The God of the Bible presents Himself under the name of Yahweh (YHVH are the four letters of His name), which means «I am the one who is» (Exodus 3: 1-4).
This statement is also a denial of any other deity. The first of the Ten Commandments of the Law prohibited the people of God from serving other gods at the same time as Yahweh.
An idol is not necessarily an object, made of wood, stone or iron, but everything we love more than God: money, our material goods, glory, power, leisure, and even our spouse or children. By loving them more than God, we are guilty, in His eyes, of idolatry.
Deuteronomy 6:4, the “Shema”, the Hebrew word translated as “Listen”, is the fundamental profession of faith of Judaism which affirms that only the Lord Yahweh is God.
Deuteronomy 6:4 “4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD” KJV
The Name and Character of God
When, in Exodus 33:18 and 34:6-7, Moses asked God: «Show me your glory». God began by revealing His Name, His character and His identity. In Jesus Christ (John 1:1-3 and 14), we see the glory, the Name and the character of God as never before.
John 1:1-3 “1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” KJV
John 1:14 “14And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
Jesus came to reveal the Father, the character of God. In Jesus, the invisible God became visible.
Jesus is THE answer to the cry of Moses from Exodus 33 and 34.
The attributes of God
God has absolute attributes (He alone has them) and others in which we can participate. We speak of incommunicable attributes (for example, omniscience) and communicable attributes (such as love or wisdom).
The absolute attributes of God are:
– He is unchanging: God does not change (Hebrews 13:8, 1:10-12; Malachi 3:6)
Hebrews 13:8 “8Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” KJV
Malachi 3:6 “6For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.” KJV
– He is eternal (Psalm 90:2)
Psalm 90:2 “2Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” KJV
– He is omnipotent (Isaiah 66:1): God can do anything
Isaiah 66:1 “1Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?” KJV
– He is omniscient: God knows everything, even our dreams (Daniel 2:22)
Daniel 2:22 “22He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.” KJV
– He is omnipresent: God is present everywhere (Jeremiah 23:24)
Jeremiah 23:24 “24Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.” KJV
– He is All-powerful (Psalms 135:5-6)
Psalms 135:5-6 “
Psalms 135:5-6 “5For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. 6Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.” KJV
– He is sovereign (Daniel 4:35)
Daniel 4:35 “35And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” KJV
– He is One, in three Persons
There are also moral attributes of God:
– He is holy (1 Samuel 2:2)
1 Samuel 2:2 “2There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.” KJV
– It is fair (Psalm 11:7)
Psalm 11:7 “7For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.” KJV
– He is love (1 John 4:16, 1 John 4:9-10)
1 John 4:16 “16And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” KJV
1 John 4:9-10 “9In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” KJV
– He is good (Lamentations 3:22-23)
Lamentations 3:22-23 “22It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” KJV
