Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  1000 God  »  1010 God, nature and qualities of  »  1015 God  »  1145 God, transcendence of

God is far above, beyond and outside the created order.

God is outside and above all creation

Psalm 113:4; Isaiah 40:22

Solomon confesses that God transcends containment by the temple:

1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chronicles 2:6 Job 37:23 Elihu declares the LORD to be beyond reach; Psalm 8:1; Psalm 57:5,11; Psalm 97:9; Psalm 108:5; Psalm 148:13; Isaiah 33:5; Acts 7:49; Acts 17:24; Ephesians 1:20-21 Jesus Christ is above all, in the place of highest honour and authority; Ephesians 4:6; Hebrews 7:26

God is able also to draw near to his creatures

Isaiah 57:15

The invisibility of God

God is invisible to people and hidden from their sight

Exodus 33:20; Isaiah 45:15 See also Exodus 3:6

Job is unable to find God in his suffering:

Job 9:11; Job 23:8-9 Psalm 10:1; Psalm 13:1; Psalm 89:46; John 1:18 Jesus Christ has made God known; John 5:37; Colossians 1:15 Jesus Christ is the image of God; 1 Timothy 1:17; Timothy 6:16; 1 John 4:12

OT saints who saw God

Exodus 33:11 These exceptions indicate that God's invisibility is not inherent, but the result of sinful people's inability to look upon a holy God. See also Genesis 32:30; Exodus 24:10; Judges 13:22; Isaiah 6:5

God is made visible in Jesus Christ

John 1:18; John 14:9; 2 Corinthians 4:4,6; Colossians 1:15

Redeemed people will be able to look at God's face

Matthew 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 22:4

God's ways are beyond human understanding

Isaiah 55:8-9 See also Deuteronomy 29:29; Job 5:9; Job 11:7; Job 36:22-23; Psalm 139:1-6; Proverbs 25:2; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Isaiah 40:28; Romans 11:33-34; 1 Corinthians 2:11,16

See also

1065  God, holiness of
1110  God, present everywhere
1130  God, sovereignty
1140  God, the eternal
1210  God, human descriptions
1325  God, the Creator
1439  revelation
1454  theophany
1469  visions
2078  Christ, sonship of
6694  mystery
6720  redemption