Biblical Examples of God's Nature and Character

The Bible presents God's nature and character through various attributes and actions, revealing a being who is both transcendent and intimately involved with creation. These characteristics are consistently demonstrated throughout scripture, forming the basis for understanding God's relationship with humanity and the world.

One fundamental aspect of God's character is His goodness. This goodness is a perfection that God exercises toward all His creatures, adapting to their various circumstances and relations ^[5]. Psalm 145:8-9 states that "The Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all his works" ^[12]. This goodness is not merely a passive quality but is actively demonstrated through acts of mercy, pity, and compassion, even extending to long-suffering patience towards impenitent sinners ^[5]. When God created the animals, He "saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:25), indicating His inherent goodness reflected in creation ^[7]. The goodness of God is also cited as a ground for devotion to Him ^[3].

God's power is another prominent attribute. The creation of animals, for instance, exhibits God's power ^[2]. Psalm 33:4-7 highlights that God's word displays both His character and His power ^[13]. This power is evident in His control over natural forces and nations, inspiring awe and dread ^[10]. The psalmist declares, "Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgments are like a great deep. Yahweh, you preserve man and animal" (Psalm 36:6) ^[6]. This verse connects God's power with His righteousness and preservation of life.

Holiness is central to God's nature. The Bible commands believers to be holy because God Himself is holy (Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15-16) ^[1]. This divine holiness serves as the standard for human holiness, with Christ's character also providing an example (Romans 8:29; 1 John 2:6; Philippians 2:5) ^[1]. Holiness is necessary for worshiping God (Psalm 24:3-4) and for seeing Him (Hebrews 12:14) ^[1].

God is also characterized by justice and righteousness. The qualities of the Lord's rule include strength, justice, love, fairness, and righteousness (Psalm 99:4) ^[11]. God's character is the motive for righteous behavior in humanity (Exodus 23:7) ^[9]. His righteousness is compared to the "mountains of God" (Psalm 36:6), signifying its steadfastness and grandeur ^[6].

The Bible emphasizes God's sovereignty and freedom. In Romans 9:15, a quotation from Exodus 33:19 focuses on God's nature, asserting that God is free from obligation or constraint in bestowing mercy ^[15]. This highlights His ultimate authority and independence. Resignation to God's will and sovereignty is commanded, as seen in passages like Psalm 37:7 and Romans 9:20-21 ^[4].

God's unity is a foundational doctrine. There is "one God and Father of all" (Ephesians 4:6) ^[14]. This concept is supported by both nature and revelation, implying that there can only be one eternal, infinite, omnipotent, and perfect being, who is the first cause of all things ^[14].

Love is another essential attribute. John Gill, commenting on Ephesians 4:6, notes that God's love is a primary reason for devotion ^[14]. Easton's Bible Dictionary describes God's goodness as benevolence, which, when exercised towards the miseries of His creatures, becomes mercy, pity, and compassion ^[5].

God's faithfulness is demonstrated through His word. Matthew Henry, commenting on Psalm 19:7, states that God's glory and goodness are revealed not only in creation but even more profoundly through divine revelation, the Holy Scripture ^[16]. God's word displays His character and power ^[13].

The Bible also portrays God as the creator. Genesis 1:24-25 describes God creating animals, and Genesis 1:27 states that God created humanity in His own image ^{[2, 8]}. This act of creation is a testament to His power and wisdom. Animals were created for God's praise and glory (Psalm 148:10) ^[2].

Sources

Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Holiness — Commanded -- Le 11:45; 20:7; Eph 5:8; Col 3:12; Ro 12:1. Christ Desires for his people. -- Joh 17:17. Effects, in his people. -- Eph 5:25-27. An example of. -- Heb 7:26; 1Pe 2:21,22. The character of God, the standard of -- Le 19:2; 1Pe 1:15,16; Eph 5:1. The character of Christ, the standard of -- Ro 8:29; 1Jo 2:6; Php 2:5. The gospel the way of -- Isa 35:8. Necessary to God's worship -- Ps 24:3,4. None shall see God without -- Eph 5:5; Heb 12:14. Saints Elected to. -- Ro 8:29; Eph 1:4. Called to. -- 1Th 4:7; 2Ti 1:9. New created in. -- Eph 4:24. Possess. ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: B — Created by God -- Ge 1:24,25; 2:19. Creation of, exhibits God's power -- Jer 27:5. Made for the praise and glory of God -- Ps 148:10. Differ in flesh from birds and fishes -- 1Co 15:39. Herb of the field given to, for food -- Ge 1:30. Power over, given to man -- Ge 1:26,28; Ps 8:7. Instinctively fear man -- Ge 9:2. Received their names from Adam -- Ge 2:19,20. Given to man for food after the flood -- Ge 9:3. Not to be eaten alive or with blood -- Ge 9:4; De 12:16,23. That died naturally or were torn, not to be eaten -- Ex 22:31; Le 17:15; 22:8. Supply clothing to”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Devotedness to God — A characteristic of saints -- Job 23:12. Christ, an example of -- Joh 4:34; 17:4. Grounded upon The mercies of God. -- Ro 12:1. The goodness of God. -- 1Sa 12:24. The call of God. -- 1Th 2:12. The death of Christ. -- 2Co 5:15. Our creation. -- Ps 86:9. Our preservation. -- Isa 46:4. Our redemption. -- 1Co 6:19,20. Should be With our spirit. -- 1Co 6:20; 1Pe 4:6. With our bodies. -- Ro 12:1; 1Co 6:20. With our members. -- Ro 6:12,13; 1Pe 4:2. With our substance. -- Ex 22:29; Pr 3:9. Unreserved. -- Mt 6:24; Lu 14:33. Abounding. -- 1Th 4:1. Persever”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Resignation — Christ set and example of -- Mt 26:39-44; Joh 12:27; 18:11. Commanded -- Ps 37:7; 46:10. Should be exhibited in Submission to the will of God. -- 2Sa 15:26; Ps 42:5,11; Mt 6:10. Submission to the sovereignty of God in his purposes. -- Ro 9:20,21. The prospect of death. -- Ac 21:13; 2Co 4:16-5:1. Loss of goods. -- Job 1:15,16,21. Loss of children. -- Job 1:18,19,21. Chastisements. -- Heb 12:9. Bodily suffering. -- Job 2:8-10. The wicked are devoid of -- Pr 19:3. Exhortation to -- Ps 37:1-11. Motives to God's greatness. -- Ps 46:10. God's love. -- Heb 12:”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Goodness of God — A perfection of his character which he exercises towards his creatures according to their various circumstances and relations (Ps. 145:8, 9; 103:8; 1 John 4:8). Viewed generally, it is benevolence; as exercised with respect to the miseries of his creatures it is mercy, pity, compassion, and in the case of impenitent sinners, long-suffering patience; as exercised in communicating favour on the unworthy it is grace. "Goodness and justice are the several aspects of one unchangeable, infinitely wise, and sovereign moral perfection. God is not sometimes ”
Psalms “Your righteousness is like the mountains of God. Your judgments are like a great deep. Yahweh, you preserve man and animal. -- Psalms 36:6”
Genesis “God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good. -- Genesis 1:25”
Genesis “God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them. -- Genesis 1:27”
Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 23:7: 23:7 God’s character is the motive for righteous behavior (see 22:22-24, 27).”
Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 65:6: God's great power and goodness are the grounds of this confidence. These are illustrated in His control of the mightiest agencies of nature and nations affecting men with awe and dread (Psa 26:7; Psa 98:1, &c.), and in His fertilizing showers, causing the earth to produce abundantly for man and beast.”
Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 99:4: 99:4 The qualities of the Lord’s rule include strength, justice, love, fairness, and righteousness (see 93:4; 97:2, 6-7, 12; 98:2-3, 9; 138:6).”
Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 145:8: 145:8-9 God consistently demonstrates his character toward all his creation (see 136:25).”
Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 33:4: 33:4-7 God’s word displays his character and his power.”
Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 4:6: One God and Father of all,.... That there is but one God is the voice of nature and of revelation; and may be concluded from the perfections of deity, for there can be but one eternal, infinite, immense, omnipotent, all-sufficient, perfect, and independent Being; and from one first cause of all things, and the relations he stands in to his creatures: there is but one God, who is truly, and really, and properly God, in opposition to all nominal and figurative deities, and which are not gods by nature, and to the fictitious deities and idols of the nations; and there ”
Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 9:15: 9:15 This quotation from Exod 33:19 focuses on God’s nature: God is free from obligation or constraint in bestowing mercy on people.”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 19:7: God's glory, (that is, his goodness to man) appears much in the works of creation, but much more in and by divine revelation. The holy scripture, as it is a rule both of our duty to God and of our expectation from him, is of much greater use and benefit to us than day or night, than the air we breathe in, or the light of the sun. The discoveries made of God by his works might have served if man had retained his integrity; but, to recover him out of his fallen state, another course must be taken; that must be done by the word of God. And here, 1. The psalmist gives”

Ask Your Own Question