Difference between revisions of "God"

<p> an immaterial, intelligent, and free Being; of perfect goodness, wisdom, and power; who made the universe, and continues to support it, as well as to govern and direct it, by his providence. Philologists have hitherto considered the word God as being of the same signification with good; and this is not denied by M. Hallenberg. But he thinks that both words originally denoted <em> unity; </em> and that the root is אתד , <em> unus; </em> whence the Syriac <em> Chad </em> and <em> Gada; </em> the Arabic <em> Ahd </em> and <em> Gahd; </em> the Persic <em> Choda </em> and <em> Chuda; </em> the Greek αγαθος and λαθος ; the Teutonic <em> Gud; </em> the German <em> Gott; </em> and our Saxon <em> God. </em> The other names of God, this author thinks, are referable to a similar origin. </p> <p> <strong> 2. </strong> By his immateriality, intelligence, and freedom, God is distinguished from Fate, Nature, Destiny, Necessity, Chance, <em> Anima Mundi, </em> and from all the other fictitious beings acknowledged by the Stoics, Pantheists, Spinosists, and other sorts of Atheists. The knowledge of God, his nature, attributes, word, and works, with the relations between him and his creatures, makes the subject of the extensive science called theology. In Scripture God is defined by, "I am that I am, [[Alpha]] and Omega; the Beginning and End of all things." Among philosophers, he is defined a Being of infinite perfection; or in whom there is no defect of any thing which we conceive may raise, improve, or exalt his nature. He is the First Cause, the First Being, who has existed from the beginning, has created the world, or who subsists necessarily, or of himself. </p> <p> <strong> 3. </strong> The plain argument, says Maclaurin, in his "Account of Sir I. Newton's Philosophical Discoveries," for the existence of the Deity, obvious to all, and carrying irresistible conviction with it, is from the evident contrivance and fitness of things for one another, which we meet with throughout all parts of the universe. There is no need of nice or subtle reasonings in this matter; a manifest contrivance immediately suggests a contriver. It strikes us like a sensation; and artful reasonings against it may puzzle us, but it is without shaking our belief. No person, for example that knows the principles of optics, and the structure of the eye, can believe that it was formed without skill in that science; or that the ear was formed without the knowledge of sounds; or that the male and female in animals were not formed for each other, and for continuing the species. All our accounts of nature are full of instances of this kind. The admirable and beautiful structure of things for final causes, exalts our idea of the Contriver; the unity of design shows him to be one. The great motions in the system performed with the same facility as the least, suggest his almighty power, which gave motion to the earth and the celestial bodies with equal ease as to the minutest particles. The subtilty of the motions and actions in the internal parts of bodies, shows that his influence penetrates the inmost recesses of things, and that he is equally active and present every where. The simplicity of the laws that prevail in the world, the excellent disposition of things, in order to obtain the best ends, and the beauty which adorns the work of nature, far superior to any thing in art, suggest his consummate wisdom. The usefulness of the whole scheme, so well contrived for the intelligent beings that enjoy it, with the internal disposition and moral structure of these beings themselves, shows his unbounded goodness. These are arguments which are sufficiently open to the views and capacities of the unlearned, while at the same time they acquire new strength and lustre from the discoveries of the learned. The Deity's acting and interposing in the universe, show that he governs as well as formed it; and the depth of his counsels, even in conducting the material universe, of which a great part surpasses our knowledge, keeps up an reward veneration and awe of this great Being, and disposes us to receive what may be otherwise revealed to us concerning him. It has been justly observed, that some of the laws of nature now known to us must have escaped us if we had wanted the sense of seeing. It may be in his power to bestow upon us other senses, of which we have at present no idea; without which it may be impossible for us to know all his works, or to have more adequate ideas of himself. In our present state, we know enough to be satisfied of our dependency upon him, and of the duty we owe to him, the Lord and Disposer of all things. He is not the object of sense; his essence, and, indeed, that of all other substances, are beyond the reach of all our discoveries; but his attributes clearly appear in his admirable works. We know that the highest conceptions we are able to form of them, are still beneath his real perfections; but his power and dominion over us, and our duty toward him, are manifest. </p> <p> <strong> 4. </strong> Though God has given us no innate ideas of himself, says Mr. Locke, yet, having furnished us with those faculties our minds are endowed with, he hath not left himself without a witness; since we have sense, perception, and reason, and cannot want a clear proof of him as long as we carry ourselves about us, To show, therefore, that we are capable of knowing, that is, of being certain that there is a God, and how we may come by this certainty, I think we need go no farther than ourselves, and that undoubted knowledge we have of our own existence. I think it is beyond question, that man has a clear perception of his own being; he knows certainly that he exists, and that he is something. In the next place, man knows, by an intuitive certainty, that bare nothing can no more produce any real being, than it can be equal to two right angles. If, therefore, we know there is some real Being, it is an evident demonstration, that from eternity there has been something; since what was not from eternity had a beginning; and what had a beginning must be produced by something else. Next it is evident, that what has its being from another must also have all that which is in, and belongs to, its being from another too; all the powers it has must be owing to, and derived from, the same source. This eternal source, then, of all being, must be also the source and original of all power; and so this eternal Being must be also the most powerful. Again: man finds in himself perception and knowledge: we are certain, then, that there is not only some Being, but some knowing, intelligent Being, in the world. There was a time, then, when there was no knowing Being, or else there has been a knowing Being from eternity. If it be said there was a time when that eternal Being had no knowledge, I reply, that then it is impossible there should have ever been any knowledge; it being as impossible that things wholly void of knowledge, and operating blindly, and without any perception, should produce a knowing Being, as it is impossible that a triangle should make itself three angles bigger than two right ones. Thus from the consideration of ourselves, and what we infallibly find in our own constitutions, our reason leads us to the knowledge of this certain and evident truth, that there is an eternal, most powerful, and knowing Being, which, whether any one will call God, it matters not. The thing is evident; and from this idea, duly considered, will easily be deduced all those other attributes we ought to ascribe to this eternal Being. From what has been said, it is plain to me, that we have a more certain knowledge of the existence of a God, than of any thing our senses have not immediately discovered to us. Nay, I presume I may say that we more certainly know that there is a God, than that there is any thing else without us. When I say we <em> know, </em> I mean, there is such a knowledge within our reach, which we cannot miss, if we will but apply our minds to that as we do to several other inquiries. It being then unavoidable for all rational creatures to conclude that something has existed from eternity, let us next see what kind of thing that must be. There are but two sorts of beings in the world that man knows or conceives; such as are purely material without sense or perception, and sensible, perceiving beings, such as we find ourselves to be. These two sorts we shall call cogitative and incogitative beings; which to our present purpose are better than material and immaterial. If, then, there must be something eternal, it is very obvious to reason that it must be a cogitative being; because it is as impossible to conceive that bare incogitative matter should ever produce a thinking, intelligent being, as that nothing should of itself produce matter. Let us suppose any parcel of matter eternal, we shall find it in itself unable to produce any thing. Let us suppose its parts firmly at rest together, if there were no other being in the world, must it not eternally remain so, a dead inactive lump? Is it possible to conceive that it can add motion to itself, or produce any thing? Matter, then, by its own strength cannot produce in itself so much as motion. The motion at has must also be from eternity, or else added to matter by some other being, more powerful than matter. But let us suppose motion eternal too, yet matter, incogitative matter, and motion could never produce thought: knowledge will still be as far beyond the power of nothing to produce. [[Divide]] matter into as minute parts as you will, vary its figure and motion as much as you please, it will operate no otherwise upon other bodies of proportionable bulk, than it did before this division. The minutest particles of matter knock, impel, and resist one another, just as the greater do; so that if we suppose nothing eternal, matter can never begin to be; if we suppose bare matter without motion eternal, motion can never begin to be; if we suppose only matter and motion to be eternal, thought can never begin to be; for it is impossible to conceive that matter, either with or without motion, could have originally in and from itself, sense, perception, and knowledge, as is evident from hence, that then sense, perception, and knowledge must be a property eternally inseparable from matter, and every particle of it. Since, therefore, whatsoever is the first eternal Being must necessarily be cogitative; and whatsoever is first of all things must necessarily contain in it, and actually have, at least all the perfections that can ever after exist, it necessarily follows, that the first eternal Being cannot be matter. If, therefore, it be evident that something, must necessarily exist from eternity, it is also evident that that something must necessarily be a cogitative Being. For it is as impossible that incogitative matter should produce a cogitative Being, as that nothing, or the negation of all being, should produce a positive Being or matter. </p> <p> This discovery of the necessary existence of an eternal mind sufficiently leads us to the knowledge of God. For it will hence follow, that all other knowing beings that have a beginning must depend upon him, and have no other ways of knowledge or extent of power than what he gives them; and therefore if he made those, he made also the less excellent pieces of this universe, all inanimate bodies, whereby his omniscience, power, and providence will be established, and from thence all his other attributes necessarily follow. </p> <p> <strong> 5. </strong> In the Scriptures no attempt is made to prove the existence of a God; such an attempt would have been entirely useless, because the fact was universally admitted. The error of men consisted, not in denying a God, but in admitting too many; and one great object of the Bible is to demonstrate that there is but one. No metaphysical arguments, however, are employed in it for this purpose. The proof rests on facts recorded in the history of the Jews, from which it appears that they were always victorious and prosperous so long as they served the only living and true God, Jehovah, the name by which the Almighty made himself known to them, and uniformly unsuccessful when they revolted from him to serve other gods. What argument could be so effectual to convince them that there was no god in all the earth but the God of Israel? The sovereignty and universal providence of the Lord Jehovah are proved by predictions delivered by the Jewish prophets, pointing out the fate of nations and of empires, specifying distinctly their rise, the duration of their power, and the causes of their decline; thus demonstrating that one God ruled among the nations, and made them the unconscious instruments of promoting the purposes of his will. In the same manner, none of the attributes of God are demonstrated in Scripture by reasoning: they are simply affirmed and illustrated by facts; and instead of a regular deduction of doctrines and conclusions from a few admitted principles, we are left to gather them from the recorded feelings and devotional expressions of persons whose hearts were influenced by the fear of God. These circumstances point out a marked singularity in the Scriptures, considered as a repository of religious doctrines. The writers, generally speaking, do not reason, but exhort and remonstrate; they do not attempt to fetter the judgment by the subtleties of argument, but to rouse the feelings by an appeal to palpable facts. This is exactly what might have been expected from teachers acting under a divine commission, and armed with undeniable facts to enforce their admonitions. </p> <p> <strong> 6. </strong> In three distinct ways do the sacred writers furnish us with information on this great and essential subject, the existence and the character of God; from the <em> names </em> by which he is designated; from the <em> actions </em> ascribed to him; and from the <em> attributes </em> with which he is invested in their invocations and praises; and in those lofty descriptions of his nature which, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have recorded for the instruction of the world. These attributes will be considered under their respective heads; but the impression of the general view of the divine character, as thus revealed, is too important to be omitted. </p> <p> <strong> 7. </strong> The <em> names </em> of God as recorded in Scripture convey at once ideas of overwhelming greatness and glory, mingled with that awful mysteriousness with which, to all finite minds, and especially to the minds of mortals, the divine essence and mode of existence must ever be invested. Though ONE, he is אלהים , ELOHIM, GODS, <em> persons adorable. </em> He is יהוה , JEHOVAH, <em> self-existing; </em> אל , EL, <em> strong, powerful; </em> אהיה , EHIEH, <em> I am, I will be, self- existence, independency, all-sufficiency, immutability, eternity; </em> שדי , SHADDAI, <em> almighty, all-sufficient; </em> אדן , ADON, <em> Supporter, Lord, Judge. </em> These are among the adorable appellatives of God which are scattered throughout the revelation that he has been pleased to make of himself: but on one occasion he was pleased more particularly to declare his <em> name, </em> that is, such of the qualities and attributes of the divine nature as mortals are the most interested in knowing; and to unfold, not only his natural, but also those of his moral attributes by which his conduct towards his creatures is regulated. "And the Lord passed by and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and fourth generation," Exodus 34. This is the most ample and particular description of the character of God, as given by himself in the sacred records; and the import of the several titles by which he has thus in his infinite condescension manifested himself, has been thus exhibited. He is not only JEHOVAH, <em> self-existent, </em> and EL, <em> the strong or mighty God; </em> but he is, says Dr. A. Clarke, " רחום , ROCHUM, <em> the merciful Being, </em> who is full of tenderness and compassion; חנון , CHANUN, <em> the gracious One, </em> he whose nature is goodness itself, the loving God. ארכּ? פים , EREC APAYIM <em> long- suffering, </em> the Being who, because of his tenderness, is not easily irritated, but suffers long and is kind; רב , RAB, <em> the great or mighty One: </em> חסד , CHESED, <em> the bountiful Being, </em> he who is exuberant in his beneficence; אמת , EMETH, <em> the Truth, </em> or <em> True One, </em> he alone who can neither deceive nor be deceived; נצר חסד , NOTSER CHESED, <em> the [[Preserver]] of bountifulness, </em> he whose beneficence never ends, keeping mercy, for thousands of generations, showing compassion and mercy while the world endures; נשא עון ופשע וחטאה , NOSE AVON VAPESHA VECHATAAH, <em> he who bears away iniquity, transgression, and sin; </em> properly the <em> Redeemer, </em> the <em> Pardoner, </em> the <em> Forgiver, </em> the Being whose prerogative it is to forgive sin, and save the soul; נקה לא ינקה NAKEH LO YINNAKEH, <em> the righteous Judge, </em> who distributes justice with an impartial hand; and עין פקד , PAKED AVON, &c, <em> he who visits iniquity, </em> he who punishes transgressors, and from whose justice no sinner can escape; the God of retributive and vindictive justice." </p> <p> <strong> 8. </strong> The second means by which the Scriptures convey to us the knowledge of God, is by the <em> actions </em> which they ascribe to him. They contain, indeed, the important record of his dealings with men in every age which is comprehended within the limit of the sacred history; and, by prophetic declaration, they also exhibit the principles on which he will govern the world to the end of time; so that the whole course of the divine administration may be considered as exhibiting a singularly illustrative comment upon those attributes of his nature which, in their abstract form, are contained in such declarations as those which have been just quoted. The first act ascribed to God is that of creating the heavens and the earth out of nothing; and by his fiat alone arranging their parts, and peopling them with living creatures. By this were manifested—his <em> eternity and self- existence, </em> as he who creates must be before all creatures, and he who gives being to others can himself derive it from none:—his <em> almighty power, </em> shown both in the act of creation and in the number and vastness of the objects so produced:—his <em> wisdom, </em> in their arrangement, and in their fitness to their respective ends:—and his <em> goodness, </em> as the whole tended to the happiness of <em> sentient </em> beings. The foundations of his natural and moral government are also made manifest by his creative acts. In what he made out of nothing he had an absolute right and prerogative; it awaited his ordering, and was completely at his disposal: so that to alter or destroy his own work, and to prescribe the laws by which the intelligent and rational part of his creatures should be governed, are rights which none can question. Thus on the one hand his character of <em> Lord </em> or <em> [[Governor]] </em> is established, and on the other our duty of lowly <em> homage </em> and absolute <em> obedience. </em> </p> <p> <strong> 9. </strong> Agreeably to this, as soon as man was created, he was placed under a rule of conduct. [[Obedience]] was to be followed with the continuance of the divine favour; transgression, with death. The event called forth new manifestations of the character of God. His tender <em> mercy, </em> in the compassion showed to the fallen pair; his <em> justice, </em> in forgiving them only in the view of a satisfaction to be hereafter offered to his justice by an innocent representative of the sinning race; his <em> love </em> to that race, in giving his own Son to become this Redeemer, and in the fulness of time to die for the sins of the whole world; and his <em> holiness, </em> in connecting with this provision for the pardon of man the means of restoring him to a sinless state, and to the obliterated image of God in which he had been created. Exemplifications of the divine <em> mercy </em> are traced from age to age, in his establishing his own worship among men, and remitting the punishment of individual and national offences in answer to prayer offered from penitent hearts, and in dependence upon the typified or actually offered universal sacrifice:—of his <em> condescension, </em> in stooping to the cases of individuals; in his dispensations both of providence and grace, by showing respect to the poor and humble; and, principally, by the incarnation of God in the form of a servant, admitting men into familiar and friendly intercourse with himself, and then entering into heaven to be their patron and advocate, until they should be received into the same glory, "and so be for ever with the Lord:"—of his strictly <em> righteous government, </em> in the destruction of the old world, the cities of the plain, the nations of Canaan, and all ancient states, upon their "filling up the measure of their iniquities;" and, to show that "he will by no means clear the guilty;" in the numerous and severe punishments inflicted even upon the chosen seed of Abraham, because of their transgressions:—of his <em> long-suffering, </em> in frequent warnings, delays, and corrective judgments inflicted upon individuals and nations, before sentence of utter excision and destruction:—of <em> faithfulness </em> and <em> truth, </em> in the fulfilment of promises, often many ages after they were given, as in the promises to Abraham respecting the possession of the land of Canaan by his seed, and in all the "promises made to the fathers" respecting the advent, vicarious death, and illustrious offices of the "Christ," the Saviour of the world:—of his <em> immutability, </em> in the constant and unchanging laws and principles of his government, which remain to this day precisely the same, in every thing universal, as when first promulgated, and have been the rule of his conduct in all places as well as through all time:—of his <em> prescience </em> of future events, manifested by the predictions of Scripture:— and of the depth and stability of his <em> counsel, </em> as illustrated in that plan and purpose of bringing back a revolted world to obedience and felicity, which we find steadily kept in view in the Scriptural history of the acts of God in former ages; which is still the end toward which all his dispensations bend, however wide and mysterious their sweep; and which they will finally accomplish, as we learn from the prophetic history of the future, contained in the Old and New Testaments. </p> <p> Thus the course of divine operation in the world has from age to age been a manifestation of the divine character, continually receiving new and stronger illustrations until the completion of the Christian revelation by the ministry of Christ and his inspired followers, and still placing itself in brighter light and more impressive aspects as the scheme of human redemption runs on to its consummation. From all the acts of God as recorded in the Scriptures, we are taught that he alone is God; that he is present every where to sustain and govern all things; that his wisdom is infinite, his counsel settled, and his power irresistible; that he is holy, just, and good; the Lord and the Judge, but the Father and the Friend, of man. </p> <p> <strong> 10. </strong> More at large do we learn what God is, from the declarations of the inspired writings. As to his <em> substance, </em> that "God is a Spirit." As to his <em> duration, </em> that "from everlasting to everlasting he is God;" "the King, eternal, immortal, invisible." That, after all the manifestations he has made of himself, he is, from the infinite perfection and glory of his nature, <em> incomprehensible: </em> "Lo, these are but parts of his ways, and how little a portion is heard of him!" "Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out." That he is <em> unchangeable: </em> "The Father of Lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." That "he is the fountain of life," and the only independent Being in the universe: "Who only hath immortality." That every other being, however exalted, has its existence from him: "For by him were all things created, which are in heaven and in earth, whether they are visible or invisible." That the existence of every thing is upheld by him, no creature being for a moment independent of his support: "By him all things consist;" "upholding all things by the word of his power." That he is <em> omnipresent: </em> "Do not I fill heaven and earth with my presence, saith the Lord?" That he is <em> omniscient. </em> "All things are naked and open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do." That he is the absolute Lord and [[Owner]] of all things: "The heavens, even the heaven of heavens, are thine, and all the parts of them:" "The earth is thine, and the fulness thereof, the world and them that dwell therein:" "He doeth according to his will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth." That his <em> providence </em> extends to the minutest objects: "The hairs of your head are all numbered:" "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father." That he is a Being of unspotted <em> purity </em> and perfect <em> rectitude: </em> "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts!" "A God of truth, and in whom is no iniquity:" "Of purer eyes than to behold iniquity." That he is <em> just </em> in the administration of his government: "Shall not the Judge of the whole earth do right?" "Clouds and darkness are round about him; judgment and justice are the habitation of his throne." That his <em> wisdom </em> is unsearchable: "O the depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" And, finally, that he is <em> good </em> and <em> merciful: </em> "Thou art good, and thy mercy endureth for ever:" "His tender mercy is over all his works:" "God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ:" "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them:" "God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." </p> <p> <strong> 11. </strong> Under these deeply awful but consolatory views, do the Scriptures present to us the supreme object of our worship and trust; and they dwell upon each of the above particulars with inimitable sublimity and beauty of language, and with an inexhaustible variety of illustration. Nor can we compare these views of the divine nature with the conceptions of the most enlightened of Pagans, without feeling how much reason we have for everlasting gratitude, that a revelation so explicit, and so comprehensive, should have been made to us on a subject which only a revelation from God himself could have made known. It is thus that Christian philosophers, even when they do not use the language of the Scriptures, are able to speak on this great and mysterious doctrine, in language so clear, and with conceptions so noble; in a manner too so equable, so different from the sages of antiquity, who, if at any time they approach the truth when speaking of the divine nature, never fail to mingle with it some essentially erroneous or grovelling conception. "By the Word of Gods," says Dr. Barrow, "we mean a Being of infinite wisdom, goodness, and power, the Creator and the Governor of all things, to whom the great attributes of eternity and independency, omniscience and immensity, perfect holiness and purity, perfect justice and veracity, complete happiness, glorious majesty, and supreme right of dominion belong; and to whom the highest veneration, and most profound submission and obedience are due." "Our notion of Deity," says [[Bishop]] Pearson, "doth expressly signify a Being or Nature of infinite perfection; and the infinite perfection of a being or nature consists in this, that it be absolutely and essentially necessary; an actual Being of itself; and potential, or causative of all beings beside itself, independent from any other, upon which all things else depend, and by which all things else are governed." "God is a Being," says Lawson, "and not any kind of being; but a substance, which is the foundation of other beings. And not only a substance, but perfect. Yet many beings are perfect in their kind, yet limited and finite. But God is absolutely, fully, and every way infinitely perfect; and therefore above spirits, above angels, who are perfect comparatively. God's infinite perfection includes all the attributes, even the most excellent. It excludes all dependency, borrowed existence, composition, corruption, mortality, contingency; ignorance, unrighteousness, weakness, misery, and all imperfections whatever. It includes necessity of being, independency, perfect unity, simplicity, immensity, eternity, immortality; the most perfect life, knowledge, wisdom, integrity, power, glory, bliss, and all these in the highest degree. We cannot pierce into the secrets of this eternal Being. Our reason comprehends but little of him, and when it can proceed no farther, faith comes in, and we believe far more than we can understand; and this our belief is not contrary to reason; but reason itself dictates unto us, that we must believe far more of God than it can inform us of." To these we may add an admirable passage from Sir Isaac Newton: "The word GOD frequently signifies <em> Lord; </em> but every lord is not God: it is the dominion of a spiritual Being or Lord that constitutes God; true dominion, true God; supreme, the Supreme; reigned, the false god. From such true dominion it follows, that the true God is living, intelligent, and powerful; and from his other perfections, that he is supreme, or supremely perfect; he is eternal and infinite; omnipotent and omniscient; that is, he endures from eternity to eternity; and is present from infinity to infinity. He governs all things that exist, and knows all things that are to be known; he is not eternity or infinity, but eternal and infinite; he is not duration or space, but he endures and is present; he endures always, and is present every where; he is omnipresent, not only virtually, but also substantially; for power without substance cannot subsist. All things are contained and move in him, but without any mutual passion; he suffers nothing from the motions of bodies; nor do they undergo any resistance from his omnipresence. It is confessed, that God exists necessarily, and by the same necessity he exists always and every where. Hence also he must be perfectly similar, all eye, all ear, all arm, all the power of perceiving, understanding, and acting; but after a manner not at all corporeal, after a manner not like that of men, after a manner wholly to us unknown. He is destitute of all body, and all bodily shape; and therefore cannot be seen, heard, or touched; nor ought he to be worshipped under the representation of any thing corporeal. We have ideas of the attributes of God, but do not know the substance of even any thing; we see only the figures and colours of bodies, hear only sounds, touch only the outward surfaces, smell only odours, and taste tastes; and do not, cannot, by any sense, or reflex act, know their inward substances; and much less can we have any notion of the substance of God. We know him by his properties and attributes." </p> <p> <strong> 12. </strong> Many able works in proof of the existence of God have been written, the arguments of which are too copious for us even to analyze. It must be sufficient to say that they all proceed, as it is logically termed, either <em> a priori, </em> from cause to effect, or, which is the safest and most satisfactory mode, <em> a posteriori, </em> from the effect to the cause. The irresistible argument from the marks of <em> design </em> with which all nature abounds, to one great intelligent, designing Cause, is by no writers brought out in so clear and masterly a manner as by Howe, in his "Living temple," and Paley, in his "Natural Theology." </p>

<p> The Bible makes no attempt to prove the existence of God, but assumes it from the outset (Genesis 1:1). This God is neither an impersonal ‘force’ nor an abstract ‘principle’ but a living person, and people find true meaning to existence by coming into a living relationship with him (John 17:3). </p> <p> The personal God revealed </p> <p> As people observe the physical world, they may conclude that there is an intelligent and powerful God who is the ultimate cause and controller of all things (Acts 17:23-27; Romans 1:19-20; Hebrews 3:4; see CREATION). As they reflect upon their awareness of right and wrong, they may conclude that there is a moral God to whom all rational creatures are answerable (Acts 17:23; Romans 2:15-16). However, God has not left people with only a vague or general knowledge of himself. He has revealed himself more fully through history, and he has recorded that revelation in the Bible (Jeremiah 1:1-3; 2 Peter 1:21; see REVELATION). The central truth of that revelation is that there is only one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 44:6; Jeremiah 10:10; Mark 12:29; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Timothy 2:5), though he exists in the form of a trinity (see TRINITY). </p> <p> In any study of the character of God, we must bear in mind that God is a unified personality. He is not made up of different parts, nor can he be divided into different parts. Also, he is not simply a person who has certain qualities (e.g. goodness, truth, love, holiness, wisdom) but he is the full expression of these qualities. The Bible’s way of putting this truth into words is to say that God is love, he is light, he is truth (John 14:6; 1 John 1:5; 1 John 4:16; see LOVE; LIGHT; TRUTH). (In the present article many of the qualities, or attributes, of God can be mentioned only briefly. For fuller details see the separate articles as indicated.) </p> <p> Eternal and independent </p> <p> Since it is impossible to give a complete definition or description of God, the Bible makes no attempt to do so. In addition, it forbids the use of anything in nature or anything made by human hands as a physical image of God, for such things can lead only to wrong ideas about God (Exodus 20:4-5; Deuteronomy 4:15-19; see IDOL, IDOLATRY). </p> <p> When Moses asked for a name of God that would give the Israelites some idea of his character, the name that God revealed to him was ‘I am who I am’ (Exodus 3:14). The name was given not to satisfy curiosity, but to tell God’s people that their God was independent, eternal, unchangeable and able always to do what he, in his absolute wisdom, knew to be best. (Concerning this and other names of God see YAHWEH.) </p> <p> God’s existence cannot be measured according to time, for he is without beginning and without end. He is eternal (Psalms 90:2; Isaiah 48:12; John 5:26; Romans 1:23; Romans 16:26; 1 Timothy 1:17; Revelation 1:8; Revelation 4:8; see ETERNITY). He is answerable to no one. He does not need to give reasons for his decisions or explanations of his actions (Psalms 115:3; Isaiah 40:13-14; Daniel 4:35; Acts 4:28; Romans 9:20-24), though in his grace he may sometimes do so (Genesis 18:17-19; Ephesians 1:9). His wisdom is infinite and therefore beyond human understanding (Psalms 147:5; Isaiah 40:28; Daniel 2:20; Romans 11:33; Romans 16:27; see WISDOM). </p> <p> A God who is infinite has no needs. Nothing in the works of creation or in the activities of humans or angels can add anything to him or take anything from him (Psalms 50:10-13; Acts 17:24-25; Romans 11:36). He is under obligation to no one, he needs no one, and he depends on no one. Whatever he does, he does because he chooses to, not because he is required to (Ephesians 1:11). But, again in his grace, he may choose people to have the honour of serving him (Psalms 105:26-27; Acts 9:15). </p> <p> Majestic and sovereign </p> <p> As the creator and ruler of all things, God is pictured as enthroned in majesty in the heavens (Psalms 47:7; Psalms 93:1-2; Psalms 95:3-5; Hebrews 1:3; see GLORY). Nothing can compare with his mighty power (Isaiah 40:12-15; Isaiah 40:25-26; Jeremiah 32:17; Romans 1:20; Ephesians 1:19-20; Ephesians 3:20; see POWER). </p> <p> God is the possessor of absolute authority and nothing can exist independently of it (Psalms 2:1-6; Isaiah 2:10-12; Isaiah 2:20-22; Isaiah 40:23; see AUTHORITY). He maintains the whole creation (Psalms 147:8-9; Matthew 5:45; Colossians 1:17), he controls all life (Deuteronomy 7:15; Deuteronomy 28:60; Job 1:21; Psalms 104:29-30; Matthew 10:29) and he directs all events, small and great, towards the goals that he has determined (Genesis 45:5-8; Psalms 135:6 : Proverbs 16:33; Isaiah 10:5-7; Isaiah 44:24-28; Isaiah 46:9-11; Amos 3:6; Amos 4:6-11; John 11:49-53; Acts 2:23; Acts 17:26; Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11; see PREDESTINATION; PROVIDENCE). Yet people have the freedom to make their own decisions, and they are responsible for those decisions (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Isaiah 1:16-20; Matthew 27:21-26; Romans 9:30-32). </p> <p> There are no limits to God’s knowledge or presence. This is a cause for both fear and joy: fear, because it means that no sin can escape him; joy, because it means that no one who trusts in his mercy can ever be separated from him (Psalms 139:1-12; Proverbs 15:3; Isaiah 40:27-28; Isaiah 57:15; Jeremiah 23:24; Hebrews 4:13). God is not only over all things, but is also in all things (Acts 17:24; Acts 17:27-28; Ephesians 4:6). </p> <p> Since God is sovereign, people must submit to him and obey him. Refusing to do this, they rebel against him. They want to be independent, but instead they become slaves of sin (Genesis 3:1-7; John 8:34; see SIN). They cannot escape God’s judgment through anything they themselves might do. They can do nothing but repent of their rebellion and surrender before the sovereign God, trusting solely in his grace for forgiveness (Acts 17:30-31; Ephesians 2:8; see GRACE). </p> <p> The rebellion of sinners, though in opposition to God, does not destroy God’s sovereignty. God allows evil to happen, but he never allows it to go beyond the bounds that he has determined (Job 1:12; see EVIL; SATAN). God still works according to his purposes, for his own glory. He still causes to happen whatever does happen, even to the salvation of rebellious sinners (Isaiah 14:24; Isaiah 37:26; Matthew 25:34; Acts 2:23; Ephesians 1:5; Ephesians 3:20; see ELECTION). </p> <p> [[Invisible]] yet personal </p> <p> From the above it is clear that God is not an impersonal ‘force’, but a personal being. He has knowledge, power, will and feelings. Human beings also have knowledge, power, will and feelings, but that does not mean that God is like a human being (Hosea 11:9). On the contrary, human beings have these attributes only because God has them; for they have been made in God’s image (Genesis 1:26; see IMAGE). </p> <p> Being spirit, God is invisible (John 4:24; Romans 1:20; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:27). Since human language cannot properly describe a person who has no physical form, the Bible has to use pictures and comparisons when speaking of God. It may speak of God as if he has human features, functions and emotions, but such expressions should not be understood literally (Genesis 2:2; Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 29:20; Deuteronomy 33:27; Psalms 2:4; John 10:29; Hebrews 4:13). </p> <p> Not only is God a person, but believers are so aware of a personal relationship with him that they can collectively call him ‘our God’ and individually ‘my God’ (Acts 2:39; Philippians 4:19). They have an increased appreciation of God’s character through their understanding of Jesus Christ; because, in the person of Jesus Christ, God took upon himself human form and lived in the world he had created (John 1:14; John 1:18; John 14:9; Colossians 1:15; see JESUS CHRIST). God is the Father of Jesus Christ (Mark 14:36; John 5:18; John 8:54) and through Jesus Christ he becomes the Father of all who believe (Romans 8:15-17; see FATHER). </p> <p> [[Unchangeable]] yet responsive </p> <p> Although God is personal, he is unchangeable. Everything in creation changes, but the Creator never changes (Psalms 33:11; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 1:10-12; 1 Peter 1:24). This does not mean that God is mechanical, that he has no emotions, or that he is the helpless prisoner of his own laws. What it means may be summarized from two aspects. </p> <p> Firstly, the unchangeability of God means that, because he is infinite, there is no way in which any of his attributes can become greater or less. They cannot change for either better or worse. God can neither increase nor decrease in knowledge, love, righteousness, truth, wisdom or justice, because he possesses these attributes in perfection (Exodus 34:6-7). </p> <p> Secondly, God’s unchangeability means that he is consistent in all his dealings. His standards do not change according to varying emotions or circumstances as do the standards of human beings. His love is always perfect love, his righteousness is always perfect righteousness (Hebrews 6:17-18; James 1:17). God’s unchangeable nature guarantees that every action of his is righteous, wise and true. </p> <p> We must not understand God’s unchangeability to mean that he is unmoved by human suffering on the one hand or human rebellion on the other. In his mercy he may have compassion on the weak, and in his wrath he may punish the guilty (Exodus 2:23-25; Exodus 32:9-10; James 5:4; 1 Peter 3:12). He may change his treatment of people from blessing to judgment when they rebel (Genesis 6:6-7; 1 Samuel 15:11; 1 Samuel 15:23) or from judgment to blessing when they repent (Joel 2:13-14; Jonah 3:10). </p> <p> This does not mean that events take God by surprise and he has to revise his plans. He always knows the end from the beginning, and he always bases his plans on his perfect knowledge and wisdom (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Isaiah 14:24; Isaiah 46:9-10; Romans 11:29). </p> <p> Righteous yet loving </p> <p> When the Bible speaks of God as holy, the emphasis is not so much on his sinlessness and purity as on his ‘separateness’ from all other things. A thing that was holy, in the biblical sense, was a thing that was set apart from the common affairs of life and consecrated entirely to God. God is holy as the supreme and majestic one who exists apart from all else and rules over all (Exodus 15:11; Isaiah 40:25; John 17:11; Revelation 4:8-9; Revelation 15:4; see HOLINESS). Any vision of such a holy God overpowers the worshipper with feelings of awe, terror and unworthiness (Job 40:1-4; Isaiah 6:1-5; Habakkuk 3:3; Habakkuk 3:16; Revelation 1:17). </p> <p> Since holiness means separation from all that is common, it includes separation from sin. Therefore, God’s holiness includes his moral perfection. He is separate from evil and opposed to it (Habakkuk 1:12-13). The Bible usually speaks of this moral holiness of God as his righteousness (Psalms 11:7; Psalms 36:6; Isaiah 5:16; Hebrews 1:9; 1 John 3:7; see RIGHTEOUSNESS). God’s attitude to sin is one of wrath, or righteous anger. He cannot ignore sin but must deal with it (Psalms 9:8; Isaiah 11:4-5; Jeremiah 30:23-24; Romans 1:18; Romans 2:8; see WRATH; JUDGMENT). </p> <p> But God is also a God of love, grace, mercy and longsuffering, and he wants to forgive repentant sinners (Psalms 86:5; Psalms 145:8-9; Romans 2:4; Titus 3:4; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 4:16; see LOVE; PATIENCE). His love is not in conflict with his righteousness. The two exist in perfect harmony. Because he loves, he acts righteously, and because his righteous demands against sin are met, his love forgives. All this is possible only because of what Jesus Christ has done on behalf of sinners (Romans 3:24; see PROPITIATION). The God who is the sinners’ judge is also the sinners’ saviour (Psalms 34:18; Psalms 50:1-4; 1 Timothy 2:3; 2 Timothy 4:18; Titus 3:4-7; see SALVATION). </p>

<p> God is <i> unique </i> in nature. No person, object, or idea can be compared to God. [[Anything]] said about God must be based on His revelation of Himself to us. Anything said about God must be said in human terms, the only terms we have and understand. The reality of God is always much greater than human minds can understand or express. </p> <p> God as the Bible's Primary [[Subject]] The Bible and history begin with God (Genesis 1:1 ). The last chapter of the Bible describes God as the “Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (Revelation 22:13 NRSV). All the way through Scripture God is primary. For Christians the primacy of God is reassuring, liberating, and instructive. It reassures us that God controls all existence. It liberates us to know the loving, redeeming God seeks to set us free. It instructs us to be able to look for signs of God throughout His universe. </p> <p> God as [[Present]] with Us God is present in His world in a unique manner. He is never separated from any part of His creation. As spirit, God has the perfect capability of being present everywhere in the world at once. The psalmist exclaimed, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there” (Psalm 139:7-8 ). The prophet looked for the Messiah to be named Emmanuel, meaning, “God with us”; and Matthew reported that God fulfilled that promise in Jesus (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23 ). The end time will make the presence of God even more clear: God will live with His people (Revelation 21:3 ). Atheists affirm the total absence of God, saying God does not exist, but most human experience affirms a sense of the divine within the reality of life. In some mysterious way God is immanent, that is, He is present in the day-to-day human existence. He enters into personal relationships with the people who inhabit His world. </p> <p> The Bible speaks of God's presence in two major ways: in space and in relationships. Theologians used the term <i> omnipresence </i> , derived from Latin, to speak of God's presence everywhere in all the world's space. Moses experienced that presence on a wilderness mountain (Exodus 3:1 ); Isaiah, in the Jerusalem [[Temple]] (Isaiah 6:1 ); and Paul, on an international highway (Acts 9:1 ). Most often the Bible speaks in terms of God being present in relationships. He called Israel to be His people (Exodus 19:3-6 ). He appeared to Elijah in a “still, small voice” (1 Kings 19:12 ). Most of all God appeared Person to person in the human flesh of His Son Jesus. </p> <p> God as [[Mystery]] [[Revealed]] in Christ The personal presence of God in Jesus Christ is the central and normative source of knowledge about God. Christ is known today through the witness of inspired Scripture and through the personal witness of the Holy Spirit. Still, what is revealed is the mystery of Christ. Even as it is revealed, God's revelation in Jesus Christ remains mysterious (Romans 16:25-26; Ephesians 3:1-10; Colossians 1:24-27; Colossians 4:2-4 ). Faith believes that what remains hidden in mystery is totally consistent with what is revealed in Christ. </p> <p> Revelation of Christ in the form of Bible narrative allows us to describe God but not to define Him. Perhaps the closest we can come to a definition is that God is the holy Being who is love in servant form. This rises out of Bible statements: “the Lord our God is holy” (Psalm 99:9 ); “God is love” (1John 4:8,1 John 4:16 ). These contain partial descriptions, not definitions. The norm for a definition comes in Jesus, who said, “but I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27 NRSV). Thus Christian preaching echoes Paul: “we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord; and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus' sake” (2 or. Luke 4:5 NRSV). </p> <p> God's Unique Nature God is the only God. He is not simply the greatest of many gods—He is the only true God. God is the <i> living </i> God. This separates Him from all other gods and idols, which are merely forms humans have created in the image of things God created ( Isaiah 41:22-24; Isaiah 44:9-20; Isaiah 46:1-2 ,Isaiah 46:1-2,46:6-7 ). “The Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king” (Jeremiah 10:10; compare 1 Thessalonians 1:9 ). Christians see this in Jesus, joining Peter in confessing, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16 ). </p> <p> The living God is also Lord and Master. In English translations He is Lord in two ways. Lord spelled with small caps represents the Hebrew <i> Yahweh </i> , the personal name of God, by which He introduced Himself to Moses (Exodus 3:15; Exodus 6:3 ). See Exodus 34:23 ). He is “Lord of lords” (Deuteronomy 10:17 ). The New Testament proclaims, “let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36 NIV). Thus Jesus receives the same titles as the Father, leading to a doctrine of the Trinity. </p> <p> God is <i> holy </i> . The most basic word we have to describe God is holy. This is the unique quality of God's existence that marks Him off as separate and distinct from all else. Holiness includes the ideas of righteousness and purity, but it is more. Holiness belongs to God alone. It sets Him above us in majesty, power, authority, righteousness, and love. Persons or objects can be said to be holy only by virture of being drawn into relationship with God. (Compare Isaiah 5:16; Isaiah 6:3; 1 Peter 1:15-16 .) </p> <p> God is <i> eternal </i> . He has no beginning and no ending. All else begins and ends as an expression of the will of God, but God has always existed and will always continue to exist. </p> <p> God is <i> spirit </i> . He is not material or physical as we are. As spirit, He does not have the limitations of material form. Spirit is the highest form of existence. It enables God to be with His people everywhere simultaneously. As spirit, God chose to humble Himself and take on the form of human flesh (Philippians 2:6-11 ). </p> <p> God is <i> love </i> . “God is love itself” is the nearest humans can get to making a non-symbolic statement about God (1John 4:8,1 John 4:16 ). His love is coordinated perfectly with His righteousness. God's love is always righteous, and His righteousness is always marked by love. Love is the primary motivation behind revelation (John 3:16 ). God's love is expressed as His mercy in forgiving sinners and in rescuing or blessing those who do not deserve His attention. His love is expressed in grace, the love and power of God reaching to those who do not deserve His blessing. God's grace is shown in forgiveness, conversion, blessing, nurturing, and chastising of individual persons. God's grace creates a response of love, faith, and obedience in the hearts of people whom He is trying to reach. His grace also works in and through His servants to give them guidance and power as they seek to carry out His will. </p> <p> God is <i> Father </i> . The love of God finds supreme expression as Father. God is known in Scripture as Father in three separate senses that must not be confused: (1) He is Father of Jesus Christ in a unique sense—by incarnation (Matthew 11:25-27; Mark 14:36; Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6; 2 Peter 1:17 ); (2) He is Father of believers—by adoption or redemption (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 11:2 , Luke 11:13; Galatians 3:26 ); (3) He is Father of all persons—by creation (Psalm 68:5; Isaiah 64:8; Malachi 2:10; Matthew 5:45; 1 Peter 1:17 ). </p> <p> God is <i> intimate </i> . He is not an impersonal force like gravity, exerting influence in some mechanical, automatic way. He has personal characteristics, just as we do. God is living, working in His world, and relating to His people. He is aware of what is going on, makes plans, and carries them out. He forms relationships and has purpose and will. He is a jealous God, taking himself seriously and insisting that others take Him seriously (Exodus 34:14; Nahum 1:2; 1 Corinthians 10:22 ). He wants more than divided loyalty or indifference from His people. </p> <p> Attributes of God God has distinctive qualities that summarize what He is like. </p> <p> God's <i> glory </i> refers to the weight or influence He carries in the universe and to the overwhelming brillance when He appears to people ( Exodus 16:7-10; Isaiah 6:3; Ephesians 1:12-17; Hebrews 1:3 ). It is His presence in all His sovereign power, righteousness, and love. Sometimes the Bible describes the glory of God as a physical manifestation. Sometimes it is a spiritual perception as in a sense of tremendous awe before God. We see the glory of God when we are deeply impressed with a sense of His presence and power. </p> <p> God's <i> wisdom </i> is His perfect awareness of what is happening in all of His creation in any given moment. This includes His knowledge of the final outcome of His creation and of how He will work from beginning to ending of human history ( Job 11:4-12; Job 28:1-28; Psalm 139:1; Romans 11:1 ). It also includes His ability to know what is best for each and every one of His creatures. Sometimes this is called His omniscience. </p> <p> God's <i> power </i> is His ability to accomplish His purposes and carry out His will in the world. He can do what needs to be done in any circumstance ( Job 36:22-33; Isaiah 40:10-31; Daniel 3:1-30; Matthew 19:16-26; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 ). This is sometimes called His omnipotence. </p> <p> God's <i> righteousness </i> expresses itself in many ways ( Exodus 2:23-25; Joshua 23:1-16; Psalm 71:14-21; Isaiah 51:5-8; Acts 10:34-35; Romans 3:5-26 ). He is the ultimate standard of right and wrong. He is faithful, constant, and unchanging in His character. He works for the right, seeking to extend righteousness and justice throughout the world. He defends the defenseless, helpless, victimized, and oppressed. He opposes evil through personal expressions of His wrath, anger, judgment, punishment, and jealousy. He sits in present and eternal judgment on those who do evil. </p> <p> His attributes show that God is able to accomplish His will. Nothing can limit Him except limits He places on Himself. </p> <p> God at Work in His World God is not an inert being far removed from the world. God is the personal God who cares about and works in the world He created. [[Creation]] was His first work but certainly not His last. </p> <p> God works as <i> Redeemer </i> to save the sinful, rebellious human creatures and to renew His fallen creation. He makes salvation possible. His love makes Him a saving kind of God. He redeemed Israel in the Exodus from Egypt ( Exodus 1-15 ); through the prophets He promised a Messiah who would save His people, and in Jesus Christ provided that salvation (John 3:16 ). [[Redemption]] in Christ completes creation, carrying out the purposes of God and making final, complete salvation possible. </p> <p> God works <i> in history </i> . The sovereign God exercises His lordship or ownership of the world by continuing to work in His world and through His people. God allows people the freedom to be themselves and make their own free choices but works within those choices to accomplish His eternal purposes. This is called God's providence. God has not predetermined all the events of human history; yet He continues to work in that history in ways we do not necessarily see or understand. </p> <p> God works toward and in the <i> end time </i> to fulfill His eternal purposes. God will one day bring His purposes to fulfillment, bringing history to a close and ushering in eternity. The sovereign, absolute Lord will accomplish His will in His world. </p> <p> God as Trinity Finally, God has revealed Himself as Father and Creator, as Son and Savior, and as Holy Spirit and Comforter. This has led the church to formulate the uniquely Christian doctrine of the Trinity. New Testament passages make statements about the work and person of each member of the Trinity to show that each is God; yet the Bible strongly affirms that God is one, not three (Matthew 28:19; John 16:5-11; Romans 1:1-4; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:4-6 ). The doctrine of the Trinity is a human attempt to explain this biblical evidence and revelation. It is an explicit formulation of the doctrine of God in harmony with the early Christian message that “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19 ). It expresses the diversity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in the midst of the unity of God's being. See Christ; [[Holy Spirit]]; [[Trinity]] . </p> <p> John W. Eddins, Jr. and J. Terry Young </p>

<p> <em> 'Êl </em> (אֵל, Strong'S #410), “god.” This term was the most common general designation of deity in the ancient Near East. While it frequently occurred alone, <em> 'êl </em> was also combined with other words to constitute a compound term for deity, or to identify the nature and functions of the “god” in some manner. Thus the expression “God, the God of Israel” (Gen. 33:20) identified the specific activities of Israel’s God. </p> <p> In the ancient world, knowledge of a person’s name was believed to give one power over that person. A knowledge of the character and attributes of pagan “gods” was thought to enable the worshipers to manipulate or influence the deities in a more effective way than they could have if the deity’s name remained unknown. To that extent, the vagueness of the term <em> 'êl </em> frustrated persons who hoped to obtain some sort of power over the deity, since the name gave little or no indication of the god’s character. This was particularly true for El, the chief Canaanite god. The ancient Semites stood in mortal dread of the superior powers exercised by the gods and attempted to propitiate them accordingly. They commonly associated deity with the manifestation and use of enormous power. Perhaps this is reflected in the curious Hebrew phrase, “the power [ <em> 'êl </em> ] of my hand” (Gen. 31:29, KJV; RSV, “It is in my power”; cf. Deut. 28:32). Some Hebrew phrases in the Psalms associated <em> 'êl </em> with impressive natural features, such as the cedar trees of [[Lebanon]] (Ps. 80:10) or mountains (Ps. 36:6). In these instances, <em> 'êl </em> conveys a clear impression of grandeur or majesty. </p> <p> Names with <em> 'êl </em> as one of their components were common in the Near East in the second millennium B.C. The names [[Methusael]] (Gen. 4:18) and [[Ishmael]] (Gen. 16:11) come from a very early period. In the Mosaic period, <em> 'êl </em> was synonymous with the Lord who delivered the Israelites from bondage in Egypt and made them victorious in battle (Num. 24:8). This tradition of the Hebrew <em> 'êl </em> as a “God” who revealed Himself in power and entered into a covenant relationship with His people was prominent in both poetry (Ps. 7:11; 85:8) and prophecy (Isa. 43:12; 46:9). The name of <em> 'êl </em> was commonly used by the Israelites to denote supernatural provision or power. This was both normal and legitimate, since the covenant between “God” and Israel assured an obedient and holy people that the creative forces of the universe would sustain and protect at all times. Equally, if they became disobedient and apostate, these same forces would punish them severely. </p> <p> <em> ‘Ĕlâhh </em> (אֱלָהּ, Strong'S #426), “god.” This Aramaic word is the equivalent of the Hebrew <em> ĕloâh. </em> It is a general term for “God” in the Aramaic passages of the Old Testament, and it is a cognate form of the word <em> ’allah </em> the designation of deity used by the Arabs. The word was used widely in the Book of Ezra, occurring no fewer than 43 times between Ezra 4:24 and 7:26. On each occasion, the reference is to the “God” of the Jewish people, whether the speaker or writer was himself Jewish or not. Thus the governor of the province “Beyond the River” (i.e., west of the river Euphrates) spoke to king [[Darius]] of the “house of the great God” (Ezra 5:8). So also [[Cyrus]] instructed Sheshbazzar, the governor, that the “house of God be builded” in Jerusalem (Ezra 5:15). </p> <p> While the [[Persians]] were certainly not worshipers of the “God” of Israel, they accorded Him the dignity that befitted a “God of heaven” (Ezra 6:10). This was done partly through superstition; but the pluralistic nature of the newly-won [[Persian]] empire also required them to honor the gods of conquered peoples, in the interests of peace and social harmony. When Ezra himself used the word <em> ĕlâhh </em> , he frequently specified the God of the Jews. Thus he spoke of the “God of Israel” (5:1; 6:14), the “God of heaven” (5:12; 6:9) and “God of Jerusalem” (7:19); he also associated “God” with His house in Jerusalem (5:17; 6:3). In the decree of Artaxerxes, Ezra was described as “the priest, the scribe of the God of heaven” (7:12, 21). This designation would have sounded strange coming from a pagan Persian ruler, had it not been for the policy of religious toleration exercised by the Achaemenid regime. [[Elsewhere]] in Ezra, <em> ĕlâhh </em> is associated with the temple, both when it was about to be rebuilt (5:2, 13) and as a finished edifice, consecrated for divine worship (6:16). </p> <p> In the only verse in the Book of Jeremiah that was written in Aramaic (10:11), the word <em> ĕlâhh </em> appears in plural form to describe “gods” that had not participated in the creation of the universe. Although such false “gods” were being worshiped by pagan nations (and perhaps worshiped by some of the Hebrews who were in exile in Babylonia), these deities would ultimately perish because they were not eternal in nature. </p> <p> In the Book of Daniel, <em> ĕlâhh </em> was used both of heathen “gods” and the one true “God” of heaven. The [[Chaldean]] priests told Nebuchadnezzar: “And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh” (Dan. 2:11). The [[Chaldeans]] referred to such “gods” when reporting that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refused to participate in idol worship on the plain of [[Dura]] (Dan. 3:12). The “gods” were enumerated by Daniel when he condemned Nebuchadnezzar’s neglect of the worship of Israel’s one true “God” (Dan. 5:23). In Dan. 3:25, the word refers to a divine being or messenger sent to protect the three Hebrews (Dan. 3:28). In Dan. 4:8-9, 18; and 5:11, the phrase “the spirit of the holy gods” appears (KJV, RSV, NEB, NIV). Elsewhere the references to <em> ĕlâhh </em> are to the living “God” whom Daniel worshiped. </p> <p> <em> ‘Ĕlôahh </em> (אֱלֹהַּ, Strong'S #433), “god.” This Hebrew name for “God” corresponds to the Aramaic <em> ĕlâhh </em> and the Ugaritic <em> il </em> (or, if denoting a goddess, <em> ilt </em> ). The origin of the term is unknown, and it is used rarely in Scripture as a designation of deity. Indeed, its distribution throughout the various books of the Bible is curiously uneven. <em> Ĕlôahh </em> occurs 40 times in the Book of Job between 3:4 and 40:2, while in the remainder of the Old Testament it is used no more than 15 times. </p> <p> [[Certain]] scholars regard the word as being a singular version of the common plural form <em> 'ĕlôahim </em> , a plural of majesty. <em> Ĕlôahh </em> is commonly thought to be vocative in nature, meaning “O God.” But it is not clear why a special form for the vocative in an address to God should be needed, since the plural <em> 'ĕlôahim </em> is frequently translated as a vocative when the worshiper is speaking directly to God, as in Ps. 79:1. There is an obvious general linguistic relationship between <em> 'ĕlôahh </em> and <em> 'ĕlôahim </em> but determining its precise nature is difficult. </p> <p> The word <em> 'ĕlôah </em> is predominant in poetry rather than prose literature, and this is especially true of the Book of Job. Some scholars have suggested that the author of Job deliberately chose a description for godhead that avoided the historical associations found in a phrase such as “the God of Bethel” (Gen. 31:13) or “God of Israel” (Exod. 24:10). But even the Book of Job is by no means historically neutral, since places and peoples are mentioned in introducing the narrative (cf. Job 1:1, 15, 17). Perhaps the author considered <em> 'ĕlôahh </em> a suitable term for poetry and used it accordingly with consistency. This is also apparently the case in Ps. 18:31, where <em> 'ĕlôah </em> is found instead of <em> 'êl </em> , as in the parallel passage of 2 Sam. 22:32. <em> Ĕlôahh </em> also appears as a term for God in Ps. 50:22; 139:19; and Prov. 30:5. Although <em> Ĕlôahh </em> as a divine name is rarely used outside Job, its literary history extends from at least the second millennium B.C. (as in Deut. 32:15) to the fifth century B.C. (as in Neh. 9:17). </p> <p> <em> 'Êl </em> <em> shadday </em> (אֵל, Strong'S #410, שַׁדַּי, Strong'S #7706), “God Almighty.” This combination of <em> ‘el </em> with a qualifying term represents a religious tradition among the Israelites that was probably in existence by the third millennium B.C. A few centuries later, <em> shadday </em> appeared in Hebrew personal names such as [[Zurishaddai]] (Num. 1:6) and [[Ammishaddai]] (Num. 1:12). The earliest Old Testament appearance of the appellation as a title of deity (“God Almighty”) is in Gen. 17:1, where “God” identifies Himself in this way to Abraham. </p> <p> Unfortunately, the name is not explained in any manner; and even the directions “walk before me, and be thou perfect” throw no light on the meaning of <em> shadday. </em> Scholars have attempted to understand the word relating it to the [[Akkadian]] <em> shadu </em> (“mountain”), as though “God” had either revealed His mighty power in association with mountain phenomena such as volcanic eruptions or that He was regarded strong and immutable, like the “everlasting hills” of the blessing of Jacob (Gen. 49:26). Certainly the associating of deity with mountains was an important part of Mesopotamian religion. The “gods” were believed to favor mountaintop dwellings, and the Sumerians constructed their staged temple-towers or ziggurats as artificial mountains for worship. It was customary to erect a small shrine on the uppermost stage of the ziggurat so that the patron deity could descend from heaven and inhabit the temple. The Hebrews began their own tradition of mountain revelation just after the Exodus, but by this time the name <em> ‘el shadday </em> had been replaced by the tetragrammaton of Yahweh (Exod. 3:15, 6:3). </p> <p> <em> 'Êl </em> <em> shadday </em> served as the patriarchs’ covenant name for “God,” and continued as such until the time of Moses, when a further revelation took place (Exod. 6:3). The Abrahamic covenant was marked by a degree of closeness between “God” and the human participants that was distinctive in Hebrew history. “God Almighty” revealed Himself as a powerful deity who was able to perform whatever He asserted. But the degree of intimacy between <em> 'êl shadday </em> and the patriarchs at various stages shows that the covenant involved God’s care and love for this growing family that He had chosen, protected, and prospered. He led the covenant family from place to place, being obviously present with them at all times. His covenant formulations show that He was not preoccupied with cultic rites or orgiastic celebrations. Instead, He demanded a degree of obedience that would enable Abraham and his descendants to walk in His presence, and live blameless moral and spiritual lives (Gen. 17:1). The true covenantal service of <em> 'êl shadday </em> , therefore, was not cultic or ritualistic, but moral and ethical in character. </p> <p> In the early Mosaic era, the new redemptive name of “God” and the formulation of the Sinai covenant made <em> 'êl shadday </em> largely obsolete as a designation of deity. Subsequently, the name occurs about 35 times in the Old Testament, most of which are in the Book of Job. Occasionally, the name is used synonymously with the tetragrammaton of Yahweh (Ruth 1:21; Ps. 91:1-2), to emphasize the power and might of “God” in characteristic fashion. <em> ‘El ‛ôlâm </em> (אֵל, Strong'S #410, עֹלָם, Strong'S #5769), “God of eternity; God the everlasting; God for ever.” The word <em> ‛ôlâm </em> has related forms in various ancient Near Eastern languages, all of which describe lengthy duration or distant time. The idea seems to be quantitative rather than metaphysical. Thus in Ugaritic literature, a person described as <em> ’bd ‘lm </em> was a “permanent slave,” the term |‘lm(the same as the Hebrew <em> ‛ôlâm </em> ) expressing a period of time that could not be measured other than as lengthy duration. </p> <p> Only in rare poetic passages such as Ps. 90:2 are temporal categories regarded inadequate to describe the nature of God’s existence as <em> 'êl </em> <em> ‛ôlâm </em> . In such an instance, the Creator is deemed to have been “from everlasting to everlasting”; but even this use of <em> ôlâm </em> expresses the idea of continued, measurable existence rather than a state of being independent of temporal considerations. </p> <p> The name <em> 'êl </em> <em> ‛ôlâm </em> was associated predominantly with Beer-sheba (Gen. 21:25-34). The settlement of Beer-sheba was probably founded during the Early [[Bronze]] Age, and the Genesis narrative explains that the name means “well of the oath” (Gen. 21:31). But it could also mean “well of the seven”—i.e., the seven lambs that were set apart as witnesses of the oath. </p> <p> Abraham planted a commemorative tree in Beer-sheba and invoked the name of the Lord as <em> 'êl </em> <em> ‛ôlâm. </em> The fact that Abraham subsequently stayed many days in the land of the [[Philistines]] seems to imply that he associated continuity and stability with <em> 'êl </em> <em> ‛ôlâm </em> , who was not touched by the vicissitudes of time. Although Beer-sheba may have been a place where the Canaanites worshiped originally, the area later became associated with the veneration of the God of Abraham. </p> <p> At a subsequent period, Jacob journeyed to Beer-sheba and offered sacrifices to the God of Isaac his father. He did not offer sacrifices to <em> 'êl </em> <em> ‛ôlâm </em> by name, however; and although he saw a visionary manifestation of God, he received no revelation that this was the God Abraham had venerated at Beer-sheba. Indeed, God omitted any mention of Abraham, stating that He was the God of Jacob’s father. </p> <p> Gen. 21:33 is the only place in the Old Testament where the title <em> 'êl </em> <em> ‛ôlâm </em> occurs. Isa. 40:28 is the only other instance where <em> ‛ôlâm </em> is used in conjunction with a noun meaning God. See also [[Lord]]. </p>

<p> The names by which God makes Himself known are various. </p> <p> 1. <i> El, </i> 'the strong or mighty one.' It is often used of God, especially in Job and the Psalms. Job 5:8; Psalm 22:1 , etc.; and of the Lord Jesus in Isaiah 9:6 . It is also used for the false gods, Psalm 81:9; Daniel 11:36; and is translated 'mighty' in Psalm 29:1; Psalm 82:1 . </p> <p> 2. <i> Eloah </i> ( <i> [[Elah]] </i> Chaldee), <i> Elohim. </i> The names most commonly used for God the Creator, the One with whom man has to do, the supreme Deity. Genesis 1:1-31 . (Running all through the O.T. to Malachi 3:18 .) These words are also applied to God's representatives, such as angels and judges. Exodus 22:28; Psalm 82:6; and also to false gods. Leviticus 19:4 . <i> Elohim </i> (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. </p> <p> 3. <i> Jehovah. </i> This is a name of relationship with men, especially with Israel, taken by God in time. It is derived from <i> havah, </i> '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: cf. 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 7:16 Elohim ordered Noah to make the ark but Jehovah shut him in. Unfortunately the name Jehovah is seldom employed in the A.V. It is generally represented by LORD (sometimes GOD) printed in small capitals.* There is a contraction of Jehovah into <i> Jah, </i> also translated in the A.V. by LORD, except in 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," Exodus 3:14 , where the word is <i> Ehyeh, </i> which is from the same root as Jehovah, the Eternal existing One; He that was, and is, and the coming One. </p> <p> * In fourplaces the A.V. has preserved the name Jehovah, namely, Exodus 6:8; Psalm 83:18;Isaiah 12:2; Isaiah 26:4 . </p> <p> 4. <i> Shaddai </i> , 'the Almighty,' is another name of God, and is often so translated, especially in Job, without any other name attached. Job 6:4 ,14; 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, 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. </p> <p> 5. <i> Elyon, </i> 'the Most High,' is another name of God, which stands alone, as in Deuteronomy 32:8; 2 Samuel 24:14; and in Daniel 4:17-34 (from a kindred word); or it has one of the above words added and is then 'the most high God,' Genesis 14:20; or 'the LORDmost high.' Psalm 7:17 . It is not confined to Israel, for He is "the Most High over <i> all </i> the earth." Psalm 83:18 . </p> <p> 6,7. <i> [[Adon]] </i> and <i> Adonai, </i> and the plural <i> Adonim, </i> are all translated 'Lord'; they occur frequently, and are found in some of the following compounds:- </p> <p> Adon Jehovah, Exodus 23:17 , the Lord GOD. </p> <p> Adon Jehovah Elohim, Isaiah 51:22 , thy Lord, the LORD,and thy God. </p> <p> Adon Jehovah Sabaoth, Isaiah 19:4 , the Lord, the LORDOF HOSTS. </p> <p> Adonai Elohim, Psalm 86:12 , [[O]] Lord my God: cf. Daniel 9:3,9,15 . </p> <p> Adona Jehovah, Deuteronomy 9:26 , [[O]] Lord GOD (occurs frequently). </p> <p> Adonai Jehovah Sabaoth, Jeremiah 2:19 , the Lord GOD of hosts. </p> <p> El Elohim, Genesis 33:20 , El-elohe [Israel]; Genesis 46:3 , God, the God [of thy father]. </p> <p> El Elohim Jehovah, Joshua 22:22 , the LORDGod of gods. </p> <p> El Shaddai, Genesis 28:3 , etc., God Almighty. </p> <p> Jah Jehovah, Isaiah 26:4 , the LORDJEHOVAH. </p> <p> Jehovah Adon, Nehemiah 10:29 , the LORDour Lord. </p> <p> Jehovah Adonai, Psalm 68:20 , GOD the Lord. </p> <p> Jehovah El, Psalm 31:5 , [[O]] LORDGod. </p> <p> Jehovah Elohim, Genesis 9:26 , etc., the LORDGod. </p> <p> Jehovah Elohim [[Sabaoth]] Adonai, Amos 5:16 , the LORD,the God of hosts, the Lord. </p> <p> Jehovah Jehovah El, Exodus 34:6 , the LORD,the LORDGod. </p> <p> Jehovah Sabaoth, Jeremiah 46:18 , the LORDof hosts. </p> <p> Jehovah Sabaoth Elohim, Jeremiah 27:4 , etc., the LORDof hosts, the God [of Israel]. </p> <p> For <i> titles </i> in combination with Jehovah, See JEHOVAH. </p> <p> The true pronunciation of Jehovah is declared to be lost: the Jews when reading the O.T. never utter it (from a constrained interpretation of Leviticus 24:16 ), but say, 'the name,' 'the great and terrible name,' etc. </p> <p> In the N.T. the word Θεός is constantly translated God; and Κύριος is the word commonly rendered Lord. In the O.T. the latter is used by the LXX as the translation of Jehovah, so in the N.T. it often represents Jehovah, and is then mostly, if not always, without the article, as in Matthew 1:20,22,24 , etc. The Lord is also called 'the Almighty,' Revelation 1:8 , etc.; and there are a few compound names as in the O.T.: </p> <p> God Almighty, Revelation 16:14; Revelation 19:15 . </p> <p> Lord Almighty, 2 Corinthians 6:18 . </p> <p> Lord God Almighty, Revelation 4:8; Revelation 11:17; Revelation 15:3; Revelation 16:7; Revelation 21:22 . </p> <p> Lord of Sabaoth, Romans 9:29; James 5:4 . </p> <p> The characteristic name of God in the N.T. 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 20:17 . </p> <p> THE TRINITY. In reference to this term the Father is God. Philippians 2:11; 1 Thessalonians 1:1 , etc. The Lord Jesus is God. Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:23; John 1:1; Romans 9:5; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:8 . The Holy Spirit is God: "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 5:3,4,9; 'Spirit of God.' 1 Corinthians 2:11; 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. </p> <p> Scripture reveals what God is in Himself, 'God is love' (used absolutely), 1 John 4:8; and 'God is light' (used relatively, in opposition to darkness), 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 </p> <p> 1. His Eternity. Habakkuk 1:12; Romans 1:20 . </p> <p> 2. Invisibility. Colossians 1:15 . </p> <p> 3. Immortality. Psalm 90:2; 1 Timothy 1:17 . </p> <p> 4. Omnipotence. Job 24:1; Matthew 19:26; only Potentate. 1 Timothy 6:15 . </p> <p> 5. Omnipresence. Psalm 139:7-10; Jeremiah 23:23,24 . </p> <p> 6. Omniscience. 1 Chronicles 28:9; Isaiah 42:8,9; Romans 8:29,30; Hebrews 4:13 . </p> <p> 7. Incorruptibility. Romans 1:23; James 1:13 . </p> <p> 8. Immutability. Malachi 3:6; James 1:17 . </p> <p> 9. Wisdom. Psalm 104:24; Romans 11:33-36 . </p> <p> 10. Holiness. Psalm 47:8; Psalm 99:3,5; Revelation 4:8 . </p> <p> 11. Justice. Psalm 89:14; 2 Timothy 4:8 . </p> <p> 12. [[Grace]] and mercy. Psalm 136; 2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 2:4 . </p> <p> 13. Longsuffering. Exodus 34:6; Romans 9:22 . </p> <p> 14. Faithfulness. Psalm 36:5; Hebrews 10:23 . </p> <p> God's eternal power and divinity may be known in creation, 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. </p>

<div> 1: Θεός (Strong'S #2316 — — theos — theh'-os ) </div> <p> (I) in the polytheism of the Greeks, denoted "a god or deity," e.g., Acts 14:11; 19:26; 28:6; 1 Corinthians 8:5; Galatians 4:8 . </p> Mark 12:291 Timothy 2:5John 5:26James 1:17Romans 1:20Matthew 10:29Acts 17:26-28Matthew 19:26Acts 2:2315:18Romans 11:33Romans 11:361 Corinthians 8:6Ephesians 3:9Revelation 4:1110:61 Peter 1:151 John 1:5John 17:251 Corinthians 1:910:131 Thessalonians 5:242 Thessalonians 3:31 John 1:91 John 4:8,16Romans 9:15,18Titus 1:2Hebrews 6:18[[Good]]Matthew 20:18,19John 1:1-31:18Romans 1:49:5Philippians 3:21Colossians 1:152:3Titus 2:13Hebrews 1:313:81 John 5:20Revelation 22:12,13Matthew 28:19Luke 1:35John 14:1615:2616:7-14Romans 8:9,261 Corinthians 12:112 Corinthians 13:14Acts 27:23John 1:1Romans 7:22Revelation 1:17Titus 2:13 2 Peter 1:1Acts 7:2Romans 15:3316:20Philippians 4:91 Thessalonians 5:23Hebrews 13:202 Corinthians 13:11Romans 15:52 Corinthians 1:3Romans 15:131 Peter 5:10Matthew 22:32Mark 15:34Luke 18:11,13John 20:28Acts 4:24 Hebrews 1:810:7Matthew 16:23Mark 8:331 Corinthians 2:11Matthew 22:21Mark 12:17Luke 20:25Romans 15:17Hebrews 2:175:1John 10:34Psalm 82:62 Corinthians 4:4Philippians 3:19

<p> God. The name of the Creator and the supreme Governor of the universe. He is a "Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth." He is revealed to us in his works and providential government, Romans 1:20; but more fully in the Holy Scriptures and in the person and work of his only begotten Son, our Lord. 1. Names. There are three principal designations of God in the Old Testament—Elohim, Jehovah (Javeh), and Adonai. The first is used exclusively in the first chapter of Genesis; chiefly in the second book of Psalms, Psalms 42:1-11; Psalms 43:1-5; Psalms 44:1-26; Psalms 45:1-17; Psalms 46:1-11; Psalms 47:1-9; Psalms 48:1-14; Psalms 49:1-20; Psalms 50:1-23; Psalms 51:1-19; Psalms 52:1-9; Psalms 53:1-6; Psalms 54:1-7; Psalms 55:1-23; Psalms 56:1-13; Psalms 57:1-11; Psalms 58:1-11; Psalms 59:1-17; Psalms 60:1-12; Psalms 61:1-8; Psalms 62:1-12; Psalms 63:1-11; Psalms 64:1-10; Psalms 65:1-13; Psalms 66:1-20; Psalms 67:1-7; Psalms 68:1-35; Psalms 69:1-36; Psalms 70:1-5; Psalms 71:1-24; Psalms 72:1-20, called the Elohim Psalms, and occurs alternately with the other names in the other parts of the Old Testament. It expresses his character as the almighty Maker and his relation to the whole world, the Gentiles as well as the Jews. The second is especially used of him in his relation to Israel as the God of the covenant, the God of revelation and redemption. "Adonai," i.e., my Lord, is used where God is reverently addressed, and is always substituted by the Jews for "Jehovah," which they never pronounce. The sacred name Jehovah, or Yahveh, is indiscriminately translated, in the Common Version, God, Lord, and Jehovah. 2. The Nature of God. God is revealed to us as a trinity consisting of three Persons who are of one essence, Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14; John 1:1-3—God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. To the Father is ascribed the work of creation, to the Son the redemption, to the Holy Spirit the sanctification; but all three Persons take part in all the divine works. To each of these Persons of the Trinity are ascribed the essential attributes of the [[Supreme]] God. Thus, the Son is represented as the [[Mediator]] of the creation. John 1:3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:4. 3. The unity of the Godhead is emphasized in the Old Testament, while the trinity is only shadowed forth, or at best faintly brought out. The reason for the emphasis of the unity of the Godhead was to show the fallacy of polytheism and to discourage idolatry, which the heathen practiced. God is denominated "one Lord." Deuteronomy 6:4. Over against the false deities of the heathen, he is designated the "living" God. This belief in God as one was a chief mark of the Jewish religion.—Condensed from Schaff. </p>

<p> We enter with profound veneration and holy awe upon any attempt to explain what is in itself beyond the grasp of men or angles to apprehend. When we pronounce the glorious name of God, we desire to imply all that is great, gracious, and glorious in that holy name; and having said this, we have said all that we can say. The Scriptures have given several names, by way of expressing all that can be expressed of him; that he is the First and the Last, and the Author and Creator of all things. It is worthy observation, that the Lord speaking of himself to Moses, (Exodus 6:2-3) saith, "I am JEHOVAH: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty (El Shaddai,) but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them." By which we are not to imagine, that the Lord was not known to the patriarchs as their Creator, and as self-existing; but the meaning is, that he had not so openly revealed himself. They know him in his adorable perfections, but not so clearly in his covenant relations. So that the name itself was not so different, as the great things implied in the name. For certain it is, that very early in the church men began to call upon the name of JEHOVAH, (Genesis 4:26) And [[Abram]] told the king of Sodom, that he had lifted up his hand unto the Lord, the most High God. Here we have both the names expressly used by Abram, Genesis 14:22. But certain it is, that never until this revelation by Moses, did the church understand how the incommunicable name of JEHOVAH became the security of fulfilling all the promises. </p> <p> And this seems to be more fully revealed from the very manner in which the Lord communicated it to Moses. I AM that I AM; that is, I have a being in myself, and, consequently, I give being to all my promises. And it is worthy farther of remark, that the very name JEHOVAH carries this with it; for it is an Hemantick noun, formed from Hayah, he was; as expressing his eternity. The Jews had so high a veneration for this sacred name, that they never used it but upon memorable occasions. We are told by Eusebius, that in his days the Jews wrote the holy name in [[Samaritan]] characters, when they had occasion to mention the name of the Lord, lest that strangers, and not of the stock of Israel, should profane it. And in modern times it is generally observed by the seed of Abraham, when marking the number fifteen (which in the ordinary way of doing it by letters would take the [[Yod]] (10,) and the He (5.) forming the incommunicable name of Jah,) they always take the [[Teth]] and the Vau, that is the 9 and the 6, instead of it, to make the number fifteen by. A plain proof in what high veneration the sacred name was held by them. It were devoutly to be wished, that men calling themselves Christians were always to give so lively an evidence of their reverence to that "glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD." (Deuteronomy 28:58) </p> <p> It is said in the history of the Jews, that after their return from Babylon, they lost the true pronunciation of this glorious name JEHOVAH. And certain it is, that none know the real and correct manner in which it should be pronounced. But what a precious thought is it to the believer in Jesus that "if any man love God, the same is known by him." (1 Corinthians 8:3) I only add, that in confirmation of the blessed doctrine: of our holy faith, it is our happiness to know, that this glorious name is equally applied to each and to all the persons of the GODHEAD. To God the Father, Ephesians 1:3; to God the Son, John 1:1; and to God the Holy Ghost, Acts 5:3-4. And to the whole Three glorious persons in the unity of the divine essence, 1 John 5:7. </p> <p> (See Jehovah.) </p>

<p> (See GENESIS, on Εlohim and Υahweh ). ΕLΟΗΙΜ expresses the might of the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. ΕLΥΟΝ , His sublimity, (Genesis 14:22), "the Most High." SΗΑDDΑΙ , the "Almighty," His all sufficiency (Genesis 17:1; Philippians 4:19; 2 Corinthians 3:5; 2 Corinthians 12:9). JΕΗΟVΑΗ , His unchangeable faithfulness to His covenanted promises to His people. ΑDΟΝΑΙ , His lordship, which being delegated to others as also is His might as ELOHIM, ADONAI and ELOHIM are used occasionally of His creatures, angels and men in authority, judges, etc. (Psalms 8:5; Psalms 97:7 (Hebrew); Psalms 82:1; Psalms 82:6-7.) "Lord" in small letters stands for Hebrew ADONAI in KJV, but in capitals ("LORD") for JEHOVAH. ELYON, SHADDAI, and JEHOVAH are never used but of GOD; Jehovah the personal God of the Jews, and of the church in particular. </p> <p> ΕLΟΑΗ , the singular, is used only in poetry. The derivation is 'aalah "to fear," as Genesis 31:42; Genesis 31:53, "the fear of Isaac," or 'aalah "to be mighty." The plural ELOHIM: is the common form in prose and poetry, expressing that He combines in Himself all the fullness of divine perfections in their manifold powers and operations; these the heathen divided among a variety of gods. ELOHIM concentrates all the divine attributes assigned to the idols severally, and, besides those, others which corrupt man never of himself imagined, infinite love, goodness, justice, wisdom, creative power, inexhaustible riches of excellence; unity, self existence, grace, and providence are especially dwelt on, Exodus 3:13-15; Exodus 15:11; Exodus 34:6-7. The plural form hints at the plurality of Persons, the singular verb implies the unity of Godhead. </p> <p> The personal acts attributed to the Son (John 1:3; Psalms 33:6; Proverbs 8:22-32; Proverbs 30:4; Malachi 3:1, the Lord the Sender being distinct from the Lord the Sent who "suddenly comes") and to the Holy Spirit respectively (Genesis 1:2; Psalms 104:30) prove the distinctness of the Persons. The thrice repeated "LORD" (Numbers 6:25-27) and "Holy" (Isaiah 6:3) imply the same. But reserve was maintained while the tendency to polytheism prevailed, and as yet the redeeming and sanctifying work of the Son and the blessed Spirit was unaccomplished; when once these had been manifested the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity was fully revealed in New Testament. </p> <p> The sanctions of the law are temporal rather than spiritual, because a specimen was to be given in Israel of God's present moral government. So long as they obeyed, [[Providence]] engaged national prosperity; dependent not on political rules or military spirit, as in worldly nations, but on religious faithfulness. Their sabbatical year, in which they neither tilled nor gathered, is a sample of the continued interposition of a special providence. No legislator without a real call from God would have promulgated a code which leans on the sanction of immediate and temporal divine interpositions, besides the spiritual sanctions and future retributions. </p>

<p> The self-existent, infinitely perfect, and infinitely good Being, who created and preserves all things that have existence. As the Divine Being possesses a nature far beyond the comprehension of any of his creatures, of course that nature is inexplicable. "All our knowledge of invisible objects is obtained by analogy; that is, by the resemblance which they bear to visible objects; but as there is in nature no exact resemblance of the nature of God, an attempt to explain the divine nature is absurd and impracticable. All similitudes, therefore, which are used in attempting to explain it must be rejected." Yet, though we cannot fully understand his nature, there is something of him we may know. He hath been pleased to discover his perfections, in a measure, by the works of creation and the Scriptures of truth; these, therefore, we ought to study, in order that we may obtain the most becoming thoughts of him. For an account of the various attributes or perfections of God, the reader is referred to those articles in this work. </p> <p> There are various names given to the Almighty in the Scriptures, though properly speaking, he can have no name; for as he is incomprehensible, he is not nominable; and being but one, he has no need of a name to distinguish him; nevertheless, as names are given him in the Scriptures, to assist our ideas of his greatness and perfection, they are worthy of our consideration. these names are, El, which denotes him the strong and powerful God, Genesis 17:1 . Eloah, which represents him as the only proper object of worship, Psalms 45:6-7 . Shaddai, which denotes him to be all-sufficient and all-mighty, Exodus 6:3 . Hheeljon, which represents his incomparable excellency, absolute supremacy over all, and his peculiar residence in the highest heavens, Psalms 50:11 . Adoni, which makes him the great connector, supporter, lord, and judge, of all creatures, Psalms 110:1 . Jah, which may denote his self-existence, and giving of being to his creatures, or his infinite comeliness, and answerableness to himself, and to the happiness of his creatures, Exodus 15:2 . Ehjeh, I am, or I will be, denotes his self-existence, absolute independency, immutable eternity, and all-sufficiency, to his people, Exodus 3:14 . Jehovah, which denotes his self- existence, absolute independence, unsuccessive eternity, and his effectual and marvellous giving of being to his creatures, and fulfilling his promises. Genesis 2:4 , &c. In the New Testament, God is called Kurios, or Lord, which denotes his self-existence, and his establishment of and authority over all things; and Theos, which represents him as the maker, pervader, and governing observer of the universe. </p>

<li> The a posteriori argument, by which we proceed logically from the facts of experience to causes. These arguments are, <p> (a) The cosmological, by which it is proved that there must be a First Cause of all things, for every effect must have a cause. </p> <p> (b) The teleological, or the argument from design. We see everywhere the operations of an intelligent Cause in nature. </p> <p> (c) The moral argument, called also the anthropological argument, based on the moral consciousness and the history of mankind, which exhibits a moral order and purpose which can only be explained on the supposition of the existence of God. [[Conscience]] and human history testify that "verily there is a God that judgeth in the earth." </p> <p> The attributes of God are set forth in order by Moses in Exodus 34:6,7 . (see also Deuteronomy 6:4; 10:17; Numbers 16:22; Exodus 15:11; 33:19; Isaiah 44:6; Habakkuk 3:6; Psalm 102:26; Job 34:12 .) They are also systematically classified in Revelation 5:12,7:12 . </p> <p> God's attributes are spoken of by some as absolute, i.e., such as belong to his essence as Jehovah, Jah, etc.; and relative, i.e., such as are ascribed to him with relation to his creatures. Others distinguish them into communicable, i.e., those which can be imparted in degree to his creatures: goodness, holiness, wisdom, etc.; and incommunicable, which cannot be so imparted: independence, immutability, immensity, and eternity. They are by some also divided into natural attributes, eternity, immensity, etc.; and moral, holiness, goodness, etc. </p> <div> <p> Copyright StatementThese dictionary topics are from M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by [[Thomas]] Nelson, 1897. Public Domain. </p> <p> Bibliography InformationEaston, Matthew George. Entry for 'God'. Easton's Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ebd/g/god.html. 1897. </p> </div> </li>

<p> This name, the derivation of which is uncertain, we give to that eternal, infinite, perfect, and incomprehensible Being, the Creator of all things, who preserves and governs all by his almighty power and wisdom, and is the only proper object of worship. The proper Hebrew name for God is Exodus 3:14 , God replies to Moses, when he asks Him His name, I AM THAT I AM; which means either, I am he who I am, or, I am what I am. In either case the expression implies the eternal self-existence of Jehovah, and his incomprehensible nature. The name I AM means the same as [[Jehovah]] , the first person being used instead of he third. </p> <p> The Bible assumes and asserts the existence of God, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth;" and is itself the most illustrious proof of his existence, as well as our chief instructor as to his nature and will. It puts a voice into the mute lips of creation; and not only reveals God in his works, but illustrates his ways in providence, displays the glories of his character, his law, and his grace, and brings man into true and saving communion with him. It reveals him to us as a Spirit, the only being from everlasting and to everlasting by nature, underived, infinite, perfect, and unchangeable in power, wisdom, omniscience, omnipresence, justice, holiness, truth, goodness, and mercy. He is but one God, and yet exists in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and this distinction of the Thee in One is, like his other attributes, from everlasting. He is the source, owner, and ruler of all beings, foreknows and predetermines all events, and is the eternal judge and arbiter of the destiny of all. True religion has its foundation in the right knowledge of God, and consists in supremely loving and faithfully obeying him. See [[Jesus Christ]] , and HOLY, HOLINESS SPIRIT. </p>

<p> GOD, n. </p> 1. The Supreme Being Jehovah the eternal and infinite spirit, the creator,and the sovereign of the universe. <p> God is a spirit and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth. John 4 . </p> 2. A false god a heathen deity an idol. <p> Fear not the gods of the Amorites. Judges 6 . </p> 3. A prince a ruler a magistrate or judge an angel. Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. <p> Exodus 22 . Psalms 97 </p> <p> Gods here is a bad translation. </p> 4. Any person or thing exalted too much in estimation, or deified and honored as the chief good. <p> Whose god is their belly. Philippians 3 </p> <p> GOD, To deify. Not used. </p>

<p> When the people had settled down in peaceful relations with their neighbors, and began to have commercial and diplomatic transactions with them, it was inevitable that they should render their neighbor's gods some degree of reverence and worship. [[Courtesy]] and friendship demanded as much (compare 2 Kings 5:18 ). When Solomon had contracted many foreign alliances by marriage, he was also bound to admit foreign worship into Jerusalem (1 Kings 11:5 ). But [[Ahab]] was the first king who tried to set up the worship of Baal, side by side with that of Yahweh, as the national religion (James M.A. D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'God'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/isb/g/god.html. 1915.1 King Copyright StatementThese files are public domain and were generously provided by the folks at WordSearch Software. Bibliography InformationOrr </p>