God is far above, beyond and outside the created order.
God is outside and above all creation
Psalm 113:4; Isaiah 40:22 1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chronicles 2:6; Job 37:23 Elihu declares the LORD to be beyond reach; Psalm 8:1, Psalm 57:5, Psalm 57:11, Psalm 97:9, Psalm 108:5, Psalm 148:13; Isaiah 33:5; Acts 7:49, Acts 17:24; Ephesians 1:20–21 Jesus Christ is above all, in the place of highest honour and authority; Ephesians 4:6; Hebrews 7:26
The LORD is exalted over all the nations, His glory above the heavens.
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth; its dwellers are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
God is able also to draw near to his creatures
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit, to restore the spirit of the lowly and revive the heart of the contrite.
The invisibility of God
God is invisible to people and hidden from their sight
Exodus 33:20; Isaiah 45:15 See also Exodus 3:6JOB Exodus 9:11, Job 23:8–9 Psalm 10:1, Psalm 13:1, Psalm 89:46; John 1:18 Jesus Christ has made God known; John 5:37; Colossians 1:15 Jesus Christ is the image of God; 1 Timothy 1:17, 1 Timothy 6:16; 1 John 4:12
But He added, “You cannot see My face, for no one can see Me and live.”
Truly You are a God who hides Himself, O God of Israel, the Savior.
OT saints who saw God
Exodus 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 Genesis 32:30; Exodus 24:10; Judges 13:22; Isaiah 6:5
Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.
God is made visible in Jesus Christ
John 1:18, John 14:9; 2 Corinthians 4:4, 2 Corinthians 4:6; Colossians 1:15
Redeemed people will be able to look at God's face
Matthew 5:8; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 22:4
God's ways are beyond human understanding
Isaiah 55:8–9 See also Deuteronomy 29:29; Job 5:9, Job 11:7, Job 36:22–23; Psalm 139:1–6; Proverbs 25:2; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Isaiah 40:28; Romans 11:33–34; 1 Corinthians 2:11, 1 Corinthians 2:16
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.