Many people have their own conceptions of God. Within Christianity, He is often depicted as an older male figure with long graying locks, flowing robes, and an authoritative expression on His face.
Other people have described God as an intense light or even as a fiery flame, or as sitting upon an immense and majestic throne that represents his power and sovereignty.
Table of Contents
What does the Bible say about God’s appearance?
There are various references in the Bible which discuss God’s appearance, usually using anthropomorphic language and imagery to depict His features like voice or eyes. Genesis 18:1-3 details how He appeared as a man while Ezekiel 1:26-28 describes a vision of Him sitting atop a throne-like structure.
The Bible doesn’t offer specific details about God’s appearance. However, it refers to Him as a radiant Being with light radiating from within Him and describes His bodily features such as waist and face as physical traits that exist on His being. When He appeared to Moses He veiled His glory so as not to cause death (Exodus 33:21-23); when He appeared to Joshua He was shown as a warrior fighting Amorites until all their servants surrendered themselves (Joshua 5:13-15).
One unique element of the Bible is how often God appears with some sort of commission attached. For instance, He appeared to Abraham to both validate their relationship and commission him to lead over his family (Genesis 22-24); He appeared again when Jacob saw Him to reveal Himself as God of Israel (Genesis 32-30); when He appeared again for Joshua it was to commission him as commander of all Lord’s armies (Joshua 5-15).
Noting the Bible never describes Jesus’ physical appearance while He lived on earth is also essential, although some individuals mistakenly assume Exodus 24:10, Daniel 7:9, Revelation 1:14-15 or 4:2-3 describe this fact; these verses simply do not provide enough detail.
As revealed in Scripture, Jesus and God the Father are one and the same, leading the Journal of Biblical Counseling to note that knowing who or what He looks like is far less essential than understanding who He is – in other words, by considering His Son as an image of Him!
Does God look like a regular guy?
God provided many Old Testament prophets with visions of what He looks like, such as dwelling within objects He chose such as Tabernacle or pillar of cloud or fire, or proclaiming His majesty and glory. These descriptions help us gain a deeper insight into his character while inspiring and comforting us during times of difficulty and hardship.
But not every description of God is meant to reveal His true form. According to The Macquarie Dictionary, an epiphany is defined as any manifestation or appearance which reveals spiritual truths without providing ontological details about His nature (ontological being truths are more precise). For instance, several Bible passages depict God appearing human-like; these passages don’t provide insights into how He interacts with people but instead teach us more about how He communicates.
As Moses descended Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments in hand, he was described as having a bright luminous light radiating off him – this represents how God’s presence is like an immense beacon that shines brightly through everything He does; when people see this shining light they gain greater understanding of His goodness and grace.
Prophets have spoken of God as being represented by a radiant light surrounding His throne, symbolizing that his holiness surpasses anything in this universe. When people encounter this radiant glow they become filled with wonder, while also marveling that they can interact with such an holy and pure presence as Lord God Almighty.
As Christians, it is our duty to discover what the truth about God looks like through studying the Bible and praying for guidance. By seeking out this knowledge of who and what He really is, we will gain greater insight into who and how He wants us to live our lives. Furthermore, we should strive to emulate Him by obeying His word: for example a man of God will never steal or lie and always act honestly when dealing with others – while at the same time respecting his parents with dignity and care.
Does God look like a throne?
God is an immeasurable, all-powerful force. His throne stands as a symbol of this immense, all-embracing glory, from where He rules over all creation and history – including us! God commands respect from his creation as evidenced by their respect shown towards him by their reverence for him as their creator, with justice being displayed before “a great white throne” at judgment day (Revelation 20). Thus its symbolism of divine justice and righteousness.
Throughout the Bible, references to God’s throne appear both symbolically and literally. One such reference comes from Isaiah’s vision in Isaiah 6:1, wherein he saw Jesus “high and lifted up, sitting upon His throne, with its train filling the temple.” Likewise, Ezekiel and John shared visions describing its appearance and who it belonged to (Isaiah 6:1).
As you read these visions, it may lead you to assume there is a physical throne room in heaven where God sits upon His throne. Unfortunately, biblical writers do not make it perfectly clear whether this is indeed true; Hebrews seems to imply this but doesn’t explicitly state this fact; similarly Revelation mentions “thrones,” although its literalness remains uncertain.
God’s throne symbolizes not only His power and sovereignty, but also His love and grace. God desires for his love to reach all corners of his creation; that’s why He made man in His image to serve as his representative on Earth.
The Throne of God symbolizes God and humankind’s harmonious relationship, so it serves as an appropriate place to offer thanks and praise.
Does God look like a rainbow?
The Bible does not give a full portrait of God as we understand Him today; however, it describes Him in several different ways. Some passages use images such as light or fire to express his power and grandeur while others explain his authority and sovereignty through descriptions of thrones or descriptions of an umbrella as metaphors of grace or mercy from Him. Furthermore, several passages use rainbow imagery as an image for His mercy and grace.
When God first mentioned rainbows in the Bible, they were connected with promises He made to Noah after the great flood. According to Enduring Word Bible Study, Hebrew word for rainbow (keshet) was also used as the word for bow of warring angel. Rainbow is seen as a promise from Him that He will not again destroy the Earth and its inhabitants with such disasterous flood.
God uses the rainbow to symbolize His unconditional love for all creation. According to John’s Revelation, this imagery portrays Him balancing his wrath with mercy and grace so He may judge evil yet still show His patience and kindness in judgments against it.
God’s mercy and grace are illustrated through the color white in Scripture, with believers who die believing being resurrected with pure white hair (Revelation 7:13 -14). This serves as an important reminder that we should live lives pleasing to the Lord so He will welcome us into His kingdom when our time on this Earth ends.
While it can be tempting to visualize what a biblical God might look like, we should bear in mind that Scripture emphasizes His character over his appearance. What matters more is understanding His plan for all humanity and showing His goodness throughout our trials and tribulations – this goodness alone will sustain and encourage Christians during difficult times.
