Have you ever asked yourself why people believe what they do? Why do so many assume their beliefs are based on the Bible? Many enter adulthood having accepted without question what they repeatedly heard, read or were taught. Human nature wants to follow the crowd. This is why most follow a god that was conceived and developed entirely outside the pages of the Bible. Almost all who consider themselves Christian have carelessly assumed from childhood the answers to the most important question they could ever address: Who and what is God?

The subject of God is mysterious and confusing to almost all. Yet the single most important knowledge in the universe would be that of the true God. What could be more important than worshipping the correct God?

Although this world is mostly ignorant of the reality of God, the entire creation stands as a witness to the existence of the Supreme Creator of the universe. Consequently, nearly everyone is ignorant of the God of the Bible. They have heard of God, but much of what they have heard is distorted and inaccurate. The results are that most have created a god of their own liking—a god that exists only in their imaginations.

If you were asked, “What is God like?”, what would you say? Would you try stringing together a cluster of adjectives? Would you, at a loss for words, try expressing it emotionally with gestures and exclamations? Would you point to surrounding objects? Would you draw pictures?

Of all biblical knowledge, having a correct understanding of the true God is of paramount importance. To properly understand His inspired Word, we must first have a correct understanding of the Author. One might ask, would the Author of the Bible not want us to have proper knowledge of who and what He is? Yes, the God who created the universe in all of its magnitude and creative detail is able to be known. He reveals Himself in His inspired Word.

Let’s begin our study by seeing what the Scriptures reveal about the glory and magnificence of God. This will provide the proper background—the right attitude and approach—to comprehending the nature of our Creator. We need to discover who God is and how He relates and reveals Himself to us. Once God is understood, it is easier to grow in knowledge and understanding of the truth. Actually, God commands us to understand who He is. His own words are “prove Me now herewith” (Mal. 3:10). Let’s begin an enlightening and fascinating study about who and what God is!

(1) What does the first chapter of the Bible reveal about God? Genesis 1:1, 26.

The original Hebrew word for God (vs. 1) is Elohim, a collective noun like church, family and team, all of which have more than one member. This word indicates that God is actually a family! Notice that verse 26 clearly bears this out: “Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.”

(2) Who are the members of the God Family? How many are there now? John 1:1-3. Did the “Word” mentioned in John 1 become a flesh and blood human being? John 1:14.

Let’s put what we have just read into perspective. At the prehistoric time described in John 1:1, before the material universe was created, there existed only two divine Beings. One is God. And with God was another Personage referred to as “the Word,” who also is God. He is the One who was later miraculously begotten by God the Father so He could be born of flesh and become the human Jesus Christ, the very Son of God. At the time described in John 1:1-3, the Word was a divine spiritual Being, not yet the Son of God.

God’s Family now consists of two members: the Father, who is greater, reigning supreme in the government or kingdom of God, and the Word, who became Jesus Christ and is in complete harmony with the Father.

(3) Have both members of the God Family always existed? Psalm 90:2; 102:25-27; I Timothy 1:17.

God’s Word reveals that both members of this divine Family are immortal. That means they have always existed. How could these two Beings not have had a beginning? What makes this seem so implausible to us is that, in the physical realm, everything is finite and comes to an end. Everything has a beginning. But God is different. It is beyond the scope of our physical minds to understand some aspects of God (Isa. 55:8-9; Job 42:3).

Even some things in the physical world man does not fully understand. For instance, electricity is something he knows exists, while not fully understanding exactly what it is.

(4) In whose image and likeness was man created? Do both members of the God Family resemble the form and shape of a human being? Genesis 1:26. Did Christ indicate that His and the Father’s resemblance are the same? John 14:9.

(5) Even though God may resemble and have the same features of man, is His composition the same? John 4:24. Because of this, is He therefore not visible to the physical human eye? Colossians 1:15; I Timothy 1:17.

This is perhaps one of the biggest reasons the scientific community does not acknowledge God and the spirit world. If it cannot be experienced through the five senses, it is nonexistent in their thinking.

How ironic that man has often asked, “Why does God hide Himself?” Yet on such occasions when God did reveal Himself, we read in Exodus 20:19 how man responded.

(6) Are the Father’s and Christ’s appearances described as glorious? John 17:5. How did John describe Christ’s magnificent appearance that was revealed to him in a vision? Revelation 1:13-18. Do the universe-ruling headquarters and the heavenly realm also exhibit this same magnificence? Revelation 4:2.

Both God the Father and Jesus Christ have faces shaped exactly like human faces. Yet, because of the glory of their spiritual nature, their faces radiate light as bright as the sun in full strength! Their eyes glow like flames of fire, their feet glisten like burnished brass, and their hair is as white as snow.

(7) Did the God Family actually create all things? Ephesians 3:9; Colossians 1:15-17; Genesis 1:1; John 1:3. How was the creation of the universe accomplished? Psalm 33:6-9; Hebrews 11:3.

God the Father and Christ work together as a team. Christ and the Father are “one”; they are in perfect harmony and unity of purpose. Since their thought processes are governed by the same spiritual Law, they always arrive at a mutual conclusion. With this cohesive thought pattern, they planned and designed the entire universe.

(8) Does God’s Holy Spirit permeate the entire universe? Psalm 139:7; Jeremiah 23:24. God’s Spirit can be compared to broadcast signals flowing from radio or television transmitters. God is the transmitter of His Holy Spirit.

(9) Is the Holy Spirit that emanates from God a Spirit of power? Jeremiah 27:5; Psalm 104:30. Through the incredible power of God’s Spirit, the whole creation was brought into existence.

(10) Thinking about God’s marvelous creation, what did the prophet Isaiah write about the awesome power and majesty of God? Carefully read and consider what He says in Isaiah 40:12-26. How great and powerful is the almighty God? Are there any limitations to what He can do? Matthew 19:26.

(11) Does God call the stars all by name? Psalm 147:4-5; Isaiah 40:26. In addition to that, does He also know the number of hairs on our heads? Matthew 10:30. Is God constantly aware of all that happens on the earth? II Chronicles 16:9; Job 34:21-25. What about thoughts? Can anyone hide his thoughts from God? I Chronicles 28:9.

This is another example that illustrates the awesomeness of God. Some astronomers estimate there are more than 40 sextillion stars (in other words, 40 with 21 zeros behind it) in the universe. Humanly, we cannot begin to wrap our minds around such a number.

God’s abilities and understanding are infinite. As the Creator of the universe, He knows its deepest secrets, unfathomable to man. He created and upholds the forces that bind atomic nuclei and fuel gigantic stars, and the laws that sustain incredibly huge galaxies. Even with all of this occurring, He is still aware of small details about each of us, such as the number of hairs on our heads. Do you know how many hairs are on your head? It is incredible to think about!

(12) Is the God Family able to travel through space at incredible speed? Compare John 20:17, 19-20 to Matthew 28:8-9.

Notice that Christ traveled to the Father in heaven and returned to earth in the same day!

(13) Does God ever become tired and need to rest? Isaiah 40:28.

(14) Does God have perfect character? Matthew 5:48. How does the Bible define the nature and character of God? I John 4:16. What is the love of God? I John 5:3. Is this why Jesus summed up the Ten Commandments the way He did? Matthew 22:36-40. Will God’s character ever change? Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8.

The character of both God the Father and Jesus Christ is perfect, holy and righteous. Their character can be summed up in one word: love. God’s Law is a reflection of His character. It is the way of love—the way of giving, serving, helping—of outgoing concern for humanity.

(15) Is it God’s Plan to increase the size of His Family by bringing more members into it? Hebrews 2:8-10; Revelation 21:7. Is Jesus Christ the firstborn of many children of God? Romans 8:29. Will they, like Christ, one day be given the same great power and glory of God? Romans 8:17-18; Colossians 3:4. When will this occur? I Thessalonians 4:16-17; I Corinthians 15:50-53.

The awesome potential of all human beings—past, present and future—is that of becoming, through a resurrection, children of God.

(16) Does God plan to eventually create a new heaven and a new earth? Hebrews 1:10-12; Revelation 21:1-5. Did Isaiah clearly indicate that the government of God will expand not only on the earth, but also to other parts of our galaxy and throughout the universe? Isaiah 9:6-7.

God promises there will be no end to the increase of His government! Those who are striving to follow God’s Way and develop His character—with the help of His Holy Spirit—will one day be born into His divine family! They will then be like God—with eternal, indestructible spirit bodies radiating power and glory, shining as the stars forever (Dan. 12:2-3)!