Throughout the history of humankind, we have sought to understand ourselves, our world, the cosmos and God. In modern times, we have employed the scientific method to get at the answers we seek; but we have always employed comparisons to help us to understand things. Our units of measurement were originally based on body parts, amounts of water or alcoholic beverages, the temperature at which water boils or freezes, the distance between two points, the length of a day here on earth, etc. We classify plants and animals based on their similarities to/differences from each other. We say that someone is tall or short compared to the height of the average man or woman. We often seek to understand things by comparing them to two extremes (e.g. hot/cold, acid/alkaline, infinite/finite, etc.). In short, when we attempt to explain/describe/define/measure something (and to truly understand anything, one must be able to explain/describe/define/measure it), we always resort to some type of comparison.
In the realm of trying to understand God, we have often resorted to the basic formula that Man is less than God or God > Man. Likewise, we reason that the Creator must of necessity be greater than that which has been created. With these simple comparisons, we attempt to explain/describe/define/measure the notion of God. From these things, we deduce that God must supersede space, time and gravity - that "HE" must be omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. Some of us have even reasoned that since we are the "highest life-form" on this planet that God must look and act like us. But we would do well to stop and ask ourselves: How close to truly understanding God do these elemental comparisons really get us?
Yet, When Zophar confronted his friend Job, he resorted to the only thing available to him - comparisons. "Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything about the Almighty? Such knowledge is higher than the heavens—and who are you? It is deeper than the underworld—what do you know? It is broader than the earth and wider than the sea." (Job 11:7-9)
In considering these things, I'm reminded of some questions that were asked long ago in the book of Isaiah: "To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him?" (40:18) and "'To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?' asks the Holy One." (40:25)
For those who think that they have God figured out, you may want to reconsider your confidence in your notions about God. Truly, God cannot be contained!
In the realm of trying to understand God, we have often resorted to the basic formula that Man is less than God or God > Man. Likewise, we reason that the Creator must of necessity be greater than that which has been created. With these simple comparisons, we attempt to explain/describe/define/measure the notion of God. From these things, we deduce that God must supersede space, time and gravity - that "HE" must be omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. Some of us have even reasoned that since we are the "highest life-form" on this planet that God must look and act like us. But we would do well to stop and ask ourselves: How close to truly understanding God do these elemental comparisons really get us?
Yet, When Zophar confronted his friend Job, he resorted to the only thing available to him - comparisons. "Can you solve the mysteries of God? Can you discover everything about the Almighty? Such knowledge is higher than the heavens—and who are you? It is deeper than the underworld—what do you know? It is broader than the earth and wider than the sea." (Job 11:7-9)
In considering these things, I'm reminded of some questions that were asked long ago in the book of Isaiah: "To whom can you compare God? What image can you find to resemble him?" (40:18) and "'To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal?' asks the Holy One." (40:25)
For those who think that they have God figured out, you may want to reconsider your confidence in your notions about God. Truly, God cannot be contained!
Thanks
ReplyDeleteWhat about the fact that God has revealed "himself" to us in Scripture? When we take a closer look at the Hebrew word and the context, we see that what exactly is being revealed may not be as expansive as we might think or wish it to be. The word in the original Hebrew means to uncover. And, although we are told that the uncovered things belong to us, we are also told that the things which God has chosen to keep covered belong to God (Deut.29:29). In other words, it's kinda like the word "inspiration" - you have to know the parameters of what you're talking about!
ReplyDeleteFor instance, we are told in the first chapter of Genesis that God created humankind in his image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). In this connection, it is instructive to know that the Hebrew word translated here as "image" suggests a phantom or ghost-like illusion - a semblance or representation of the original. Moreover, as has been noted in past posts on this blog, these verses include both genders of the human - male and female. This strongly implies that both genders exhibit Divine traits. And, we would do well to ask, what are those traits? Are we talking about things like eyes, nose, mouth, hair, arms, hands, legs, feet or something more profound (like the ability to emote and reason)? And what about the multitude of hair textures, skin colors, shapes and sizes that we find exhibited by humankind? Do all of them reflect the Divine likeness?
And what about the statement in the gospel according to John that NO HUMAN has EVER seen God (John 1:18)? We are also told in the New Testament that Jesus is the most perfect representation of Father God that humankind has ever been exposed to (Hebrews 1:1-3), and that the only way that we know anything about God is through what Jesus Christ has chosen to share with us! (Matthew 11:27 and Luke 10:22) Do you begin to see that it's possible that not as much has been revealed to us as we may have previously supposed?