The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel, Classic Version, 2015Sample

What is God Like?

A six year old girl was drawing a picture one day. Her teacher said: ‘What are you drawing?’ The little girl said, ‘I am drawing a picture of God.’ The teacher was surprised and said, ‘But nobody knows what God looks like!’ The little girl carried on drawing and said, ‘They will in a minute.’

One of the advantages of reading through the Bible in a year is that we get a rounded picture of the nature and character of God, and a greater understanding of what God is like.

Psalm 45:1-9

1. King Jesus

The writer of Hebrews sees this psalm as a prophetic description of Jesus. He writes, ‘But about the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever …’ (See Hebrews 1:8–9, quoting verses 6–7 of this psalm).

It was probably originally inspired by a royal wedding. Yet its description of the king goes beyond anything that was ever said about any Old Testament human king and even beyond the Israelite’s understanding of God as king.

This is one of the clearest cases in the New Testament of Jesus being addressed as ‘God’ – as the legitimate object of worship. Jesus is the fulfilment of the expected ‘anointed King’, known as the Messiah. Jesus fulfils these prophecies.

Jesus said: ‘Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father’ (John 14:9). In other words, if you want to know what God looks like, look at Jesus.

He is ‘anointed with grace’ (Psalm 45:2). He is anointed with ‘the oil of joy’ (v.7b). A similar expression, ‘oil of gladness’, is used in Isaiah 61:3 and is equated there with the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 61:1). So we see in these verses hints of the whole Trinity: God the Father (‘God, your God’, Psalm 45:7), Jesus the Son (‘Your throne, O God’, v.6a), and the Holy Spirit (‘the oil of joy’, v.7b).

Lord Jesus, ‘in your majesty ride forth victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness; let your right hand display awesome deeds’ (v.4a). 

Luke 15:1-32

2. Loving Father

God loves you passionately, wholeheartedly and unconditionally. However much you may have messed up in your life, whatever your regrets, it is never too late to turn to God. He will accept you and embrace you as a loving father embraces a lost son.

Jesus shocked and offended the religious leaders: ‘They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Their grumbling triggered this story’ (vv.2–3, MSG).

Jesus then tells three parables to show that God cares desperately about the lost. If you have ever lost anything of value, searched frantically and then found it, you will remember the joy experienced when you found what was lost. Jesus says that that joy pales into insignificance compared to the joy of heaven.

The story of the lost sheep shows that ‘there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue’ (v.7, MSG). The story of the lost coin shows ‘the kind of party God’s angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God’ (v.10, MSG).

Then, in probably the greatest short story ever told, Jesus gives us another astonishing picture of what God is like: a loving father.

In the parable of the Lost Son, the younger son requests his inheritance while the father is still alive and in good health. In traditional Middle Eastern culture this is equivalent to saying, ‘Father, I am eager for you to die!’ A traditional Middle Eastern father would strike the boy across the face and drive him out of the house. It is an outrageous request, which a father is expected to refuse.

But God does not behave like a traditional, Middle Eastern patriarch. In an act of extraordinary love, the father breaks tradition and gives his son the freedom to sell his portion of the estate (this would have brought shame on the family before the entire community). The son ‘turned it into cash’ (v.13). Then he set off and left the town as quickly as possible.

So many people today, myself included, have experienced what the younger son found while away from his father. He was wasting his life (‘squandered his wealth in wild living’, v.13). ‘He began to hurt’ (v.14, MSG). He was enslaved (‘hired himself out’, v.15). He felt empty inside (‘he longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating’, v.16). He felt alone in this world (‘no one gave him anything’, v.16).

Turning to God is not an irrational act. It is the opposite – ‘he came to his senses’ (v.17). It is the sensible thing to do. The son realised that he needed help. He decides to swallow his pride and go back to his father (v.18). He knew that he needed to go home. He is prepared to admit his sin. He plans to say to his father, ‘I have sinned … I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants’ (vv.18–19).

We need to take a step of faith, ‘So he got up and went to his father’ (v.20). He did not know what would happen. At the time of Jesus, Jews had a method of punishing any boy who lost the family inheritance to Gentiles. If he dared to return, the villagers would bring a large earthenware jar, fill it with nuts and corn and break it in front of the guilty individual. The people would shout that the person was cut off from his people. From then on, the village would have nothing to do with the wayward son.

God’s love is extraordinary, and goes beyond anything that we could ever expect or imagine. Rather than the disgrace the son deserves, he receives forgiveness and love. While the boy is still a long way off, his father sees him. It appears that the father had been waiting and watching, and had never forgotten his son. ‘His heart pounding, he ran out, embraced him, and kissed him’ (v.20, MSG). The word used implies that he kissed him over and over again.

As the son begins his prepared speech of repentance, the father interrupts. He treats him as an honoured guest, giving him the best robe (v.22). He gives him a sign of confidence by putting the family ring on his finger (v.22, MSG). He puts sandals, reserved not for slaves but for sons, on his feet (v.22). He plans a lavish celebration (vv.23–24).

We get a glimpse here of what God is like. Again, we see the picture of the kingdom of heaven being like a party. This is the opposite of what many people think. They do not associate God with music and dancing, feasting and celebrating.

God’s love extends also to the older son who goes into ‘an angry sulk’ (v.28, MSG) and is begrudging of his brother’s forgiveness and acceptance. We can imagine the father putting his arm around him and saying, ‘Son, you don't understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours – but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’ (vv.31–32, MSG). Through this story that Jesus tells, and his description of God, we reach the pinnacle of God’s revelation of himself.

Father, thank you that you love me so much and when I mess up, you don’t reject me. The moment I repent and come back to you, you accept me and say, ‘Let’s have a feast and celebrate’ (v.23).

Luke 15:1-32

3. Holy Judge

As Christians, it is vital to read the Old Testament through the lens of Jesus. We cannot simply apply the laws of the Old Testament to our society today. Nor can we take the concept of the ‘holy war’ (20:1–20) and turn it into a ‘crusade’.

What we see throughout the Bible is that God is a holy God and a God of justice. Some of the principles of the legal system of Ancient Israel were specific to the time. Others are more generally applicable.

Murder is clearly a far more serious crime than manslaughter (19:1–13). Good evidence is required before anyone is convicted of a crime (v.15). Perjury is a very serious offence (vv.16–18). Retribution should be deserved and proportionate (v.21 – this was never taken literally except in the case of the death penalty). A secondary purpose of imposing a just retribution is deterrence (v.20).

But not everything in Ancient Israel is applicable to us. In Jesus Christ a new way has been established. The wrath of God that broke out upon the offender in the community has been visited once and for all upon the righteous representative, the Son of Man.

We cannot accept Israel as a model for our study of the punishment of crime. As Professor Oliver O’Donovan writes, ‘not because it would be illiberal but because it would be unchristian to do so. “Israel”, in the strong sense in which it claimed to be God’s unique dwelling-place on earth, has been superseded in Christ.’

For example, when Jesus quoted from this passage he said, ‘You have heard that it was said, “Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.” [Deuteronomy 19:21]. But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek also’ (Matthew 5:38–39).

Lord, thank you that you are a God of justice and truth. Thank you that you reveal yourself to me as I study your word and spend time in your presence.

Pippa Adds

Luke 15:1–32

Jesus told three stories about losing things; I can sympathise with these. We seem to lose things every day, usually Nicky’s keys and glasses. I found my grandmother's ring which I thought I had lost. I felt just like the women in the parable.

Notes:
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.

Scripture quotations marked (AMP) taken from the Amplified® Bible, Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.