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Using Analogies and Examples to Teach God's Nature to Children

Scripture consistently places the responsibility for teaching children about God on parents and the faith community. Deuteronomy 6:7 commands parents to teach God's words diligently to their children, "when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise" [6]. This instruction assumes that children are capable of learning about divine realities from an early age—Psalm 34:11 invites, "Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of Yahweh" [4]. The biblical witness affirms that children "are capable of glorifying God" and should be "brought early to the house of God" and "instructed in the ways of God" [1].

The Biblical Warrant for Analogies

The scriptural tradition itself employs analogies to communicate God's nature. A parable functions as "a placing beside, a comparison, a similitude, an illustration of one subject by another" [3], and this method extends beyond formal parables to include metaphors and comparisons throughout Scripture. When teaching children, Psalm 103:13 offers a foundational analogy: "The Lord is like a father to his children" [11]. This comparison forms the basis for Jesus' own teaching about God's fatherhood, appearing in passages such as Matthew 5:43-48 and Luke 6:36 [11]. The analogy works because it takes a relationship children already understand—the care and compassion of a parent—and uses it to illuminate something they cannot directly perceive.

Yet Scripture also warns against the limits of analogy. Acts 17:29 cautions, "Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design of man" [5]. Human-made images cannot capture divine reality. This tension requires that analogies be used carefully, always pointing beyond themselves to the transcendent God they represent.

Imitation as Pedagogy

The New Testament presents a pedagogical model centered on imitation. Ephesians 5:1 commands believers to "be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children" [7]. Matthew Henry explains that "pious persons should imitate the God whom they worship, as far as he has revealed himself as imitable by them" [13]. This principle applies directly to teaching children: they learn God's nature not only through verbal instruction but by observing adults who themselves imitate divine attributes. When parents demonstrate compassion, forgiveness, and faithfulness, they provide living analogies of God's character.

Christ himself "set an example" in meekness, compassion, and obedience [8, 9]. Luke 2:51 records that Jesus was subject to his parents, establishing a pattern for children [1]. John Gill notes that believers "might appear, and be known to be the children of God, by doing those things in which they resemble their heavenly Father" [12]. The imitation is not a means of becoming God's children—that comes through adoption and regeneration—but a way of making that relationship visible and comprehensible [12].

Age-Appropriate Instruction

The biblical material assumes developmental readiness. Timothy knew the Scriptures from childhood (2 Timothy 3:15) [2], and Samuel was brought to the house of God as a young child (1 Samuel 1:24) [1]. Proverbs 22:6 instructs parents to "train up a child in the way he should go" [1, 6], suggesting that instruction should be suited to the child's capacity. Ecclesiastes 12:1 urges the young to "remember your Creator in the days of your youth" [1], indicating that even children can grasp foundational truths about God.

Matthew Henry emphasizes that "if children will be obedient to their pious parents, they will be in a fair way to be pious as they are" [14]. The duty of parents includes not only commanding obedience but also modeling the fear of the Lord and telling children "of the miraculous works of God" [6]. These narratives—the exodus, the resurrection, answered prayers—function as concrete examples that make abstract theological truths tangible.

The Limits of Human Language

All analogies break down because God transcends human categories. Josephus observed that a legislator "should consider the Divine nature" and "imitate the best of all patterns, so far as it is possible for human nature to do" [10]. The phrase "so far as it is possible" acknowledges the gap between Creator and creature. When teaching children, this means using analogies while also teaching that God is greater than any comparison. A father's love points to God's love, but God's love exceeds any human father's capacity. The analogy opens a door; it does not exhaust the reality.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Children — Christ was an example to -- Lu 2:51; Joh 19:26,27. Are a gift from God -- Ge 33:5; Ps 127:3. Are capable of glorifying God -- Ps 8:2; 148:12,13; Mt 21:15,16. Should be Brought to Christ. -- Mr 10:13-16. Brought early to the house of God. -- 1Sa 1:24. Instructed in the ways of God. -- De 31:12,13; Pr 22:6. Judiciously trained. -- Pr 22:15; 29:17; Eph 6:4. Should Obey God. -- De 30:2. Fear God. -- Pr 24:21. Remember God. -- Ec 12:1. Attend to parental teaching. -- Pr 1:8,9. Honour parents. -- Ex 20:12; Heb 12:9. Fear parents. -- Le 19:3. Obey parents. -- Pr ”
  2. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Children, Good — The Lord is with -- 1Sa 3:19. Know the Scriptures -- 2Ti 3:15. Observe the law of God -- Pr 28:7. Their obedience to parents is well pleasing to God -- Col 3:20. Partake of the promises of God -- Ac 2:39. Shall be blessed -- Pr 3:1-4; Eph 6:2,3. Show love to parents -- Ge 46:29. Obey parents -- Ge 28:7; 47:30. Attend to parental teaching -- Pr 13:1. Take care of parents -- Ge 45:9,11; 47:12. Make their parents' hearts glad -- Pr 10:1; 29:17. Honour the aged -- Job 32:6,7. Adduced as a motive for submission to God -- Heb 12:9. Spirit of, a requisite f”
  3. 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”
  4. Psalms “Come, you children, listen to me. I will teach you the fear of Yahweh. -- Psalms 34:11”
  5. Acts “Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design of man. -- Acts 17:29”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Parents — Receive their children from God -- Ge 33:5; 1Sa 1:27; Ps 127:3. Their duty to their children is To love them. -- Tit 2:4. To bring them to Christ. -- Mt 19:13,14. To train them up for God. -- Pr 22:6; Eph 6:4. To instruct them in God's word. -- De 4:9; 11:19; Isa 38:19. To tell them of God's judgments. -- Joe 1:3. To tell them of the miraculous works of God. -- Ex 10:2; Ps 78:4. To command them to obey God. -- De 32:46; 1Ch 28:9. To bless them. -- Ge 48:15; Heb 11:20. To pity them. -- Ps 103:13. To provide for them. -- Job 42:15; 2Co 12:14; 1Ti 5:8. To rule”
  7. Ephesians “Ephesians 5:1 (BSB) — Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children,”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Communion With God — Christ set an example of -- Lu 19:41,42. Exhortation to -- Ro 12:15; 1Pe 3:8. Exercise towards The afflicted. -- Job 6:14; Heb 13:3. The chastened. -- Isa 22:4; Jer 9:1. Enemies. -- Ps 35:13. The poor. -- Pr 19:17. The weak. -- 2Co 11:29; Ga 6:2. Saints. -- 1Co 12:25,26. Inseparable from love to God -- 1Jo 3:17; Joh 4:20. Motives to The compassion of God. -- Mt 13:27,33. The sense of our infirmities. -- Heb 5:2. The wicked made to feel, for saints -- Ps 106:46. Promise to those who show -- Pr 19:17; Mt 10:42. Illustrated -- Lu 10:33; 15:20. Exemp”
  9. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Meekness — Christ set an example of -- Ps 45:4; Isa 53:7; Mt 11:29; 21:5; 2Co 10:1; 1Pe 2:21-23. His teaching -- Mt 5:38-45. A fruit of the Spirit -- Ga 5:22,23. Saints should Seek. -- Zep 2:3. Put on. -- Col 3:12-13. Receive the word of God with. -- Jas 1:21. Exhibit, in conduct, &c. -- Jas 3:13. Answer for their hope with. -- 1Pe 3:15. Show to all men. -- Tit 3:2. Restore the erring with. -- Ga 6:1. Precious in the sight of God -- 1Pe 3:4. Ministers should Follow after. -- 1Ti 6:11. Instruct opposers with. -- 2Ti 2:24,25. Urge, on their people. -- Tit 3:1,2. A char”
  10. Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 11, section 4: life well, and give laws to others, in the first place should consider the Divine nature; and, upon the contemplation of God's operations, should thereby imitate the best of all patterns, so far as it is possible for human nature to do, and to endeavor to follow after it: neither could the legislator himself have a right mind without such a contemplation; nor would any thing he should write tend to the promotion of virtue in his readers; I mean, unless they be taught first of all, that God is the Father and Lord of all things, a”
  11. 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).”
  12. Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 5:45: That ye may be the children of your father,.... Not that any became the children of God, by doing things in imitation of him: for as in nature no man becomes the son of another by imitating him, or by doing the things he does but either by birth, or by adoption; so in grace no man becomes a child of God by the works he does, as a follower of God, but by adopting grace; and which is discovered in regeneration. Christ's meaning is, that they might appear, and be known to be the children of God, by doing those things in which they resemble their heavenly Father; and whi”
  13. Ephesians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Ephesians 5:1: Here we have the exhortation to mutual love, or to Christian charity. The apostle had been insisting on this in the former chapter, and particularly in the last verses of it, to which the particle therefore refers, and connects what he had said there with what is contained in these verses, thus: "Because God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven you, therefore be you followers of God, or imitators of him;" for so the word signifies. Pious persons should imitate the God whom they worship, as far as he has revealed himself as imitable by them. They must conform themsel”
  14. Ephesians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Ephesians 6:1: Here we have further directions concerning relative duties, in which the apostle is very particular. I. The duty of children to their parents. Come, you children, hearken to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord. The great duty of children is to obey their parents (Eph 6:1), parents being the instruments of their being, God and nature having given them an authority to command, in subserviency to God; and, if children will be obedient to their pious parents, they will be in a fair way to be pious as they are. That obedience which God demands from their childr”
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