The Strand Study Bible

GENESIS “MINI” SERIES The Doctrine of God

I. HIS Existence

Lesson #l. How we know God exists (Psalm 19) The Bible itself makes no attempt to prove that there is a God. It takes this fact as self-evident (Gen 1:1). The proof of God’s existence lies in the simple fact that religion (that is, man’s innate desire to know a supreme Being) existed before man ever argued the existence and reality of God. Religion was never a product of the Bible. Man sought out God’s existence long before there ever was the written Word of God. Men like Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Job all worshipped God before the Scriptures were ever written. The fact that most men everywhere believe in the existence of a God or gods to whom they are morally responsible is evidence enough in favor of its truth. According to Psalm 19, there are three evidences contained within the Psalm that prove the existence of God: 1. The universe (Psa 19:1-6 and Job 22:12-14) 2. The Scriptures (Psa 19:7-11, Gen 1:1 and Jn 1:1-2) 3. Man (Psa 19:12-14 and Rom 1:18-23) II. HIS Nature and Essence Lesson #2 . God is a Spirit (John 4:24) God is a Spirit. Yet He is said to have hands (Num 11:23), feet (Lam 3:31-34), a face (Lam 3:35), a mouth (Lam 3:38), arms (Deut 33:27), eyes and ears (Psa 34:15), and a heart (Gen 6:6) just like a man. The Bible says He can see (Gen 11:5), speak (Jn 5:37), hear (Psa 34:17), and walk (Lev 26:12). The question is, why does God use human expressions, called anthropomorphisms (Lam 3:34-38), to describe Himself? The answer is simple. God wants His creation to better understand Him. And the only way to accomplish this is to use human expressions that man can understand. Although man has never seen God physically (Jn 1:18), man can understand to some degree his Creator because of the physical expressions He uses concerning Himself in the Scriptures (Exo 33:18,23). The reason God reveals Himself to human beings as a Spirit versus something that can be seen is that God wants His creation to understand their limitations. Man is finite. He is limited to one place (earth), one form (human body), and one set of physical senses (touch, smell, taste, sight, and sound). God is infinite. He is not a material Being. He is not limited to one place (I Ki 8:27), nor one form (Lk 24:39, Colo 1:15 and I Tim 1:17), nor one set of physical senses. This is the reason why idols and images were strictly forbidden by God (Exo 20:4 and Deut 4:14-23). God should never be compared by man’s limited view of physical things. The Creator is always superior to his creation. In conclusion, God is a Spirit, not bound by human limitations. He cannot be fathomed by physical means, yet He allows Himself to be better understood by the use of comparative means (Num 12:7-8). Lesson #3 . God is a person (Exodus 3:14 and Jn 8:56-59 ). God possesses attributes of personality: 1. He loves ( Jn 3:16 , Jn 13:34 & Rev 3:19 and Jn 14:16-18,26 & Gal 5:22 ) 2. He hates ( Prov 6:16 and Rev 2:6,15 and Jn 14:16-18,26 ) 3. He grieves ( Gen 6:6 , Mk 3:5 and Eph 4:30 )

4. He repents ( Gen 6:6 , Mt 15:21-28 & Heb 13:8 and Jn 14:16-18,26 ) 5. He gets angry ( I Ki 11:9 , Mk 3:5 and Jn 14:16-18,26 & Acts 5:1-11 ) 6. He gets jealous ( Deut 32:16 , Mt 23:37 & Heb 13:8 and Jn 14:16-18,26 ) 7. He provides ( Gen 22:13-14 , Mt 14:13-21 & Heb 13:8 and Jn 14:16-18,26 ) 8. He heals ( Exo 15:26 , Mk 3:5 and Jn 14:16-18,26 ) 9. He brings peace ( Judg 6:24 , Jn 14:27 and Jn 14:16-18,26 ) 10. He shepherds us ( Psa 23:1 , Heb 13:20 and Jn 14:16-18,26 ) 11. He cares ( I Pet 5:7 , Lk 10:40-42 and Jn 14:16-18,26 & Gal 5:22 )

12. He forgives ( Psa 25:18 , Mk 2:1-7 and Jn 14:16-18,26 ) 13. He laughs ( Prov 1:26 , Heb 13:8 and Jn 14:16-18,26 ) 14. He cries and grieves ( Isa 7:13 , Jn 11:35 and Eph 4:30 )

God’s personality is apparent in the story of Exo 3:1-14. He cared enough to hear the cries of His people and call a deliverer (Moses) to bring them out of their bondage. God is certainly a living being, not a dead idol (I Cor 8:4). NOTE – The name “I AM THAT I AM” signifies the fact that God exists as a person, not an influence, or a force. He is a person whose very names denote personality:

1. Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord will provide (Gen 22:13-14) 2. Jehovah-Rapha: The Lord that healeth (Exo 15:26) 3. Jehovah-Nissi: The Lord our Banner (Exo 17:15)

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