Using Analogies and Examples to Describe God's Majesty Properly
Describing God's Majesty through Analogies and Examples
The Bible employs various analogies and examples to convey the majesty of God, a task that is both crucial and challenging due to the limitations of human language and understanding. Jesus himself used parables to illustrate the Kingdom of God, asking, "How will we liken the Kingdom of God? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?" [1]. This approach acknowledges the difficulty in directly describing divine majesty, instead opting for relatable comparisons.
The majesty of God is associated with several attributes, including His glory, power, and holiness. Torrey's Topical Textbook highlights the exhibition of God's glory in Christ, His name, majesty, power, and works, citing numerous biblical references [2]. For instance, the Psalmist speaks of God's majesty in relation to His power and the reverence it inspires [2]. Similarly, the holiness of God is described as incomparable and is reflected in His character, name, words, works, and kingdom [3].
When describing God's majesty, biblical writers often resort to metaphorical language and imagery. For example, God's power is expressed through metaphors such as "the Voice of God," "the Finger of God," "the Hand of God," and "the Arm of God" [6]. These anthropomorphic expressions attempt to convey the magnitude and effectiveness of God's power in a way that is comprehensible to humans.
The use of parables and analogies is not limited to describing God's majesty but is also a method for illustrating moral and spiritual truths. The term "parable" encompasses a wide range of literary forms, including comparisons, similitudes, and metaphors [4]. Jesus' parables, for instance, used everyday scenarios to convey deeper spiritual realities, making complex theological concepts more accessible.
The challenge in using analogies to describe God's majesty lies in balancing the need for comprehension with the risk of diminishing the divine through human representation. The Bible acknowledges this challenge, with Job questioning how a human could be justified before God, highlighting the vast disparity between human and divine righteousness [5].
Theological traditions have grappled with the task of describing God's majesty, often emphasizing the importance of reverence and the limitations of human understanding. According to John Gill, speaking of God's majesty involves acknowledging the glorious honor of His divine person, particularly in the context of Christ's role as Mediator [8]. Matthew Henry notes that meditating on God's glory and greatness is essential, and it involves recognizing His goodness to humanity as manifested in creation and divine revelation [7, 9].
Sources
- Mark “He said, “How will we liken the Kingdom of God? Or with what parable will we illustrate it? -- Mark 4:30”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Glory of God, The — Exhibited in Christ -- Joh 1:14; 2Co 4:6; Heb 1:3. Exhibited in His name. -- De 28:58; Ne 9:5. His majesty. -- Job 37:22; Ps 93:1; 104:1; 145:5,12; Isa 2:10. His power. -- Ex 15:1,6; Ro 6:4. His works. -- Ps 19:1; 111:3. His holiness. -- Ex 15:11. Described as Great. -- Ps 138:5. Eternal. -- Ps 104:31. Rich. -- Eph 3:16. Highly exalted. -- Ps 8:1; 113:4. Exhibited to Moses. -- Ex 34:5-7; 33:18-23. Stephen. -- Ac 7:55. His Church. -- De 5:24; Ps 102:16. Enlightens the Church -- Isa 60:1,2; Re 21:11,23. Saints desire to behold -- Ps 63:2; 90:16. God”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Holiness of God, The — Is incomparable -- Ex 15:11; 1Sa 2:2. Exhibited in his Character. -- Ps 22:3; Joh 17:11. Name. -- Isa 57:15; Lu 1:49. Words. -- Ps 60:6; Jer 23:9. Works. -- Ps 145:17. Kingdom. -- Ps 47:8; Mt 13:41; Re 21:27; 1Co 6:9,10. Is pledged for the fulfilment of His promises. -- Ps 89:35. His judgments. -- Am 4:2. Saints are commanded to imitate -- Le 11:44; 1Pe 1:15,16. Saints should praise -- Ps 30:4. Should produce reverential fear -- Re 15:4. Requires holy service -- Jos 24:19; Ps 93:5. Heavenly hosts adore -- Isa 6:3; Re 4:8. Should be magnified --”
- 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”
- Job “Job 9:2 (Geneva1599) — I knowe verily that it is so: for howe should man compared vnto God, be iustified?”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Power of God, The — Is one of his attributes -- Ps 62:11. Expressed by the Voice of God. -- Ps 29:3,5; 68:33. Finger of God. -- Ex 8:19; Ps 8:3. Hand of God. -- Ex 9:3,15; Isa 48:13. Arm of God. -- Job 40:9; Isa 52:10. Thunder of his power. -- Job 26:14. Described as Great. -- Ps 79:11; Na 1:3. Strong. -- Ps 89:13; 136:12. Glorious. -- Ex 15:6; Isa 63:12. Mighty. -- Job 9:4; Ps 89:13. Everlasting. -- Isa 26:4; Ro 1:20. Sovereign. -- Ro 9:21. Effectual. -- Isa 43:13; Eph 3:7. Irresistible. -- De 32:39; Da 4:35. Incomparable. -- Ex 15:11,12; De 3:24; Job 40:9; Ps 89:8.”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 8 (introduction): This psalm is a solemn meditation on, and admiration of, the glory and greatness of God, of which we are all concerned to think highly and honourably. It begins and ends with the same acknowledgment of the transcendent excellency of God's name. It is proposed for proof (Psa 8:1) that God's name is excellent in all the earth, and then it is repeated as proved (with a "quod erat demonstrandum" - which was to be demonstrated) in the last verse. For the proof of God's glory the psalmist gives instances of his goodness to man; for God's goodness is his glor”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 145:5: I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty,.... Of the majesty of the divine Person of Christ; of the honour due unto him; of the glory of him as of the only begotten of the Father, as he is the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person; of his glory as Mediator, and the honour that belongs to him as such, with which he is now crowned at the right hand of the Majesty on high, angels, authorities, and powers, being subject unto him as the Lord and King of glory; and of thy wondrous works; in becoming incarnate, in dying for the sins of his”
- 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”