Chapter 1: The Nature of God
He Is Not Like Us
We begin here because everything else begins here.
The nature of God is not simply a theological question — it is the question of reality itself.
Who is He? What is He like?
Why does it matter?
The Bible does not begin with arguments or proofs, but with a fact:
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) Before creation, there was God.
He does not come from somewhere. He does not depend on anything.
He is.
That is His name: I AM WHO I AM (Exodus 3:14).
The God Who Is
If you could sum up the nature of God in one word, it would not be love or
power or creator — although all those are true. It would be this: holy.
Holy means set apart.
Not just morally perfect, but altogether other — unlike anything else.
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”
(Isaiah 6:3)
He is not the best thing we can imagine; He is beyond imagination.
He is not the biggest, strongest version of us; He is altogether different.
He is not improved; He is perfect. Always has been. Always will be.
His Attributes
Theologians speak of His attributes, but these are not separate parts of Him
— they are who He is.
Here are some of the most important to know:
Eternal — He has no beginning or end.
Time is His creation. He does not grow old or weary.
(Psalm 90:2)
Immutable — He does not change. He is not fickle or moody.
(Malachi 3:6)
Omnipotent — All-powerful.
There is no limit to what He can do, except contradict His own nature.
(Jeremiah 32:17)
Omniscient — All-knowing.
He sees everything — past, present, and future — as one eternal “now.”
(Psalm 139:4)
Omnipresent — Everywhere at once. There is no place where He is not fully present. (Psalm 139:7–10)
Just — He always does what is right. There is no shadow of corruption in Him. (Deuteronomy 32:4)
Merciful — He shows kindness to those who do not deserve it.
(Exodus 34:6)
Love — Not just that He loves, but He is love itself.
(1 John 4:8)
Beyond Comprehension
We must admit something at the start:
We cannot fully grasp Him.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 55:8)
God has revealed enough of Himself for us to know Him truly — but not exhaustively.
If we could fully explain Him, He would not be God.
He is infinite, and we are finite.
We can know Him, but we cannot contain Him.
Near and Far
God’s nature holds a beautiful tension:
He is both transcendent and immanent.
✦ Transcendent — above and beyond creation.
He is not part of the universe; the universe is His work.
✦ Immanent — close and present.
He is not distant. He enters His creation, sustains it, and speaks to us. The Psalmist marvels at this:
“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers… what is man that you are mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:3–4)
Yet He is mindful.
The Creator of galaxies bends low to hear the whispered prayers of His children.
Father, King, Shepherd
Throughout Scripture, God reveals Himself in terms we can understand:
a Father who loves His children.
a King who rules His kingdom.
a Shepherd who leads His flock.
Each image captures something of His nature — yet none of them fully contain Him.
He is personal, not impersonal.
He speaks, listens, and enters into relationship.
“I will be your God, and you will be my people.” (Leviticus 26:12)
Not Who We Want Him to Be
Many imagine God as a projection of our desires:
— A permissive grandfather.
— A cosmic policeman.
— A distant clockmaker.
— A genie in a bottle.
But He is not who we want Him to be — He is who He is.
We do not shape Him; He shapes us.
We do not judge Him; He judges us.
We do not invite Him into our story; He has invited us into His.
The Weight of Glory
To encounter God as He truly is leaves no one unchanged.
When Isaiah saw Him, he cried:
“Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips…” (Isaiah 6:5)
When Job heard Him speak, he repented in dust and ashes.
When John saw Him in Revelation, he fell at His feet as though dead.
God’s nature is not safe, but it is good.
He burns away pride and purifies what He loves.
Why It Matters
Why does it matter to know God’s nature? Because everything flows from this:
— Worship becomes real when we see who He is.
— Sin becomes bitter when we see His holiness.
— Grace becomes amazing when we see His justice.
— Life gains purpose when we see His sovereignty.
And because this is the story we are living:
— In the Garden of Eden, man walked with God because he knew Him as He was.
— Sin distorted that vision and broke that fellowship.
— Ever since, God has been revealing Himself again, calling us back to Himself.
— One day, in the New Jerusalem — the final garden — we will see Him face to face.
To know God’s nature now is to begin tasting what was lost — and what will soon be restored.
The Invitation
This God — the holy, eternal, just, merciful I AM — has not hidden Himself. He has spoken through creation, through His Word, and most clearly through His Son.
He invites you to know Him. Not as an idea, but as a Father.
Not as a distant ruler, but as a friend. Not as a concept, but as your God.
“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
Reflection
When you pray today, begin not with your requests, but with your gaze.
See Him as He is.
Marvel.
Worship.
Then speak.
Because the God you address is not just powerful enough to answer — He is good enough to care.
Questions to Consider
✦ When you think of God, what picture comes to mind? How does it compare to how Scripture describes Him?
✦ Which of His attributes (holiness, love, justice, mercy) do you find hardest to grasp — or hardest to accept?
✦ How might your worship, your choices, and your relationships change if you saw Him more clearly?
✦ What do you long to see in that final garden — when you meet Him face to face?
Prayer
Father, You are holy.
You are not like me, yet You have drawn near to me.
Forgive me for thinking too little of You — for making You small in my mind.
Open my eyes to see Your glory.
Open my heart to feel Your presence.
And open my mouth to worship You as You deserve.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
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