1145 God, transcendence of

God is far above, beyond and outside the created order.

God is outside and above all creation

Ps 113:4; Isa 40:22 Solomon confesses that God transcends containment by the temple: 1Ki 8:27; 2Ch 2:6
Job 37:23 Elihu declares the Lord to be beyond reach; Ps 8:1; Ps 57:5,11; Ps 97:9; Ps 108:5; Ps 148:13; Isa 33:5; Ac 7:49; Ac 17:24; Eph 1:20-21 Jesus Christ is above all, in the place of highest honour and authority; Eph 4:6; Heb 7:26

God is able also to draw near to his creatures

Isa 57:15

The invisibility of God

God is invisible to people and hidden from their sight Ex 33:20; Isa 45:15 See also Ex 3:6 Job is unable to find God in his suffering: Job 9:11; Job 23:8-9
Ps 10:1; Ps 13:1; Ps 89:46; Jn 1:18 Jesus Christ has made God known; Jn 5:37; Col 1:15 Jesus Christ is the image of God; 1Ti 1:17; 1Ti 6:16; 1Jn 4:12

OT saints who saw God Ex 33:11 These exceptions indicate that God’s invisibility is not inherent, but the result of sinful people’s inability to look upon a holy God. See also Ge 32:30; Ex 24:10; Jdg 13:22; Isa 6:5

God is made visible in Jesus Christ Jn 1:18; Jn 14:9; 2Co 4:4,6; Col 1:15

Redeemed people will be able to look at God’s face Mt 5:8; 1Co 13:12; 1Jn 3:2; Rev 22:4

God’s ways are beyond human understanding

Isa 55:8-9 See also Dt 29:29; Job 5:9; Job 11:7; Job 36:22-23; Ps 139:1-6; Pr 25:2; Ecc 3:11; Isa 40:28; Ro 11:33-34; 1Co 2:11,16

See also