This is What God is Like

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom also He created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

But we see Him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting that He, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why He is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying,

“I will tell of Your name to My brothers;
    in the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise.”

And again,
“I will put My trust in Him.”

And again,
“Behold, I and the children God has given Me.”

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that He helps, but He helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in every respect, so that He might become a merciful and faithful High Priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because He Himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:9-18

Jesus is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature.” We can take this literally, as when Jesus was transfigured on the Mount of Olives (Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:2). One day, when we meet Him face to face, we too will reflect His brilliance, just as Moses did (Revelation 22:4, Exodus 34:29). Besides a literal glow, we can also understand the radiance of Jesus figuratively. He bore a presence that drew disciples to Him. Jesus, Hebrews is telling us, mirrors God’s glory and God’s nature. Hebrews says, Jesus is what God is like.  Jesus, Himself, tells us, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father” (John 14:9).

We know what God is like because He tells us what He is like.

“…The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation” (Exodus 34:6-7).

We also know what God is like because the enfleshed Jesus shows us.

He is merciful.

“And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:35-36).

THIS IS WHAT GOD IS LIKE.

He is gracious.

“He laid aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him” (John 13:4-8).

THIS IS WHAT GOD IS LIKE.

He is slow to anger.

Paul, former persecutor and murderer of God’s people, proves to us that Christ is slow to anger with even the hardest of sinners, giving them time to repent that they might be saved.

“But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost [of sinners], Jesus Christ might display His perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Timothy 1:16).

THIS IS WHAT GOD IS LIKE.

He abounds in steadfast love and faithfulness.

The apostle Peter denied knowing Jesus three times before He was led to His death. His own fear led him to lie and abandon his friend. After Jesus is resurrected, He seeks out Peter, specifically, asking him three times, “do you love Me?” and then, in as many times as Peter denied his friend, Jesus entrusts Peter with the care of His people, not because Peter was faithful, but because Jesus is faithful (John 21:15-17).

THIS IS WHAT GOD IS LIKE.

He forgives iniquity, transgression, and sin.

Zacchaeus “was a chief tax collector and was rich.” An extortionist, Zacchaeus took more money from people than he should have, and more than he needed. The people knew it and he knew it, but money was his god, until Jesus came to town, that is. What was it about Jesus’ demeanor and countenance that confronted Zacchaeus with his sin in such a way that he could not turn away from the forgiveness Jesus offered him? (Luke 19:1-10)

THIS IS WHAT GOD IS LIKE.

He will by no means clear the guilty.

Allowing sin to go unpunished would mean that God is not a just God. Because God is merciful, gracious, and slow to anger, He made a way for the guilty (that’s all of us) to be cleared. He gave Jesus, the exact imprint of His nature (fully God, yet fully Man) to be our Substitute. Jesus died in our place because “God gave Him who knew no sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21). It is even more humbling, then, that we are called His brothers (and sisters), children of the living God (1 John 3:1).

THIS IS WHAT GOD IS LIKE.