Analogies and Examples Used to Describe God's Character and Plan
Biblical texts frequently employ analogies and examples to describe God's character and his divine plan, often drawing from human experiences and natural phenomena. However, the Bible also cautions against reducing God to created forms, as seen in Romans 1:23, which condemns turning the glory of the incorruptible God into images resembling corruptible man, birds, or beasts [6]. Isaiah 40:18 directly asks, "To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him?" [7]. This highlights the challenge of describing an incomparable God [8].
Despite this, analogies are used to convey aspects of God's nature and his relationship with humanity. One prominent analogy is that of God as a father. Psalm 103:13 states, "The Lord is like a father to his children," an analogy foundational to Jesus' teachings about God's fatherhood [10]. This paternal image conveys God's compassion and care [10]. Another significant analogy is that of a shepherd, used to illustrate God's guidance and protection of his people [13]. This metaphor appears in passages like Psalm 23:1 and Isaiah 40:11, depicting God's tender care [13].
God's plan is often described through parables, which are comparisons or similitudes used to illustrate one subject by another [3]. Jesus frequently used parables to explain the "kingdom of heaven" [14]. For instance, the parable of the king preparing a wedding feast illustrates God the Father's love in espousing people to his Son [14].
Humanity itself serves as an analogy for God, as humans are created "in His image" [2]. This concept, found in Genesis 1:27, means that humans bear God's image and are endowed with dignity [9, 12]. This creation in God's image implies a capacity for holiness, which is commanded by God and exemplified by Christ [4]. God's character is the standard for holiness, and believers are called to reflect this [4].
Other analogies describe God's actions and presence. His coming is sometimes depicted using figures drawn from his appearance on Mount Sinai, such as in Psalm 18:7 [11]. The preciousness of God's people in his sight is compared to the "apple of his eye" [15]. These various analogies, while not exhaustive descriptions of God, help to communicate his attributes, such as his greatness, love, and sovereignty, and to encourage devotion and submission to his will [1, 5].
Sources
- 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:”
- Genesis “Genesis 1:27 (YLT) — And God prepareth the man in His image; in the image of God He prepared him, a male and a female He prepared them.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Parable — (The word parable is in Greek parable (parabole) which signifies placing beside or together, a comparison, a parable is therefore literally a placing beside, a comparison, a similitude, an illustration of one subject by another.--McClintock and Strong. As used in the New Testament it had a very wide application, being applied sometimes to the shortest proverbs, (1 Samuel 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chronicles 7:20) sometimes to dark prophetic utterances, (Numbers 23:7,18; 24:3; Ezekiel 20:49) sometimes to enigmatic maxims, (Psalms 78:2; Proverbs 1:6) or metaphors expand”
- 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: 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”
- Romans “Romans 1:23 (Geneva1599) — For they turned the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man, and of birdes, and foure footed beastes, and of creeping things.”
- Isaiah “To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to him? -- Isaiah 40:18”
- Psalms “Psalms 40:5 (BSB) — Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders You have done, and the plans You have for us— none can compare to You— if I proclaim and declare them, they are more than I can count.”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 8:5: 8:5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God: Humans bear God’s image; the Lord has endowed humans with dignity and charged them to rule (Gen 1:26-27). Hebrews 2:6-8 applies these words to Jesus Christ, the ideal human who fully realized God’s purposes.”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 103:13: 103:13 The Lord is like a father to his children: This analogy forms the basis for Jesus’ teaching about God’s fatherhood (see Matt 5:43-48; 6:1; 10:19-20; 12:50; Luke 6:36; 12:29-32; John 8:31-59; 15:1-8; see also 2 Sam 7:14; Jer 3:19; 31:9; Mal 1:6; 2 Cor 6:16-18).”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 18:7: God's coming described in figures drawn from His appearance on Sinai (compare Deu 32:22).”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 11:7: 11:7 man is made in God’s image: See Gen 1:26-27.”
- Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 40:11: 40:11 Isaiah used the familiar biblical metaphor of a shepherd to speak of God’s care for his people (see also 49:10; Ps 23:1; Jer 3:15; 23:4; Ezek 34:11-17; Matt 2:6; John 10:1-18).”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 22:2: The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king,.... The Gospel dispensation which had now taken place, the methods of divine grace in it, and the behaviour of men under it, may be fitly illustrated by the following simile, or parable; the design of which is to express the great love of God the Father, who is represented by this certain king, in espousing any of the children of men to his own son: as, that he a king, who is the King of kings, and Lord of Lords, should concern himself in this manner; and especially, that he should espouse such mean and unworthy cr”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 17:8: Similar figures, denoting the preciousness of God's people in His sight, in Deu 32:10-11; Mat 23:37.”