Attributes of God

Introduction

In trying to understand God, believers have identified many qualities, or attributes, of God. Commonly known ones are:

• Omnipresent - He is everywhere at the same time
• Omniscient - He knows everything

There are many more. In fact, there are books dedicated to nothing but the attributes of God.

In this study we are going to look at only a couple of these attributes, ones that are less well known.

His Name

Mostly, when we talk about someone's name, we mean the name we use to refer to them, like John Doe. Mostly, when the Bible talks about someone's name it is referring to their character. When we think of a name, we think of something like "Joseph" or "Mary". Those are really labels or designations for a person, a way to refer to them.

We don't usually use the word "name" to refer to a person's character, like the Bible often does. We only do that in particular circumstances, for example, in a western movie someone might say "he's made quit a name for himself." That refers to the person's character or reputation.

Usually in a western movie that means he's a dangerous character, known for killing people, robbing banks or something similar. A person can have a good name, though. That might be a person who is quick to help others, or freely gives his time to make things better.

It shouldn't be a surprise that the Bible would use "name" this way so often. Of course character is more important to him than the labels we wear. God knows who we really are - our character.

In Exodus Moses makes some requests of God and God responds that he will do those things because he knows Moses by name. He is using "name" as mentioned above. Of course he knows Moses name is "Moses" but he also knows Moses character. Then Moses asks to see God's glory and God responds with his name.

Yahweh said to Moses, "I will also do this thing of which you have spoken; for you have found favor in My sight and I have known you by name." ¹⁸ Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!" ¹⁹ And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of Yahweh before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion." ²⁰ But He said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!" (Exodus 33:17-20 NASB)

When the verse says "proclaim the name of Yahweh" it doesn't mean that God will say "Yahweh." God had previously told Moses his name. Instead, the verse means God will tell Moses the character of God, at least some of it.

In fact, God begins to do that in this verse when he says "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion." That is part of God's character, his name, in that sense.

Those statements about his character fit well with his name, Yahweh. If you remember, Moses asked God "May I say who sent me?" God replied with, "Ehyeh asher ehyeh." This means, "I am who I am", or perhaps, "I will be who I will be", or perhaps, "I cause to be what I cause to be." Possibly all of these meanings are intended because they all speak about God's character. So Moses, wisely enough, converts that into "Yahweh [YHWH] asher Yahweh [YHWH]," which means "he is who he is", or "he will be who he will be." These words express God's eternal timeless existence and his unchanging nature.

So, given that his name is "I am who I am", it's easy to see his name also including, "I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious."

A little while after that verse, God does for Moses what he said he would do.

Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "Yahweh, Yahweh God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; ⁷ who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations." ⁸ Moses made haste to bow low toward the earth and worship. (Exodus 34:6-8 NASB)

This shows the two sides to God's name.

This name of God is repeated in Numbers 14:18, when Moses says it back to God as a reminder, and parts of it appear in many other places.

His Completeness

God is complete. That means there is nothing he lacks. His existence does not depend on anything, he is not limited by anything, and he does not desire anything that he does not have within himself.

God existed before the universe was created, before up and down, and left and right existed, before time existed. When nothing else existed, he existed and he lacked nothing. He is not lonely.

He is the creator of everything that exists but did not need to create it. He didn't create the universe because he was lacking something that would be in the universe.

Here is the part some people struggle with. He didn't create mankind because he needed something mankind would provide. He didn't need the companionship or the love. He didn't have a need to manage people or to be their God.

He didn't need the worship of mankind. God does say …

The people whom I formed for Myself will declare My praise. (Isaiah 43:21)

He is deserving of our worship but he doesn't need it. We weren't created because he needed worship. We were created because worshiping him is right and good for us.

So, if God did not create the universe and mankind because of any need for them, why did he do it? There may be additional reasons but part of it was so he could demonstrate his love, his mercy, his forgiveness, and his justice. As a unified being he had no opportunity to do that.

His Foreknowledge of Time

God knows the future. We probably all know that. We probably don't understand all that it means to know the future.

It means that God:

• is never surprised by anything that happens
  • and he can never regret anything
    • but he "said" he regretted creating mankind
• wouldn't have much reason to play board games with anyone,
  • and would have no reason to play solitaire games
• will not tell people too much about the future
  • knows who might try to do something that would make him a liar
  • knows who can be trusted
• must ensure that his prophecies come true
  • must factor in the efforts of his enemies to thwart them
• doesn't need to act at the last minute
• can be merciful to people who hate him because he knows they will come to love him

Conclusion

If we try to understand all that God is, that corrects the error we can make by thinking God is like us. We know we don't know the future. We know we are dependent on many things for our existence. When we ask ourselves if we are as loving as God, as forgiving as God, or as just as God, we should find that we are not anywhere near his level.

With that understanding in mind, and the humility that should come with it, we are able to have the correct relationship to God that we should have.

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