (Exodus 3:14, 6:2-4; Psalm 102)
And, of course, both the Torah and Jesus refer to God as "Father" (Deuteronomy 32:6; Matthew 6:9). The Bible, of course, describes Jesus as God (John 1:1) and the Holy Spirit as well (I John 5:7). Thus, the Triune God is presented as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:18-20; I John 5:7).
No matter the name or description, God is depicted as a Supreme Being who desires a relationship with the human race. If God is real and if the Bible's description is accurate, then no other relationship is as important.
