Good Morning Friends,
If we are made in the image of God, what does God look like? Scripture speaks of God’s face shining upon us, eyes that see, ears that hear, a mouth that speaks, hands that uphold, and feet associated with his sovereign presence. Yet Jesus tells us, “God is spirit” (John 4:24).So are we to imagine God as an enormous human being? Or do these descriptions tell us something deeper? What Does God Look Like?
Scripture Summaries:
Genesis 1:26–27
Humanity is created in God’s image, male and female, not primarily telling us what God looks like, but revealing what we were created to be: reflections of God in his creation.
Exodus 25:17–22
God tells Moses to place two cherubim over the Ark and promises to meet his people there, between them.
Isaiah 6:1–5; Ezekiel 1; Daniel 7:9–14
The prophets struggle to describe God’s overwhelming glory: throne, fire, radiance and holiness. Daniel sees the Ancient of Days and “one like a son of man” receiving everlasting dominion.
Matthew 17:1–8
Jesus is transfigured, his face shining like the sun, with Moses and Elijah beside him. The Father declares Jesus his beloved Son.
John 19:18
At Calvary Jesus is again in the middle, crucified between two others.
John 14:9
Then comes perhaps the clearest answer to our question. Jesus says, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.”
The Message: What does God look like? Perhaps Scripture’s surprising answer is: Look at Jesus. The Bible speaks of God with bodily language because perhaps we have the relationship backward. We are not to construct God in our image. We were created in his. Our eyes reflect the God who sees. Our ears, the God who hears. Our mouths, the God who speaks. Our hands can create, bless and serve. Our feet can go wherever God’s love sends us. Then comes Christianity’s astonishing claim: the invisible God becomes visible. The Word becomes flesh. Jesus has eyes, hands, feet and a face. Paul calls him “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). And notice a beautiful thread running through Scripture. Between the cherubim: God meets humanity in mercy. Between Moses and Elijah: God reveals his Son in glory. Between two criminals: God reveals his love in sacrifice. Between two disciples sent out together: Christ reveals our mission, promising, “I am with you always.” The throne and the Cross strangely come together. The King reveals his glory through self-giving love. If we want to know what God is like, we look not merely at Christ shining on the mountain, but at Christ between sinners on the Cross. And Jesus shows us something else. He reveals not only what God is like, but what humanity was created to become. Therefore, being made in God’s image has less to do with what appears in a mirror and much more to do with what appears in a life. Can my eyes see with compassion? Can my ears hear another’s suffering? Can my mouth speak truth and grace? Can my hands serve? Can my feet carry me toward the lonely and forgotten?
And So, What does God look like? Isaiah saw glory. Ezekiel saw fire and mystery. Daniel saw the Ancient of Days. Moses encountered God between the cherubim. The disciples saw Jesus between Moses and Elijah. And at Calvary, the world saw Jesus between two sinners. Then Jesus says, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” So look at Jesus welcoming children. Look at him touching the untouchable, weeping beside a grave, washing his disciples’ feet and forgiving his enemies. And finally, look at the Cross. The God whom no image could contain has made himself known in Christ. And the God who made us in his image is now remaking us into the image of his Son and sending us out, together, to carry his love into the world.
Pray Lord God, that we confess that we often try to make You in our image rather than allowing You to remake us in Yours. Pray You give us eyes that see as Jesus saw, ears that listen with compassion, mouths that speak truth and grace, hands that serve rather than grasp, and feet willing to go wherever Your love sends us. Pray when we wonder what You are like, You turn our eyes toward Jesus. Pray that the image of Christ becomes clearer in us, until others catch a glimpse of Your love through the lives we live. Amen.
Blessings,
John Lawson
