Poetic Descriptions of God's Character in Times of Uncertainty
Poetic descriptions of God's character frequently emerge in biblical texts, particularly during periods of uncertainty, offering comfort and assurance through vivid imagery and theological affirmations. These descriptions often highlight attributes such as God's wisdom, power, goodness, and steadfastness, providing a foundation for faith when circumstances are challenging.
One prominent aspect of God's character emphasized in poetic language is His unsearchable wisdom and knowledge. The Apostle Paul, in Romans 11:33, exclaims, "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!" [1]. This passage poetically conveys the incomprehensibility of God's intellect, suggesting that His plans and methods are beyond human understanding. Such a description can be a source of solace during uncertainty, implying that even when human comprehension fails, divine wisdom is at work. Similarly, Easton's Bible Dictionary notes that God's knowledge is infinite, citing passages like Acts 15:18 and 1 Samuel 23:9-13 to underscore His absolute foreknowledge [6]. This attribute suggests that God is never caught off guard by events, no matter how chaotic they may appear to humanity.
The majesty and power of God are also frequently articulated in poetic terms, particularly in contexts of human vulnerability. Job, facing immense suffering, acknowledges, "For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because his majesty, I can do nothing" [2]. This verse, while expressing fear, simultaneously underscores God's overwhelming power and sovereignty. The Tyndale House commentary on Psalm 46:6 describes how "people and nations live in chaos, characterized by opportunism... busyness... and noise," yet in contrast, "when the godly feel disturbed, they cry out for God’s help" [12]. This highlights God's role as a stable anchor amidst global and personal turmoil. The early Christian writer Lactantius similarly described God as "perfect, eternal, incorruptible, incapable of suffering, subject to no circumstance or power, Himself possessing all things, ruling all things" [10]. Such descriptions elevate God above the transient and unstable nature of human experience.
God's goodness and unfailing love (Hebrew khesed) are central themes in poetic descriptions that offer hope in uncertain times. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines God's goodness as a perfection of His character, exercised towards His creatures, encompassing benevolence, mercy, pity, compassion, long-suffering, and grace [5]. This multifaceted goodness is a source of comfort. For instance, the Tyndale House commentary on Exodus 15:13 notes that "in light of God’s unfailing love and his might, there is no reason to doubt that he will be able to keep his promises" [15]. This "unfailing love" is described as the "most frequent descriptor of God" in the Old Testament, signifying His undeserved kindness and loyalty [15]. The Psalmist, even in suffering, finds encouragement in God's righteous character, believing in His ability to transform misery into abundant life (Psalm 71:19-21) [8].
The concept of God's steadfastness and commitment is another recurring poetic motif. The name "Jeconiah," meaning "preparation, or stability, of the Lord," subtly points to this attribute [4]. Even when facing difficult times, recalling God's past mighty acts assures His people of His ongoing commitment [9]. This historical remembrance serves as a poetic reminder of God's consistent character. The covenant God made, securing the yearly return of winter, as noted in Genesis 8:22, can be seen as a poetic assurance of His faithfulness to His promises, even when winter itself symbolizes "seasons of spiritual adversity" [3].
The patristic writers also engaged with poetic and philosophical descriptions of God. Tertullian, for example, discussed how philosophers, poets, and various peoples conceived of gods, contrasting these with the Christian understanding of a singular, true God [7]. He acknowledged that philosophers sometimes arrived at similar truths as Christians, likening it to a ship "stumbled on" a harbor by chance during a storm [13]. This suggests that even outside direct revelation, aspects of God's nature might be glimpsed, though the Christian understanding is presented as more certain. Theophilus of Antioch described God as "without beginning, because He is unbegotten; and He is unchangeable, because He is immortal," further emphasizing His eternal and stable nature [16].
John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, discusses how God's character is sometimes presented with "more vivid descriptions," as if His "genuine countenance were visibly portrayed" [11]. He references Moses's declaration of God as "The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving" [11]. This comprehensive description encapsulates many of the poetic attributes that provide comfort during uncertainty. Calvin also addresses the apparent randomness of events, stating that while "all these things appear fortuitous" to human discernment, the Christian understands that "the Providence of God overruled it and guided fortune to his own end" [14]. This perspective transforms seemingly chaotic events into expressions of God's sovereign control, offering a profound sense of stability.
Sources
- Romans “Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out! -- Romans 11:33”
- Job “For calamity from God is a terror to me. Because his majesty, I can do nothing. -- Job 31:23”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Winter — God makes -- Ps 74:17. Yearly return of, secured by covenant -- Ge 8:22. Coldness and inclemency of, noticed -- Pr 20:4; Joh 10:22. Unsuited for Travelling. -- Mt 24:20; 2Ti 4:21. Navigation. -- Ac 27:9. Ships were laid up in port during -- Ac 27:12; 28:11. The Jews frequently had special houses for -- Jer 36:22; Am 3:15. Illustrative of seasons of spiritual adversity -- Song 2:11.”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Jeconiah — preparation, or stability, of the Lord”
- 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 ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Foreknowledge of God — Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29; 11:2; 1 Pet. 1:2), one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to him the full import of which we cannot comprehend. In the most absolute sense his knowledge is infinite (1 Sam. 23:9-13; Jer. 38:17-23; 42:9-22, Matt. 11:21, 23; Acts 15:18).”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. I.--THE HEATHEN GODS FROM HEATHEN AUTHORITIES. VARRO HAS WRITTEN A WORK ON THE SUBJECT. HIS THREEFOLD CLASSIFICATION. THE CHANGEABLE CHARACTER OF THAT WHICH OUGHT TO BE FIXED AND CERTAIN. (part 2): inventors(18) of the gods, he points to either the philosophers, the peoples, or the poets. For he has made a threefold distinction in classifying the gods: one being the physical class, of which the philosophers treat; another the mythic class, which is the constant burden of(19) the poets; the third, the gentile class, which the nations have adopted each one for itsel”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 71:19: 71:19-21 God’s righteous character provides encouragement and strength in the midst of suffering. The wounded psalmist confesses faith in God’s ability to transform his misery and weakness into abundant life.”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 77:3: 77:3 I think of God: God’s people inevitably face difficult times, but recalling his mighty acts at the beginning of their relationship assures them of God’s commitment. • Feeling overwhelmed, the psalmist is unable to deal with the crisis (142:3; 143:4).”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 7: Lactantius, Venantius, Asterius, Victorinus, Dionysius — CHAP. III.--THE TESTIMONIES OF THE POETS CONCERNING THE ONE GOD.: There is, then, one God, perfect, eternal, incorruptible, incapable of suffering, subject to no circumstance or power, Himself possessing all things, ruling all things, whom the human mind can neither estimate in thought nor mortal tongue describe in speech. For He is too elevated and great to be conceived by the thought, or expressed by the language of man. In short, not to speak of the prophets, the preachers of the one God, poets also, and philosophers, and i”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 26: he is the just punisher of the wicked, especially when they continue obstinate notwithstanding of all his forbearance. 2. There are certain passages which contain more vivid descriptions 88 of the divine character, setting it before us as if his genuine countenance were visibly portrayed. Moses, indeed, seems to have intended briefly to comprehend whatever may be known of God by man, when he said, “The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgivi”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 46:6: 46:6 People and nations live in chaos, characterized by opportunism (83:2), busyness (39:6), and noise. These people shake, totter, and crumble, unlike the city of God (cp. 15:5). In contrast, when the godly feel disturbed, they cry out for God’s help (42:5, 11; 43:5; 55:17).”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. II.--THE CHRISTIAN HAS SURE AND SIMPLE KNOWLEDGE CONCERNING THE SUBJECT BEFORE US. (part 1): Of course we shall not deny that philosophers have sometimes thought the same things as ourselves. The testimony of truth is the issue thereof. It sometimes happens even in a storm, when the boundaries of sky and sea are lost in confusion, that some harbour is stumbled on (by the labouring ship) by some happy chance; and sometimes in the very shades of night, through blind luck alone, one finds access to a spot, or egress from it. In nature, however, most conclusions are s”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 32: fixed the bounds which could not be passed ( Job 14:5 ). Still, in relation to our capacity of discernment, all these things appear fortuitous. How will the Christian feel? Though he will consider that every circumstance which occurred in that person’s death was indeed in its nature fortuitous, he will have no doubt that the Providence of God overruled it and guided fortune to his own end. The same thing holds in the case of future contingencies. All future events being uncertain to us, seem in suspense as if ready to take either d”
- Exodus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Exodus 15:13: 15:13-18 The people God has redeemed have confidence for the future. In light of what the Lord had done in rescuing Israel from his enemies, there was no question that he would be able to carry through on his promise to take them safely into the Promised Land. 15:13 In light of God’s unfailing love and his might, there is no reason to doubt that he will be able to keep his promises. “Unfailing love” is a translation of the Hebrew word khesed, which speaks of the undeserved kindness and loyalty of a superior to an inferior. It is the most frequent descriptor of Go”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. IV.--ATTRIBUTES OF GOD.: And He is without beginning, because He is unbegotten; and He is unchangeable, because He is immortal. And he is called God [<greek>Qeos</greek>] on account of His having placed [<greek>teqeikenai</greek>] all things on security afforded by Himself; and on account of [<greek>qeein</greek>], for <greek>qeein</greek> means running, and moving, and being active, and nourishing, and foreseeing, and governing, and making all things alive. But he is Lord, because He rules over the universe; Fat”