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Using Extrabiblical Examples to Illustrate God's Character

The character of God is a central theme in biblical theology, often described through His actions, attributes, and interactions with humanity. While the Bible itself is the primary source for understanding God's nature, extrabiblical examples can sometimes be used to illustrate or deepen comprehension of these divine characteristics, provided they align with biblical revelation.

One fundamental aspect of God's character is His power and incomprehensibility. The book of one tradition states, "God thunders marvelously with his voice. He does great things, which we can’t comprehend" [6]. Similarly, Joel speaks of God showing "wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke" [8]. These biblical descriptions emphasize God's omnipotence and His ability to perform acts beyond human understanding. While no extrabiblical example can fully capture this, natural phenomena like immense storms, volcanic eruptions, or the vastness of the cosmos can serve as faint echoes, reminding observers of a power that transcends human capability, thus pointing to the greater, uncontainable power of God. Josephus, in Antiquities of the Jews, suggests that contemplating "God's operations" in nature can lead to imitating "the best of all patterns" [9].

God's righteousness and justice are also frequently highlighted. Romans 3:5 questions, "if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us?" [7]. This passage underscores that God's wrath is a necessary response to sin [10]. In human societies, the concept of justice is often upheld through legal systems and moral codes, where wrongdoing is met with consequences. While imperfect, these human systems of justice can illustrate the principle that order and righteousness require accountability, thereby providing a relatable, albeit limited, parallel to God's perfect justice.

The Bible also portrays God's loving-kindness and mercy. The "loving-kindness of God" is described as great, excellent, good, marvelous, multitudinous, everlasting, and merciful [4]. It is through Christ that this loving-kindness is fully expressed [4]. Human acts of compassion, generosity, and forgiveness, though flawed, can reflect aspects of this divine attribute. For instance, the liberality pleasing to God, as described in 2 Corinthians 9:7 and Hebrews 13:16, is exemplified by Christ and characterized by saints [5]. When individuals demonstrate unmerited kindness or forgiveness, it can serve as a tangible, albeit small, illustration of the boundless loving-kindness that God extends to humanity.

Furthermore, God's humility is a characteristic that Christ exemplified, as seen in Matthew 11:29 and Philippians 2:5-8 [1]. While God is supreme, His humility is demonstrated in His condescension to humanity. Human humility, which is necessary for serving God and is a characteristic of saints, is regarded and heard by God [1]. Observing individuals who, despite their achievements or status, exhibit genuine humility and service to others, can offer a human parallel to the divine humility demonstrated by Christ.

The concept of God as the "image" and "exact likeness" of Christ [12] suggests that Christ perfectly represents God's character. Humans, made in God's image, are endowed with dignity and charged to rule [11]. Therefore, any noble human characteristic that aligns with biblical teaching, such as boldness in faith [3] or communion with God [2], can be seen as a reflection, however faint, of God's own character. However, it is crucial to remember that human examples are always imperfect and subordinate to the direct revelation of God in Scripture and in Christ.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Humility — Necessary to the service of God -- Mic 6:8. Christ an example of -- Mt 11:29; Joh 13:14,15; Php 2:5-8. A characteristic of saints -- Ps 34:2. The who have Regarded by God. -- Ps 138:6; Isa 66:2. Heard by God. -- Ps 9:12; Isa 10:17. Enjoy the presence of God. -- Isa 57:15. Delivered by God. -- Job 22:29. Lifted up by God. -- Jas 4:10. Exalted by God. -- Lu 14:11; 18:14. Are greatest in Christ's kingdom. -- Mt 18:4; 20:26-28. Receive more grace. -- Pr 3:34; Jas 4:6. Upheld by honour. -- Pr 18:12; 29:23. Is before honour -- Pr 15:33. Leads to riches, honour, ”
  2. 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”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Boldness, Holy — Christ set an example of -- Joh 7:26. Is through faith in Christ -- Eph 3:12; Heb 10:19. A characteristic of saints -- Pr 28:1. Produced by Trust in God. -- Isa 50:7. The fear of God. -- Ac 4:19; 5:29. Faithfulness to God. -- 1Ti 3:13. Express your trust in God with -- Heb 13:6. Have, in prayer -- Eph 3:12; Heb 4:16. Saints shall have, in judgment -- 1Jo 4:17. Exhortations to -- Jos 1:7; 2Ch 19:11; Jer 1:8; Eze 3:9. Pray for -- Ac 4:29; Eph 6:19,20. Ministers should exhibit, in Faithfulness to their people. -- 2Co 7:4; 10:1. Preaching. -- Ac 4:31; Ph”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Loving-Kindness of God, The — Is through Christ -- Eph 2:7; Tit 3:4-6. Described as Great. -- Ne 9:17. Excellent. -- Ps 36:7. Good. -- Ps 69:16. Marvellous. -- Ps 17:7; 31:21. Multitudinous. -- Isa 63:7. Everlasting. -- Isa 54:8. Merciful. -- Ps 117:2. Better than life. -- Ps 63:3. Consideration of the dealings of God gives a knowledge of -- Ps 107:43. Saints Betrothed in. -- Ho 2:19. Drawn by. -- Jer 31:3. Preserved by. -- Ps 40:11. Quickened after. -- Ps 119:88. Comforted by. -- Ps 119:76. Look for mercy through. -- Ps 51:1. Receive mercy through. -- Isa 54:8. Are ”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Liberality — Pleasing to God -- 2Co 9:7; Heb 13:16. God never forgets -- Heb 6:10. Christ set an example of -- 2Co 8:9. Characteristic of saints -- Ps 112:9; Isa 32:8. Unprofitable, without love -- 1Co 13:3. Should be exercised In the service of God. -- Ex 35:21-29. Toward saints. -- Ro 12:13; Ga 6:10. Toward servants. -- De 15:12-14. Toward the poor. -- De 15:11; Isa 58:7. Toward strangers. -- Le 25:35. Toward enemies. -- Pr 25:21. Toward all men. -- Ga 6:10. In leading to those in want. -- Mt 5:42. In giving alms. -- Lu 12:33. In relieving the destitute. -- Isa 58:”
  6. Job “God thunders marvelously with his voice. He does great things, which we can’t comprehend. -- Job 37:5”
  7. Romans “Romans 3:5 (BSB) — But if our unrighteousness highlights the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unjust to inflict His wrath on us? I am speaking in human terms.”
  8. Joel “I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, fire, and pillars of smoke. -- Joel 2:30”
  9. 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”
  10. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
  11. 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.”
  12. Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 1:15: They who have experienced in themselves "redemption" (Col 1:14), know Christ in the glorious character here described, as above the highest angels to whom the false teachers (Col 2:18) taught worship was to be paid. Paul describes Him: (1) in relation to God and creation (Col 1:15-17); (2) in relation to the Church (Col 1:18-20). As the former regards Him as the Creator (Col 1:15-16) and the Sustainer (Col 1:17) of the natural world; so the latter, as the source and stay of the new moral creation. image--exact likeness and perfect Representative.”
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